From Conviction to Confession

“So change the way you think and act,and turn [to God] to have your sins removed.”—Act 3:19 (GW)

The title of this week’s post has to do with some wrong thinking/behavior on my part. I’d like to say my negative attitude about something was a one and done. However, it is something that has been going on for a few years. Full transparency; it is more than a few years.

My husband is pretty meticulous when it comes to taking care of our home/yard. We have some neighbors on one side of us who don’t share the same enthusiasm. It is probably magnified right now since we have been actively looking at homes. This means our home could be on the market to sell in the near future.

Every time I pull in the driveway, I am reminded of their lack of care. The grass/landscaping in the front yard is nonexistent. Packages stay on the front porch for days. Trash/junk on the side of the house has been there for months.

Why do I let this bother me? I know I shouldn’t let it irritate me like I do. I was on a roll the other day. After my little ventfest, I felt the Holy Spirit convict me. He whispered to my heart, Lisa, you don’t know what is going on in their life. What would happen if every time you have a negative thought or want to vent about it, you pray for them?

Ouch! I know He is right. God convicted me how my criticism was crowding out kindness and compassion. Not only will it start softening my heart, but who can’t use some extra prayers? I don’t know what is going on their life. I do need to have more understanding. I am working on it.

Ok…I’ll be honest, my first prayer was, Thank You, Jesus, that they finally took that BIG package off their front porch. I know this wasn’t the kind of prayer God was convicting me to do.

Now, rather than get irritated, I am practicing saying this, Lord, I don’t know what is going on in their home. I lift them up to You. You know their life. I don’t. If they don’t know You Lord, reveal Yourself to them. Draw them to You. As this becomes my daily habit, it will refresh my heart.

Awareness of God’s presence convicts us of right words and behaviors. Even though God offers us forgiveness for our sins, we need to confess them to Him to receive it. Many times, my sins are my thoughts. I may be convicted to not verbalize what I am thinking, but I still hold onto that negative thought.

Every day I need God’s forgiveness. None of us are perfect or will we ever be. There are no perfect people for God to use. We are all broken, but He can still use us. Rather than let these thoughts corrupt my attitude for the day, I need to acknowledge them before God and fully obey what He is convicting me to do….PRAY.

Father God,

Forgive me for my negativity. Thank you for brightening my perspective. Only You can replace my irritation with compassion. Guard my thoughts from unholy thinking. Help me to be a better neighbor. I know loving my neighbor is a command. Thank You for the much needed reminder. I lift those up to You who are letting their frustrations affect their attitude. Open their eyes to how they can redirect their thinking this week. I pray these things in the name of Your Precious Son, Jesus. Amen.

August Verse

“Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.”—Proverbs 3:3 (NASB)

If you are knitting or crocheting gifts to give away, please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.    

Earthly Father

“The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”—Psalm 103:13 (NLT)

Today would have been my father’s 89th birthday. It is still hard for me to fathom he has been gone for nearly twenty years now (in November). I still miss him to this day. I think about how much he has missed out on with his grandchildren and now great grandchildren. He would have enjoyed them so much.

He was the glue that held the family together. Family was super important to him. He stepped in and up in mine and my children’s lives to help fill the void after my first husband John’s death. He didn’t think twice moving my son and I into the home I grew up in until I got back on my feet.

I knew when he passed the family dynamics would change with only my mother. They did. For her it wasn’t the same. She was okay with seeing her children and grandchildren a few times a year. This wasn’t the case with my dad. He thrived having us all together.

I see so many of my dad’s traits in my brothers. They too have careers in the automotive industry as well as 3 of his grandchildren. His strong work ethic was instilled in all of us and is now evident in the grandchildren. If you would have told me my son would have ended up in the car business I would have said, no way. But here is working for Toyota Motor Corporation and now living in Japan with his family for two years.

As young adults, my brothers and I may not have always gone to church, when we were younger, but my dad made sure we went. We were in Sunday school and youth group. Because we were raised in the church, all three of us did the same with our families. It is such a blessing to see my children plugged into a church with my grandchildren. I now know what my dad must have felt seeing his children doing it as well.

I realize how fortunate I was to have had a loving father and strong male role model in my life. Not everyone has had this experience. For those who may not have had this, you have a Heavenly Father whose love and compassion for you is greater than an earthly father could give you.

Psalm 103:13 tells us; The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. This connects my earthly experience with the perfect love of my Heavenly Father. Just as my dad showed compassion, God’s compassion is even deeper and more reliable. As great as my dad’s love was for me, God’s is even bigger.

Today as I remember my father, I cherish the good he left behind as his legacy as well as the compassion I received which ultimately points me to the perfect love of my Heavenly Father.

Father God,
Thank You for the gift of my earthly father. While he is no longer here with me, I am thankful for how he reflected Your love in his heart. I rest in the hope that one day we will be reunited together in Your presence. I lift those up to You who may be grieving the death of a loved one. May they feel Your loving arms around them. It is in the name of Jesus Christ I pray these things. Amen.

July Verse
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”—2 Corinthians 3:17

If you are knitting or crocheting gifts to give away, please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.     

Praying Scripture

During my prayer time, I also incorporate scriptures to pray over my day. This way of pouring into God’s Word overflows into my words and actions. When you find a scripture that speaks to you, grab a hold of it and trust it. By praying scripture, we are standing and believing God’s Word over our lives. It also gives you a greater confidence in your prayer life.

Several years ago, a pastor at a church we used to attend shared how he prayed Ephesians 3:16-19 over his children every day. After I heard that sermon, I started to do the same for mine. Brandon and Danielle were in their early teens when I started doing this. Now, I also pray this daily for their spouses and their children. This is what my prayer looks like:

Father, I pray through Your glorious unlimited resources that You will empower Pat, Brandon, Mallory, Lincoln, Oliver, Danielle, Collin, Callahan and I with Your inner strength through Your Spirit; That Christ will make His home in our hearts as we trust in Him; That our roots will grow deep down in Your love and keep us strong. And may we have the power today to understand as all Your people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is for us. May we experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully so that we will be made complete with all fullness of life and power that comes from You, God.

I even like praying Ephesians 3:16 by itself for myself. Especially when I feel weak and unsure of what direction to go. I will pray; Lord, I pray from Your glorious unlimited resources You will empower me with Your inner strength through the Holy Spirit. The more I pray Ephesians 3:16, the more I experience this. Sometimes it is hard for me to fathom Christ is in me. However, feeling God’s presence in you is life changing. Knowing I don’t have to rely on my own wisdom and strength gives me peace.

If you aren’t sure how to pray today, try incorporating praying scripture. It is a powerful way to anchor your day. By saying God’s Word back to Him, it strengthens your faith as well as reshapes your attitude, actions and thoughts. You can do like I did. Take a verse that speaks to you and personalize it to make it your own.

Father God,
Thank You for the gift of Your living and active Word. May I faithfully pray scripture into my day. Let it become a daily rhythm for me. I ask for those who feel weak to take comfort knowing that Your glorious riches WILL strengthen them through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of them. I pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

July Verse
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”—2 Corinthians 3:17
If you are knitting or crocheting gifts to give away, please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.     

Keeping in Step with the Spirit

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”—Galatians 5:25

 A few verses before Galatians 5:25, Paul writes about the fruits of the Spirit in verses 22-23; But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

As I was reading a devotion about this, it pointed out what many would see as a grammatical error in this passage. According to grammar rules, it should read the fruit of the Spirit are not is. However, we know that to be one in the Spirit, we should embody all these qualities. The Holy Spirit within us is the Source and Author of all these attributes.

We can’t do it on our own. Since we live it the spirit, we have it to keep in step with it. We can’t force fruit in our life. We also can’t try to get God to “go along” with our plan. Our plan isn’t going to work. Trying to do things my way not God’s way never ends well. Thankfully, when I realize I have strayed, He hasn’t. God never leaves our side.

When we let God lead us, life goes smoother. It doesn’t mean it will be easier, but with Jesus by our side, we aren’t alone. Life isn’t meant to be powered by us. Through the power of the indwelling Spirit, we can call on Him to help us live out love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In order for us to live out Galatians 5:25, it requires for us to communicate with God throughout our day. We depend on the Holy Spirit who convicts and leads us. It is impossible for us to live out and walk in the Fruits of the Spirit in our own flesh.

As we rely on God and not ourselves, we are empowered to walk in His ways for us which will produce Christ-like character. Making choices that honor God strengthen our character. Being dependent on God is not the social norm. Self-reliance is. We live unashamed of our dependence on Our Living God who is the Bread that sustains us.

Father God,

Thank You for being the Sustenance nourishing my soul through the priceless gift of the Holy Spirit living inside of me. I ask for forgiveness when I am not in step with Your Spirit trying to do things with my own strength. When I wander like this, I ask for You to quickly draw me back to You. Continue to lead and guide me in Your will and ways this week. I pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

June Verse

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”—Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

If you are knitting or crocheting gifts to give away, please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.