God has His eyes on you!

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9 NKJV)

Have you ever watched little children at play in a public playground? The children will often look up to make sure their parents are looking at them. Every now and then, a child will say, “Look, Mommy! Look, Daddy!” Naturally, the parents are watching because they love and care about their children.

It's wonderful to know that God loves us (John 3:16) and constantly keeps His eyes on us, too!

I know He watches me!

One of my all-time favorite gospel songs, His Eye Is on the Sparrow, was written by Civilla Martin and Charles Gabriel in 1905. The lyrics were inspired by a story in Matthew 10:29, which tells how God knows when a small sparrow falls to the ground, and yet, we are more valuable to Him than they. The chorus is very joyful, and I often have it running through my head.

“I sing because I’m happy.

I sing because I’m free.

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.”

Therefore

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 33:18 NIV)

God blesses and uses mightily what He has placed in your hand!

“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied.” (Ex. 4:2 NIV).

When things seem dire, it's easy to lose hope

Perhaps your supplies are low, and the need is very big; it even looks impossible. But, be encouraged: when you follow God’s instructions and you do what He says to do, He can cause what you already have in your hands to produce miraculous results.

The Bible is filled with many examples of this.

  • A boy’s lunch feeds thousands

Jesus prayed over a small amount of loaves and fishes, then placed them into the hands of His disciples, and the miracle continued as the loaves and fishes kept dividing in their own hands as they fed thousands!  “Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” (Matt. 24:19b NIV)

  • A desperate mother’s last meal doesn't run out 

A mother was down to her last, and all seemed hopeless for her and her son! She told the prophet Elijah that she planned to eat her last meal and then die!

Elijah instructed her to use her remaining flour and oil to prepare a meal for him, demonstrating a remarkable act of faith, and assured her that her food would not run out! He blessed her for following his instructions. The food she already had did not run out! (1 Kings 17:10-15)

  • Moses had a staff in his hand

A Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses, a Hebrew baby, from the Nile River (Ex. 2:5). Then, he was raised and educated to become a leader. However, his life took a harsh turn when he defended a fellow Hebrew from an Egyptian beating. He killed him and tried to cover up the crime (Ex. 2:12), but was found out and then fled to live a hidden life for the next 40 years in the backside of the desert. Then one day, God spoke to him out of a flaming bush (Ex. 3) and told him that he was to do what seemed impossible—to deliver the Hebrew children from Pharaoh’s evil control. Moses was filled with fear, objected, and gave God excuses for why he couldn't do what God had said. Then God asked him a question, “Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied.” (Ex. 4:2 NIV).

Moses had a staff in his hand! It was a walking stick! It was merely a piece of wood! But it’s what God worked His power through to enable Moses to do miraculous things, like parting the Red Sea (Ex. 24:21).

So, what has God placed in your hands?

It doesn't really matter what it is, big or small; God can use it if you have the faith to allow Him to! (Heb. 4:2)

Therefore

“Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be established.” (Prov 16:3)

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Col 3:17 KJV)

Your father in heaven gives good gifts when you ask

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:11 NIV)

Pray humbly 

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 NIV)

Check your motives

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:3 NIV)

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jer. 29:12 NIV) 

Pray at all times for all things

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.” (James 5:13 NIV)

 “Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden." - Corrie Ten Boom

Your prayers to God are powerful and effective!

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:26 NIV)

It is wonderful that we can talk to God who chooses to hear us!

We are made righteous because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:9). And, because of it, we can approach God boldly through the thing called prayer. (Heb. 4:16)

Prayer is having a conversation with God

“The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Prob. 15:29 NIV)

“The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” (Prob. 15:8 NIV)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV)

 "Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference." - Max Lucado

God hears us when we pray according to His will

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14 NIV)

The above verse is about praying according to God’s will. You do that by looking God’s Word to find out what it says about w. There are many passages of scripture on that topic. Here are just a few.

God’s will is for you to be thankful

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:18 ESV)

God’s will is for you to be pure

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” (1 Thess. 4:3 ESV)

God's will is for you to be doing good

“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” (1 Peter 2:15 ESV)

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what  does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)

God’s will is for you to walk wisely

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” (Eph. 5:15-20 ESV) 

God’s will is that all people will be saved

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:3-4 ESV)

Mike French
You can put your trust in God’s unfailing love! 

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” (Psalm 143:8 NIV)

What is love?

·      God is love - “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16 NIV)

·      Attributes of love - “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Cor. 13-4-5 NIV)

The greatest love

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NIV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 KJV)

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1 NIV)

Therefore

·      Bear with one another in love - “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph. 4:2 NIV) 

·      Love others because He loves you - “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 5:19 NIV)

·      Be established in love - “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.” (Eph. 3:16 NIV)

·      Be devoted in love -  “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Rom. 12:10 NIV)

What they said about God’s love

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not” – C.S. Lewis

“The nature of God’s love is unchangeable. Ours alternates all to readily. If it is our habit to love God with our own affection, we shall turn cold towards Him whenever we are unhappy.” – Watchman Nee 

“When the time comes for you to die, you need not be afraid, because death cannot separate you from God’s love.” – Charles Spurgeon

Pray for those in authority that you will have peaceful lives

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Tim. 2:1-2 NIV)

People behaving badly

It has been discouraging to watch the televised riots these days and observe the vitriol coming from unhappy people of political opinion behaving badly. A follower of Christ, however, should not be a party to this kind of behavior, and stir up conflict, but should instead pray for the leadership, no matter who they are. “A perverse person stirs up conflict.” (Prov. 16:28 NIV)

How should followers of Christ behave? 

“If my my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 NIV)

Show respect to everyone even if you disagree with them 

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17 NIV)

Seek peace by praying to the Lord for it

“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV)

God can change hearts

“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” (Prov. 21:1 NIV) 

“He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he makes them wander in a trackless waste. They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.” (Job 12:23-25 NIV)

“To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees." - Billy Graham

Jesus taught you how to pray, so be alert and ready!

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2 NIV)

Many years ago, when I was a fairly new follower of Christ, someone invited me to the front of a meeting and asked me to pray. I had never done that before! My mind suddenly went blank. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity and couldn't think what to say. I eventually mumbled a very short something or other and quickly returned to my seat.

It’s okay to ask for help

When we wonder about prayer, it should be reassuring to know that even a disciple of Jesus asked Him for instructions about how to pray.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1 NIV)

Jesus taught about prayer

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matt. 6:5-13 NLT)

What others have said about prayer

“Prayer is not a hard requirement – it is the natural duty of a creature to its creator, the simplest homage that human need can pay to divine liberality.” – Charles Spurgeon

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." - Martin Luther

God cannot if you will not!

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13 NIV)

God works through people to get things done

He used Moses to deliver the Hebrew children from bondage. He used Noah to deliver His people and creatures from the great flood. He used Esther to save the Jewish people from destruction. And many more examples throughout the Bible.

The great commission

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20 NIV)

Be doers for God

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:22-25 ESV)

Yes, this means you!

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 ESV)

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Col. 1:29 ESV)

Therefore

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Col. 3:23 NIV)

“God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" — Hudson Taylor