Wise Quotes - POWER OF A PRAYING WOMAN 1

More and more women are gradually loosing out on a quality time spent with God. We go through the day with so many to-do-list which includes prayer for many other things but fail to stop for a minute to truly seek God's face for ourselves. I don't know about you but the moment i feel uneasy, anxious or a hint of feeling overwhelmed coming on, then i know that my time spent with God is minimal.

For this reason i decided that in this month of March, i will be sharing with everyone especially women these daily prayers and readings to help kick start our relationship with 'The Lover of our Soul'.....Jesus Christ(For my fathers, uncles, brothers and sons reading, you can also share with the women in your lives while supporting us in prayer). Without God we are nothing and nothing can be done without His strength. What i will be sharing will be based on previous literature i have acquired over the years in my search for the perfect relation with God and so most of you may recognise some of them. I will also be making references to most books i have been reading to help as well, mostly 'the Power of a Praying Woman'' by Stormie Omartian.

**********Disclaimer**********

The prayers and scriptures shared will be coming from the book 'The Power of a Praying Woman'

Shall we begin.........DAY 1 - THE POWER

Whether you're young or old, married or single, believer or not we all have needs and usually we look to the wrong places for those needs to be met. We go through busy lives doing everything for everyone but ourselves and usually the least on our minds are prayers for ourselves.

Stormie Omartian said it best when she said, "Every woman has needs. But many of us are guilty of looking to other people to meet them, especially the men in our lives. Too often we expect them to meet the needs that only God can fill. And then we get disappointed when they can't. We expect too much from them when our expectations should be in God."* 

Lisa Bevere also quoted that, "For centuries women have wrestled and waged war with the sons of Adam in an attempt to get them to bless us and affirm our value. But this struggle has left us frustrated at best. In the end, it is all a senseless and exhausting process in which both parties lose. It is not the fault of the sons of Adam; they cannot give us the blessings we seek, and we have frightened them by giving them so much power over our souls. We must learn that the blessings we truly need come from God."*

They couldn't have said it any better. Today we will begin by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, to show us what we need to do in this walk and to have The Presence of God with us at all times.

PRAYER

Lord, You have said it in Your Word that whoever believes in You will have rivers of Living Water flowing from their heart (John 7:38). I believe in You, and I long for Your Living water to flow in and through me today and everyday that i'm alive. I invite Your Holy Spirit to fill me afresh right now. Just as a spring is constantly being renewed with fresh water so that it stays pure, I ask You to renew me in that same way today.

Your Word says that 'the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which we cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26). Lord, I realise I don't know how to pray as I need to, not as often as I want to, but I invite You, Holy Spirit, to pray through me. Help me in my weakness. teach me the things I don't know about You.

I am desperately aware of how much I need Your power to transform me and my circumstances. I don't want to live an ineffective life. I want to live in the dynamic power of Your Spirit. I don't want to be a spiritual underachievement. I want to be an overcomer. You paid a price for me so that I could be owned by You. Help me to live like it. You planned out a course for my life so that I could be defined by You. Help me to act like it. You made it possible for me to defeat my enemy. Help me not to forget it. You sent Your Holy Spirit so that I could live in power. Help me to fulfill that Promise. You gave Your life for me because You loved me. Help me to do the same for You.

I put all my expectations in You, Lord. I repent of the times I have expected other people or other things to meet my needs when I should have been looking to You. I know that You are the only one who can complete me because You are everything I need. All that I have ever wanted in my life can be found in You. Help me to remember to live not in my own strength, but by the Power of Your Spirit living in me. Forgive me for the times I have forgotten to do that. Enable me to grow in the things of Your kingdom so that I can become a whole, properly functioning, contributing, productive child of Yours who moves forward in Your purpose for my life.

Amen.

 Scriptures for Meditation

2 Corinthians 4:7

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

1 Corinthians 1:18

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is power of God.

2 Corinthians 12:9

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

1 Corinthians 6:14

God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

John 15:26

When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

#inspired...ann #WiseQuotes


*Stomie Omartian, The Power of a Praying Woman(2006)
*Lisa Bevere, Kissed the Girls and Made The Cry, (Nashville:Tommy Nelson, 2002)

Wise Quotes - THE WORD OR A MYTH?

I don't know why i find it difficult to realise that some people still don't believe there is a God. With all the messages going round(thanks to social media and technology) and with His wonderful creation all surrounding us and proclaiming His existence, it is still quiet surprising that some don't believe and think its a myth or just another tale.......and i think for me the shock is mostly when i hear people from my motherland Ghana argue that there is no God. Because Ghanaians are mostly known to be believers of God Almighty(though there may be force ones).

Today i came to bring you Good News.....there is a God. He is the Almighty who sent His only Son to die for our sins because He loves us so. And this Jesus who was crucified, rose from the dead on the third day and is sitting on the right hand of God interceding for us daily. And not only is He interceding but His Spirit is in us which is a confirmation of His Faithfulness to the cross. Yes you may argue that The Word of God was written by men and so may have errors but guess what? There is no apparent reason to believe that the words written in the Bible by man are any more infallible than the words written in a science journal by man.

If you are reading this and are in doubt, i challenge you to take a moment and ask God to reveal Himself to you and i promise you, My God who has never failed will prove Himself to you. See, the Word is God-inspired according to 2 Timothy 3:16(KJV)* - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And when you read 2 Timothy 2:15(NIV)* you'll find evidence of this truth.......Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. We do not all have to be bible scholars to know all the answers of this life but if we study the Word, with the help of The Holy Spirit, He will reveal to us great and mighty things which might be hidden from us and we will know that The Word of God is trustworthy.

Now let me share with you this information i found the other day.........Did you know that over a period of 1,600 years, 40 different authors wrote the 66 books of the Bible? There were 400 silent years between the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 New testament. Yet, Genesis to Revelation tell one unified story......hmmmm food for thought. 

I'll leave it here but share this wisdom by 'Anne Cetas' with you. She said, "While we accept the Bible by faith,there's plenty of evidence that it's true. Let's be diligent to study and share what we learn with others. Have a blessed day as you think about these words.

#inspired...ann #WiseQuotes


*King james Version
*New International Version

Wise Quotes - THE LORD OUR SAFE ROOM!

Anyone seen the movie 'Panic Room'? It's an American thriller, which featured Jodie Foster. Jodie was a mother who had moved into a new home with her daughter and they were invaded by burglars. The rest of the movie is set in this new home with the mother and daughter trying to make their way into the panic room for safety........Safe(Panic) rooms are extra rooms which are built in homes to run to in case of a break in. These rooms are usually built to protect and have everything needed to feel secure until help arrives.

But my question is how safe can one really feel in a safe room and what if help never comes? In Proverbs 18:10, Solomon reminded God's people that God is their 'safe room' and that they could find total security in Him.There is no other refuge than our God, He is our Salvation, our Fortress and our Strong Tower.....A fortress by the dictionary's definition is a large fortified place or any place of exceptional security; stronghold. A tower is defined as a tall structure taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. 

How assuring it is to know that we can always run to the Lord our Srtong Tower and Fortress. His word in Isaiah 41:10 says, 'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'

Proverbs 18:10-11(NKJV*)

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are safe.

11 

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall in his own esteem.

The verse 11 of Proverbs 18 says the rich man depends on his wealth as his safety but guess what? Money or wealth might give a sense of security for a while but that will be false security. Wealth may not be your particular safe room. Perhaps you tend to run to something or someone when adversity comes. But while depending on the Lord daily for our security, we acknowledge His Supremacy as Lord of All and in so doing we learn to find a high point of safety in the safe room of His name. There is Power in the Name of Jesus.....No one has ever called out to Him and has been disappointed, NEVER.....i can testify of His Precious Name and i know my God never fails, so today run into the safe room of His Name. Have a blessed day.

#Inspired...ann #WiseQuotes

*New International Version

*New King James Version

Wise Quotes - WHAT IS IN A NAME?

Amongst the numerous of God's creation, names are one of the most powerful. Adam had the privilege of having to name all living creatures including his wonderfully made wife Eve.....(Genesis 2). Here, I presume is where the idea of a woman having to take the name of her husband comes from but we'll save that teaching for another day.

Today i will like us to find out what exactly is in a name and the power behind it. Biblically we come across many people whose names shaped their lives and even their future. Most, if not all of the biblical names have meanings which either brings joy, sorrow or pain. 

Consider Jabez, his mother gave birth to him in much pain so she named him Jabez, which in Hebrew means 'Pain'.....(1 Chronicles 4:9).

His name must have been causing him a lot of pain in his life because his prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:10 caused God to move in his life and make a change.

10.Jabez cries out to God of Isreal, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territiry! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from hatm so that i will be freecrom oain.' And God granted hisbrequest"

This prayer is one which has been an example of how we can cry out to God to change situations in our lives and He always listens.

We can also find people in the likes of Saul whose name was later changed to Paul after having an encounter with Jesus Christ personally. His life changed completely from trying to destroy Christ's chuch to becoming one of the gretaest apostles and servant of God we know till date.

Names have great power to change one's destiny. I have had teatimonies of how people's names have brought them great joy because of what they mean. Like my name, it means God's Grace and looking back over my life, indeed it's His Grace which has kept me and has been more than sufficient in my life. I sometimes question myself of certain happenings in my life and I'm reminded of the fact that anytime my name is called it brings to LIFE that of which it means.....in order words whenever 'Anna' is mentioned, God's Grace abounds in my life and the more it's being mentioned the more it keeps abounding.....oh hallelujah! what great joy to know the power in a name.

The Name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ by far is the most meaningful name(s) ever......"SAVIOUR". What better name to give than saviour. He indeed became the Saviour of the world when He came down from His throne to take our place of death. His death has been the most meaningful in man's life.....It heals the sick, gives peace to the troubled mind, restores that which has no hope, makes a way where there seems to be no way and saves anyone who cries out to Him.

What is your name???

Have a blessed day as you ponder on the Word today. Stay tuned for my next post where i share with you some of the names of God.

#inspired...ann #WiseQuotes

Wise Quotes - POUR IT ALL FOR HIM!

I come before You just as i am
I lay me at Your feet
I bring before You all that i have
I lay it at your feet

(CHORUS)
You are worthy, worthy, worthy Lord
You are worthy, worthy, worthy so

Praise like oil
For You i pour it out
For You i pour it out
I pour i pour it out for you (Repeat 2x)

I pour this perfume, not to impress
The people standing 'round
I pour this perfume 'cause of your worthiness
As i behold You now

(CHORUS)

It's foolishness i know
But Your foolishness is wiser than my wisest
Wiser, wiser (repeat 3x)

(CHORUS)
We pour out our lives for you Jesus
We pour out our hearts to you Jesus(Repeat)
(Jesus Your Love has freed us)

Jesus your Love has freed us....repeat till fade

This is a song i recently came across by a group called WWW MOVEMENT(We Will Worship Movement).....check them out on Youtube for some heart felt worship.

As i was praying for The Spirit of God to Lead me on what next to share, i came across the story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and most expensive perfume in Luke chapter 7......let's have a read.

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.[h] 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.

41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver[i] to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”

50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

This story is usually told with emphases on the fact that this woman was a well known harlot in the town.....you can imagine her sins as seen in the eyes of men......soooooooooo much which is perhaps unforgivable. Jesus who is ever so loving forgives her and the people had to even ask whom Jesus thought He was to forgive......I can just about hear one of them ask, 'How dare Him say he forgives, who is He?'

But yeap Jesus Did.......and guess what? I see what Jesus saw in this woman which was overlooked or probably was never noticed by the people around. See this woman whom we may never know her name was filled with gratitude. She realised The Fathers LOVE for her, the overwhelming Love which forgives not just sins but NEVER remembers them anymore. She didn't for once think about herself and who she was(The SELF) but lifted her eyes to THE SAVIOUR. See when we depend on the self, we loose track. The self is of the flesh and so depending on that makes us loose our focus.

She could have told herself she wasn't worthy to even be in the presence of God(which i'm sure the thought crossed her mind) but she depended on GOD'S LOVE FOR HER and went ahead to wash Jesus' feet.  See we can never boost of our Love for God 'cause we can't, we just can't but when we boost of His Love for us, we go beyond pouring out our most expensive perfume. We give out of the abundance of His outpouring Grace and Mercies upon our lives. We don't give to impress those around as the song said but give our all in appreciation of His forgiveness which has been given through Jesus Christ....ooooh what i joy...... I am bursting with joy as i type.

Believers the key is realising The Fathers Love for us. It is immeasurable......i am short of words to desribe it. Verse 47b said 'But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.'. 'This Harlot' recognised the immense love and gave as she felt. I don't even think to her it was about her giving or sins but all about knowing THE ONE she was giving to.....She was overjoyed and grateful to have been at the feet of Jesus. This act seemed like foolishness to man but guess what He uses the foolish things of this world to confide to the wise.....His foolishess is wiser than our wisest.

Today pour it all out to Him as you see The Truth in His Love for you........If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.” think about it. Have a blessed day.

#Inspired...ann #WiseQuotes

Wise Quotes - PRAISE AS A WEAPON OF WARFARE!

Following on from a previous post, 'Praising The Lord At All Times'. I promised to do a detailed post on how King Jehoshaphat won the battle through Praise and Worship to God.....Let's go back to the scripture to recap.

II Chronicles 20: 18:23{MSG*}

18-19 Then Jehoshaphat knelt down, bowing with his face to the ground. All Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping God. The Levites (both Kohathites and Korahites) stood to their feet to praise God, the God of Israel; they praised at the top of their lungs!

20 They were up early in the morning, ready to march into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were leaving, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen Judah and Jerusalem! Listen to what I have to say! Believe firmly in God, your God, and your lives will be firm! Believe in your prophets and you’ll come out on top!”

21 After talking it over with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed a choir for God; dressed in holy robes, they were to march ahead of the troops, singing,

Give thanks to God,

His love never quits.

22-23 As soon as they started shouting and praising, God set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir as they were attacking Judah, and they all ended up dead. The Ammonites and Moabites mistakenly attacked those from Mount Seir and massacred them. Then, further confused, they went at each other, and all ended up killed.

24 As Judah came up over the rise, looking into the wilderness for the horde of barbarians, they looked on a killing field of dead bodies—not a living soul among them.

25-26 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to carry off the plunder they found more loot than they could carry off—equipment, clothing, valuables. It took three days to cart it away! On the fourth day they came together at the Valley of Blessing (Beracah) and blessed God (that’s how it got the name, Valley of Blessing).

27-28 Jehoshaphat then led all the men of Judah and Jerusalem back to Jerusalem—an exuberant parade. God had given them joyful relief from their enemies! They entered Jerusalem and came to The Temple of God with all the instruments of the band playing.

The story is told that King Jehoshaphat was there minding his own business when news came that a huge force of army had plotted to make war against him. And with no time to waste, these forces were already on their way.....Essshi! What will you do upon hearing such news? Panic of course and that is exactly how King Jehoshaphat felt. He panicked but in his panic he was very quick to recognise that only God can save them. His first response was to call for Prayer and Fasting.......His first weapon of warfare.

King Jehoshaphat prayed and reminded God of His previous Salvation as well as His Promises for His People. His second weapon of warfare was the Proclamation of The Word of God. During the prayers and fasting, the Spirit of God moved through a prophet named Jahaziel. He assured the King and the people of God's Word, which said that the war was of the Lords and they therefore need not be afraid.

His third weapon of warfare was Praise to God(verses 18-19), which will be looking at in more detail. The first thing i noticed here was that, King Jehoshaphat believed in God and trusted in His Word so he listened to Jahaziel and just worshiped and praised God.......I'm sure at this point he felt more relaxed with himself. There is power in PRAISE and in that place of Praise, VICTORY is always assured.

And our God who is ever faithful surely gave them the victory without them even raising an arm to fight. The God who can use the foolish things of this world to confide the wise set confusion amongst the people and they ended up killing themselves.....How awesome is that???

There are three things i will like you to note from this weapon of warfare - Praise. Just as King Jehoshaphat praised and worshiped God upon hearing The Word of God from the Prophet, we ought to praise the Lord even before any battle.

We ought to praise the Lord during the battle. Jehoshaphat challenged the people to get out and appointed singers who should sing to the Lord. And finally, after God gave them the victory, they gathered and praised the lord in The Valley of Beracah......We ought to praise the Lord after the battle has been won. In other words our praise and worship to God should never cease. He's such a wonderful and excellent God, who's ways are marvelous.

So the next time you're in church and you're told to give a shout of praise to God or worship Him, you make sure to join in because there is power in your joyful noise made unto the Lord. Have a blessed day praising Him.

#Inspired...ann  #WiseQuotes

*The Message Bible