Faith Dare, Day 1

Today is the first day of my 30 day challenge to deepen my faith in God.  As part of my involvement with an awesome online women’s Bible study group, Women’s Bible Cafe’, we are studying The Faith Dare, by Debbie Alsdorf.  This is going to be so powerful and life-changing! 

I will be sharing my thoughts, challenges, favorite quotes, and prayers with you.  I hope you are inspired in your walk with Christ to dig deeper and allow your faith to grow stronger.

Today’s truth is speaking to me…

Just as my physical heart is at the core of my physical health and well-being, so is my spiritual heart at the center of all that I am in Christ.  My wholeness and well-being are dependent on total submission to God and allowing Him to create a new heart in me. When I focus on Him, my heart beats in sync with His.  God wants to give me a new heart, and to purify, cleanse, and shape my heart for His use.

God is asking me to…

He is asking me to come to Him and seek a new heart and to submit some things that I have withheld from Him.  I am asking Him to reveal anything that divides my heart or diverts my focus from Him.  I need to let a few things go that block my forward momentum in my spiritual growth.  I am asking Him to purify me, draw me closer to Him than ever, and to do whatever is necessary to make me more like Him.

My challenge is to…

I have not fully surrendered my health habits to Him, and I constantly give in to my unhealthy appetites.  This is in direct disobedience to what He has put in my heart to do for a long time.  This disobedience is a hindrance in my heart and is a wedge in my relationship with God. It keeps me from drawing as close to Him as I wish to be. He does not condemn me or disown me as His child, but it gets in the way of intimacy with my Lord.  My challenge is to fully submit that area of my life to Him.  I am also challenged to be accountable in this area.  You are going to see my progress!

Today’s prayer (by Debbie Alsdorf)…

This is truly my heart’s prayer!  Let it be yours as well.  Pray this prayer with all your heart:

Lord, I want to know you in ways I have never known you before.  I come to you with my heart, the center of who I am.  I ask you to work within me by exposing the areas that keep me divided, fragmented, and out of focus.  Teach me your way and i will walk in your truth.  Above all else give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name and worship you with full and passionate surrender.  Let surrender become the whole of who I am and the center desire of my heat.

Favorite quotes…

“God’s desire is to purify our hearts, cleanse our hearts, and make us completely and wholly his.”

“Daily surrender is the path to following Jesus.”

“It’s a new heart.  That’s right, a new center core to your entire being, changing the way you think, respond, and live.  This new heart beats to the rhythm of God’s heartbeat and moves to the sound of his voice.  This new heart longs to stay focused and centered on the source of its life:  God himself.”

“If we want total life change, we have to be willing to let go of the areas in our heart that are blocked form God.”

“For faith to be genuine our heart must be centered, focused, and intentionally loyal to God.”