Teach Us to Number our DAYS

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Psalm 90:12

¹² Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Often times when I attend an interment (funeral) service or I’m invited as a minister to one, I usually go around looking at the tombstones and read some inscriptions on it. From names to date of birth and the day the person died, and it always leads me to the conclusion that death is not a respecter of any person, whether you are rich or poor, boy or girl, young or old - all suffer the same fate. And it does remind us about the reality of life, that everyone has only one life to live no matter who the person may be. Have you ever considered asking yourself about the reality of life and ask yourself if you are growing in wisdom every day or just flowing along with it?

What does it mean to number our days? It’s not the ability to count how many days we have lived or to predict how many days we have left. Numbering our days means, as the NLT indicates, realizing the shortness briefness of life. It means knowing that we only have so many days on this earth, and therefore we want to “seize the day,” living each day to the fullest. It means that when we consider life in the light of eternity our days are like sands through an hour glass, they are few remaining. We mark time with watches and calendars, but actually we must estimate the passing of time by events. I have no intention of scaring anybody but I just want you to see that since life is short and though uncertain, why not spend it wisely. Jesus said that He came to give life and want us to enjoy it to the full (John10:10).

The word life is “ZOE” which means the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through Him. So I pray that as you number your days, you will live your life with purpose, passion, wisdom and faith. When we number our days, we will strive to fill each one with value, living every moment for God’s purposes and glory. I would like to invite you to be excited in reaching new heights in your life, new goals and new challenges that will give glory to God. Win others for Jesus, make disciples of Jesus and send leaders for Jesus so that others may know and follow Jesus.

Questions and Reflection

1. How will you number your days?
2. What can you do to live each day with God's fullest?
3. Are there regular activities in your life that you would eliminate from your schedule if you were to number your days wisely?
4. How will you use you time leading others?

Tap to the Source of Power

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James 5:16-18

"…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

When we talk about prayer how often times we limit it in a simple or basic term as a our way of communicating with God,  and often we limit it to asking for our needs and the desire of our hearts. We even encourage ourselves and others  that God loves to answer our prayer because He love us much and He wants the best for us. Though this is very true to its core there is an underlying nature that we often missed when we talk about prayer and that is His power at work in our prayer.   

The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. We cannot access powerful prayer by using "magic formulas." Our prayers being answered is not based on the eloquence of our prayers. We don't have to use certain words or phrases to get God to answer our prayers. No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will.

His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully!

Elijah knew it every well when he asked God sincerely and intensely that it would not rain on the land for 3 and half years, it is not his passion nor his ability that does it but God whom he trusts. The power of God is behind the prayer of Elijah.    

1 John 5:14-15

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him."

Why do we need the power when we pray

1.       There is an enemy who would like to discourage you not to pray.

Ephesians 6:12

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

2.       We often get tired and become hopeless.

2 Chronicles 15:7

“But don’t give up. No, rather take courage! Do not let your hands be weak,

 for your work shall be rewarded”

3.       We are often too busy to pray.

Haggai 1:9

"You expected much, but see, it  turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?"  declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.”

Prayer that Challenges the work of the enemy

·         In addition to your own personal needs and ministry, God would have you pray for a couple that are struggling financially, a person in a winning team to an influence to others, or for more powerful prayer praying for Christians in our government to be an influence of righteousness.

·         When you join and pray for the Lord of the Harvest to send forth millions of disciples to work with thousands of local churches of all denominations and with various movements and organizations who desire to see the Great Commission fulfilled in this generation?

·         When you pray also for a mighty outpouring of God's Holy Spirit upon the entire world and for the money and material needed to fulfill this God-given task?

Prayer is power in itself, it moves the hand of God and it is a process of recognizing  God's power and plan for our lives. Prayer is communicating with God.  All you have to do is ask God for His help. Remember that, as you bow in prayer, you are tapping a source of power that can change the course of history. God's mighty power, His love, His wisdom and His grace are available to you if you will but believe Him and claim them. Remember always, Jesus promised that you would do the same miracles which He did, and even greater ones.

Your Life Group Guide

1. Have you ever considered the power behind your prayer?
2. The power of prayer should not be underestimated have you ever underestimate the power of prayer? In what way?  
3. How will you apply the power of prayer in your life? Site an example.

Teach Us to PRAY

Luke 11:1

¹ One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him,

“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Pray - a simple four letter word, but have the power to move the hand of the most powerful, majestic God who created the heavens and the earth. Prayer is asking God for guidance and waiting for his direction and leading. This is a challenge for all of us to learn to pause for a while and take an opportunity to recapture the moment of His presence when we pray.  Someone has said, "Prayer is a dialogue between two people who love each other -- God and man." Simply put, prayer is communicating with God. Every Christian has a direct line of communication with God, available at all times.

Matt Slick

“Prayer is the practice of the presence of God.  It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made.  Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God. Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian.”

                                                 

THE BASICS OF PRAYER

1.       Prayer can be caught

Luke 11:1

¹ One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.

When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray,

A casual study of the Bible, we know that our Lord Jesus and His disciples are genuine Jews. And the Jews are accustomed to pray or do an Amidah (silent prayer) three times a day. This is the natural life of a typical Jew, but our Lord’s disciple saw something different the way Jesus prayed that they desire to know more about it.   Is there anyone in your life group who ask you to teach him/her how to pray?

2.       Prayer can be taught

“…just as John taught his disciples”

The Bible did not give us  any information about how John taught his disciples to pray, only that he did teach them to pray. But whatever ways John did it, we know that it is  a shift from the routine prayers of the temple and an invitation to the kingdom as it come.  But please note, you can teach the principle about prayer, but you cannot teach passion on prayer unless they saw it from you. How do you inspire others to pray?

Personal and Life Group Dsicussion and Application

Use this note for your Life Group

• Maybe you are accustomed to a certain type of prayer that it is so difficult for you to learn new ways, what is it?
•  Do you want to level up in your life and experience what God has in store for you? How will you do it?

 

Call to LEVEL UP

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Philippians 3:13-14

¹³ “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

One of the most encouraging things about ending, opening or new thing or upcoming event is that, it gives us the opportunity to rejoice, evaluate and even the challenge us with changes. It is the chance to “change direction, or redirection.

• To rejoice because we have to celebrate for the things we have accomplished through God’s guidance.
• To evaluate if we have hit our goals, objectives and ask have we leveled up?
• To change because we have to face new challenges what we have done before whether it works or not may not be made use of for the new challenges.  

Please Note

“Life's challenges change as long as we live. As we get into our new year, we find ourselves wondering, what kind of challenges we’ll be called to face in 2017. Will we be able to deal with our challenges or changes? There is always an opportunity to start it and the day and time is now.

  

• There are some things in our lives that we like to change, and desperately need to.

• There are things in our lives that we wish we can do or can do more.

SURVEY ABOUT SETTING GOALS

A Recent National Survey found…

27% of the population could be welfare recipients C.C.T.

60% of the population are “just getting by” in life

10% of the population are moderately successful

3% of the population are highly successful

The survey also examined attitudes…

27% made no effort at all to plan for their future  (Bahala Na)

60% gave some thought to the future

10% had a good idea of where they were headed

3% had written down goals

Proverbs 13:16 said

“A wise man think ahead, a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it.”

How to LEVEL UP

Here are simple guidelines we can use to help us challenge the coming year with a bright outlook and not only wishful resolutions.

1.       Leave something behind to move forward.

Philippians 3:13-14

¹³ “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

To start anew, we need to leave behind things that somehow hinder us or slow us down in coming closer to our goal. There are even good things that we need to leave behind to face new challenges. Our favorite phrase “We’ve never done it that way before” must also be left behind. We need to trust God’s guidance as we venture into a new territory.   

2.        Be willing to risk God’s trustworthiness.

Hebrew 11:8

“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance…”

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your path”

When we have an important decision to make, we must trust Him completely in every choice we make. We should not leave out careful thinking or belittle our God-given ability to reason; but we should not trust our own ideas to the exclusion of all others.

This coming year is like wet cement. We can mold it, reshape it and form it. Or we can step on it and just let it pass by. Or we can write our names on it and made a history.