If I wanted to deepen my prayer life in 30 days, I'd do this

Blessings everyone and welcome back to the Grace Space where we are being what? Fruitful and multiplying. I'm Sharnita Gates and today we are going through our reflection, our devotion, and our daily strategy and approach. We know that to get better spiritually, to walk better, we have to know, have faith. And so faith comes by hearing And hearing comes by the word of God. So as we go through our reflection, our devotion, and our daily strategy and approach, we are doing that with the word of God. So today, as we go into our reflection, the reflection is going to be on confident approach. A confident approach. When we talk about confident approach, what what what do you I want you to kind of reflect on what that means, like a confident approach. A lot of times we think it's more of how we approach things physically, but I want you to think of it spiritually, a confident approach as we go into the word of God. And so our scripture is going to be, we know that every scripture is God's breath and is useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training every man so that they'll be thoroughly equipped For every good work. So today, let's put in the good work as we reflect on the word. It's coming from Hebrews 4:16. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Let's read that again. Hebrews 4:16. Let us, not just Sharnita Gates, not just, you know, you who's listening, let us then approach God's throne. So what are we approaching? We're approaching God's throne of grace with confidence. This is God's throne, his word, standing at his feet, studying the word, thinking on the word, meditating on the word. That is God's throne of grace, and we can approach that with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. So to find it, we have to approach it confidently. So as we reflect on that scripture, let us then approach God's throne. So let's go into A little bit of a reflection. Children were given parents so their basic needs could be met. It is the parent's job to provide food, shelter, and clothing. In a healthy home, if the children need anything else, they know they can go to their parents anytime and make a request for what they need. This is especially true in crisis. So let's go back to reflect back on the word. It says, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. It didn't say as far as in our time of need we can to find mercy and to find grace we go to our parents. They said we let us then approach God's throne. So when in times of need, where do we need to approach? We need to approach God's throne with confidence. So if there is an urgent need or a difficult situation, nothing delights a parent more than to see their child run to them to get help and wisdom. So the same is for God. God delights in us coming to him in our time of need. Especially to get help and wisdom. His word is for— he gives wisdom. So he's given us his word, and that is wisdom. So that is a small picture of what God wants to do, us to do, you know, for us to do with him. So as far as to run to him when we need help, or we're seeking wisdom, or we need mercy, or we need grace, God— just like we run to our parents, God wants us to run to him to do the same thing. And So as we reflect, are you in need? If you are, God invites you to confidently approach his throne. So if you are in need, approach God's throne confidently. You need not be timid when you approach him. He says he will give you the mercy and grace you desperately need. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. You can confidently approach God in your hour of need, for God did not give us a spirit of fear but power, love, and a sound mind. So when you think about confidence, it's that power— Christ's power, his righteousness, his holiness. And as you learn more about Christ and his power, and then God and the love, like being patient, being kind, doing, you know, not keeping records of wrongs. Because if you know that you start to remunerate those things, you want to cast those things down. And then that way, when it comes to the self-discipline, the, um, the sound mind, you have a sound mind of discipline based off of the Word of God. And so then you can walk confidently Knowing and approaching God when you are in need. So as we go through this reflection, I want you to reflect on those three things: where your power lies, where your love—you know—how you understand love, how do you understand a sound mind and and discipline, self-discipline. So and so that you can kind of you can. Walk more confidently and knowing like, I need a little bit more of God's help, I need a little bit more wisdom, I need a little bit more grace, I need a little bit more mercy. And then you can approach God and say, God, this is what I'm in need of. Do you approach God with confidence? And that is one of the things that's going to help you to reflect on being able to approach God with confidence and then ask yourself Why or why not? Why you approach God's throne with confidence and why why you don't? And then so you can kind to get to the place where you you gain a little bit more clarity. For he would say, God gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. So as we approach God's throne confidently, as we reflect, it's going to get that knowledge and understanding. So in all you're getting, get a what? Understanding. Get an understanding. So that is our reflection on today, understanding how we— reflecting on how we approach God's throne confidently. And if we don't, why not? And as we go through the devotion, our devotion is going to be devoting ourselves to rejoice in every trial. Like we were saying when we were, we were reflecting on when we need God, but But at the same time, let's devote ourselves to rejoice in every trial, every situation, every storm, every pain. Continue to rejoice. I say it again, rejoice. And our, our scripture, God's word, is going to come from James 1, verses 2 through 3. Consider it all joy, my brethren, When you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, consider it all joy. So considering what? When you encounter various trials, when trials come your way, know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. So you're enduring the trials. But it's building up endurance. So as you go through, it's your testing of your faith. Like, do I know the more? Do I need more of the word? You know, do I need more of the word of God? God, I need another word. I you know, I endured this, but it doesn't say that that that we have to stop enduring. He said, consider it all joy. Consider it all joy. When you encounter, he didn't say one. He didn't say two. He said various, various trials. And what do we need to know? We need to know that the testing of our faith produces endurance. So we have to have our faith tested. So devoting ourselves to that, we know that no one likes to face trials or trouble. You don't wake up in the morning. Hoping for a bad day. However, we all face troubles and trials. So right now, many of us are facing difficult times. When you face a difficult time, trial, or problem, God instructs you on how you should respond. So devoting ourselves to rejoicing, the instructions on how God— he has instructed us to respond. He said, consider it all joy. My brother, when you encounter various trials, and so we can rejoice in knowing like okay, this is another trial. I know that this is the testing of my faith. So what I'm going to do, I'm going to rejoice. So reflect: Are you rejoicing during your trials? Are you just not? I mean, are you building up that self-discipline? Are you seeking more of the word? Like the testing of our faith. We know faith. Comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God. So we can't just merely think that we are listeners and deceive ourselves. We have to do it as well. So we have to speak life over ourselves. So rejoicing is speaking life. It's thank you, God, you know, thank you for the endurance. Thank you that I consider it all joy and have that mindset on the instructions that was given to us. So the instructions that was given to Says consider it all joy. Consider it all, all, not some, not one, or what you feel or what you think, or what you know. You know, it's consider it all joy. Consider it all, okay? All of it joy. So, and that's all the testing, all the testing. We got to go through the testing, um, because it produces endurance. So Devote yourself to being more mindful in saying, are you rejoicing during your trials? And we're going to go through our strategy and our approach to help us with our reflection on reflecting on, you know, being confidently approaching God's throne and how we devote ourselves with rejoicing through all the testing of our faith. And to do that, our strategy is going to be the skill of compassion. The skill of compassion. We know that we have to build up those skills. Um, it's not a God-given talent. Compassion is not supernaturally given. So we have to build up that skill. So we have to go through the test and we have to endure. Certain trials to build up that compassion. So the approach would be with Romans 12:10-12. Be devoted to one another in love. Be devoted to one another in love. Joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. So our approach would be 4 different things: be devoted to one another in love, joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. And I usually go through the, um, an example of the approach, but today I just want to kind of go into those 4 different areas. Kind of the approach would really be understanding how to be devoted to one another in love. So when I think of— when I think of being devoted to one another in love, devoting, like, okay, fellowshipping with believers, other believers that are, you know, walking in the same way, that straight and narrow path towards righteousness, like to God. So I could be— I can devote myself if you are walking on that same path in God. So that's what— in love is in God. God is— God is love. God loves you. So you can't go— you can't— you can't go wrong on with being devoted to one another in love if you are on the right path. So in that, you still going to face different testings of the faith. That's why we have to devote ourselves to the faith, devoting ourselves to considering all joy, to put in the work of renewing our mind and cleansing our heart from any misunderstandings. We have to understand The word of God. So be joyful in hope. That's the next. So although you know we're hoping that this may happen, that's what we are. We believe we what we want. Now I said believe what we believe we want, not necessarily what God has for us, but what we we desire. Our passions and our desires—that's what we hope for. So be joyful in that. And then, but also while we are, our passions and our desires are going on, we still have to be patient. Be like okay, those trials we know—that's why we said rejoice. The instructions was to rejoice and consider it all joy. Consider it all joy. Okay, so I'm being patient, but I'm being afflicted right now. Um, so if I'm being afflicted, let me consider it all joy and let me continue to rejoice. And then the last one, be faithful in prayer. Having that conversation with God, connecting with God, and we, we connect through, um, Christ Jesus is the— he's the righteous one. So as we continue to Pray in his name. Like, it's not my righteousness, it's not me, it's all Christ. If, if I did not know of Christ and he had not given me instructions on the way to live, if he did not give his life, I would not know how to receive life. And he is life, so we receive him, and then we have a— we go through his name to connect with the Father. Um, so be faithful in prayer. So we cast down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of, uh, knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And that's more of being faithful in prayer. Let me, let me, let me cast all my cares, all my worries, all my everything over to him because I know he cares for me. But also do that with thanksgiving. And so it's just basically praying the Word of God and connecting with God through Christ. So that is our approach. So as we approach it, when have you experienced the healing power of compassion? Just think about that. Like, when has someone been devoted to another in love, devoted to you in love, been joyful in hope, been patient in affliction, or faithful in prayer? How can you cultivate a community of healing? And I was just thinking about healing. And I know we, we call it healing, but really incorporating into healing knowledge and understanding and speaking life. There was a, a study that was done, and it's, you know, that people fear the most is public speaking. And I'm like, if we have to speak life, that's an area where we have to heal. We have to heal in speaking, speaking life publicly, like Christ, speaking the life of Christ. It's it's it's his spirit. It's not by my might; it's by his spirit, his holy spirit. And that's where it's not necessarily what I I don't even want to go into it, but just based off of that, just knowing if we know. That people— most people have a fear of public speaking. That is the area of healing that we need as far as people being able to speak their faith publicly. So I just wanted to highlight that as an approach to the skill of compassion. Being able to speak our faith, being able to speak life over ourselves. Like if you don't do it publicly, then are you even doing it privately? That's a that's a part of our reflection. A confident approach. Are we approaching God's throne even in private? So today this was a really great, great. Reflection, devotion, and approach. And I'm going to go through the reflection. A confident approach to God's throne, devoting ourselves to consider it all joy when we encounter trials, and knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. And to do that, our strategy and approach Will be building up the skill of compassion, being devoted to one another in love, being joyful in hope, being patient in affliction, and being faithful in prayer. So thank you guys for joining the Grace Space. Go out, multiply, be fruitful, and thank you guys for joining. See you next time.