leannahollis – Leanna Hollis

How to Trust God in Hard Times

2 Comments / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

How to Trust God in hard times If you’ve ever wondered how to trust God in a crisis, how to trust God in hard times, or even a more basic question: Is God trustworthy? you are not alone. Most Christians struggle with trusting God in the midst of life’s biggest trials but we need look no further than Scripture to find help and hope in hard times. Help from Scripture The book of Isaiah contains fifteen chapters of woes and oracles filled with promised destruction, discipline, and grief. The “in that day” promises scattered throughout relate to end times and offer hope and a promise of a better future to people in crisis who wonder how to trust God in hard times. Is God trustworthy? According to Isaiah, He’s that and so much more. Take a look at the words of Isaiah in Chapter 25: “O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them; You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt. Strong nations will declare your glory; ruthless nations will fear You.” Isaiah 25:1-3 NLT Cities in ruins. Walls in rubble. Palaces gone forever. Do those sound like wonderful things? Not at all, until we realize these aren’t cities, walls, or palaces of God’s people but of their enemies. When God moves in such a decisive way, Isaiah explained, even the wicked people will recognize Him at work and fear Him. Those who know God will respond by declaring His glory. Think about the situation for a moment. When cities are in ruins, everyone in the city is affected. The municipal services to which its citizens are accustomed are gone and the circumstances are hard—no matter who you are. Even people who know God can look at the destruction around them and be tempted to ask, “Is God trustworthy?” When our Strongholds Need to be Demolished “But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat…You silence the roar of foreign nations…the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.” Isaiah 15:4-6 NLT Isaiah 25:4-6 explains this hard truth. Despite destruction all around them, God takes note of His people and provides a place of defense and safety in the midst of their distress. He provides a refuge and shelter. As if refuge and protection in a crisis were not enough, God promises more. He will comfort us, give us joy, and bring celebration. He spreads a banquet and gives us His best. Although the verses in Isaiah 25 relate to end times, they’re equally pertinent to our lives today. Sometimes the destruction that needs to come is not to a world filled with iniquity but to the sin in our own hearts. Walls of judgment and criticism Palaces of pride and arrogance Strongholds of sin Is God trustworthy when it comes to dealing with the sin in our lives? Yes. When God moves against our sin with consequences, we call those consequences discipline. They aren’t always easy, but they’re worth it. Why? Because sin mars our relationship with God and it must be removed if we want to have the relationship He intended. How to trust God in hard times and after the discipline of God… Isaiah understood something we tend to forget about how to trust God in hard times: We trust God because of Who He is, not because of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Consider this truth for a moment: Relationship waits on the other side of discipline. God does not offer a casual acquaintance. He wants a deep, meaningful love relationship in which His people revere and glorify Him. When the places of arrogance and idolatry, judgment and criticism, the strongholds of sin are removed from our lives and we follow Him with abandon, we’ll understand the righteousness of God in a deeper way and see Him as He truly is: A defense for the helpless and needy Refuge from the storm Shade from the heat Subduer of enemies Silencer of accusers One day, we won’t turn to the world for answers in our times of distress, but we’ll trust God in our hard times. We’ll understand God is our defense and stronghold. He is the One who stands ready to help, not the world. Does your heart soar with hope when you read these verses from Isaiah? Perhaps you’re like most of us. Despite all the good, beautiful, and excellent in our lives, there are still a few areas in which we feel helpless and in need, things we’re not proud of but can’t seem to remove, places in our lives that feel like a storm’s brewing. Maybe you have a few of those places, too. Perhaps you have more than a few. Life’s like that. If we want all God has for us, though, those sin-filled, helpless places need to be removed by the intervention of God. How to trust God in hard times: Start with surrender Are you in a difficult place? Wondering “is God trustworthy?” and how to trust God in hard times? Begin with surrender. Kneel before God, surrender your concerns, and relinquish your plans in order to wait for His. Surrender is always the agonizing first step in hard waiting, but it’s also the step that brings the most peace. It’s the I’m-not-in-charge-but-God-is place that lifts the burden of responsibility

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Does Miraculous Healing Still Happen?

9 Comments / Discipleship, Miracles, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

Does miraculous healing still happen? Does God still heal? What comes to mind when you think of healing? Does the image in your head include doctors, nurses, surgery, and medicine? What about pastors, elders, and anointing oil? If the first image, of medical personnel, comes to mind, you’re not wrong. Doctors are frequently used by God to bring healing to those who are sick and hurting. If your image of healing includes faith workers and anointing oil, you’re not wrong, either. Does Miraculous Healing Still Happen:What Scripture says A few years ago, our pastor taught from Mark 1:29-39 about divine healing. Peter’s mother-in-law was seriously ill. Jesus arrived and Peter’s family immediately told Him about her illness. He healed her and she went straight to work, serving Him. Pastor Noland asked, “Does God still heal?” and left a long pause for us to ponder our beliefs. We might answer his question with a “yes, but…” When the question becomes more specific, “Will God heal me?” we hesitate. We’re less certain. Does miraculous healing still happen when the need is personal? An unexpected eye problem opened my eyes to the reality of God’s healing power. In mid-December some years ago, my bathroom scales developed a problem. The light barely illuminated and the numbers were no longer visible. I changed the batteries. No better. Bought new batteries. Still no better. A vague image of the numbers was visible only if I stood on the scales until the weight was ready, hopped off, and lay on the floor. On a foggy day in early January, I realized something terrifying. The fog outside was in my left eye, too. My vision was seriously blurred. I saw my ophthalmologist immediately. Corneal edema (or swelling) caused the blurred vision but he didn’t know what caused the edema. Was it trauma, virus, or an as-yet-unknown cause? He prescribed anti-virals and steroid drops. My eye improved. Soon, I developed a different corneal problem in my right eye. More eye drops. The right eye problem quickly resolved, but the left eye didn’t heal as steadily. It improved with medication but, when the steroids were tapered, it worsened again and the possibility of a vision-losing problem was mentioned. Most of my days were spent reading a book or on a computer and they still are. Eyesight is my primary tool, but the problem made work difficult. Early morning pain in my left eye worsened with light and my vision was blurred. Symptoms gradually improved as the day went on. I took breaks every 30 minutes or so to keep the blurriness at bay. Life felt slowed down, and it was. By the end of each day, I was exhausted by the struggle and I wondered…is better good enough? Does miraculous healing still happen? Does miraculous healing still happen? When medical care fails I did everything my doctors told me to do, but it didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. I began to ask, “Does miraculous healing still happen?” The answer was yes, as I knew from previous experience. According to James 5, if we, as disciples of Jesus, are sick, we should call the elders and have them pray over us. Since Scripture clearly indicates God heals through the laying on of hands, I thought He might heal me. Before I asked, though, I had to confront a serious problem of faith. Could I deal with it God said no to my request for miraculous healing? What if the vision loss didn’t resolve, but worsened instead? I pondered it, explored options for working blind, and considered the lives of two friends, both of whom are blind physicians and still actively working. God will make a way through, I realized, no matter what happens with my eyes. I prayed the prayer that never fails. “Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done. Even with my eyes.” Restoration of my vision was my goal, but I was willing to accept whatever God allowed. After I reached that hard place, I contacted my pastor and asked the elders to pray for my healing. The place of surrender is the perfect place to begin prayers for miraculous healing. The following Wednesday night after Bible study, Pastor Noland called the elders to the back to discuss a matter of prayer. Then, to my surprise, he called me to the back. This wasn’t what I expected to happen, but my expectations didn’t really matter. Elders and our pastor gathered around me, anointed me with oil, and prayed over me. The earth didn’t shake and I didn’t get hit with a lightning bolt of healing heat. I didn’t feel different at all. As I drove home that night, I wondered…does miraculous healing still happen? If so, why didn’t I “feel” healed? My uncertainty was another opportunity to choose whatever God wanted and surrender again to His will. The next morning, I awakened and turned on the light. It didn’t hurt. I opened my Bible and could see the pages. The laptop screen wasn’t blurred. I could see. My vision was back to normal. It was already improving from the treatment, but my vision took a big leap forward after the elders prayed for me, and hasn’t regressed. I continued to taper to steroid drops because that’s what must be done with steroids. My visions and my discomfort were better, but I didn’t know what my cornea looked like. As a physician, healing, in this situation, didn’t simply mean better sight. It also means a normal cornea. Or so I thought. Was I healed? I don’t have a good answer to that question. The pain and blurriness resolved and my vision returned to normal (20/20 with glasses) but the virus left a scar on my cornea. It’s miraculous healing enough for me. Does miraculous healing still happen? Why me? Do miraculous healings still happen? Yes. Why did God intervene on my behalf? God’s intervention was not because I’m such a good person, have superior faith, or because I belong to

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examples of modern-day miracles, can miracles still happen, and do miracles still happen

Can Miracles Still Happen? Miracle in the Middle Drawer

Leave a Comment / Discipleship, Miracles / leannahollis

If you wonder, “Can miracles still happen?” or “Do miracles still happen?” you’ve come to the right place. This is the second story in our series of examples of modern-day miracles. Today’s story, the Miracle in the Middle Drawer, wasn’t born of as much desperation as the $100 miracle, (first in our series) nor as showy as the miracle when my vision was restored, but it was just as welcome. In the early days of my time as a peer-to-peer funded missionary, I rejected the idea of asking people to support my ministry and any effort at raising support for my work or my salary. I’d fund myself. Or so I thought. I began by drawing on my own resources but it didn’t take long before they were nearly depleted. No salary. No support. I didn’t know what to do so I struggled along in silence. Developed a great appreciation for beans, rice, and outdated foods at the local thrift shop. I was quick to say, “God will provide for me,” but not so quick to take Him at His word with a leap of faith. The truth was not pretty. I felt like a counterfeit missionary and the examples of modern-day miracles I heard about from other missionaries were for people a lot more holy than I was. Although I wouldn’t admit it, I didn’t believe God would provide for me. When I need a faith lesson, God often uses a crisis as a teaching tool. This time was no exception. I finally hit a tight spot I couldn’t fix. There was a little more month than money, and someone who owed me money every month was short. Again. I understood the circumstances, and I believed God called me to financial patience, so I waited but the delay made me short of funds. In order to drive to the office, I needed to buy gas but I only had $4 in cash. I didn’t want to use my debit card because the balance was low. It wasn’t $37 low but it was low and my scheduled deposit was still a couple of days away. On this particular morning, I pondered whether to work from home or ask for a miracle of gas fumes and go to the office. Finally, and with much hesitation, I decided to ask for a miracle. Can miracles still happen? I hoped so. “Lord, if you want me to go to the office, you’ll have to give me some cash,” I prayed. The Still Small Voice answered instantly. “Look in the middle drawer.” I didn’t want to argue with God, but I already looked in the middle drawer the previous day, more than once. I’d also looked in all the other usual places I stash a few dollars, too. No money anywhere. “Which drawer is that, Lord? The middle drawer of my desk doesn’t have any money in it. I looked there yesterday.” The impression of the middle drawer was so strong that I quit arguing and went to look. I pulled open the drawer and saw a white envelope on top of everything else. Where it had never been before. I opened it, and there was $25 in cash there. More than enough to buy gas. I laughed and thanked God for the modern-day miracle and headed to the office. Needed: Modern Day Miracles. Can you help? The money in my drawer was just one of many examples of modern-day miracles, but it confirmed for me that miracles still happen and was a huge blessing. I soon learned, however, that modern-day miracles happen all the time. Single mothers have one story after another about how God provided for their needs in miraculous ways. They, too, love this way of life. If you’re in a position of need, take heart. God has more than enough funds available to meet your needs and He’s willing to help. Your part is not to fret but to ask Him to provide. If you’re in the position to give, take a look around you. There are single moms, senior adults on fixed incomes, and missionaries all around us who are praying for a $10 or $20 miracle, and you can help. When God prompts your heart, pass along a blessing. I’ve been the one who was flush with cash and able to give here and there. It’s the most fun you can ever have. Receiving a miraculous provision is awesome, but it’s still more blessed to give than to receive. “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13 nasb Can miracles still happen? What’s your experience? When God gives us a miracle, we’re supposed to share it so that He can be glorified by what He’s done. What about you? Do you have your own examples of modern-day miracles? Share your story in the comments below. I’d love to hear what God has done in your life. Photo by Ben Neale on Unsplash Want to read more? Thanks for stopping by and sharing your time with us today! If you enjoyed this content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list to receive exclusive stories and be notified about future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. If you enjoyed “Can Miracles Still Happen?” and want to read about more modern-day miracles, check out these stories. Here are links to a few other posts you might enjoy: Miracles Still Happen: The $100 Miracle Does Miraculous Healing Still Happen? The Miracle I Expected to Remember but Soon Forgot When the Prayer of Desperation Becomes Through the Roof Prayer The Prodigal Puppy and the Rescuer Who Brought Her Home Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate

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When The Prayer of Desperation Becomes Through the Roof Prayer

Leave a Comment / Prayer, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

I can’t imagine the difficulty of life-long illness or a prolonged physical problem. My shattered finger several years ago was bad enough. I’m left-handed but, with my right hand in a cast, I had difficulty putting my hair into a ponytail, zipping pants, and buttoning shirts. It was miserable. Although it was temporary, the experience gave me considerably more compassion for those who struggle with illness or disability and a better understanding of the prayer of desperation. My recent cornea problems were, in a way, worse than the fractured hand. The vision problem stopped me in my tracks. It limited reading, internet use, writing, driving, and almost everything else I wanted to do. I felt desperate for healing. I prayed and fasted. My friends and acquaintances prayed. The pastor and elders prayed. They anointed me with oil and laid hands on me, more than once. Healing didn’t come as soon as I hoped, nor in the way I expected. The Bible spoke directly to my need. I learned more than I wanted about physical problems and disability. In the midst of my struggle, I read the story of the paralyzed man and the four friends, all likely just as desperate for healing as I. For the first time, I identified with those five men. (Luke 5:17-26) You probably know the story, but here’s a quick recap. Four men, determined to bring their friend to Jesus, went up on the roof of a house because it was so crowded they couldn’t get through the door to the Healer. They lowered the paralyzed man down into the middle of the crowd. No vandalism needed. As a child, I believed the friends ripped the roof apart, then left the owners with a gaping hole. It seemed the worst kind of evangelism possible and I recoiled from the story. Two trips to the Middle East taught me a different possibility. The roof on most Middle Eastern houses is flat. In Jordan (and in Israel) the roof is used for storage, drying clothes on the line, and large water tanks. There’s room for children to play and a grill or small fire pit for cooking outside. In some houses, there’s an entrance from the roof leading directly inside. For others, there’s one door with both a street approach and a roof approach. Maybe it happened like this… I now believe this story might’ve happened something like this: (Leanna paraphrase coming up) “Hey, my paralyzed friend, you need to see that teacher from Nazareth, Jesus. He gives sight to the blind and makes the lame walk again. He might heal you, too.” “How would I get there? Doesn’t he teach out in the wilderness?” “Mostly, but sometimes he’s in town. I’ll take you. Let me get some people together.” They made a plan and waited for an opportunity. One day, Jesus came to town and was teaching in a house nearby. The men quickly hauled their friend on a blanket through the street, but a huge crowd arrived before them. The door was blocked by people. The friends refused to give up. The four buddies looked around the house, and, suddenly, the excitement began. “Hey,” someone probably said, “We could go through the roof door.” The four men hauled the paralyzed man up the stairs to the roof, then down a ladder into the house. They landed right in the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. Through the roof prayer The most remarkable part of the entire story is what happened when they got inside the house with their friend. The men didn’t know if Jesus would heal their friend or not. They simply presented him to Jesus. No request. No description of the problem. Nothing. The presentation of their friend to Jesus was the request. In a way, their action was desperate, “thy will be done” prayer. I pray this way sometimes — I simply call out the name of the one for whom I’m praying. I know they need Jesus’s intervention, so I take them to God in prayer. It’s a prayer of desperation, a “through the roof” prayer. It may be the purest form of prayer because it expresses utter dependence upon and surrender to our Lord and His wisdom. Going through the roof brought their friend straight to Jesus and left the choice of intervention to Him. Are there people for whom you’re praying? Are you desperate and nearly without hope? Have you run out of words to pray? Maybe it’s time for “through the roof” prayer. Take them to the throne of God and leave them there. Ask God to intervene, then leave the choice of intervention to Him. He’s more than able to deliver. But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. (Luke 5:19 NASB) You might also enjoy these posts on prayer: The Miracle I expected to Remember But Soon Forgot The Prayer Walk and the One With Whom God Wants to Talk When the Answer to Our Prayer is a Much-Needed Delay Prayer and Politics: How to Pray the News and Why We Should Proper Prayer Begins by Taming the Tongue

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How to Wrestle with God

Leave a Comment / Discipleship / leannahollis

If you want to know what it means to wrestle with God or how to wrestle with God, we can help. Read here to learn three steps to wrestle with God effectively. My desperate decision to wrestle with God My vision was at the worst point in a series of blurry days. I was afraid to drive and worn out from trying to see through the blur to view my computer screen. The problem was a severe viral infection of my cornea, probably contracted during a trip to the Middle East, and it threatened to completely destroy my sight. Months of uncertainty left me more desperate than ever. Would I lose my sight or not? I wanted an answer, one way or the other. In desperation, I determined to fight the battle of Jacob and wrestle with God. I would not let go until God moved in one way or the other. The struggle left Jacob with a permanent limp, so I wasn’t sure how I would emerge but, after the long struggle I was exhausted and ready for answers. I spent a day in prayer and repentance, seeking an answer about my eye. My prayers were based on three important principles: Surrender to God’s will. The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Repentance of Sin It was the hardest intercession I’ve ever done, but neither of those three steps was optional if I wanted an answer to a seemingly unanswered prayer. How to Wrestle with God: Three Vital Steps 1. Surrender to God’s Will The chronic viral infection in my eye left me with one of three possibilities. Either God would heal me, I’d have chronic blurriness and struggles, or the infection would take my vision and leave me blind. Would anyone choose blindness? Not likely. The only answer I wanted to accept was healing. That day, however, I surrendered to whatever God thought best for me. “Take my sight or leave it, God, but help me understand what you’re doing. I’m choosing to want what you want more than my own desire for healing.” It may sound like a bunch of words but, as one who sees answered prayer on a daily basis, I know how deadly serious prayer is. What I didn’t know was what God’s will would be, and I feared it. 2. Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving If we are to give thanks “in all things” we must find cause for gratitude even in the most difficult circumstances. I’d already begun to thank God for the good eyesight in my right eye, the continued ability to drive, the blessing of audiobooks, the benefits of large print, the doctor’s wisdom, the kindness of the office staff, and the ease of travel. On the wrestling day, I took it a few steps further. I walked through my home and thanked God for everything I saw. A stroll around my property found new reasons for thanksgiving. My contacts-list offered up hundreds of friends, family, and other relationships for which I could (and did) give thanks. Finally, I moved my thanksgiving into the difficult zone. I tried to remember all the hard things God had allowed, then looked for positive outcomes from each trial for which I could thank Him. Surrendering to God’s will was a hard-fought battle, but it didn’t take long. The sacrifice of thanksgiving was a different matter. I literally spent hours giving thanks. The longer the time spent thanking God, the more an overwhelming sense of gratitude increased and the less my trial mattered. 3. Repent of sin Repentance was the hardest step of all as I wrestled with God, but the most necessary. Repenting for the sins I recognized wasn’t a problem. It was the sin hidden too deep in my heart to see that remained unconfessed. I started by addressing any sin for which I thought I might not have repented, then moved on to sin I wasn’t sure I had. Before the day was over, however, I finally came to the deepest point of surrender. “Lord,” I prayed, “show me the sin you want me to relinquish.” He did. “Let go of the idol.” The words in my heart were so clear in my heart, I had no trouble understanding them. As soon as I heard them, I felt waves of nausea, revulsion, and dread flow through me. Instantly I knew what God meant and I feared what was to come. My first article was written for a junior high school newsletter in 1969. After forty-nine years, the last five years spent writing nearly constantly, I consider myself a writer even more than a physician, and I am. Writing is how I process life, how I communicate, and how I touch the world. It’s my preferred art form and a huge part of my ministry. Printed words on a page are beautiful to me. Fonts and text size delight me. I love how words slash through our defenses, open our hearts and change our minds. I love being a writer. The thing I feared most was not blindness but losing the ability to write. Sometimes we need to release our dream to have the heart God desires for us. My love for writing isn’t a bad thing and it hasn’t been used in a bad way. It’s a gift from God used to glorify Him. On that beautiful, dreadful day, when I learned how to wrestle with God, I realized I’d allowed the gift God gave to become a consuming priority in my life and, eventually, an exhausting, devouring idol. When I saw it, I opened my hands and metaphorically released this good-thing-turned-idol. That idol shattered into a million pieces and lost its power in my life. I apologized to God, asked for forgiveness, and reveled in the cleanness of my heart. Thanksgiving and surrender to God’s will prepared me to walk away from writing altogether if that’s what it took to relinquish my idol. At the moment of surrender, I had no idea

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Real Prayer Moves Us Closer to God

Leave a Comment / Prayer, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

A recent conversation with students at a local Christian preparatory school focused on prayer, what is real prayer, and how real prayer moves us closer to God What is prayer? “What is prayer?” The question rang in my own heart as I prepared to speak, so I did a little digging and learned something in a fresh way. The word translated as “pray” comes from two root words, one of which indicates direction or moving toward. (Matthew 6:9) Simply put, prayer is a conversation with God that moves us toward Him or allows us to draw closer. This distinction is more important than you might think. If the words we’re saying are prayer, they move us closer to God. I believe the converse is also true. If the words we say don’t move us closer to God, they aren’t real prayer. Even a written, ritualized prayer can move us toward God if the words have meaning to us. The longest, most beautiful set of words, directed at the listener or designed to impress God will not move His heart. To be prayer, our words must be heartfelt, meaningful, and said (whether aloud or in our hearts) with the intent of interaction with God. Jesus gave a clear example of the difference between true and false prayer with His story of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer. (Luke 18:9-14) The Pharisee offered a lengthy “prayer,” updating God on his good deeds. It wasn’t prayed with an expectation of a response from God. It was a field report and simply praised himself. The tax-gatherer, on the other hand, saw himself as sinful and begged for mercy. This man’s words were heartfelt and meaningful. They exalted God and not himself; they drew him closer to his Heavenly Father. The tax-gatherer prayed to God. The religious professional did not. What do our words say to God? If you’re like me, not everything you’ve ever prayed brought you closer to God. Take a look at these examples and just for yourself. Have you prayed like this before? I have. You decide which is the kind of prayer God wants to hear and which isn’t. “Did you see what she did, God? You need to deal with her.” OR “I took offense at her action, and I have a haughty, angry attitude. Forgive me.” “I don’t want to love that wretched person and I’m not doing it.” OR “I don’t know how to love this person who keeps doing such horrible things. Show me Your way.” “Did you see all I did for you this week, Lord?” OR “You have done so much for me, Lord. I can never do enough for you, but I thank you for your kindness and mercy to me.” There’s a difference, isn’t there? Selah. Pause and consider this truth for a few moments. Does our prayer draw us closer to God? God is omniscient. He knows everything. He hears all the prayers we utter, genuine or not. I envision God responding to Pharisee prayers by listening to them for a moment, turning to Jesus, shaking His holy head, and saying, “He’s just talking to himself, not us.” In response to the prayers of the tax-gatherer and the Pharisee, only one man left his prayer time justified. It wasn’t the man with the fancy words. Only the man who beat his chest in repentance found favor with God and received an answer to his prayer. Jesus was clear. Haughty words get us nowhere with God. We can demand, insist, and tout our worthiness all we want. Is it the kind of speech that moves God’s heart? No. Five Elements of Real Prayer The Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:7-13 offers five key elements to real prayer if we want to move closer to God. They serve as a model for intercession, as well as for life. Offer thanksgiving and praise to God for His mercy, love, and kindness — not praise for our own accomplishments and goodness. Seek God’s way – not our own. When there’s a disparity between the two, pursue the holy path. Be content and grateful for all God gives. Live simply. Daily bread does not leave a big balance in a bank account. Forgive promptly, regardless of the offense. Pursue righteousness with God’s help, especially when temptation threatens. If we approach Him with words full of gratitude, surrender, forgiveness, and desire for righteousness, we will draw closer to God. If our life is filled with those attributes, we will be a house of prayer. It’s that simple. It’s that hard. A place to start The prayer of the tax-gatherer was only seven words long. Neither eloquence nor loquacity impresses God. He prefers sincerity, humility, and gratitude. Today, let’s approach our Heavenly Father with the same gentle, loving spirit we cherish in our children. The seven-word prayer is a good place to start. “God, be merciful to me, the sinner.” In colloquial language, the tax-gatherer begged, “Don’t give me what I deserve, Lord, even though I’m the worst sinner in the room.” It’s a great place to start as we spend time with our Heavenly Father today. “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified…” Luke 18:13-14a You might also enjoy reading: Becoming a House of Prayer: Five Simple Steps Worship at the Judas Rock: When We Identify With the Betrayer Should You Love Your Neighbor if You Don’t Like Him Proper Prayer Begins by Taming the Tongue If you enjoyed this post, take a moment to share it on Pinterest and social media. Thanks for stopping by! :n

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How to Be a House of Prayer: Five Simple Steps

3 Comments / Prayer / leannahollis

“It is written My house will be called a house of prayer,” Jesus announced as, disgusted with the ungodly commerce around Him, he upset the tables of the money changers. Scripture tells us our body is also the temple of God and we, too are to be houses of prayer. Keep reading to learn how to be a house of prayer in five simple steps to become a house of prayer and change your life. Jesus wants a house of prayer Jesus rode a borrowed donkey into the city as the crowds shouted Hosannas and waved palm branches. The people cheered and surrounded him but Jesus wept as He approached the massive Golden Gate and entered Jerusalem. “If you had only known…” (Luke 19:41-44) The one for whom they’d waited so long was at the gate, but He didn’t bring the political change they wanted. The Kingdom Jesus offered required a change within, and most people would have none of it. In less than a week, He would lay down His life for people who didn’t care. The Pharisees rebuked Jesus for the outrageous display of love and support from His followers, but that day they couldn’t be stopped. There was no need for the religious leaders to fear, however. Jesus knew their praise would change before the week was out. For Him, it was one more hard day in his thirty-three-year-long sojourn this side of Heaven. By the beginning of Holy Week, the countdown was measured in days and hours. Time was short and the hardest part loomed ahead. The Tone of the Week Jesus went straightaway to the temple, where he turned over the tables of the money changers and the seats of the dove sellers and set the tone for the rest of the week. (Matthew 21:1-13) He quoted Isaiah as he spoke words that are too easily overlooked. “My house shall be called a house of prayer…” (Matthew 21:13) The religious leaders were irate. They made money from the temple vendors. How did Jesus dare to disrupt the status quo? Their “system” badly needed cleansing and redemption, but they couldn’t see it. They chose not to see it. The beautiful temple was supposed to be a place dedicated to prayer to our Heavenly Father. It was anything but. The temple of believers According to the apostle Paul, we, the body of Christ, are God’s temple because His Spirit now abides in us. If we are to be the dwelling place of God, then we are also supposed to be a dwelling of prayer, a house of prayer. Selah. Pause and consider that for a moment. Jesus’ first act after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His kingly procession, moved the focus from material things to spiritual and established the preeminent importance of prayer. Instead of the right coins or the perfect animal sacrifice, we must approach God with the right heart and the right relationship. Relationship over ritual Jesus did more than flip tables that day. He flipped everything about religion and changed it from a series of rituals to a lifetime relationship. Becoming a house of prayer presumes a life of intimacy with our Heavenly Father. Ritual’s easier, isn’t it? There are times when a litany and a ritual seem much easier than stillness and obedience. If you’re anything like me, there are days when you’d rather DO something than BE something. I feel that far too often but there’s an important truth we need to remember: “Being” isn’t optional for the disciple of Christ. James’ words proclaim this truth. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James 1:22. Today, why not begin with the words of Jesus on that holy day so long ago? Choose to be a house of prayer and follow these five simple steps to become a house of prayer. What does it mean to be a house of prayer? Do you wonder how to become a house of prayer? In the model prayer, Jesus taught his disciples a simple formula for prayer. It’s a good model for living as a house of prayer, as well and can be summarized in these steps to become a house of prayer. Five Steps to Become a House of Prayer: Begin each day with praise and honor for God Surrender to God’s will and God’s glory instead of our own Live simply and be content Practice forgiveness. Pursue holiness. Begin each day with praise and honor for God. Read the Psalms and use them as a starting point for prayer. Make thanksgiving a regular part of our prayer time and our day. Meditate on Scripture and allow it to infuse and change our lives. Surrender to God’s will and God’s glory instead of our own. The Bible gives clear direction on God’s general will. Love Him first, love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and love other believers. If we love as He commands, we’ll have made a good start on obeying His will and not our own. It’s important to seek His will in the specifics, too, but always begin with love. Live simply and be content. Present our requests for daily needs to God, not the extravagant desires of our materialistic society. We don’t need every piece of new technology available. It’s not necessary to have the newest phone or the most stylish clothes. We can be satisfied with less, but we must choose contentment. Practice forgiveness. Confess sin and request forgiveness, but be quick to offer it to others. Bitterness destroys joy and robs us of happiness. Stop rehashing our hurts and let them go. Forgiveness helps us far more than the one we forgive. Pursue holiness. Ask for protection from evil as a declaration of our intent to avoid it. Study Scripture to understand holiness from God’s perspective, then put what we learn into action. Allow Him to change us, understanding that His ways are not the ways of our world. We must make a choice. The fans

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How to See the Promises of God Fulfilled

Leave a Comment / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

If you’ve read much Scripture, you know it’s filled with the promises of God, but it’s also full of evidence of the promises of God fulfilled. Do you want to learn how to see the promises of God fulfilled in your life? Maybe you wonder, “Does God keep His promises? Will He keep His promises to me?” We sometimes fail to recognize those answers because the promise and its fulfillment are usually separated by both pages and time. Promises of God fulfilled in unlikely ways Let’s take a quick look at the writing of the prophet Isaiah for a better understanding of how the promises of God are fulfilled. Isaiah was a master of contrasts. He switched from dark to light with word pictures so vivid they stick in your head for years. The passage in Isaiah 8:17-9:3 is a perfect example. He began with a simple declaration. “I will wait for the Lord…I will even look eagerly for Him.” Isaiah expected God to move in a decisive way, and he was willing to wait for God’s timing even if that timing came after he was long gone from the earth. Isaiah’s expectation is a stark contrast to that of the people who didn’t know the Scripture well enough to understand God’s ways. Like a lot of people today, they didn’t understand how to see the promises of God fulfilled and probably wondered, “Will God keep His promises to me?” Instead of asking Isaiah for help, they consulted mediums and spiritists for direction. They wanted quick action and man’s answers but were quick to blame God when the way of the world didn’t satisfy them. They looked to the earth, and the ways of the people around them for answers, but as Isaiah said they only found “distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish.” (Isaiah 8:22) The prophet knew a solution to the world’s woes would come to the most unlikely of places — on the far side of the Jordan, to “Galilee of the Gentiles.” The Jewish people were not likely to turn to the Galileans for answers but Isaiah urged them to keep their eyes open. A time would come when there was no more gloom or anguish and God’s glory was visible on earth, he reminded them. The fullness of time Does God keep His promises? Yes, He does. Centuries later, we know Isaiah was correct and the promises of God were fulfilled. The prophecy of Daniel gave us God’s timetable and the writings of the disciples reveal a stunning truth. Jesus arrived right on time and, according to Isaiah’s prophecy, exactly where God said He’d come. The people who walked in darkness saw a great light and Jesus fulfilled every promise God had given. He shined the light in the darkness because He IS the light. Increased gladness. Broke the yoke of burden. Became our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, Eternal Father, our Prince of Peace. An unending reign. Offered eternal peace, justice, and righteousness. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this,” Isaiah promised, and it did. Promises of God fulfilled in my life If Isaiah is right, and he is, why don’t we have peace, justice, and righteousness? There’s a simple, hard answer. We’re not much different from the people of Isaiah’s time, and we still look to the world for answers. We still want Jesus plus something else. The people in Isaiah’s time wanted a military leader who would make Israel great and powerful. They wanted world domination, not a world surrendered to God alone. Light in the darkness with unending joy isn’t quite the same, is it? Light, joy, and peace are infinitely better but only if we’re willing to surrender the world and cling to the One who conquered sin and death. Promises of God fulfilled in Jesus plus nothing If we want everything God promised and if we want to see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives, we must turn our eyes and our hearts to Jesus alone. How? One simple step. Take our focus off the world and place it where it belongs. On Jesus. Seek Him first. Seek Him only. How to see the Promises of God fulfilled in your life: You, too, can see God’s promises fulfilled in your life when you follow Jesus, learn His will and His ways, and simply obey. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Here’s a video from Michael W. Smith featuring Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus If country music is more your style, here’s a video from Alan Jackson singing Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Want to read more like Promises of God Fulfilled? While you’re here, check out these blog posts: How to Trust God in Hard Times The Benefits of Repentance Promises of God Fulfilled What Does it Mean to Be Beloved? What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus? Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride Thanks for sharing your time with us today. Before you go… Sign up for our twice-a-month newsletter to receive exclusive stories, freebies, and more. Leave a comment and share this post on your social media pages or through email. Bookmark our website so you can visit us often. Take a look at Today’s Encouragement before you go. We add to this every weekday. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents)

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How to Memorize Scripture: Three Easy Steps

2 Comments / Discipleship, Resources, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

Have you ever heard someone quote a passage of Scripture and wondered why memorize Scripture or why we should memorize Scripture? Keep reading to learn more. If you want to learn how to memorize Scripture, our three easy steps to memorize Scripture can help. A few years ago, I decided to memorize a chapter of the Bible every month as one of my New Year’s resolutions. It might have been a little optimistic. Four days into January, I was already behind on my plan to memorize the first chapter of John before the end of the month. I knew how to memorize Scripture. The problem wasn’t my technique or my ability. My failure to memorize Scripture was due to my reliability. Every morning, I reviewed my verses and made what was little more than a stab at memorizing them. I read them. Quoted them a few times. Put them away as quickly as I picked them up. How to memorize Scripture: Soak your heart with its truth What I didn’t do was soak my heart in their truth, and that’s why they didn’t “stick.” One morning, I read through the first twelve verses of John 1 again. The second time I read them through, the third verse came alive. “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3) nasb All things. How to memorize Scripture: Apply it to your life Does all mean all? The image of barbed wire instantly popped into my head. Barbed wire? Does Jesus care about barbed wire? I pondered that crazy-sounding question a moment and read the verse again. If all things came into being by Him, and Scripture says it did, did barbed wire come into being by Jesus? In a manner of speaking, yes. He made the person who invented it, of course, as well as the mind out of which the invention came. When we apply Scripture to our lives in order to memorize it, we begin to see God in everything we do. The thought about God’s concern for barbed wire wasn’t as random as it seemed. I was building a barbed-wire fence at the time but hadn’t quite finished it. Does Jesus care about the fencing wire so prevalent in the Southern U.S.? Yes, in multiple ways. He cares about the people who make the wire, build the fences, and stretch the wire. He cares about the animals for whom those sharp barbs provide security and protection, too. Suddenly, his care about the fence I was building made verses about His care for me come alive. I understood them, I could remember them, and I soon realized it was one of the easy ways to memorize Scripture. Does Jesus care about all my concerns? My second thought was about the then-current trouble in the Middle East. My heart broke over recent governmental decisions there. I prayed at length about the situation and begged everyone who’d listen to join me in intercession. Occasionally, my prayers sounded a little accusatory, as if God overlooked the events that gave me such pause. “What about there, Lord? It’s a mess right now,” I asked. All things. Those two simple words resonated in my heart. Governments are established by God and have their authority with the permission of God. (Romans 13:1) He moves the heart of the king like channels of water. (Prov 21:1) Once again, the application of Scripture to my daily life was an important step in how to memorize Scripture. He knows. God knows about the corruption in governments, crack-downs on religious freedom, and the persecution of believers. He knows about my friends who fled for their lives from their homeland. Nothing escapes his notice. Nothing will be wasted. It wasn’t the answer I wanted. My desire was for God to roll up His sleeves and wade into the battle. I wanted God to do things MY way, instead of His own. It’s a problem as old as creation. We want our way instead of His. How to Memorize Scripture: Embrace Nevertheless My barbed wire pondering led, in a roundabout way, to “nevertheless” about a few things. “Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) The simple act of surrendering to His will instead of mine brought me to the place I needed to be with Scripture memory. Suddenly, the verses came alive. “The light shined in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it” made perfect sense. None of the efforts of believers in the painful place of persecution were wasted. Light shined, but the darkness didn’t comprehend, exactly as John 1 said. The importance of Scripture memory is not in the act of repeating words until we can say them by rote. The value comes when we allow the Word of God to invade our hearts, reveal truth to us, and change us. Scripture memory was much easier after the Word of God came alive in my heart, took root, and began to grow. Three Easy Steps to Memorize Scripture Do you want to memorize Scripture? Do you want the Word of God to come alive for you? If we “hide it in our hearts” and nurture it as we would seed in our garden, His Word will grow into full-bloom beauty in our lives and make us more like Jesus than ever before. Don’t strive to gather a bunch of words. Instead, strive for the truth that transforms and let it begin to transform you. Three Easy Steps to Memorize Scripture: PLANT: Don’t tackle an entire passage at once. Choose one verse at a time and marinate in it. Repeat it throughout the day. Try writing it out several times to increase familiarity. WATER: Study the verse. Look up commentary on the passage. LIGHT: Ask God to help you understand and know its truth. Allow it to invade your heart and life until the truth becomes a part of you. When you “know” the verse because you’ve lived

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Why Does Scripture Memorization Matter?

3 Comments / Discipleship, Faith, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

When we first offered fast-food gift cards to high-risk students in exchange for quoting and explaining Scripture, people were shocked and began to ask us, “Why does Scripture memorization matter so much?” If you also wonder why we should memorize Scripture, keep reading. God speaks through Scripture “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16,17 If you’re wondering why we should memorize Scripture, you need look no further than the day of Pentecost and the apostle Peter. This is a Scripture-memory success story. The first-century rulers, elders, and scribes often referred to Peter and John as uneducated and untrained men. Admittedly, the two disciples did not pursue a traditional course of study with a rabbi but spent three years with Jesus instead. A quick read of Acts 2 reveals a startling truth. Peter wasn’t uneducated or untrained. On the day of Pentecost, without prepared sermon notes, iPad, or teleprompter to help him, he preached a powerful sermon in which he quoted passages from Joel 2:28-32 and Psalm 16:8-11. He also quoted verses from Psalm 69, 89, 109, 110, and 132. He referenced 1 Kings 2:10, Nehemiah 3:16, and 2 Samuel 7:12. Peter didn’t run for the nearest scroll in order to look up verses. Instead, he easily quoted this chunk of Scripture because he memorized it in advance so that it was available to him when he needed it. Why does Scripture memorization matter? The power of the Word changes hearts. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 The people wanted an explanation of the shocking events in the upper room so Peter, as leader of the disciples, stepped up. He abandoned himself to the Word of God and allowed that which is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword to do its powerful work of piercing hearts. The Words of God, not Peter-generated words, spoke to the people and changed them. They were pierced to the heart and ready to take action. Three thousand people came to Christ that day after an impromptu sermon composed mostly of Scripture quotes. As if to prove the first sermon wasn’t a fluke, Peter preached a second impromptu sermon in which he quoted Genesis 22:18, and Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. He also referenced passages in Exodus 3 and Deuteronomy 18. Again, he quoted the verses because he already knew them. The priests, captain of the guard, and the Sadducees heard him speak. Fear and astonishment gripped them because of the power with which he delivered his message. The word of God rocked Jerusalem as thousands responded to its power. When the priests and guards arrested Peter and John and carried them before the rulers, elders, and scribes, Peter once again used scripture, this time to defend himself. Scripture changes us: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.Hebrews 4:12 nlt Lest we think Scripture memorization is only useful so we can impress others with our remarkable memory or subdue them with conviction through the word of God, let’s take a look at at Hebrews 4:12. The word of God works first in us to discern our thoughts and intentions, pierce our hearts, and bring conviction and change. Just as it did for the crowds on Pentecost, Scripture helps us see ourselves as are: sinners before a righteous God in desperate need of a holy Savior. A clear understanding of who we are and who we aren’t is an essential part of humility. If we don’t bother to know Scripture, we’ll never allow it to change us and make us more like Jesus. Scripture gives us hope: The Bible contains thousands of promises from God but we can’t claim the benefits of the promises if we don’t know what they are. Knowing only comes from study. Once we “know a promise, we can cling to it and gain hope from it, but we must “know it by heart” to hold to the promise . Scripture memorization allows us to use the power of the two-edged sword (the Word of God) more effectively. But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 Peter repeatedly experienced the power of the two-edged sword of God. He wielded those mighty words because they were already tucked safely in his heart. Peter never graduated from the first-century equivalent of a seminary and a seminary education is not essential for us to use the word of God effectively either. Instead, he educated himself with something much more important. He learned the word of God and hid it in his heart—and we can do this, too. Why does Scripture memorization matter? When we need truth, we have it. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 When Peter needed truth in a hurry, it was readily available. Even more important, Peter used the truth he had, and God wielded His own words, spoken by Peter, to move in hearts and change lives. He still does. It is not enough to participate in Bible studies and know about the Word of God. We must know Scripture by planting it in our hearts through Scripture memory. We can use Scripture in powerful ways but only if we know it in advance through memorization. Our own journey with Scripture memorization began decades ago with what was called “learning by heart.” As we memorized passages, we stored truth in the secure vault of our hearts. We planted it deep and it remained. In times of need, those verses are readily available, every single time. A few years ago, we experienced a

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