Firstfruits
Praise before petition
Glenn Garvin • November 10, 2024
Recipes and Routines
Following the recipe for our co-op dinner together.
I discovered something odd and sad about myself. Apparently, I am horrible at reading and following recipe instructions.
While I am quick frying the beef up in the pan, in the broth that came in the bag, Robin tells me this: The instructions say, “thoroughly drain beef broth, and discard.” Why would the broth should be discarded? Great question.
But wait, there’s more - the recipe is trying to educate us on why this sounds ridiculous – “broth is result of the “sous-vide” cooking technique. What in the world is “sous-vide” cooking technique?
I cooked the beef, and it turned out just fine, sous-vide or not!
First let’s talk about routines!
What are your routies for spiritual growth?
What are your rhythms and scheduled priorities to help you mature into the image of Christ?
Besides the gift of telling others about Jesus, the Apostle Paul was fully committed to the process of presenting people to Christ fully matured!
“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” —– Paul, Colossians 1:28-29
God loves enough to not leave us where He found us, but to continue to shape and mold us to look like Jesus.
This is
“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” —– Paul, Ephesians 4:15
They say, if you want to know about your
They say, if you want to know about your
It makes sense when asking about our spiritual growth, what do I need to look at?
Time spent with God in His Word, in prayer and sharing what I’ve experienced with others who need Him.
Jesus went
This isn’t a guilt trip message, it’s an admonition message to myself!
I am 100% committed to eating and sleeping every day of my life – I don’t miss this or mess with it unless I am fasting, which is not often enough.
I am 100% committed to spending time with the love of my life – Robin is an absolute priority in my life, and it shows with how much time and conversation I spend with her. She is my very best friend.
So, I ask, what is your routine with God?
My routine is to spend quality time in God’s Word first thing every weekday morning. I use Lectio Divina as a guide and write out a response. My written response in our Candlewood Church App under DEVO or at Hopebroker.com.
DIG DEEPER NOTES: Jesus’ routines
For example with prayer: Jesus often withdrew to pray, showing a deep, personal relationship with God. He prayed at different times of the day, including early in the morning and late at night. His prayers were both private and public, highlighting His commitment to communion with God.
Next, let’s talk about recipes!
What to do in our regular routines.
Within this time spent talking with God, what does that look like, sound like, feel like?
I refer to this time with God to be like recipes because everyone has their own unique way of making it happen.
Yes, it is prayer, but here’s what it looks like.
• It looks like a private conversation, saying things to God.
• It is also a lot of listening, which is difficult at first.
• We can address God as God. We can also address God as Father. We can pray directly to Jesus. We can also pray in the Holy Spirit.
Maybe this idea of praise before petition may be too advanced for some who are just learning to pray, talking to God and listening to his voice.
Or maybe thanking God and praising Him is the perfect place to start!
Key points about praising before petitioning:
Philippians 4:6 instructs believers to “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Eugene Peterson’s “the Message” translation:
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” —Philippians 4:6-7 The Message
Here are the benefits:
• It helps us Focus on God’s character: By starting with praise, you acknowledge God’s goodness and power, which can help you think about your requests in light of His greatness.
• Builds trust: Expressing thankfulness demonstrates a belief that God has already provided for you in the past, and will certainly do so in the future.
• Improves our attitude: A thankful heart can lead to a peaceful perspective in your own situation.
In this model prayer, Paul uses an interesting word that highlights this type of prayer from others.
He uses the word, “deésis” for supplication or petition. But this word “deésis” refers to a heartfelt petition or supplication, often directed towards God.
It comes from putting two Greek words together, “dein” prayer, from “to lack or miss,” and “deisthai” to beg.
There is something unique about the recipes of prayer from God’s Word that always includes praise.
As a reminder, when in doubt on what to say, let Psalms give you some spiritual prompts to get you started.
One of the more explosive Psalms of praise by King David is found in Psalms 108:1-4
“My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, LORD, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” —Psalms 108:1-4
These psalms reflect various aspects of praise, from God’s creation to His acts of deliverance and faithfulness.
“Let’s endeavor to spend more time praising God each day than petitioning Him” —J.D. Wininger, business writer and speaker.
FIVE DAY PRAISE CHALLENGE
The challenge is to download the FIVE DAY CHALLENGE and spend just a few minutes in the morning, the afternoon and night to praise God.