Life Plan Devotion #112 [Get prayers answered, 4th condition, Part I]

John 14:13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (NKJV).

Before we begin today's devotion, I want to tell you, dear reader, a few things. First of all, I want you to know how happy I am that you are on this journey with me. Second of all, I want you to know that I am on this journey, too. Do not think that I "have it all together," because I don't. I need to be reminded of these truths, just like you, and I need to allow my belief to influence my behavior.
Of the 7 basic conditions to answered prayer, we have looked at the first three:
1) Pray in the Name of Jesus.
2) Pray with praise and thanksgiving.
3) Pray without known (unconfessed) sin in your life.
Today, we will look at the fourth condition: 4) Pray with the right motive, which is God's glory. The word "glory" means "splendor, honor."
In Isaiah 43:7, God tells us why He made us: "...whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made" (NIV). God tells us Who He is, in Isaiah 42:8: "I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another..." (NIV) and, may I add, we'd better not, either! I have seen people unable to hold on to their healing (a major answer to prayer), because they failed to testify for God, to give Him all the glory, to tell others what God did for them. Giving God all the glory is very serious business.
Does it give God glory, when we call upon Him in difficult times? Absolutely. God urges, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Psalm 50:15, NKJV). In Psalm 79:9, the psalmist Asaph prays, "Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name's sake" (NIV). It brings God glory, when we call upon His Name. When He answers our prayer, He expects to receive all the glory.

What this has to do with weight loss: I've read many accounts of amazing weight loss, with a long list of goals met and victories experienced. I'll be honest, though, that when the author does not give God all the glory, I fear that he/she will end up as a re-gainer. Even for those who feel they've done all the work on their own, they haven't. It brings God glory to help us bring our bodies under submission. As we partner with God, He puts His Hand of blessing upon us. If we try to go it alone, however, and do not give Him the glory He deserves, He must withdraw His Hand of blessing. Trust me, Godpower is much better (and long lasting) than willpower.

Confession:
I pray in the Name of Jesus, with praise and thanksgiving, and without any unconfessed sin in my life. In difficult times, I call upon God, and He delivers me. That gives Him glory, and I attribute to Him all the glory, for setting me free.

Life Plan Devotion #61 [Faith is...]

It is important for you to understand that while faith must be pure and potent, faith is really very simple. It's simply believing that God will do what He says in His Word. When Jesus said, "He who believes has everlasting life" (John 6:47), each of us must decide that either those words are true and apply to us, or they are not true and apply to no one. If we believe that they are true and choose to believe they are true for us, we receive the gift of eternal life (John 1:12).
At its most basic level, faith provides a means by which we can receive the gift of eternal life, but beyond that, faith serves a crucial role in the life of each believer. It is part of the "full armor of God," the "shield of faith," serving to protect us from the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). As Hebrews 11:1 tells us, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
When things are going well for us, faith comes easy. However, when times grow tough, our faith is tested (James 1:2-3). During those times of trouble, ask yourself the following questions:
1) Do I believe that God loves me? (John 3:16; I John 3:1)
2) Do I believe that God is sovereign and that "all things are possible" in Him? (Job 42:1-2; Matthew 19:26)
3) Do I believe that God is able to accomplish His will in my life? (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4) Do I believe that God hears me when I pray according to His will? (I John 5:14-15)
5) Do I believe that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose"? (Romans 8:28, NIV)
If during times of troubles or trials you can answer "yes" to those questions, you have all the faith you need. Through every difficult time in your life, know that through faith you can "cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you" (I Peter 5:7, NIV).
True faith is simple but powerful. It draws us closer to God. When we go through the valley of despair, faith leads us back to the mountaintop. When we find ourselves facing an insurmountable obstacle, faith moves the mountain. Not the faith of the mighty, nor the faith of a saint, but the faith of a child, the faith of a mustard seed.

Habakkuk 2:4 [NLT]
"'Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.'"

What this has to do with weight loss: Living by one's faith makes one's life truly healthy and meaningful. Willpower is not necessary, when Godpower is available and utilized. Is your faith evident, even in your weight-loss journey?

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, sometimes I make faith out to be something so difficult, when it's really very simple, as simple as saying 'Yes' to You. It's knowing You, knowing Your Word, and knowing that Your Word is true for me. Lord, help me today to exhibit simple, pure, potent faith in whatever circumstances I find myself, and may that faith be my shield as I fight the good fight of faith. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."

Go forth today, living life with simple yet pure and powerful faith.