Our spiritual lives need to be nurtured regularly.
What are the weeds in your life that are strangling you?
Who holds you accountable for nurturing your spiritual garden?
Prayer is like oxygen for our spiritual lives.
The Battle Plan for Prayer, Stephen and Alex Knedrick
Again, prayer is not about prayer. It is about a Person — God Himself. When it becomes merely about accessing the provision or protection of God rather than knowing and pleasing the Person of God, then we are getting off track.But when the one goal of our praying is to live in relationship with Him — one on One — he will cause prayer to also help us experience His purposes, His plans, His provision, His protection, and everything else He intends….
Prayer is communication with God in order to…
Intimately know, love, and worship Him.
Understand and conform our ives to His will and ways.
Access and advance His Kingdom, power, and glory.
The Battle Plan for Prayer, Stephen and Alex Kendrick, pp. 38-39.
Rejoice alway, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.
Daniel 9:18b New International Version (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
Are you getting your spiritual nourishment through God’s Word on a regular basis?
Koinonia (Greek) – community, fellowship, association, sharing intimately with each other.
They [the believers] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23a New Living Translation (NLT)
It takes discipline to care for our spiritual garden.
The fruit is the proof.
Are you nurturing the seeds Jesus planted in you?
Is the koinonia in your life?
Are you nurturing the seeds in others?