5/6 Manna

DYSMAS CONDUIT
FREE FOOD
(Isa 55:1)

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010


Question for the day:
Who wrote:
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."




What can we pray with YOU about today?




Good morning,

This is just a reminder that every day, while we are studying God’s Word to add to our website, someone from our ministry, Dysmas Conduit, is holding you up before the Lord in prayer. May He greatly bless you today as you pursue His will and He is glorified through you.

God’s blessings, our love,
George & Sidney Granger



CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

Please pray for Mike and Sandy Brommer as they spread the Lord’s Seed and witness to His glory while on the road today. Please pray also that the Lord will lead them to Kingdom-profitable loads to carry, and that He grants them safe passage today.

Mike Brommer is asking for the Lord’s guidance regarding their finances.



Christine Babel Henderson - Today when I called my Mother to find out what the Dr. told her about her test. She told me they needed to take more tests. She was told everything so far is pointing towards "colon cancer". Please take a moment from your busy day and remember my Mother in prayer. I lost my Father to liver cancer in 1991, I am NOT ready to let her go!!



Lauren Gibbons April 27 at 11:53am
Good morning,

My oldest grandson's grandpa, Bud, is going in for an invasive surgery next Monday. He was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma (cancer in the lining surrounding the organs in the abdomen) last summer. He's undergone all the standard chemo. and radiation but this surgery is supposed to either kill you or pretty much clear it up. They inject chemo. directly into the lining.

His wife is disabled and totally depends on him. If anything happens to him she would be completely lost and probably grieve herself to death.

I have tried to talk to him about the Lord in an e-mail. His Dad was a preacher and maybe that says it all. Sometimes those kids don't feel the love and acceptance they should, so I've heard. Basically, I got no comment from him accept that he appreciates my prayers. So, I would ask for strength for me and those who love him and spiritual/physical healing for Bud.

The bad/good? part is that my only granddaughter is having what we hope is her final surgery 3 days later, next Thursday...I say good because my son and his wife are more focused on that...at least right now anyway. She is having surgery on her top palette in her mouth and adenoids removed. She has a trache (long story) in her neck to breathe but once this final surgery is performed, the idea is to be able to take that out and she should have all prior surgeries and hopefully most medical issues behind her.

I'd like to get as many people praying for Bud and Baylee Ann as possible and for God to pave the way for successful surgeries for both.

Thanks so much. God bless you, Lauren



ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TODAY
May 6, 2010

Sweating in Church
Lysa TerKeurst

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father
knows what you need before you ask him."
Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV)



Devotion:
Recently, I was studying what causes people to feel spiritually frustrated. The two top reasons? Bible study and prayer.

I get it.

I can clearly remember sitting in church sweating because everyone else knew instantly how to get to every passage in the Bible the preacher man referenced. But not me. I was more interested in counting the preacher man's spit droplets than any of the fiery words he was spewing out.

Others seemed all wrapped up and excited in what this preacher man had to say. They'd shout loud, "Un-hunh's" and "Amens!" What was I missing?

And then there was my prayer life. Or the lack there-of. It's not that I didn't want to pray but the whole concept of talking to God felt weird. I tried to copy the prayers of those who seemed like they knew they were doing more than talking to the air.

But then my quirky self would sneak in and leave me feeling foolish for what I'd just said to the God of the Universe. "Dear Lord, take this food to the nourishment of my body. (Good so far.) And if you could change the molecular structure of these cheesy fries to be like carrot sticks that sure would be bomb-diggity." (Hunh?)

Like the saying goes, "We've come a long way baby." Except that I'm pretty sure you could still trip me up in finding certain passages in the Bible. And I'm pretty sure you might still hear me say bomb-diggity in my prayers. But according to what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:7, I think He's okay with that.

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

For me, sincerity and simplicity are two keys to unlocking spiritual frustration with both my Bible study and my prayers. Why do we make it all so complicated? In Colossians 4:2 we are instructed to, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (NIV). I am challenged by these words today. Do I get up from reading my Bible and praying and start intentionally watching for God? Do I sense His activity and remember to be thankful? Watchful and thankful are great words to ponder when I start trying to overcomplicate my time with Jesus.

I think a few honest moments spent with God reading His Word, sharing our heart, and listening for His instruction are quite perfect. I might even say they are bomb-diggity.

Dear Lord, I want to connect with You through my prayers and my Bible reading. Help me to be watchful and sense Your activity in my life. Help me to connect the verses I read and the prayers I pray to circumstances You bring my way each day. Thank You for loving me even when I'm sweating in church. In Jesus' Name, Amen.



Application Steps:
Read Colossians 1 and see what words stir your heart today. Write them on a 3x5 index card. As you go through your day be watchful and look to see why God drew your attention to these words. Then thank Him for His presence and His provision.


Reflections:
Do you find it interesting that Jesus told us not to babble in our prayers? Have you ever felt spiritually frustrated in your Bible reading and prayer life? How might simplicity and sincerity help with this?


Power Verses:
Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." (NIV)

Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (NIV)





YOU TUBE SONG FOR TODAY
Praise You In This Storm
Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw





…and…




Back to the Bible
Woodrow Kroll and Tami Weissert


Now Playing:
Habakkuk: Praying for Revival

Thursday, May 06, 2010
PLAY NOW

During a time of national crisis,
Habakkuk prayed mainly for the
moral and spiritual condition of God’s people
and for spiritual revival.
Dr Kroll offers background on this prophet
and the two petitions in this prayer.
First, that God would revive his people,
and then that He would remember His people,
tempering judgment with mercy.
It teaches us about urgency,
praying for spiritual needs,
not making demands on God
and approaching God with praise as well as petitions.

This message references: Habakkuk 3:1-19


http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Back_to_the_Bible/




Please send your prayer requests to
dysmasconduit.@gmail.com