Strengthen Yourself in the Lord

Do you pray for yourself?

I recently added to my daily prayer time, extra time praying for me. I don't know why I never use to pray for myself, but a few years back I heard a message from Bill Johnson right before his book came out, Strengthen Yourself in the Lord, then we got the book of course, and he was talking about praying for yourself.

He used the example of when you are on an airplane and they show you the demonstration of how to use the air masks, you are always supposed to put on your mask first before helping others. I have myself used that example when it comes to young moms getting time for them selves so that they are strong for their little ones. Though I believed, I honestly was not practicing, and I have felt it. Man, have I felt it.

I'm going to be really candid, I have lacked in my prayer time recently, and it's not been good. Somedays, the only prayer time I have is spent praying for God's strength in my inner man. Ephesians 3:16-19 has become my prayer over myself... I read it like this:

"Father, grant me, according to the riches of Your glory, that I would be strengthened with might by Your Spirit in my inner man. That Christ would dwell in my heart through faith, and that I would be rooted and grounded in love."

Honestly, I need strength, I need help. I can't even pray without His help. Really, I can't! I am so desperate for His strength to rule in my life, I surrender daily to it.

We have a great little book in our bookstore, but you can get it at IHOP-KC too, called Prayers to Strengthen Your Inner Man. I use it every week, I read right from it, and it really helps springboard me. I highly encourage this resource, and I would love to hear what you do to strengthen yourself in your inner man! Please leave me some tips from your walk with God!

Blessings!

gina

How's Your Tank?

Every week I have to stop and look at my schedule all over again, you?

I wonder where the time goes. All the ambitions of Monday, what did I accomplish by Saturday?

Saturday is my day of and I'm suppose to rest, but instead what happens is I find myself bearing the guilt of the under-met goals. Some people would call me an over achiever just because I have five kids and still work full-time, keep a house, and homeschool. But to me, thats just the base line. I have personal life goals, and I'm already 36, if I keep moving... well, you know the story.

So I'm working on an album right now (in my spare time) and trying to go back and finish college (why didn't I do this before kids?) I have not had the desired time to work on my music or art in the last few months as I have been fighting to stay healthy (longer, and boring story). All this to say, that no matter how much a person can handle, whether you can barely just work and thats it, or you are a full time mom with a full time job, DIYer, homeschooler, or whatever, the question affects us all on Sunday evening. "How's my tank?"

In the age to come we will have jobs, hobbies, responsibilities, etc. But in this present, and evil age, only, we have the opportunity to acquire costly oil.

Like David, I don't want to give to the Lord what costs me nothing!

“No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 1 Chronicles 21:24

What kind of sacrifice is it to fast TV or sugar, really? How far can I go? To what degree can I possibly give to God? I want my tank to be full of oil! I want my lamp to burn!

Maybe Im just being dramatic, but here it is the beginning of a new week, and the only ambition that really matters is, "what kind of intimate time with the Lord will I have this week?" I am finding that I need to re-focus my schedule, yet again, and make sure my accomplishment is found in the secret place time.

How's your tank?

-gina