Week 1 - Keeping Up With Jesus

More than anything, this week, I was impressed with the pace of Jesus. He is never in a rush. He moves with grace. The verses that stood out to me were Matthew 11:28-30 in The Message. So real. Clearly Jesus knows my daily challenges, better than I know myself! He asks, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I love those words and they help me understand that the pace and rhythm of Jesus is so different than the world. Our current culture moves at breakneck speed and offers no time to think great thoughts or meditate on spiritual things from God’s Word. Jesus takes us on a different path altogether. And He invites me to walk with Him and work with Him and watch how He does it. When I keep in step with Him I experience His grace. And I “keep company” with Him. Walking and talking with Jesus IS the essence and reality of passionate prayer. May we experience this amazing adventure of passionate prayer every day of our lives! Until we meet again, dear friends. Enjoy your reading of Passionate Prayer and be sure to share what God is teaching you in the Comments here at this blog.

Day 61: Jesus, You Want Me To Trust You

What does trust cost? Think about it – what could it possibly hurt to trust the Lord? The alternative is worry, anxiety, and holding on to all the fantasy lifelines powerless to save. Trust is total reliance under stress and trial. And I am resolute to live a boundless trust in God. The Lord Jesus wants my great trust. Isaiah 50:10 says, “If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God.” Oh yes, He expects me to trust in Him. But I find this trust not easy to maintain when the waves are turbulent, rising above my head. The psalmist knew storm fear when he said, “I hear the tumult of the raging seas as Your waves and surging tides sweep over me” (Psalm 42:7). Then, he continues with a very important conjunction word that carries us into TRUST. He says, “But each day the LORD pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life.” Ah, there it is – the prescription for worry when the storm tide rises. Prayer. Unceasing, relentless prayer is our great expression of trust. Just keep walking and talking with God, no matter what. Even if I don’t feel God’s Presence – pray. Even if I think my prayers are bouncing off the ceiling – pray. I’m beginning a 30-day journey right now with many others in Passionate Prayer (see the Passionate Prayer blog I’ve set up for the journey – join us!!). And I am excited. I need this journey of prayer. And I can’t wait to see what He is going to teach me. Bring it on, Lord. Teach me to pray.

My Response: Lord Jesus, teach me to pray during these next 30 days. I can’t wait to learn from You. And I’m excited to share this experience with many others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

May We All Become Passionate in Prayer!

This week we are going to be reading the Introduction and Week 1 - Days 1 to 6 in Passionate Prayer - A 30 Day Journey. For all who are taking this journey together, I want to encourage you to read the Introduction as it will set the stage for everything in the book. I also forgot to mention before in my previous post - at the end of the first day, in the My Response section, we are asked to write a Letter To The Lord. This is especially important as you will re-read what you wrote at the very end of the book. The amazing part of this is seeing all that the Lord does in our lives in just 30 days as we think deeply about prayer together. Feel free to share all that the Lord is teaching you here in the Comments section of the blog. I think we will have others joining us as many have friends they are inviting in other parts of the country.

These are our Passionate Prayer small groups at the church. We currently have 11 groups and may grow to 12 at the church on Thursdays. We also have 2 groups meeting on Monday evenings, and groups also meeting on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. And then we have our online group here. Also, there are some in the different groups at the church who are going to be traveling and are excited to be able to stay connected online here. I wanted to mention that if you would like to watch or listen to my messages online, the videos and audios are available individually and as a series for purchase at our Quiet Time Ministries Online Bookstore here. My Introduction Message is available to watch online free here. You can download the Handout for the Introduction message here - Just print it out and you can use it to take notes. You can also order the DVD messages or CD audio messages if you so desire.

Again, I just want you to know what a joy it is to study together with you all about prayer. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has for us.

One final note, I invite you to become my friend on Facebook as I often post notes and insights that may be of interest to you. And I would love to stay connected as we continue on in this great adventure of knowing God! God bless you.

Welcome To Passionate Prayer ~ A 30 Day Journey!

I am so excited about our journey together in Passionate Prayer. We are going to spend the next 30 days going deeper in our life of prayer with the Lord. I define prayer as walking and talking with God. As we walk and talk with Him daily, we grow in our intimate relationship with the Lord. It’s an adventure - I like to call it the great adventure of knowing God. This week we will begin with the Introduction and Week 1 - Days 1-6. Each day you will read and then write responses on the daily “My Response” page. I encourage you to interact with everything you read, look up the most significant verses mentioned in the chapters (underline them in your own Bible), and then pray, pray, pray. Talk with your Lord about everything that is on your heart. It will be exciting to see what the Lord does in our lives as we take this journey together into a life of passionate prayer.

If you are joining me in this journey over the next 5 weeks and you found us online here, I invite you to click on the Comments here and introduce yourself to everyone. Share where you’re from and anything else you’d like to share.

Also, if you’d like to join this journey, you can buy the book from Quiet Time Ministries, Amazon, or your local Christian bookstore. If you would like to get an online version immediately, you can go to Amazon.com and download Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac (depending on your computer:)). Then, you can purchase the Kindle version of Passionate Prayer - A 30 Day Journey and read it on your computer.

God bless you dear friends.

Knowing And Loving The Bible In Korea!

This is big news, my friends. I just received a big box from Harvest House Publishers, opened it, and found 5 beautiful new copies of the Korean edition of Knowing and Loving The Bible published by Scripture Union Korea. I can’t even begin to tell you how beautiful this book is, cover to cover. They did an amazing job. It’s two color throughout and the lettering on the front is raised and of the highest quality. I’m so excited. Now, here’s how it all happened. Over a year ago, I was sitting in my office, talking with the Lord about the books I’d written. And I committed the results of my life and everything I do to the Lord again as I often do in the quiet moments I have with Him. I think often about that statement I heard from Ney Bailey so many years ago: You be responsible for the depth of your ministry, and you let God be responsible for the breadth of your ministry. Just then, my cellphone rang. It was my assistant, Kayla.
“Cath, do you remember that order we got from Korea awhile back?”
“Yes”, I replied.
“Well, I just received a phone call from two pastors from Korea, and they would like to meet with you.”
“Okay, let’s set it up.”
“No, Catherine. You don’t understand. They are on their way to our office right now and will be here in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll be right there!”

I jumped up, ran to my car, and drove the ten minute drive to our Quiet Time Ministries Resource & Training Center. I walked in, and three pastors were standing there waiting for me - two from Korea and one from a Korean church in Los Angeles. These three men had driven by faith on a four hour drive from Los Angeles in hopes they would be able to spend time with me at our Quiet Time Ministries office. I was so humbled to meet these amazing godly men. One is the head of Scripture Union in Korea. They described to me how they had found Knowing and Loving The Bible and believed that it was the answer to their prayers for men and women in Korea. They said that they minister to more than 200,000 people who spend time with the Lord every day. And now, they are receiving countless requests to go deeper in God’s Word. They had driven to meet me and talk with me about Knowing and Loving The Bible and devotional Bible study. They then shared that they had already talked with Harvest House about publishing my book in Korean. HOW COOL IS THAT!! A moment I will never forget is how we sat together around a table and prayed - they in Korean and me in English. Tears were rolling down my face. I thought about how only God in the whole world could put together something so amazing and wonderful. And so now, I am looking at the result of that meeting - a beautiful new book. This picture to the left is the title page. I love it!

I wish I could have you actually hold this book - it is so beautiful. It’s got this really cool way that the front of the book folds in and has info on it along with a picture of yours truly. I’m including a picture of it here. Just imagine - men and women throughout Korea are going to learn about God’s Word and how to go deeper in God’s Word. by reading this book. They will know and love the Bible more and, as a result, know and love God more. All I can say is “thank You Lord”. I give all the credit for Knowing and Loving The Bible to the Lord - I could have never written it without the Lord’s supernatural strength. I think any author who knows the Lord and has written a book would say the same. And then, of course, only the Lord could put together my books with Scripture Union in Korea. Interestingly, I use Scripture Union’s devotional “Encounter With God” in my own quiet time. I love it. You can even subscribe via email for free at Scripture Union. And I went to Scripture Union Korea website - Scripture Union Korea - they have the new Korean edition of Knowing and Loving The Bible highlighted on the front page. Wow. I just can’t believe it. Just had to share this with everyone - to God be the glory. A special moment. Thanks for sharing it with me.

Day 60: Jesus, You Are First

What can we do when a thousand things are tugging us in a thousand different directions? Focus on the One – Jesus – He is First. The theological term God gives us is “supremacy” or “pre-eminence” meaning “first place”. Jesus has first place in everything. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:17-18 that He is before all things, in him all things hold together, and in everything he has “supremacy.” No wonder the author of Hebrews tells us that when we run with perseverance the race marked out for us, we need to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Focus on the One who has first place in everything. He will take you across the finish line. He’s already there and is the One who overcomes everything. So today, as we go about our day, let us fix our eyes on the One and Only, who is full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

My Response: Lord Jesus, remind me today of Your supremacy, and help me have a single eye, fixed only on You. I commit (roll on to You) all the other thousands of things, and trust You to carry out Your plans and purposes in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 59: Jesus, You Give Rest For My Soul

Could your soul use a good vacation? Jesus invites us to a vacation for the soul when He says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30). Why do we need this kind of rest? Because every day we are bombarded with a thousand small and large challenges requiring decisions, action, and yes, sometimes even a momentary flash of brilliance. How can we manage such life? Should we just get smarter and faster to handle everything? Jesus gives us the opposite encouragement when He says, “Abide in Me” (John 15:1-11) and “Come to Me” and “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me” (Matthew 11:28-30). Granted, these exhortations do require a certain action on our part. But they are actions to give it all over to Jesus—to hand the reigns of our life, our daily activities, over to Him and learn how He does it. In fact, ultimately we learn to let Him do it all in and through us. And what do we get in return? Rest for our souls. And the indescribable enjoyment of Jesus.

Andrew Murray, in his book, Abide In Christ, describes Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 as an invitation to become His students, yield ourselves to His training, submit in all things to His will, and let our whole life be one with His. He goes on to say that rest for the soul is “deliverance from every fear, the supply of every need, and the fulfillment of every desire…the rest is in Christ, and it is not something He gives apart from Himself, and so it is only in having Him that the rest can really be kept and enjoyed…the yoke gives the rest, because the moment the soul yields itself to obey, the Lord Himself gives the strength and the joy to do it…The soul needs only to yield itself to Him, to be still and rest in the confidence that His love has undertaken, and that His faithfulness will perform, the work of keeping it safe in the shelter of His bosom.” Finally, (and this is my favorite part), Andrew Murray says that rest for the soul is “the peace of God, the great calm of the eternal world, that passes all understanding and that keeps the heart and mind. With this grace secured, we have strength for every duty, courage for every struggle, a blessing in every cross, and the joy of life eternal in death itself.”

I especially love reading Jesus’ invitation in the Message: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG). Who could ever turn down such an amazing invitation!

As I think about abiding in Christ today, I want to keep in the forefront of my mind, that taking time and energy to abide in Him, to come to Him, to keep my eyes fixed on Him, gains me everything I want and need—heart renewal and revival, an unlimited supply of strength and power, and ultimately, Christ Himself!

My Response: Lord Jesus, I come to You today for everything and I’m reminded that apart from You I can do nothing. Fill me with Your Spirit today and give me what I really need—rest for my soul. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 58: Jesus, You Direct My Steps

When you need an anchor to secure your heart and bring peace to your soul, remember that the Lord directs your steps. David discovered this powerful truth and found rest in the midst of life’s storms: “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand” (Psalm 37:23-24). When the Lord is present, you can count on His guidance, joy, and strength. Then, even if the rain begins to fall, there are no worries for you. He will take you to the next place in your journey with Him in spite of the tempest of the waves. These words by Annie Johnson Flint are some of my favorites – Enjoy!

“I stood on the shore beside the sea;
The wind from the West blew fresh and free,
While past the rocks at the harbor’s mouth
The ships went North, and the ships went South,
And some sailed out on an unknown quest,
And some sailed into the harbor’s rest;
Yet ever the wind blew out of the West.

I said to one who had sailed the sea
That this was a marvel unto me;
For how can the ships go safely forth,
Some to the South and some to the North,
Far out to sea on their golden quest,
Or in to the harbor’s calm and rest,
And ever the wind blew out of the West?

The sailor smiled as he answered me,
‘Go where you will when you’re on the sea,
Though head winds baffle and flaws delay,
You can keep the course by night and day,
Drive with the breeze or against the gale;
It will not matter what winds prevail,
For all depends on the set of the sail.’

Voyager soul on the sea of life,
O’er waves of sorrow and sin and strife,
When fogs bewilder and foes betray,
Steer straight on your course from day to day;
Though unseen currents run deep and swift,
Where rocks are hidden and sandbars shift,
All helpless and aimless, you need not drift.

Oh, set your sail to the heavenly gale,
And then, no matter what winds prevail,
No reef shall wreck you, no calm delay,
No mist shall hinder, no storm shall stay;
Though far you wander and long you roam,
Though salt sea-spray and o’er white sea-foam,
No wind that can blow but shall speed you home.”

My Response: Lord Jesus, thank You for directing my steps today, delighting in every detail of my life, and holding my hand along the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 57: Jesus, You Do Everything Well

Do you ever find your trust in the Lord wavering with the tide of your circumstances? And then, your need for control kicks in and you fall into full-blown worry? Think about the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25-33. Again and again, He says “Do not worry…” He says, “Look at the birds…your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?…See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.” When the people watched Jesus in action, effectively turning lives upside down as He healed and taught, they were “overwhelmed with amazement” and said, “He has done everything well.”

I recently read a little story in Streams In The Desert about two monks who each planted a tree. One monk told the Lord exactly how to take care of it, asking for each provision—first rain for growth, then sun, and finally frost to hopefully make it stronger. Well, at the end of all the monk’s constant control, the tree died one evening. The monk sought the advice of another monk, and shared his strange experience. His friend replied, “I, too, planted a little tree, and see! It thrives well. But I entrust my tree to God. He who made it knows better what it needs than a man like me. I laid no condition. I fixed not ways or means. I prayed Lord, send what it needs—storm or sunshine, wind, rain, or frost. Thou hast made it and Thou dost know.”

As I think about that little story, I realize that many times I am like the first monk, laying out exactly what I think is the best way for the Lord to accomplish His plan and purpose. In quiet time, He helps shift my focus away from circumstances and control, to dependence on Him and eyes fixed on Him. The Holy Spirit knows exactly where I need help and He faithfully and daily, moment by moment, transforms me into a woman who trusts Him. But I am definitely in process. For many times, I try to jump into the pilot’s seat, thinking I know best. I love the words of the second monk in the story, when he says, “But I entrust my tree to God. He who made it knows better what it needs than a man like me.” That’s essentially what Peter said, when he exhorted believers to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

I often think about a time when Corrie ten Boom enjoyed the hospitality of a friend in a beautiful home. And for a brief moment, she entertained the thought of how wonderful it would be if she could have a home like that. The Lord had called her to travel throughout the world as His spokesman telling all who would listen that “With Jesus, even if the worst happens, the best remains, and His light is brighter than the deepest darkness.” Because of God’s plan for her at that time, she was, as she called herself, “a tramp for the Lord.” And so, in that brief moment, in the comforts of a home, she imagined what it might be like to have earthly security and stay in one place. And then, she caught herself, and turned to what she knew was true and spoke that truth out loud, “Lord, You do everything well.”

Today, I am finding comfort in knowing that the Lord is working out a plan and purpose in my life even if I don’t always understand the finer details of my daily circumstances. I’m going to be like that second monk and “entrust my tree to God.”

Yes, leave it with Him,
The lilies all do,
And they grow-
They grow in the rain,
And they grow in the dew-
Yes, they grow;
They grow in the darkness, all hid in the night-
They grow in the sunshine, revealed by the light-
Still they grow.

Yes, leave it with Him,
‘Tis more dear to His heart,
You will know,
Than the lilies that bloom,
Or the flowers that start
‘Neath the snow;
Whatever you need, if you seek it in prayer,
You can leave it with Him-for you are His care.
You, you know
–Selected from Streams In The Desert

My Response: Lord Jesus, thank You that You do everything well. Today, I cast every care on You and trust You to care for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 56: Jesus, Your Hand Is Mighty

Have you discovered the “mighty hand” of the Lord today? Peter sensed the mighty hand of God most in the fiery trial. He gives direction about the mighty hand when you are suffering. He says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). I don’t know about you, but I have experienced those times when the Lord seemingly refuses to let go on one particular point. I can choose to walk away, not trust, and fall into despair. And the temptation is great to do exactly that—the mountain I must climb is too high, seemingly too steep and treacherous. And the mighty hand of God is waiting, pressing down on me, urging me to make the alternative, seemingly more difficult, “God choice” of drawing near, believing BIG with a HUGE trust empowered by the Holy Spirit and inspired by God’s Word, and ultimately walking with hope in my heart.

The Lord’s mighty hand will help you press through to a new and greater faith. I love how Oswald Chambers puts it in My Utmost For His Highest (November 1 reading): “The first thing God does with us is to get us based on rugged Reality until we do not care what becomes of us individually as long as He gets His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we go through heartbreaks? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us fall and collapse at the first grip of pain; we sit down on the threshold of God’s purpose and die away of self-pity, and all so-called Christian sympathy will aid us to our death bed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, and says—Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine. If through a broken heart, God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart.”

Do you need to press through the pain and on to a higher place in your relationship with Christ? He will help you make this next step of faith into a deeper devotion and greater trust. Habakkuk discovered a new ability to believe God in loss—his crop had failed, the fields weren’t producing food, and there were no cattle in the stalls. Here’s the place that God enabled him to travel—he said, “…yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:18-19). Jeremiah discovered this same joy and hope in his own temptation to despair in the trials: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23).

Do you see the secret? Grasp God’s mighty hand, hold on to Him, and press through the trial to the place where the Lord is leading you. You cannot see it now for the fog is heavy. But remember, the shadow of His hand on you has a bright side—He is present and you are not alone. And He is greater than any trial you face. So today, make that “God choice”. Refuse to give up, stand strong on His Word, and press through to a new joy and hope given to you through the power of the Holy Spirit. Here’s the promise to embrace, trust, and live out today: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10).

My Response: Lord Jesus, I find in myself a tendency toward self-pity and a readiness to give up at the first hint of pain and suffering. Will You strengthen me today with Your mighty hand, and help me press through to faith, trust, and hope in You? Thank You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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