by Kate Taylor / Baptist Press

“I am living proof that God can use anyone at any age,” says Kathleen Jones (name changed), 69, who shares her faith among prostitutes in a major city in India.

Jones serves through the ministry of Rahab’s Rope, a faith-based nonprofit fighting human trafficking in India through prevention, rescue and aftercare.

“My heart just broke for [the women here],” Jones says. “It seems that God has just put a burden in my heart for women in need.”

In society, Jones says, “these women are scum of the earth. No one wants to talk to them, be their friend, associate with them. They are outcasts.”

She spends time with them, offering her friendship and teaching them basic knowledge and practical skills, since most have not had the opportunity for education.

Sharing Love from South Asia on Vimeo.

Please pray for Kathleen Jones and the women she serves each day. What a hope she brings, but you can tell in the video that its nor easy for her. She walks faithfully in what God has asked her to do. Let’s make sure we pray for her.

Full Article

What is the most important commitment you have ever made? Maybe it was a promise you made to a friend or a legal binding contract you had signed when you started that business or got married. We have all made promises, big and small, but the biggest promise I have made is my personal commitment with Jesus Christ and this is probably the same for you.

According to the Barna Group, 4 out of 5 self-indentified Christians adults have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. Great news! Also, three out of four of these Christians strongly agree that spirituality is very important to them. Great news again, 80% of Christians love Jesus and have a desire to walk with him!

Yet, less than one out of every five (20%) claims to be totally committed to investing in their own spirituality and for being completely dependent upon God. Those figures help explain why a majority of the Christian adults (52%) believe that there is much more to the Christian life than what they have experienced. Without a full determination to live like Christ and for Him, the path to complete transformation is blocked.

If you have made any commitments for this new year, I hope and pray it will be for getting to know God intimately, personally and without limits. God’s Grace is much greater then these numbers project, it’s more then being saved, it’s having a new life.

My hope that bedashed.com can play a role in connecting you with an amazing God and helping you live a full life, completely transformed with His Glory.

Source: The Barna Group. The Barna Group conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries.

From our family to yours, we wish all of you visitors and members of bedashed a happy New Year and many blessings from our Great and Gracious God!

Another year has come to a close and it is our prayer for this New Year that you can come close to our God, that He will be your guiding light through all kinds of circumstances.

In the past year He has been with us as we developed bedashed. We brought many new features, like our store, the ability to collect points when you pray or praise, the ability to come together as groups and many other little additions. It has been an amazing journey.

Now that the development of bedashed is coming to a close (there are always new things we want to add) we look forward in 2012 to spread bedashed.com around and we hope you will help us. We look forward to new members joining and making a commitment to spending time with our God and we look forward to seeing old members return and become blessings to others on bedashed.

Let me leave you with a prayer for this New Year.

Dear God,

We thank you that you are constantly with your people,
We do not know what the new year will bring,
but we thank you that every moment of that year is in your hands,
and you will be with your people.

We thank you that with that promise,
we can go forward with confidence and in your peace.
We pray that you will help us to walk with you in this New Year better than we have ever done before.

Grant to us an even closer walk with you.
Help us to put sin to death,
Help us to focus our lives to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and God
that we may be willing to be, to go, to do, as he would wish.

We pray that it may be our privilege to serve him,
to bring glory to him, to help others to know him better,
and to help some, indeed, to come to know him for the first time.

Have mercy, we pray, upon those not connected with you.
Spare them, O God, we pray; spare them!
Grant that this New Year would mark the beginning of new life in Jesus Christ.

We are so thankful for the Holy Spirit,
for his limitless power
to convict us of our sin,
to bring us to our knees,
and to draw us close to You.

We pray, Lord, that you would do that in the hearts and lives of all who visit bedashed.com.

For Jesus’ sake,
Amen.

(A modified version of a prayer by David Campbell)

God has given to us His greatest gift of Love. Not only has He given this gorgeous planet with amazing seasonal beauty and our personal gifts, and talents, which He carefully selected for each of us before our birth. Today, we celebrate His greatest Gift, His son, Jesus. The most significant gift ever given—Given to all people, for all time. The gift of Jesus shows God’s great compassion for a world He created, which often rejects and forgets Him. It shows the depth of His love for all people. We are made in God’s image, we have His gift-giving spirit. Let’s go out and share love and spread joy this season. It’s what we each have been made for, and nothing else can truly fulfill our souls. 

Merry Christmas
Bedashed.com

Do you ever feel that God is nowhere near and can’t understand your pain? Over 2000 years ago, Jesus, God’s Son, came into the world, not as royalty but as a baby born in a stable full of muck and animals. In this video we are reminded of the powerful imagery of the sacrifice that Jesus made by humbling himself to become one of us. It was a dirty job and he didn’t have to do it…but the world is changed because he did.

Thank God for allowing Jesus to get messy for you!

Micah 5:2 - “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

The joy that people felt at the coming messiah and how that parallels to the joy of the disciples are Jesus resurrection. What does this mean for us?

Our hope is in you Lord! With Advent we hope and anticipate the coming of our Lord, the Messiah, that weaves its way through our lives, through our circumstances, through our fears and worries. We yearn for a return of God’s dynamic presence in our midst.

Isaiah 43:2 - “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

Our hope is in you Lord!

Romans 8:24 – “For in this hope we were saved.”  Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

How often do we sit in the seat of thanksgiving throughout the day? What does it mean to “give thanks in all circumstances”? And who are we teaching to say thanks along with us? Watch this beautiful video based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

So I found this interesting.

Britain should become more Christian, according to Baroness Warsi, the only Muslim member of the Cabinet. She says: “We need to create a country where people don’t feel like they have to leave religion at the door. That means being proud of Christianity, not downgrading it. It means encouraging people to say that their faith inspires what they do.”

She wants “to address head-on the supposed conflict of loyalty” between faiths such as Islam and Christianity. Different faith groups should talk more, to find areas of common ground. “This dialogue needs to be congregation to congregation, community to community,” she said. “Time and again, we encounter the assumption that some people of some faiths can be trusted while others cannot.

Wow, when I first read this, I was amazed, a Muslim member of the Britisch Government advocating the Christian Faith. She is saying to us, start living as Jesus wanted you to live. Be inviting, be inspiring, be creative, be open to differences, be accepting of others and most importantly loving those who Jesus loves most. It’s the best way to communicate our faith, it’s what Barness Warsi sees in Christians and she wants more of it. I want more of it. Don’t you?

Original Source: http://tgr.ph/tp73HU

Did you know that 2011, marks the 400th anniversary of the King James translation of the Bible. The Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Prince of Wales, who is patron of the King James Bible Trust, attended the service with the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.

The King James is not my favorite translation due to its age and old language it uses but I find it great to see that the Queen of England still honoring the Word of God, celebrating its existence for 400 years.

Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Even though it’s old, it is living and active today. We can celebrate its goodness, its guidance and direction, its correction in our lives. Thank you God for your word, written down in a book, for us to read and explore the richness of your Kingdom.

Ross Technology Corp. needed a better way to reduce corrosion on the steel products. When they couldn’t find a suitable one, they worked on creating something on their own. And eventually they hit upon a slick product that’s led to a whole new business. That product is NeverWet, a silicon-based spray-on coating that repels water and heavy oils.

Now you might be wondering why I am showing this little promotional video. Don’t worry I am not trying to sell you on it, although very cool and it could solve a lot of cleaning problems in my household of five children, I also saw a piece of God’s grace in this video clip. Watch the clip below.

Imagine the Super-duper Spray being the Super-duper saving Grace of God. God sprays his grace on us when we acknowledge Jesus as our Savior. All the sin we are or were involved in, doesn’t stick to us anymore and will never stick to us anymore. It will just fall off. It’s like that brown chocolate on the shoe, keeping it bright white.

I say, pretty cool invention Mr. Andy Jones and I praise God for his saving Grace.

This is probably the first question we should ask ourselves when we decide to pray.

I came across this question when I was doing some research around prayer and keeping a prayer life journal. You might ask me, what do you mean, why pray? I grew up Christian and prayer was just one of those things that was instilled in me at an early age. I was taught to pray before my meals, to give thanks after them and before I went to bed. I never really questioned it. I just did it.

How about you? You might not have grown up with prayer the way I did. You might be a skeptic and believe praying is a waste of time or you might be a new Christian and are exploring how to pray.

There are so many answers to the question “why pray” and you could probably tell me all the things that need prayer in your life, in your friend’s life and in this world. It changes all the time and our dependence on God is great. We need a lot of things and we need a lot of answers.

The most beautiful answer I have read is that when we pray, we crawl into the lap of our Father. He listens to our needs and shares His unfailing love with us. Through this time with Him, we get to know Him, know His character, know His love for others and receive advice from Him.

God waits for us each day and He can’t wait to listen to what we have to say. Whatever it is, He is ready, waiting and wanting your attention. He so desires this relationship with you.

Start your relationship; renew your relationship with God today! Simply start praying. He will meet you wherever and whenever.

“Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.” 1st Thessalonians 5:17-18

Come, let us sing for joy
Let us shout aloud to our King
Come, let us worship God
Lifting holy hands, bless His name

Lord, we come to meet with You again
To worship with one voice in adoration
You deserve our every praise
That echoes in this place
You’re the worthy One

Lord, we come with gratitude that flows
From deep within our souls
We rejoice in You
(And) We will glory in Your name
With a shout our lips proclaim
The praises stirring in our hearts

Every creature in Heaven and Earth below
Bless His name, bless His name.

Lord, my soul is in turmoil.
I am stricken with grief.
I have no answers,
only sadness
and unrest.

But, as Henri Nouwen once wrote,
“in the midst of much inner turmoil and restlessness,
there is a consoling thought:
maybe you are working in me
in a way I cannot yet feel, experience, or understand.”

I know that’s true.
I don’t much like it, but I know it.
So in faith I cling to you.
I know that you are God.
I know you are not sleeping.
I know that you see into my heart,
and that you do some of your best work
in darkness.

So work, Lord.
Lead me.
Teach me.
Soften me.
Mold me.
Break me and put me back together,
as you wish.

I will do my best to submit,
to listen,
obey,
and glorify you,
by your grace.

I will not give up on you,
I will not stop praying,
I will not hold back in worship,
I will not blame,
I will not judge,
I will not lash out…
by your grace.

Let this little death
I am experiencing now
be for me (as it was for Jesus)
a path to resurrection life,
in whose name I pray, amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

God, I don’t know what you’re thinking,
but I know you’re thinking.

I don’t know what you’re doing,
but I know you’re working.

I don’t know where you’re leading,
but I know you are.

I don’t know how you’ll turn evil to good,
but I know you will.

Amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

I do not claim to be a perfect Christian, confident in Spirit and steadfast in my faith. Actually, I am a Christian and I suck at it. I know it’s not an occupation but it is who I have become because I love what Jesus did for me. I love my God deeply and when I think about that, I want to serve him with all that I am. In church I sing out my love for God and my desire to do His will, but when the rubber hits the road and Monday morning shows up, its not the same song I am singing anymore.

Apparently Paul sucked at being a Christian as well. Yes, I said it, with no disrespect however. In Romans 7 Paul mentions, “For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.”

I have browsed so many Christian websites and blogs, especially the apologetics ones and it seems that a lot of these Christians have answers to all kinds of lives problems with opinions to top things off. I know that the bible gives us solid direction but I am amazed at these people seem to know it all. Even Paul, the great preacher and teacher says, “I don’t know what I am doing”. I humbly agree with him, I do not know what I am doing either.

The Christian life is where two opposites attract. One is the desire to live a life that honors God, a life that reflects his character and attracts people that do not believe in Him. And the other is a life, that repels all things good and holy and is drawn into the crap that dishonors His name and makes an unbeliever say, “I told you so”.

It sucks, doesn’t it? But maybe this is a good thing. Sucking at being a Christian force me to depend on God, recognizing my failures, my sins and knowing that I can’t do anything to deserve His approval. Sucking at being a Christian force me to get close with my God in prayer, praise and reading His word. The beauty at sucking is that Jesus can show me Mercy and give me Grace. So be encouraged you Christians that suck and get close with God today!

Loving God,

We thank you for the love of the mothers you have given us,
whose love is so precious that it can never be measured,
whose patience seems to have no end.

May we see your loving hand behind them and guiding them.
We pray for those mothers who fear they will run out of love
or time, or patience.

We ask you to bless them with your own special love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end,
I praise you as my constant helper,
And call on you as my loving protector.

Guide me by your wisdom,
Correct me with your justice,
Comfort me with your mercy,
Protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
My words: to have you for their theme;
My actions: to reflect my love for you;
My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me:
In the way you ask,
For as long as you ask,
Because you ask it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding,
Strengthen my will,
Purify my heart,
and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
And to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
And to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
And see myself as I really am:
A pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love
All whose lives I touch,
Those under my authority,
My friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
Greed by generosity,
Apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself
And reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning,
Courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
Temperate in food and drink,
Diligent in my work,
Firm in my good intentions.

Let my conscience be clear,
My conduct without fault,
My speech blameless,
My life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me,
Keep your law,
And come at last to your salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
That my true future is the happiness of heaven,
That life on earth is short,
And the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death
With a proper fear of judgment,
But a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death
To the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Pope Clement XI

Glory and praise to You, Risen Savior, for You bring light to our darkness, joy to our sorrow, and the fullness of love to our reluctant hearts. Once and for all You have conquered sin and evil. In the glory of Your Resurrection we have been set free from all that keeps us from following You.

On this Easter Day, fill our hearts with Your Light and Grace that we might joyfully echo the words of Your Holy Angels: He is not here in the tomb: He is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

Copyright Daily Prayer Blog. Used with the author’s permission

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss,
And yet not weep?

Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;

Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon—
I, only I.

Yet give not o’er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.

(by Christina Rosetti)

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Would you be interested in a strategy that will give purpose to your life? If so, then keep reading.

We were created to life a life with God. A life of worship. It’s what God calls us to be and do. Its what makes us successful in the things we do. Jeremiah confirms that we are useless without God, Jeremiah 10:23 says, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” We are so dependent on God to live our lives. We are lost and walk aimlessly if we are without Him.

Worship is one thing we can do that will guarantees success in our lives, now and into the future. Worship is more then singing in Church on Sunday, although a good thing to do as the body of Christ, individual worship, “time with God”, draws us into a life with God. Its putting our time into God, whatever that might look like. It might be thinking about what He has done, it might be asking Him what He needs to do, it might be being still. Time with God is the ingredient that gives purpose to your lives.

Another way to put this is to ask you if you want to be better at what you do? Answer; Worship God. You want to love more? Worship God. You want to be loved more? Worship God. You want to get better results at school? Worship God. You want to be a better parent? Worship God. Everything is dependent on our God. He is the one that controls all things, He is your lifeline.

I bet your life is full of distraction all around and the easiest way to get nothing out of living is to take on everything else; your work, your family, your sport and all other things that keep you busy.

Try this instead. Set a date with God, set a date on your calendar for 30 minutes the same day, same time, every week specifically for your time with God. Then turn everything else OFF. Devote your whole being fully to your God. Read, Pray and Praise.

James 4:8 tells us to, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Think about that. He is with you! He will hold you, He will guide you.

The power of moving water is greater than most of us can imagine. Nothing stands before it. We are driven to our knees:

Father in heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.

O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.

And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.

Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.

Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.

May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures’ pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.

In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.

In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen.

From desiringgod.org

Merciful God, in whom is no darkness at all, I come before you at the end of this day. Thank you that you have given me strength for my daily work, and have guided me safely through this day. Bless what was good in my labor and conduct.

Since you ordained that man should labor during the day and rest at night, give me and mine peaceful and undisturbed rest so that we may be able to take up our daily task again. Command your angels to guard us and cause your face to shine upon us.

I cast all my anxieties on you, for you care for me. Control my sleep and rule my heart, in order that I may not be defiled in any way but may glorify you even in my nightly rest. Defend and protect me against all assaults of the devil and take me into your divine protection.

I confess that I did not spend this day without grievously sinning against you. In your mercy please cover my sins as you cover the earth in the darkness of the night.

Grant comfort and rest to all who are ill, bowed down with grief, or afflicted with spiritual distress. Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not abandon the works of your hands.

All this I ask in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord, amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Alpha and Omega, First and Last, I pray:
be my first thought every morning,
and my last thought every night.

Claim my first allegiance,
my last full measure of devotion.

Take first place in my heart,
and rule over every last affection.

Make me first to serve,
last to seek credit.

Let me please you first,
and all others last, amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.

G-d whose ways are secret,
Bless these first responders with endurance
To be of maximum service in this moment of immeasurable need.
Bless their limbs with strength,
Their eyes with courage,
Their hands with gentleness,
So that they become a source of hope and love.
Give them the tools they need in the days and hours ahead.
Protect them from physical harm,
Shield them from emotional pain,
And guard them from taking this trauma into themselves.
G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are the one who is master of my stubborn heart and I give it once again into Your loving hands. I pray, dear Lord, that You would take my hands and make them beautiful in Your sight. May I wash the dishes with a heart of thanks; thanks for the food You provide, for the dishes that hold our meals and for the soap and water that make the dishes clean again. Thank you, Lord, for hands that are able, for a mind that knows, and feet able to stand in front of that sink each day. Thank you, Father, for washing my heart and making me clean. Thank you for being willing.

Amen

Copyright Daily Prayer at praying.kansasbob.com. Used with the author’s permission

“Just do whatever Jesus calls you to do the moment it is clear to you. Do not procrastinate; do not hesitate, do not deviate from whatever course of action He calls you to. But I want to warn you, the closer you walk with Christ, the greater the faith required. The more you trust Him, the more you’ll risk on His behalf. The more you love Him, the more you will love others. If you genuinely embrace His sacrifice, you will joyfully embrace a sacrificial life. Your expectations of Jesus will change as your intimacy with Him deepens.” ~ Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way, p. 53

Copyright Paul’s Ponderings at paulsponderings.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Like summer snow
floating from a sun-filled sky,
draping airy-white on flowered fields,
Your love astonished me.

No frilly show,
no assorted-chocolate pledge,
no candy hearts or silver kisses
disclosed your care for me;

But unsparing,
cross-bearing, thorn-wearing love
that opened hands and feet and side
to spill your heart for me,

To recreate,
inundate my longing soul
with giving, holding, accepting,
enfolding love for me.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25, 26).

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Jesus, my Savior, you are the Sovereign Good; here is my life and my will. Dispose of me according to your good pleasure. I acknowledge, Lord, that of myself I can do nothing; but, provided that after having given me the grace of drawing me to you and having given me the knowledge of the truth, you do not withdraw from me, nothing will be impossible to me.

Amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

O Great Spirit, Whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me! I am small and weak, I need Your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things You have made, and my ears sharp to hear Your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things You have taught my people. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy; myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to You without shame. Amen.

Copyright Daily Prayer at praying.kansasbob.com. Used with the author’s permission

Some traditional Christians seem to have a hard time with the idea of listening for the voice of God, but there are experiences in the tradition that parallel such listening prayer.

Many who have attended Christian camps over the years have been sent out at one point or another into what is sometimes called a discipline of silence. The idea is that something will happen between us and God if we are alone and quiet with Him.

We also hear traditional evangelicals talk in one way or another of the assurance of the Holy Spirit. In even the most conservative circles there are those who speak of “feeling a peace” about something. This is apparently an acceptable subjectivity. Of course, scripture speaks of God’s Spirit bearing witness with our spirit (Romans 8).

And Psalm 46:10 commands us to “be still and know that He is God.” How do we practically obey a command like this without solitude and silence before God as an intentional pursuit? It is interesting which scriptures become core texts for me and which ones I relegate to peripheral status. On what basis do I make such a call? Is it divine guidance or just personal comfort?

As I continue to sit here before God, I felt nudged to read Psalm 112. Verses 6-8 caught my attention: “Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. (TNIV)” Trusting God produces stability, security, courage and steadfastness.

Walking to my car, a colleague stopped me to share some concerns about a recent time of solitude, silence and prayer introduced to our staff team. The key verse that came out of our talk was 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” I believe that this is an important guideline in the whole area of contemplation and meditation. I can’t test something if I haven’t at least taken a look.

Copyright Alan Fadling at alanfadling.com. Used with the author’s permission

Oh, Lord, by your gracious and blessed salvation,
let me enter fully into you and into your presence,
your fellowship,
your infinite sufficiency.

I take you, Lord, as my all.
I take you as my ENOUGH.
I take you as my sufficiency.

Please rid me of all but you.
Cleanse me of all that is not of you.
Give me you.
Fill me with you.
Drown me in you.
Amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

I praise you, LORD.
I praise you under the night sky,
I praise you while driving into the sun.

I praise you for the faculty to praise you.
I praise you that my brain works,
that my tongue moves,
that my heart resounds with your praise.

I praise you for the sun you created,
and for the moon and stars you hung in place.

I praise you for the unfathomable expanse of the universe,
and for the mysteries of deep space.

I praise you for signing your work,
and making it reasonable for men to praise it.

I praise you for this clockwork solar system
and the ancient and future splendor of the skies.

I praise you for this earth,
its resiliency,
beauty,
majesty,
mystery,
efficiency,
and energy.

I praise you for the sheer numbers in your Creation:
20,000 species of fish,
6,000 species of reptiles,
9,000 birds,
1,000 amphibians,
15,000 species of mammals
and over a million insect species…that we know of!

I praise you for lightning and hail,
snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do your bidding,
for Kilimanjaro and the Piedmont,
for almond trees and pomegranate,
for wild horses and curious marmots,
tiny hummingbirds and great egrets,
for fall plumage and winter blankets,
for the strength of young men,
the beauty of young maids,
the wisdom of the old
and the patience of the aged.

I praise you, LORD,
for the joy of praising your name,
for the grace of beholding your splendor
in earth and sky.

I praise you, Champion of your people,
the praise of all your saints,
the joy of people close to your heart.

I praise you.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Have you ever decided to pray, sat down in God’s presence, and come to discover that your mind or heart have failed to join you there? What do you do then? The post below comes from a journal entry of about ten years ago. It was my attempt to be faithful when I didn’t find many thoughts or feelings of faith welling up within me. I read Matthew 9:14-26, then journaled my response:

Father, protect my heart from spiritual jealousy when it seems other disciples have it easier than me. Keep me from the trap of resenting the spiritual disciplines into which You lead me, especially when You don’t seem to be leading anyone else the same way. I am tempted to feel ripped off. In reality, You are making space in me for Your remarkably gracious and fulfilling Presence. Teach me to welcome Your discipline, whether difficult or easier, as another expression of Your love for me. I want to remember that You only discipline Your own children.

Keep me fresh and responsive to the new things that You are doing in and around me. May I never become like an old garment that can’t be restored by the new thing You are doing. May I never become so inflexible and rigid that I cannot welcome the renewing, restoring work of Your Spirit. May I never become so sour and staid that I cannot receive and embrace the new wine of Your Spirit’s work among Your people. May You keep me new and elastic in response to Your current work in Your church and in Your world.

Give me faith that even when it seems something I have longed for from You has become impossible, You are the One Who raises the dead and does the impossible. May I never label anything “impossible” in the presence of the Almighty. One touch from Your hand brings life where there was death, joy where there was depression, peace where there was anxiety, patience where there once was harshness, abundance where there was loss. May I become confident that Jesus will take action on my concerns in prayer in His good time.

Give me compassion and attentiveness to those who suffer. May I always be willing to set aside my planned agenda for whatever I might do to bless or help another. May I receive interruptions as opportunities. May I be a person who has something to say or do that will bring grace and power into each situation. Grant me confidence in You in the face of deep, long-standing suffering that people bring my way.

Enable me to see with eyes of faith what the crowds cannot see. Enable me to trust Your power and grace to be able to do more than I or anyone can imagine. May I not listen to the voices of the mockers and doubters. Give me simple confidence in You like Jesus had in You. May many come to find Your grace and power at work in and through me.

Copyright Alan Fadling at alanfadling.com. Used with the author’s permission

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this day, and for the health, energy, sensibility, nourishment, and all other resources and blessing you have given me to use and spend in it.

Teach me, Lord, the grace and skill of living in the now and not in the “then,” whether that “then” which is behind or that which is ahead. “I am too much i’ the sun,” Hamlet said; I am too much in the “then.” Help me walk in the light of each day as you give it to me, and neither offend you nor tax myself by robbing today to pay either yesterday or tomorrow, in Jesus’ strong and sufficient name, amen.

Copyright Bob Hostetler at bobhostetler.blogspot.com. Used with the author’s permission

Do you feel God has gone quiet and you feel your prayers are lost in space somewhere? Do you feel like you need some answers to your prayers and soon, but God is not responding? I love how Jesus gives us an answer to these questions.

Are you bugging God in your prayers? It sounds childish, I know. It reminds me of my children dropping to the floor, kicking and screaming, to get whatever they want. I do not think it’s quite like that, when Jesus recommended this action to his disciples.  In Luke 18, Jesus tells a story to his disciples to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.

There was a widow who was looking for justice against someone who had wronged her. She went to a judge who was fair in his judgments. The judge ignored her for a while but Jesus said “she wore him out”. The woman was driving the judge crazy with her constant requests.

Jesus said, “Learn a lesson from this judge”. After she drove him crazy, the judge still rendered a just decision. God will do the same for those who plead with him day and night. Jesus promises that God will grant justice to them quickly.

Now it does not say that God will answer you request exactly how you want it. So don’t be surprised if it was not the answer you were looking for. It says he will do it with justice. It tells me that I have to trust God in making the right decisions for my life.  It was the same for the woman and the judge. The woman wanted an answer from the judge to resolve the issue. The woman had to put the trust in the judge to make to right decision.

Be open with God. Bug him with your request and He will answer them quickly, and trust that the answer will be just for your life.

If you are ready to bug God a little, we at bedashed.com provide a free online prayer journal to give it a try. Click here to get started or use your Facebook account to login.

Reasons to pray for each person are different. We might pray because we want forgiveness, or because one of our friends or family member struggles with cancer. We might pray for direction, wisdom or for that job we so desperately need. We might even prayer for our world leaders, situations in this world, like war, climate change and other things we are not in control off.

Reasons to pray are beautiful opportunities that get us to our knees. It might not be in the best circumstances, but it does connect us with God and is a starting point of a beautiful conversation.

When my son what just 2 years old, we found out he had cancer. After a quick operation we heard that the cancer was progressive and our hearts broke. What now? The only thing we knew what to do was to get on our knees. God knew what was going on, He was the one in control and we needed Him.

The reason for our prayer was not beautiful. It was ugly, scary and nerve wrecking but it started a beautiful conversation with God, a conversation that lasted 5-years until my son was declared cancer-free. This 5-year conversation brought us closer to God, created a dependence on Him, knowing that no matter what was going to happen, He knew best. It was one conversation that led us to know God better.

There are many other conversations that started during the years that lasted only a month, a week or a day. They were with less drama but were beautiful opportunities of conversations with God.

On bedashed.com we created a prayer journal for us to record these beautiful conversations with God. It’s a great way to record God’s beautiful love for our lives. You should give it a try, click here to get started or leave us a comment below.

I saw an ad recently that said, “Not getting the results you’d like? Discover a better way to pray.” I thought to myself, “sounds promising, maybe I am not praying the right way, because God has certainly not answered all of my prayers.”

Prayer is something every Christian learns to do. It’s our way of communicating with God and for God to communicate back. However, we are a consuming generation. We do not like unanswered questions and we like to see results in the things we do. Why else would it be worth doing?

It’s exactly this attitude that gets us in trouble with prayer. If you go into prayer with the purpose of getting something out of it, you are going to be very disappointed. Prayer is not a heavenly Google where I can type in something and get a large list of answers. Although this approach would be nice to have, unfortunately it would take God out of prayer and put ME in the middle of it.

Yes, God answers prayer and He does it wonderfully His way and in His time. How and when He does things is up to Him and I am perfectly fine with that. We know that God is all knowing so He certainly knows what is best for my life.

So, does prayer work? Well, it depends on what you want out if it. If you are seeking a relationship with God, knowing God more deeply, letting Him run with your life, then prayer works, prayer works wonderfully.

You should give it a try. On bedashed.com we provide a simple to use prayer journal. You are here anyways and it doesn’t take much to register. Click here to get started. Otherwise, leave us a comment below.

I believe the single and most important decision I can make each day is my choice in spending time with God or not. Yes, this decision is more important then my choice of coffee, even though that is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning. I love to take my time to get myself going and coffee is what fuels the start of my day.

However, the most important decision I make each morning is whether or not I start my day with God.  For me, I cannot walk alone and have to walk with God. If I do not spend time with my God, I know something is missing.

At the end of the day Jesus is our example. Jesus spend countless of hours in prayer and made this exercise a regular occasion. In Mark 1:35 it says; “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.” And in Luke 6:12, at the start of His ministry, it says; “It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.”  All night, can you imagine? There are many other occasions we see Jesus spending time with God.

So if spending time with God is important to Jesus, should it not be important to us? If He depended on it, should it not guide us in our relationship with God?

By the way, if your answers are yes, can I encourage you to start and keep a prayer journal? Maybe try out the prayer journal we provide here on bedashed. It’s real easy to use and you are here anyways. Click here to get started.

Are you an impatient person? I know it is a bit of a strange question to ask you today. To be honest, I am a very impatient person when it comes to driving, standing in line and finding a parking spot. My wife would say “amen” to that. It is something I need to work on. You might be different from me and as you read this, you have probably thought of things that make you impatient.

One comment I read recently put it into perspective for me. It read, “Relax, you are in good company”.  As I pondered this, I am reminded of the song “every step I take, I take with you, you are my way Jesus” and that is what its all about. Even though I am alone in my vehicle, I am in good company, because Jesus is sitting right next to me. I feel a bit embarrassed as I think of it. The reactions I have given, the things I have said, while Jesus was sitting right next to me.

“Relax, you are in good company”, also gives me encouragement for today. The things I have done are in the past, but the things of today and tomorrow can be my reflection of walking with Jesus. Yes, I’ll mess up, but I know Jesus is right beside me. I will praise Him for that, today.

If you’re anything like me then from time to time you need to be reminded of just how important it is to pray. The Christian life is gloriously difficult. Our daily lives are filled with things that need to be done. It’s busy and spending time with God becomes harder and harder. It’s a daily struggle.

At bedashed.com we want you to know that we totally get it. We live that life every day, and every day it is a struggle to get on our knees. We know that it takes commitment and encouragement to give God the glory.

James 5:16 says: “The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”

I love James. He is probably one of my favorite writers of the Bible. He is blunt, to the point and says it how it is. He states, if you spend the time with God on a regular basis, you are going to experience God more powerfully and effectively in your life. Your prayers are going to be answered, your life is going to change and most importantly, God is going to be glorified.

There is no specific order to follow in helping you praise God, but I would consider the last step in this series to be spending time with God by communicating with Him. Yes, just talk, that’s it. You will be surprised what he might reveal to you, or maybe better yet, what we might miss out on when we don’t.

In step 1, I talked about envisioning entering God’s throne room and coming before our God. Now I am envisioning myself playing a chess game with God and having a casual conversation, all in front of a great stone fireplace, nice and warm and cozy on a cold winter’s day.

I really just talk. I talk about my day, the things I have to do and want to accomplish. The things that are important to me and to my wife and kids. I ask for specific things that I need God to answer and/or guide me with and I thank Him for the things He provided. It’s really just me talking.

The word of God promises us that when we spend time with God, He reveals his plans, his directions and guidance for our lives and comforts us when we need it most. I have experienced God doing this in my life. They were not big things but small answers to my conversation with Him.

This exercise of talking with God was probably the most important thing Jesus did to stay connected with the Father. He gave us this example so we take time to communicate with God as well. In many occasions Jesus escaped the busyness of the people around Him and sought out a quiet place to have time to talk with God.

See Luke 5:16 as an example. After healing a man full of leprosy, he escaped the crowds that followed Him. It says;  “he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.”

In this busy season of Christmas, let us be Christ-like and find a quiet place to have conversations with our Father.

Step 4 in helping you give praise to God is to confess our sinfulness.  Once we are in the presence of our God and we have admired and thanked Him, we have to come clean with our sinfulness to enjoy complete fellowship with him. We want His undivided attention and complete focus on us and He wants the same with us.

Yes, God has already and completely forgiven us from all of our sins, from the past as well as the future. Jesus took care of it all so we can enjoy complete fellowship with the Father.

1 John 1:9 says; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

So why ask for forgiveness, even though we are forgiven? John is saying that God asks this of us when we come before Him. He wants us to acknowledge what He did for us in Christ Jesus. He wants our complete hearts toward him and not hide anything from him.

True confession toward God, gives God all the praise.  It let’s God know you are serious with Him, you understand what He did for you and you depend on Him to overcome your sin. When we open up our hearts, He comes near. Even though it might be ugly and dirty, God comes close to us and hugs us. He lets us enjoy maximum fellowship with him.

I was contracted to manage a team of developers for an oil and gas company a few years ago. It was the end of the day of a long and hard workweek and one of my co-workers came by to say “good night”. I quickly said “good night” as well and went about completing my business. I had a few hours left to go and was focused on getting it done in time so I could be home to be with my family.

At that moment, my boss called me into his office. His office was next to mine and he had overheard the quick response I gave his employee. I sat down in his office and he reminded me that as managers, we should always take the time to say, “thank you” to the people we work with. When someone says “good night”, we should not blow it off with another “good night”, but take the time to thank them for the hard work they did that day and a simple “thank you” was all that was needed to do that.

That simple message changed the way I talk in my relationships today. I believe it goes further than that. The act of giving thanks, shows us who we are as Christians, it’s one of the key characteristic of our being Christ-like.

Ephesians 5:15-21 says; “Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

Step 3 in helping you give praise to God is having a grateful heart. We are part of His plan through Christ Jesus. We are His ambassadors. We carry His name by the measure of our thankfulness in our daily lives.

In step 1: Help to get started praising God, I talked about coming in the presence of God, before His throne. Adoring God is a continuation of us kneeling at the feet of Jesus. When we adore him we give respect to God, we show Him that he is King of all Kings, Lord of all Lords and creator of all things.

To give you a visual element to get started in adoration, have a look at this.


A star birth in the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina.

This picture was taken by the rejuvenated Hubble Space Telescope. NASA added a new Wide Field Camera to the Hubble and repaired a few other things. The results of these repairs are truly amazing! God blows my mind with his creativity and splendor.

God I adore you, you give us pictures like these to show your awesome power over creation. The universe is your canvas and I am honored to be in it and part of it!

Bedashed.com is all about people connecting with God. We know that sometimes it is not easy to get started writing our praise to God and to do it publicly as well. Our frame of mind might be elsewhere and we are not ready to come before our God.

So here at bedashed, we want to help get you started.

To praise means to express our reverence, worthiness and respect to God. For me, it takes visual elements to help me get started in praising God, especially when I feel at a lost for words. One of the ways I do this is I envision myself in the presence of God. I have a picture in my mind of entering God’s throne room as described in Revelation 4:2-6 and bowing before him in praise. I really do not say very much, I just let it soak in.

Revelation 4:2-6:
“Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.  Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.”

It’s not always the same picture or exactly as described in this verse, but I let my imagination run wild. A picture speaks louder then words. What’s your picture that can get you started?

We as Christians have a desire for God to hear our needs, wants and desires. We want that because it makes our relationship with God, real. And when it comes down to it, we cannot live our lives faithfully if we do not know if God hears our prayers.  Therefore the last ground rule to knowing that God listens to us is to fully believe and trust He does. 

This might sound simple but for me it is easier said then done. I have the temptation to be impatient, to needing to pray more and do more for God, so he will listen, see my needs more clearly and pay attention to me more. But then I am humbled by what Isaiah 66:1-2 says;

Thus says Yahweh, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what kind of house will you build to me? And what place shall be my rest? For all these things has my hand made, and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh: “but to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.”

God tells me, I have made all things and I have made you. There is nothing you can do for me. But I will pay attention to you and be near to you, even though you are not perfect. I will listen to you because you seek me and hear my word. I will certainly listen to you.

How full of Grace is that! Know, believe and trust God hears it all.
Thank you my Father.

At bedashed it is our dream for people to spend good quality time with God. We believe that this regular and daily habit creates the foundation for life. The decisions we make, the attitudes we carry, the service we render to others and the problems we face are all impacted by the relationship we have with God.

In the first ground rule, I talked about coming before God in spirit and in truth, the true intentions of our heart to be with God.

I believe the second ground rule in coming before our God is the acknowledgement that we need him, that He is King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.  We need to be humbled by his majesty.

First Chronicles 7:14-15 says; “if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place.”

The Word of God gives us many different ways we can humble ourselves before our God, in particular the psalms of David. Have a look at the beginnings of Psalms 51, 53 -57, 61-63 and 66;

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
  Sing to the glory of his name!
  Offer glory and praise!
Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds!
  Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.
All the earth will worship you,
  and will sing to you;
  they will sing to your name.”

We believe that God listens to all of our prayers. It is God’s desire to help us and take care of us. His love for us is so great that he will do anything for us. In matter of fact, he already did, by sacrificing Jesus on the Cross.

There are however ground rules to follow when we come before our God and for God to take us serious.

The first ground rule is that we must come before our God out of our own will, with complete desire from our heart to be with God. Jesus says in John 4:23-24; “But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

So how do we do that?  I think a great way to come before our God in spirit and truth is to quiet ourselves down. Take 2-3 minutes and be still. Let your spirit prepare itself.  Let your spirit guide you in your conversation with God.

Romans 8 verse 26 says; “In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.”

This is always a hard question to answer, but it is an important one to ask. We often want to do good things for God and serve him deeply.  We want to do these things because of God’s love for us and we want to show our love for Him.  This is often why we ask “God what is your will for my life? What do you want me to do? How do you want me to live?”

However, the fact of the matter is that we do not have to do anything. Because of his perfect gift of Grace, through the death of Jesus Christ, there is nothing we can do to improve our relationship with God. It’s already perfect!

I know this does not satisfy the answer to the question. We are wired, “to do”. What if we look at the question differently? What if we look at it from the perspective of “being with God” and not from the perspective of “doing for God”, the answer might be more satisfying.

What does it mean, “to be”. First Thessalonians 5:16-19 says; “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.”