Prayers would be appreciated

[MichaelHue]

Hey everyone, it's been a while since I've been active on these forums and in Redemption in general, but I really would appreciate some prayer right now.  I feel like I'm working toward doing what I'm supposed to be doing and becoming the person God wants me to be, but there are some things in my life that I feel are really obstacles to that happening.  I really feel the need to renew my faith and relationship with God, so I would appreciate prayer that I could have the faith to change the things in my life that need to be changed, as well as deepening my relationship with God.  Please pray that I would be able to listen to God's leading and have the strength to do what He is telling me to.

[TheKarazyvicePresidentRR]

Praying.

[D-man]

Praying for you brother.

[Good Samaritan]

 

[MichaelHue]

So it's been about a month since I originally made this request, but I feel like this prayer has just been answered, and I want both to praise God for that and to share my experience, as it was immensely encouraging to me, and I hope will be to others.

For a while I really didn't feel like there was any change going on in my life.  Maybe there wasn't, or maybe I just couldn't tell.  Over the past few days, however, I feel like God was really starting to empower me to change the things I was struggling with.  Part of this change is the beginning of what I hope is going to be a much better relationship with my father, and also a significant revival of my passion for my relationship with God.  As I tend to approach religion in a very intellectual, cerebral way, it was easy for me to slip out of living and acting out of real love for God and others.  After a discussion on the Open Discussion boards, I felt the need to pray for God to reveal the truth to me, as I was feeling somewhat conflicted about my approach to my faith.  I then "heard" God say (I never know if this is the right word...I didn't really hear it at all, but I'm convinced that God spoke to me, which is what matters) "It is in your heart".  I knew it was a verse at the time, but couldn't remember which one, or the context that it is in.  Looking now, I find it in Romans 10:

 5Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them." 6But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Even though I didn't know where the verse was, it was incredibly moving and encouraging to me that God would say that the truth of His Word was in my heart.  Sure, I've read my Bible a lot over the years, and even memorized good portions of it, but it's one thing to know it, and another to hear God saying that the truth was in my heart.

I was then reminded of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 (again, I didn't think of a specific verse at the time, or even all of the fruits of the Spirit, it was the concept that came to my mind):
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Immediately following that, I remembered the words "but the greatest of these is love"

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

[MichaelHue]

The combination of these two verses became the idea that if I was truly living in love, with God and other people, the other fruits of the Spirit would come through naturally in my life as an expression of that love.  Next, I again "heard" God bring words to the front of my mind:

"A man after God's own heart"

I felt no doubt that God was speaking again about me.  Honestly, lately I've been struggling with being able to really trust that God is making me into the man He wants me to be, or is even able to.  You can imagine how powerfully encouraging this was.  After reading my allotted one chapter of my Bible before going to bed (tonight it was Genesis 26), I turned to a bookmark I had placed in the New Testament to mark a verse that had caught my eye a few weeks, maybe months ago.  It was the second half of 1 John 2:14:

"I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one."

Wow.  Honestly, at this point, I'm about completely overwhelmed.  Every one of the ideas, verses, and encouragements I've been experiencing fits so perfectly, I can hardly pretend that they are coincidental.  I went on to the next page and began to read 1 John 3.  Again, the first verse is perfectly tailored to my situation and feelings:

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!"

I won't copy out the whole chapter here, but I would definitely suggest that you read it, it's incredible.

I've had similar experiences in the past, but never has God revealed His love in such a perfect way through prayer and His Word.  It's not called Living and Active for nothing.  I feel incredibly inspired, strengthened and renewed in my faith.  I've never felt the need to share an experience like this before, but I have no doubt that your prayers were incredibly helpful in preparing me for this, and I hope you find this as encouraging as I did.

[Prof Underwood]

I do find this encouraging, and I'm really excited for you that God is speaking into your life and that you are listening to Him.  Keep it up

[D-man]

That is incredible and very encouraging.  I have been praying for you on a regular basis, and It's soo cool that God is moving in your life in such a real way!  Don't let the fire go out!

[MichaelHue]

Thanks so much for your continued prayers.  This was an incredible experience that I felt I should share, however, I know it does not mean that I don't need to keep striving for deeper knowledge and closer relationship with God, now more than ever.  Please pray that God would continue to show Himself in my life, and that I would have the insight and openness of heart and mind to hear and understand Him.  Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.

[Good Samaritan]