All tagged will

Are You Becalmed on a Spiritual Sea?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Space Between Callings

My devotional reading for today had to do with those times between callings and it blessed me by helping me to wait patiently for God's voice. What do we do during these quiet times of our faith, the times between callings and other spiritual experiences? Sailors of tall ships and other sailing vessels call these hours and days when the wind isn't blowing as being "becalmed." When they find themselves sitting motionless, they make busy about the ship preparing for the next leg of their voyage while they wait for a breeze and hopefully a steady wind to fill their sails once more. We should do the same in our spiritual voyages. This is a time to mend the sails in preparation for the coming breeze… not to take up oars ourselves.

Keeping God’s Will Foremost in Our Lives

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Obey God’s Will

My devotional reading this morning was titled "Let Us Keep To The Point", and builds on Oswald Chambers' personal challenge of giving "My Utmost for His Highest". It presses the argument that we should yield to God's will always, and in every instance... without question. The apostle Paul likewise instructs the Philippians on living in the will of God as we live our lives. He speaks to them of living a life with Jesus and aligning ourselves with God's perfect will... without fear of death.

Abiding in Jesus and Prayer

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Abiding and Prayer

People like to hear that whatever they ask for in prayer they will receive; but having stipulations placed on those desires? Well, not so much. So when Jesus tells us that if we abide in Him He will give us what we ask for many who pray tend to gloss over what abiding in Him actually means. This concept of abiding is one that is often misunderstood, you see, we are not meant to be spoiled little children who will ask for extravagant things and throw fits when we don’t get them, or who test our parents by asking them for things that go against everything they stand for, or that they know will ultimately be harmful. Many believers believe they can behave this way and do this as if their desires outweigh all of God’s wisdom, and even His will. Today let’s look at abiding in Jesus, and the importance of the will of God. Our opening scripture verse is from John 15, and one that people quote quite often as if trying to corner Jesus in legality.

God’s Will be Done

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Thy Will

My devotional reading today was titled "God's Will be Done" by Pastor E. M. Bounds. As I pray each day I lift up my desires, needs, and those of others, before God, but I also wrap those requests in a plea that His will be done in regards to them. Our unending prayers are the very substance of our spiritual lives, earthly lives, and indeed our humanity. They encapsulate all those things we seek and long for in holiness and lift them before our Heavenly Father, but sometimes we fall short in the godliness of our desires, or remain blind to the consequences of our petition. It is for this reason that Jesus has taught us to pray "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". God's will is perfect.

Praying within God’s Will

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Prayer and Will

Our scripture reading this morning is from Matthew 7 and leads us into our study. It speaks of judging others; seeking God's Word and will; then doing the things that He has asked of us. Praying within God’s will is more than simply speaking words, because it is not just giving lip service through speech and fancy oration, and calling it a prayer. If we pray from our heart, and within the will of God then He will recognize what we say as prayer, reward them, make our prophecy true, and before Him on judgement day, Jesus will acknowledge us, and not say "I never knew you, depart from me". Are we prepared to yield ourselves to the will of God? Let’s begin our journey towards true prayer.

In the Breath of God

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Breath and Will

Have you ever been on a flight and after takeoff the pilot came on the intercom to say something like "welcome to flight 1974 to Boston. We should have a smooth flight and our trip will be 30 minutes shorter than planned due to having the jet stream at our backs. So relax and enjoy the flight"? Traveling in God's will is much like that; we are carried along with little to no effort because we are walking within the very breath of His will for us.

The Trade of Prayer, and the Will of God

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Prayer and Will

My reading started with a quote from Martin Luther today that said: "The Christian trade is prayer." Then, was followed with a quote by Pastor E.M. Bounds which added these words to Luther’s statement... "But the Christian has another trade to learn... He must learn perfect obedience to the Father's will." This is different than simply attempting to perfect ourselves in God’s Word. Bounds tells us we must discern and obey God's will for us. Our perfection and obedience to the commandments and many other things of faith can be handled through our daily faith and prayers, but the first, and most important, prayer each day should be for the Lord to reveal His divine will to us. This is an all-important prayer, and until we have prayed it, our various other prayers are wounded. So we must seek out God's will for us before reaching a fullness in the "trade of prayer."

Realizing God’s Answer to Our Persistent Prayer

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Seeing Answered Prayer

Do we have the faith required to persist in prayer, but not the perspective we need to see His answer? Is there depth enough in our belief in prayer, and trust enough in God, that we can continue to pray for an unanswered desire, but lack the understanding of God’s will it requires to see His answer? Pastor E.M. Bounds wrote that "God sees His praying child's faith. He honors this faith that stays and cries by persisting in prayer, so that it is strengthened and enriched. Then He rewards it abundantly." God rewards us in prayer, but we are often expecting it to come in different way than it does.

God Hears and Answers Our Prayers

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, God Answers

Specific answers to prayer was the topic of the devotional message I read this morning. Pastor E.M. Bounds said this regarding the subject: "God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son, are both strongly committed by the truth of the Word and by the integrity of their character to answer prayer." In both the Old and New Testaments we are assured and reassured that our prayers will be heard and answered, and in Psalms we have more prayers than in any other book in the bible. Specifically there are 72 prayers included in it; and there are also instructions regarding how we should pray them, and reassurance that they will be answered.

Is God’s Will and Person our Basis of Prayer?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, God’s Will in Prayer

Our devotional lesson and my thoughts today are in regards to what we pray for. E.M. Bounds wrote to us that although we have many desires, we should pray for those things which are "specifically and individually felt and expressed." He goes on to say that "For us, it is entirely true and frequent that our prayers operate in the dry area of a mere wish or in the lifeless area of a memorized prayer." He encourages us to pray fervently and with a sincere yearning, not for wishes, but for the Will of God.

God’s Will, and the Foundations of Prayer

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Foundation’s of Prayer

This morning I was studying one of the foundational elements of answered prayer, the will of God. As I read scripture and a devotional regarding this subject, my belief that it was truth was confirmed once more. The will of God is indeed a foundation of prayer. Unless we are praying in conformance with His will, and not asking Him to do something that is contrary to His character, desire, and in our faith and the name of Jesus, then our prayer will be answered.

Receiving a Word from God

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, God Calls

One Sunday morning I was taking communion, and when the woman server handed me the body of Christ she told me to wait… that she really didn't know who I was but that God had spoken to her and told her to tell me "You are an honorable man". I thanked her and she hugged me. It was an incredibly spiritual moment and I just didn’t know what to say or think, so I went home that day and searched scripture for “honorable man”, then I asked a man named Jack Hughes, who is my spiritual mentor, what this woman’s name was, and he responded that she was Pastor Linda Clark; the wife of Pastor Forman Clark, and the mother of Pastor Jay Clark. As I studied, the scripture one verse kept presenting itself to me, it was 1 Samuel 9:6, and I prayerfully mulled it over and over in my mind.

Humble yourself and Pray in God’s Will

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Pray in God’s Will

As I read and studied over the account of the prayer which King Solomon offered at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, I was struck by how powerfully God answered him. Fire fell from heaven to consume the offerings there, and God's glory was so strong that not even the priests could enter. God promised to hear the prayers of Israel at this place, but that promise came with a stipulation and a warning. When God entered the Temple and promised to hear prayers there, He did so with a qualification:

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