“You said, “Listen now, and I will speak. When I question you, you will inform me.”” (Job 42:4)
 
Information is readily available today. When we need a quick answer to a question we can use AI, Google, or other internet resources. Though these resources do provide answers to some of the toughest questions on our minds cannot be answered by these resources but only through spending deep contemplative prayer. Listening to God to gain wisdom and a better understanding.

There are questions that the heart aches to ask. Questions relating to why a particular circumstance is happening in our lives, Is God evil, or even pertaining to what happens when we die. These questions have puzzled many within the church and many have tried to answer them over the ages. Questions relating to our faith help us workout our faith enabling us to understand God better, a stronger faith, and encourage us in times of crises.

It is not wrong to ask questions regarding faith. The questions we ask also stretch us they allow us to listen intently to the voice of God to hear his answer. Questions bring us into a deeper relationship with God.
The answers from God often cannot be rushed unlike a couple strokes on a keyboard to ChatGPT. The answers from God often take time, an open heart, and an openness to trust him with unfavorable answers.
 
Heavenly Father, there are questions that we have not sure how to ask may you answer the questions deep within our hearts. May we trust you even when answers are unfavorable.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“He told them, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)
 
During recess you can always tell the kids that want to play basketball and the kids who are standing there hoping that they will not be picked to play. They are only there to keep the teams even. They are sometimes picked last because they do not know how to shoot a basketball or not very good at the game. Just like these kids who are praying not to be picked Jesus tells us to pray for workers. The harvest is ready. It is ready but there is more harvest than workers.

When we experience short staff at work we usually try and work harder and fill the gap. However, Jesus states, the need is so great that the first course of action we can do is pray. Pray first. Take a pause and “Ask” before trying to work out of our own strength, skills, or even strategy. It might not feel like work or contributing solving the problem, but it is THE work. Go before God in prayer and ask him for the assistance that you need; workers, tools, or even equipment he can open doors and pathways for assistance in the work.

​While praying for more workers we each need to examine our own hearts. Are we praying for workers and hoping at the same time not to be one of them? Or are we open to being one of the workers? As we pray about the work and our own response we can listen to the Holy Spirit as he convicts us and nudges us into answering the call that God has placed on us. God is calling and inviting us to be partners in the work that he is doing.
 
Heavenly Father, the harvest is ready may you open our hearts to the need that you want us to help in.
                 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.” (Psalm 34:15)

There is something about not only being seen but heard. People feel seen in multiple ways; by knowing their name, giving them a gift, and smiling and waving at them. When we are seen it is not in a critical way but, in a caring way. The eyes of the Lord on the righteous does not mean that God is watching us in critical way but looking at us in a caring or watchful way.

God knows where you are, how heavy your heart might feel or even what you are facing. Not only does he know your situation but listens to our cries. God is attentive to our honest prayers. The messy prayers that come from pain, exhaustion, and even fears. Our prayers do not have to polished or prefect since God is attentive to our needs and wants us to cry out to him.

Throughout our day we might face times when we feel as we are overlooked, small, or not seen nor heard. There is one who always sees and hears us and wants us to call out to him. Our prayers do not fade away unheard, but each one is listened too and treasured. When life feels unfair and overwhelming remember we can trust God.

We can always trust God and cry out to him during hard times for he wants to hear from us. He desires our honest prayers and close relationship with us. He always sees us and hears us even when we feel alone. We can be confident that we are always seen and heard by him.
 
Heavenly Father, thank you for you always see us when we feel alone. May we continue to trust you each day.
 
Praying for you,
Stacy Watkins

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)
 
Some people might say that there is nothing to fear. President Roosevelt in his inaugural address even stated, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” The phrase was used to inspire and invoke confidence spurring individuals into action. The vision that everyone can conquer their fears. We are all afraid of something spiders lurking in corners, the dark, receiving negative test results, or even the future.

Many of our fears are situations that have not happened yet but could be a possibility. When we think of fears in the future, we start planning what to do. No matter how much we plan it does not get rid of our fears. The only true rescue comes from seeking the Lord. We can bring our fears to the Lord for he hears us and will answer. God is our ultimate rescuer, and we can seek him during all things.
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Seek the Lord he is waiting to hear from you and deliver you from your fears. You do not have to everything together to come before God. God isn’t waiting for you to have your life together. He just wants us. To love you and cherish you as his son or daughter.
 
Heavenly Father, may we continue to seek you in times of desperation and when life is good. God, we thank you that we can always come to you.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)
 
Little children are amazing they have no problem asking if a friend can take their tongue and lick their elbow or why questions. I am not sure who even tells a child “You need to ask why” but they somehow just get to the point of asking why regarding various subjects in life. They are confident in coming to any person and asking. It is the same for us today we can be confident when come before God in prayer. We can become confident because we know that God is faithful and desires to take care of his children. As we continue to walk a faith journey with him, we become more confident in our prayers and what we are asking for from him. 

Often, in our prayers we only list out the situation but forget that we must ask God. He wants us to make our requests. Our requests are not just desires that we want. God is not a genie granting wishes of the things that we desire for he knows some of the items that we desire in life is not good for our relationships, health, or who he has made us to be. We are to ask according to his will which can be difficult.
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Asking according to God’s will makes us first have to step back and reconnect our heart to God. From spending time with him we get to know what he truly desires and wants for us. It changes how we pray we go from praying for a certain amount of money to praying to learn to steward our money better. God’s will is written throughout scripture if you are unsure seek guidance from a pastor. God earnestly desires to hear from all of us for he loves all of us. When we ask according to his will our prayers become bold.
 
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of prayer and you hear our prayers and answer them according to your will. Lord help me to not just list my situation to you but ask you for what I need according to your will.
 
Walking with you,
Stacy Watkins

Scripture:  Isaiah 58, Matthew 6:1-18; 9:14-17, Acts 13:1-3
 
Types of Fasting (feel free to replace food with anything that will cost you comfort or pleasure):

• Normal – Going without food for a definite period of time and only taking in liquids (be careful – know your physical limits and health issues)
  
• Absolute – Going without any food or water (not recommended)
  
• Partial – Going without certain foods or is on a limited eating schedule. For example skipping lunch or only eating when it is dark.
  
• Rotational – Eating or omitting certain families of foods for designated periods. Like only eating grains every fourth day.

 
Biblical Examples of Fasting

• The Disciples Fast – Matthew 6:1-18; 9:14-17
• The Ezra Fast – Ezra 8:23
• The Samuel Fast – 1 Samuel 7:6
• The Elijah Fast – 1 Kings 19:4-8
• The Widow’s Fast – 1 Kings 17:16
• Paul’s Fast – Acts 9:9
• The Daniel Fast – Daniel 1:8
• John’s Fast – Luke 1:15
• The Esther Fast – Esther 4:16 – 5:2

 
Suggested Reading:

• “Fasting For Spiritual Break Through” – Elmer Towns
• “A Hunger For God” – John Piper

Will you commit to fasting between now and Easter Sunday?
 
Step 1 – Why Fast?
Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal? For guidance? For healing? For the resolution of problems? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify what He wants you to take away from this time.
 
“One of the greatest spiritual benefits of fasting is becoming more attentive to God – becoming more aware of our own inadequacies and His adequacy, our own contingencies and His self-sufficiency – and listening to what He wants us to be and do.”  - Elmer Towns
 
Step 2 – Commit
How long will you fast?  What will you fast?
How will you increase your time with God?  How much time will you devote to pray and God’s Word?
 
Step 3 – Accountability
Who do you trust?  Tell them about your fast, not to brag, but so they can hold you accountable.  Give them permission to check in with you and see how the fast is going.
 
Your Fasting Plan
Write it down:

• Why are you fasting?
  
• What are you fasting?
  
• How long will you fast?
  
• Who will hold you accountable?                                                       

 

“Do not be afraid because of the words you have heard…
Isaiah 37:5
 
Opossums are funny little creatures. Partly because their name is spelled funny – what is with the ‘o’ at the beginning!? They have a reputation for playing dead when they are scared. At least that is what I have always believed about them, until I cornered one. It was dark and my dogs were barking like crazy. When I went to see what was going on I found an opossum cornered under the stairs of our deck near a corner of our house. It did not play dead, that ugly little creature was ready to fight. Growling, teeth showing, I mean he was ready to attack. There was no playing dead! Have you ever found yourself backed into a corner and not sure what to do about?

In Isaiah 37 we read about a man named Hezekiah who found himself backed into such a corner and people on every side telling him what to do about it. None of them were very positive and some basically telling him it’s over, you’re finished, just give up. What a tough spot to be in, when we want out, but don’t know how to get out, and it seems like there are not very many people willing to help us get out.

It was in that moment Isaiah sent him a message, it was a simple one.  He said, don’t be afraid, you are going to be ok. God has heard you and He will be with you. That is a pretty encouraging word when you find yourself stuck in battle you see no way out of. With that, Hezekiah went to God in prayer and basically laid his entire situation at God’s feet and said here you go. This is it, my problem is yours, lead me through. Hezekiah was lead to victory.

You might find yourself in a corner today and I want to say the same thing to you that Isaiah said to Hezekiah – do not be afraid, God has heard you, and God is with you. Surrender your situation to Him and watch Him be glorified in the midst of it. Victory is yours today in Jesus. Trust Him and pray to Him, He will be with you.

Pastor Matt