Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

First Friday Prayers: Matthew 7:24

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first fridayHello and welcome to the relaunch of our series on praying scripture.  Praying God’s Word Wednesdays will now be First Friday Prayers.  You can find First Friday Prayers right here on the first Friday of every month.  I so appreciate the enthusiasm you have shown for these segments and your desire for them to continue.  Our weekly prayer times will now be once a month, but my sincere hope is that you have already developed a habit of praying scripture that we will continue together and that you will carry out throughout the week in your time with the Lord.

 

Now, before you start thinking that I am all business, I want to fill you in on an important holiday today.  It’s National Underwear Day!  Celebrate however you like, but the day puts me in mind of how vital it is to have the proper foundation.

 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Matthew 7:24 NIV

 

Jesus finishes a sermon here with a parable.  He tells the story of two men.  One who built a house on rock and one who chose a site of sand.  If you know this tale you know that rains and wind came upon the houses.  Which one do you think withstood the storm?

 

Our Savior tells us that the rock we should build our lives on is scripture.  And it’s not enough to believe the words of God, we must obey them.  Live them.  This is the way to build a life that withstands the the storms of life.  So I pray these words for someone near and dear to me:

first friday

 

Modify this First Friday prayer to be appropriate for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

 

Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word post, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

Lauren

Now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

Deborah Rutherford and I seem to be living parallel lives.  At the very least, God is teaching us some similar things.  Maybe you could use the message in Here’s My Calendar, God.

 

The Link Up

 

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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Sharing is caring! If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

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Praying God’s Word Wednesday #58: Proverbs 9:6

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This will be my last Praying God’s Word on Wednesday.  But it will not be the last of Praying God’s Word together.  I am having to make some changes that I will explain more in my Friday post.  Buttoday, as I seek God’s wisdom for how to order my days and my hobbies and duties, I am praying Proverbs 9:6for myself.  Maybe you need this prayer, too.

 

“Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”  Proverbs 9:6 NIV

 

Upon reading this verse, my first thought was, “I’m not simple.  I’m pretty smart (and humble).”  But my favorite Bible commentary defines the simple as “impressionable people who are prone to go astray and therefore need help and guidance”.  Oh, that’s me.  There are so many people and ideas vying for my attention in this noisy world.  How easy it is for me to veer from God’s commands and away from the guidance of His Word.

 

Walking “in the way of insight” necessitates parting company “with foolishness and showing that a moral change has taken place” in our lives.  That’s what I long for.  So today I pray:

 

 

Lord, protect me from being swayed by anything that is not of you.  Place my feet daily on the path lit by Your Word’s wisdom.  

 

Modify this Proverbs 9:6 prayer to be appropriate for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

 

Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word post, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

Lauren

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