Making Space for God: A Simple, Still, Silent Faith

Making Space for God: A Simple, Still, Silent Faith

God is bigger. 

He will meet us where we are at any time. 

All we need to do is open your hearts and minds to Him and He will meet us there.

Be receptive to Him and listen. 

Spend far more time listening thank talking. 

Do this every moment of every day and night. 

Be open.

Keep your faith simple.

Whatever you are doing, be receptive to Him being with you and You being with Him.

That's 'A Simple, Still, Silent Faith.'

Does He Know You or Just of You?

Does He Know You or Just of You?

1
Matthew 7:21-23 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’  
--  HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.  

What a pointed passage of Scripture. 

Can you imagine Jesus not knowing you?

Lord, I cannot. This is troubling to think.

The people He talked about were those who had the check-mark faith. They did, did, did. But, they didn't be with Him. They didn't really know Him either. They did stuff to pat themselves on the back, and make sure others notice. They even filled their schedules with being busy in the name of the Lord. 

But, did they really know You, Lord?

Jesus didn't know them.

Talk about an in your face, eye-opening, life--transforming passage in the Word of God. What a wake-up call.

I want, Jesus Christ, the One who was brutally murdered on my behalf to not just know of me, but to know me. I want to spend the rest of my life ensuring this every moment. This is where a simple, still, silent faith comes to play.

I like to look at multiple versions of Scripture in order to gain the best, deepest, and broad understanding of what is trying to be conveyed. Hence, I try to look up several versions of the Bible. This is no different.

2
Matthew 7:21-23 / Expanded Bible (EXB)
21 “Not all those who say [to me] ·‘You are our Lord’ [‘Lord! Lord!’] will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do ·what my Father in heaven wants [the will of my Father in heaven]. 22 On ·the last day [judgment day; that day] many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, ·we spoke for you [Did we not prophesy in your name…?], and ·through you we forced out demons [cast out demons in your name…?] and did many ·miracles [mighty works in your name…?].’ 23 Then I will ·tell them clearly [declare to them; publicly announce to them], ‘I never knew you. ·Get away [Depart] from me, you who ·do evil [break God’s law; practice lawlessness; Ps. 6:8].’ 
--  EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

3
Matthew 7:21-23 / The Message (MSG)
21-23 “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’ 
--   MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

4
Matthew 7:21-23 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we force out demons and do many miracles by the power and authority of your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them publicly, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.’ 
--   GW: Scripture is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.  

How to Live

I have come to realize in the last twenty-four hours that every single time I use the word, 'I,' I also need to think of and/or mention You. The purpose of my life is found in You alone. My plans don't matter. Your plans and purposes alone matter for me and my life. It is all about You and not about me one iota. My life is Yours. 

Every moment of every day, I want to focus on You God and live Your will alone. I want to listen to You every moment for Your guidance. Help me to learn to live in this manner, moment by moment, for the rest of my life. 

How simple this is to live. It can be at the same time as I do everything else in my life. I will try to sneak in one-on-one moments, though, of just You and me all day and night long.

John 5:19 / New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. 
--  NASB: Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.  

I have not lived in this manner much in my life. I have fallen terribly short, including lately--until Sunday or Monday. This is a way of living. It's how to live. Could anything have a more profound influence on me and in my life?

It's about living an intentional life where I focus and open myself and my life on the will of God each moment, at least once every thirty minutes for the next year, then every fifteen minutes, then I strive to do this every minute. When I sleep, it will be as I fall asleep and every time I wake up,even to roll over. I will accept the times I am awake longer than a minute or two to spend with You, God. 

I shall call this way of living, 'the silent, simple, still faith.' The S-cubed faith. The triple S faith. 
It is a sweet surrender of me and my life to You, Lord. After all, You know far better than I how I should live and be. You know Your will for every single moment of my life. Hence, what a sweet surrender, as I allow You to work in me, through me,and around me--and as I join You in Your work. 

It is all about You, Your will, and Your glory and is not about me.

Galatians 5:16 / The Message (MSG)
16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?  
-- MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.   

Romans 8:5-8 / The Message (MSG) / 5-8 Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.   

I choose to live Your way. I will continue to choose each and every minute of my life. I surrender to Your will. 

How easy it is to do this when I reflect on my life and realize how much I have stepped off Your path for my life, how I have fallen and stumbled, and how missed the mark far more than I ever hit it. Yes. I deserve death. But, it's all good. 

Isaiah 1:18 / New American Standard Bible (NASB)
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool. 
--   NASB: Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.    

Jesus Christ died so I am forgiven and my missteps are wiped away. 

Therefore, I want to live a life, moment by moment, surrendered to You and Your will, my Redeemer and Savior. You have already forgiven me. It's the absolute least I can do and I know how much it will be to bring You glory. 

(Image Credit: Miscrosoft Images Online 2008-2014.) 

 What is a simple, still, silent faith? 

It's one that consists of intentionally (that's the doing) being with God (which is the being). 

Intentionality requires purpose and drive. It requires focus and effort all day and night long. 

This simple, still, silent faith consists of being with God and in His Word, the Bible. It's hanging out and being in the presence of. It's enjoying the company of God and His Word.

There are two spiritual disciplines we are to do at all times as we live a simple, still, silent faith. It's being in the Word of God and in prayer. To keep a simple, still, silent faith, combine them both in one. Pray the Word. That's it. Pray the Word night and day. Keep bringing your attention to God and His Word. 

Moreover, this simple, still, silent faith listens far more to God than it ever speaks to Him.  This is the silence part.

The still part is every day at one point or another, we still ourselves and spend a longer time of just being with God and not doing something else. However, we can also still the chaos in our lives, as we are busy, by focusing on God and bringing Him and His Word to our attention throughout the day and night.

All of that sounds quite complicated, if you ask me. But, it isn't. Notice, not one program was mentioned previously. There is nothing to do and no checklist to follow.  This simple, still, silent faith is just about being with God intentionally all day and night through focusing your thoughts on Him and His Word as you carry on with life as normal. 

Human beings are made to do think about more than one thing and do more than one thing at once. We can focus on God as we work, drive, wait, talk with others, clean the house, exercise, plan, read, and so on. Everything we do in life, we can do as we focus on God and on His Word. 

That's it.

This is a simple, still, silent faith. 

Would you care to join me in learning how to apply this to our lives? 

Would you like to simplify your life over the next year? 

More to the point, would you like to learn how to live a simple, still, silent faith?

What is a simple faith?

What is a simple faith?

What is a simple faith?

It is one which meets me where I am, as I am, and how I am.

I know I have eternal life. Do I take it for granted? I try not to do so, but it happens. 

I am a sinner and deserve death, but Jesus died so I can have eternal life. Jesus died so the sins I make now are forgiven. I do everything I can to avoid sin, but it occurs. When I realize it, I do everything I can to turn and not repeat it again. I also do what I can to avoid temptation. A simple faith keeps this in mind at all times and lives this as truth. 

This is why I say a simple faith is one which meets me where I am, as I am, and how I am. It really is that simple. 

Day 1: A New Year or a New Beginning: A Parable of the Life of a Tree and Its Leaves

Isaiah 43:18 * Expanded Bible (EXB)

18 The Lord says, “Forget what happened before,

   and do not ·think about [consider; dwell on] the past.

-- EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


A PARABLE ABOUT THE NEW YEAR AND A NEW BEGINNING
Every person is a tree.
Every tree, every life has leaves, roots, and fruit.
God grows and fertilizes the tree and its fruit. That is His responsibility, not ours. He is the one who helps us to bear much fruit. He even helps grow leaves and roots.
But, where do we come into the picture, besides as a tree?
Every year, trees lose their leaves in the Fall and regrow them in the Spring, if they are of that variety of tree. These are the tree only trees, by the way.
But, then there are the person trees whose lives are symbolized by the trees. They have leaves year round and are given additional leaves at the beginning of each new year. The question is what we are going to do with each leaf, which each represents a new day. Are we going to made different shapes with that leaf and color it in bright, new ways? Or, are we going to neglect it and not do much with it? Or, worse yet, are we going to live this day, this leaf, as if it's our own and completely ignore the Gardener, God?
In 2014, let us take each new leaf of a new day and make it God's day, not our own. Let us live smack-dab in the middle of His will and His path, not in the one we choose. May we be in the Word, in thanksgiving, and in prayer as we help teach others about the New Life in Him.
So, how will you choose this day to color your leaf?
At the end of the year, will you have a bright, bold, colorful tree? Or will it be full of dark brown or black leaves? And, how much fruit will you allow God to bear through you and your life?

MORAL OF THE STORY
Every New Year is a New Beginning.
And, every new beginning is a new year.
At any moment, we can stop and say, "Let's try again" or "Let's start a new page." That's the beauty about life and what Jesus Christ did for us. He came so that our sins could be forgiven, so we are constantly allowed a new beginning. When we slip, we can start again and try again.
What relief.
What joy.
What a blessing.
If we have strayed from His path and gone our way, we can start all over again.
Let's not abuse it, but take advantage of the new beginning we are about to have. For, each day is His, not ours. Let's make each day bold, beautiful, and colorful in Him, in his Word, in thanksgiving, and in prayer.

3 What I’m Starting to Learn

I tend to grasp at every verse, every Bible study, every Christian Living book, looking for answers, for ideas, when a question comes to my mind. Therefore, with the door slammed shut eight days ago today, I started to look all over for answers to the questions which swirled through my mind. I tried this Bible study and that, this Christian living book at that one. I even bought a few. I longed for more. I longed for answers.

How can I find true, deep healing? I knew I had to deal with my stuff, and once and for all, or it would deal with me.

Then, the realization came to mind that well before this latest storm, how for years now, I have wanted to find a way to forever deepen my faith. It’s been this way for over two decades. I want to grow forever deeper in my faith, Lord, and can only do it through You.

I have proof, though, of how this has already happened. Nevertheless, I still feel like my faith is only surface-skimming. I want to grow forever deeper in You, Lord, and in your Word. Is there a secret on how to do this? I keep grasping at a little bit of this, that, and everything holy, as I try to find the secret of this mystery. My faith can grow deeper and deeper because when I am in eternity, I will then know the absolute depths of faith. Therefore, while on earth, in this tent, I can keep growing in my faith.

Lord, how can I grow my faith deeper every single day for the rest of my life, grow closer to You, and find more joy?

The question kept going through my mind as I skimmed book after book, verse after verse, I felt as though I was on to something. But, what? I start to search through my bookshelf on my Amazon Kindle Fire 8.9-inch HD 4G and come across a book that I bought long ago, but never read. I read a few pages until something else sidetracked me.

ANN VOSKAMP AND “ONE THOUSAND GIFTS”

The book, “ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A DARE TO LIVE FILLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE” by Ann Voskamp was the change agent in my life. I started to read it three days ago (or was it four?). God, I kept feeling the words nip at my heels whenever I set it to the side. And, this is one of those books I have to set aside often so I can ponder what she said and let it sink in deep into my mind, heart, and soul.

I’ve even mentioned it here and there to B. That’s usually a sign when something has started to grip me. At this point, I am only 21% of the way through the book and I’ve been changed. Thank You, Lord, I’ve been changed. I keep getting weepy because this book has touched me so deeply and thoroughly.

I cannot recommend her book enough. In fact, get everything she has ever written, in every form you can. I have the devotional and Bible study. I also got her Christmas book I will start to read after I finish this book. Unless, I stop so often to get through this book, I realize I will need to stop reading it so I can get through the Christmas book, “THE GREATEST GIFT: UNWRAPPING THE FULL STORY OF CHRISTMAS” by Ann Voskamp. I even ordered a perpetual calendar. I think I will buy this book for the women in my lives for Christmas this year. Nevertheless, I think men would get a great deal out of this book as well, please don’t misunderstand.

I’ve been changed because of this book.

I started to think about thanksgiving. Sure. It’s the perfect time of year right now, the season of Thanksgiving. Today, as I prayer journal this, is 03 November 2013, Sunday. My life-changing storm eight days ago is another reason. The Bible says repeatedly how we are to offer thanksgiving to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:20-- Expanded Bible (EXB)

20 Always give [ …always giving] thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Question: How often are we supposed to offer thanksgiving to the Lord? Is there an exception or a time when we should not? (Can you guess?)

Answer: We are to offer thanks always, at all times, in every season, for whatever reason.

Huh.

Always. That means without exception.

Oh, boy. Conviction sets in. Sigh.

I give thanks sometimes. I catch glory sightings from time to time throughout my day and week. These glory sightings are blessings. They are times God reveals His glory to me, in which He is revealing Himself to me. But, the question was and still is, how many do I miss?

Years ago, thirteen or so I would say, there was a fad in Hollywood where people were keeping Gratitude Journals. For once, Hollywood did a good thing. The only problem was they didn’t give God thanks. They threw it out to the universe. I tried it, but didn’t get much out of it, and surely didn’t look at it as much as I could from the biblical standpoint, and haven’t tried it since.

Nevertheless, I have tried to keep a list here and there. I still didn’t get much out of it. So, what makes this different? How will it be different and successful this time? And, what defines success anyway?

I could, and can, tell a difference in Ann Voskamp, just through her writing of how much this has made her who she is. She’s been doing this since 2008. This caught my attention. The more I read her words, the deeper I am impacted by her, her writing, and the concept of “ONE THOUSAND GIFTS.”

It got to the point two days ago where I had to start to try to keep a list. That list got tossed to the side. It wasn’t working. It was all wrong. I didn’t feel it.

However, something else started to happen. Even with the list that didn’t work. I started to feel a deeper healing from the storm eight days ago.

‘Interesting. Why is that?’ I remember thinking to myself as I chewed on this on and off for twenty-four hours or so. I will get back to this question in a moment.

Let me clarify something. No. I do not want to emulate her and write a list because she said so. No. I don’t want to write this book like hers either. She has had her journey and I have mine. They are different because hers belongs to eh and mine belongs to me. However, I can sure learn from her. I can listen to what You, God, want me to do with this material and lessons I am learning. So, I want to try my own list of thanksgiving and I want to try to write about my experiences thereof.

That being said, this book, and the idea thereof is because of her. God used her words, and is using, through a very painful time in my life. Welcome to my journey—thanks to this beautiful, Christ-Follower.

It’s rather ironic, though. She has six kids. I would give anything for one. She has six. Am I envious? Maybe a little. But, reading this book right now, knowing this, and of the times she refers to them, should be painful. But, it isn’t. Again, she has her journey with You, Lord, and I have mine. I cannot be jealous of any journey. They have theirs. I have mine. Each is God-ordained and chosen. So, there is nothing to be jealous over. Also, I cannot get sad over everything that mentions kids. I would have to live in a hole or paper bag if I wanted to avoid babies and kids. Instead, a joy shared is a joy doubled. Her joy in her children can feed me a little as I share in her joy.

WHAT I’M STARTING TO LEARN

Why am I feeling a deep healing occurring, simply because of “ONE THOUSAND GIFTS” and because of my thanksgiving list and thinking on it? Do they go hand-in-hand? Or, are they separate?

I am starting to see and learn how they go hand-in-hand. Giving thanks brings a healing. At this point, I will not lie. I have no idea why, but the change in my life is proof therein. Giving thanks is a healing balm.

I listened to session one of Ann Voskamp’s Bible study for her book and it got me thinking about new material for me to prayer journal and share. I got a couple of pages typed up and that was when I realized that this is what I was meant to do. Maybe it was always what I was supposed to do:

1 Keep the counted blessings list.

2 Write and teach about thanksgiving.

Then, last night, I started a new list and it started to sink in and feel right. I found several things in my life, and from the day, to thank You for, Lord. I got them down on the page. However, it is what I started this morning that I started to write numbers 26 and on and things started to really speak to me and feel right. This was the answer I have searched for for all of these years.

How simple.

Give thanks.

(Thanks Ann Voskamp. Your writing is number nine on my list of 51 so far.)

EXB

Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1 What’s the Secret of Life?

 

What’s the secret of life?

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve missed it somehow. There’s always this sense of something more and of something different. It feels like there should be more to this existence than what I’ve found. There’s got to be more to life than this. There’s got to be more to life than a getting by existence. There’s got to be more than busyness.

What really matters? How do I live the best life possible? How do I live smack-dab in the middle of God’s will each and every day, all day long? And, Lord, how on earth do I stop this pain? What about this emptiness? Why can’t I get enough? Why am I always getting so side-tracked?

Why am I not getting enough out of my prayer life? My Bible reading? My Bible study? My life?

What’s wrong with me? My life is a good one. I count myself blessed. But, I feel stuck.

Questions are forever bubbling up inside of me. How do I find the answer, the Answer, once and for all?

Somehow, it all seems connected, doesn’t it?

What is the secret?

Is it different for me than it is for someone else?

How can I find the beauty in my life, even on the not so beautiful and dark days? And, how can I find such beauty, sacredness, and wonder that others find it catching from me?

The answer is Jesus. Yes, without a doubt. The Answer is found in Him and in the Bible. Yes. No doubt. No question. No arguments either. However, how does my faith in Jesus Christ, and in the Bible, provide me eternal life today, where I am, and what does that mean? In other words, how can I find heaven on earth? How can I live fully in the present? How can I live an intentional life that finds the beauty in the small stuff and in the big?

How can I heal from this wound? How can I let go? How should I live? How can I find wonder in my life? How can I find joy? How can I slow down and find the peace and joy that I am aching for?

How can I fully live today in the midst of a trying, busy, challenging life? How can I fully embrace the grace God has given me and live for eternity today?

How, Lord?

Can I?

How can I know the full and abundant life? How can I know You fully on this earth, Lord? Can I today?

Show me the way, Lord.

WELCOME

WELCOME

Welcome to my journey of learning the secret of how to live a full, abundant, eternal way of living life through a very challenging time in my life. This is my story, sure, but it is far more than that. This is my prayer journal, but it’s more than that.

This is a book for you to learn how to live a life of joy and a fullness of grace in our life today—not tomorrow. It is attainable. It just requires some intentionality on our part. We can live a for God in a whole new, deep way.

His love endures forever. Even when we don’t feel it. Even when a trillion questions swirl in our loud minds and busy lives. How can we grab hold of this, remember it, and live it?

1 Chronicles 16:34--Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB):

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

His faithful love endures forever.

Let us pray for a godly vision, which is eternal and infinite, so we can stop seeing from our finite, sinful eyes which are so limited and limiting.

And, let’s pray we learn what it means and how to always give thanks. This is the game changer, after all. This is the answer. This is the healing balm of our lives.

THERE ARE MORE BOOKS PLANNED FROM THIS BOOK AND FOR THIS SERIES

This is the first book in a series of books about always giving place. There will be a devotional, prayer journal, Bible study, and more. Stay tuned.

HOW YOU CAN CONTACT ME AND WHERE TO FIND ME

I would love to hear from you if you read my story and if it speaks to you. What does this story do for you and your faith? What does this story do to change your life? Your perspective?

You can find me and my blog at: http://agodlyvision.blogspot.com/

And my email is: agodlyvision@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

A DAILY CHOICE

Every day we face two choices:

1 Choose today as my day alone and in my way.

2 Choose today as God's. 

So, which will it be?

(Photo Credit: Stacy Duplease 2011-2013.) 

Unite Us, O Lord

We tend to focus so much on our differences that there is friction.

We tend to focus so much on self we forget about everyone else.

We tend to get so busy that we tend to lose focus.

May we remember that we all have one thing in common. We all have souls. We all have a Savior who died for us so that we can have everlasting life. One day, there won't be division. One day, there will be no more tears, loneliness, cancer, regret, sadness, despair, worry, and so on.

Let us unite. We are all souls. We all have one Savior. He's Jesus Christ.

Spread the Good News, the Gospel. Christmas is an opportune time to do so.

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Problem with Daily Bible Reading (Tell me I am not the only one!), But Reading Anyway

PROBLEM WITH DAILY BIBLE READING AND DAILY BIBLE STUDY

I have a major problem with Daily Bible Reading. I rarely can finish my daily reading so on day 7, I have to read ten chapters or so.

The problem I have is the same problem I have with personal Bible study. The reason is not what you might think. 

It's rather funny because both my Bible reading and my studying suffered yesterday, and today so far, for the same reason. It's because I get stuck. But, again, it's probably not why would might think. 

I get stuck because I get so blown away and awestruck by the verse that I have to stop and allow it to settle in my mind. It sweeps me away and I can ponder the verse, or a few words from the verse, for a week. So, if I want to do Daily Bible reading and finish reading the Bible in a year, it gets tricky. I need to be realistic here. I can be swept away by most of what I read in the Bible and can pray that Word, meditate, and ponder it for days, weeks, months, and in a few cases...years. 

CHECKLIST FAITH IS WRONG

Boy am I glad a checklist faith is actually wrong. It has the wrong motives at heart and actually turns faith into a requirement rather than into a relationship. 

HOW?

That being said... I really want to finish reading the Bible in less than a year for 2012. So... How do I go about doing it?

TIP

I make sure to read some Old Testament AND some New Testament readings each week. It's typically the New Testament I could ponder the longest. It's hard to ponder all the family lineages and numbers of tribes and thou shall not's of the Old Testament.

(Photo is Microsoft Clipart)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

A Christmastime Prayer

Prayer:

Lord, it's that time of year again. 

Help us remember that every day is Christmas. We are to live for Christ every day and remember why he lived. It was so that he could die. Why did he die? For the forgiveness of all of our sins. What does that mean for us? We will have everlasting life. We will live forever with the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe--with the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls--with the Author and Finisher of our faith. 

Help us to remember it's not about what we do at Christmas. It's not about gifts. It's about time and remembrance. It's the time we remember what Jesus and his birth means for us. 

Lord, help us draw forever closer to you and help us to stop settling for a life of mediocrity. We want to live a life of excellence in you and in your Word. For us to live any other way is to forget and overlook why Jesus was born. 

Help us to take our faith seriously.

Help us to read the Word and pray it every day. 

Help us not to forget the blessings and gifts you have given us this past year while we prepare for a new year of worshipping and serving you.

You are Immanuel. You are with us--always. 

Lord, please fulfill the Great Commission through us in the United States of America on or by 31 December 2026.

Thank you for all you do. You are truly the God who Provides--Jehovah Jireh. 

Christmas is a time to worship you. Help us not to forget to do so.

(Photo is from Microsoft Clipart) 

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

The Gift of Jesus Christ

The greatest gift you can give anyone is prayers for them.

There are two prayers in particular It depends on who they are if you pray just the first or if you pray both for them. The two prayers are:

A That they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and believe in him. 

B That they become a rock solid, on-fire, determined follower of Jesus Christ who reads and prays the Word without ceasing.

(Photo is from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026

Prayer Blazers

Starting with my Tim Tebow blog post from yesterday, I am going to have a section in this blog called, "PRAYER BLAZERS." They are not meant to do anything, but increase awareness and blaze our hearts and minds in prayer.

I grow weary of Christians burying their heads in the sand, pulling their covers over their head, and living in a world of intentional ignorance and denial. That also goes against what Jesus would have us do. Jesus confronted the culture of his day (not the people, but the cultural beliefs). He asked his disciples to do the same. Acts and Romans talks about this as well. The cultural beliefs encouraged Jesus and his disciples to bring about the Great Commission. Disciples were made. Prayers were desperate for the souls of the people of the culture. 

Prayer Blazers are NEVER meant to cut people down or criticize them. They are just meant to ignite us in prayer for the beliefs, hearts, and minds of people--to soften them to the gospel and accept Jesus Christ as Lord. 

Check out this prayer blazer:

http://www.amazon.com/God-is-not-Great-ebook/dp/B0064M9WHK/ref=zg_bs_158296011_16

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026

How many Christians are there in the United States of America?: The Statistics

We need a baseline to know where we are starting our prayer campaign to have the Great Commission fulfilled in the United States of America in reality (not just in name) on or by 31 December 2026. So, here we go:

*** Please Note: If any of you can point me to this answer for the year 2011, I would appreciate it. I can't find it (yet). ***

However, according to a Pew Poll in 2007, it's 78.4% (See http://religions.pewforum.org/reports)

According to a Gallup Poll in 2009, it's 78%. (See  http://www.gallup.com/poll/124793/This-Christmas-78-Americans-Identify-Christian.aspx )

These percentages are of Roman Catholics and Protestants.

The question, though... Is are they really Christians, and have declared Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, or are they Christian in name only? also, are they actively following Christ and living the Word today?

Either way, that means 22% of Americans are definitely NOT Christian--in name or in reality as of 2009. 

Then, there is this link, which is an interesting read:  http://www.quora.com/How-many-Christians-are-in-the-United-States --which says only 16% are really Christians. 

Take a look at this link as well from The Barna Group: http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/13-culture/268-casual-christians-and-the-future-of-america

Stacy Duplease

Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Mediocrity

I do not want to live a lukewarm, mediocre, just enough, good enough, so-so life of faith.

I am tired of just getting by.

What would have happened if Jesus was ever, or ever did, any of these things? 

Where in the Bible does it say that this is acceptable.

That is why I am praying with a new conviction for USAGC 2026. Lives and souls are at stake. I do not want anyone to go to hell because I failed to do what God required of me. I do not want to look him in the eye and answer to that one day. 

I want everyone to learn about the new and free everlasting life they can find in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Word of God.

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

Daily Prayers

A For the Great Commission to be fulfilled by 31 December 2026 in the USA

B The Church in the USA (to repent and for revival)

C The Church in the world

D The government of the USA

E Elections 2012

F For all the religions in the U.S. to learn the truth and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior

G For the schools

H For the U.S. military

I Your marriage
J Your children

K Your extended family

L Your friends
M others in your life (acquaintances)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026