Friday, July 31, 2009

What Do We Expect When We Pray?

Not many will reach the mark as long as in prayer we just pour out our hearts in a multitude of petitions, without taking time to see whether every petition is sent with the purpose and expectation of getting an answer.

If, as in silence of soul we bow before the Lord, we ask such questions as these: What is really my desire? Do I desire it in faith, expecting to receive? Am I ready to place and leave it in the Father's bosom? Is it a settled thing between God and me that I am to have the answer?

We should learn so to pray that God would see and we would know what we really expect.

The “will” rules the whole heart and life; if I really will to have anything that is within my reach, I do not rest till I have it. When Jesus says to us, “What wilt thou”? He asks whether it is indeed our purpose to have what we ask at any price, however great the sacrifice. Do you will to have it even when He delays it long? Do you hold your peace until He hears you? How many of your prayers are wishes, sent up for a short time and then forgotten, or sent up year after year as a matter of duty and not resting content with the prayer until it is answered?

The very essence of the prayer is faith. Jesus trained His disciples to not just make known their desire and then leave the decision to God. That would be the prayer of submission, for cases in which we cannot know God's will. But the prayer of faith, and finding “God's will” in the promise of the Word, pleads for our petition until it comes.

Matt 28 tells us as we read that Jesus said to the blind man: “Believe ye that I can do this”? In Mark, He says: “What wilt thou that I should do”? In both cases He said that faith had saved them.

He said to the Syrophenician woman, “Great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt”.

Faith is the purpose of the will resting on God's word, and saying: I must have it. To believe truly is to will firmly.

True humility is in company with strong faith. It only seeks to know what is according to "the will of God". It boldly claims the fulfillment of the promise: “Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”.

Lord Jesus when we come to you in prayer please give us the boldness to do so expecting in faith and to have patience to hear your voice as you reveal to us “your will” for the petitions that we bring before you. Amem.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

A Busy Christian Is Not A Spiritual Christian


It’s easy to get caught up in being busy for God. God wants the fullness of life for us. But what does that mean? Does it mean? God I did this for you today. I went to work and I did a good job. I helped out with the junior high today, and I managed to fix a bike today too. God, I’m doing a lot for you now. I’m busy teaching Sunday school, and on weekdays I coach hockey. I see that we have this need here and what about meeting with my friends? God, I need to be there for them and I feel like I should get in shape so I will and, God what about the children?!?! God I’m really tired but I was super busy. I’ll spend time with you tomorrow. While we’re trying to fill our lives with activities, we miss the point. God wants us to pray to Him and meet with Him in order for us to have a relationship with Him. It is then that our days get the most full. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God”. God will not ask us on judgment day, “Well, how busy were you?” As Christians, we need to be able to take several steps back, push the activities aside, and wait on God first. Then act only when He tells us to move. We are not a rotary club, busy in its activities. We are a body of Christ, who should be looking to God in our daily walk first before anything else. We need to take time each day to be still and exhault God.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Trust Doesn't Come Easy

"Ah, Soverign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you".

Trust doesn't come easy. Does it?

It wasn't easy for Jeramiah to publicly purchase land captured by the enemy. He trusted God. Jer 32:6-17

It wasn't easy for David to believe that he would become king, even after he was anointed. He trusted God. 1 Sam 16:31

It wasn't easy for Moses to believe that he and his people would escape Egypt, even after God spoke to him from the burning bush. Ex 3:1-4:20

It isn't easy to believe that God will keep His "impossible" promise to us either. We must trust Him. The same God who touched lives during biblical times will impact our lives too, if we will open our hearts, trust Him, and allow Him to do so.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

In Times Of Restlessnes Don't Loose Your Faith In God's Promises - Meditation for Today - Ex 32:15 - 24,30-34

It had been forty days since God summoned Moses to go up Mount Sinai to
receive his commandments for the people of Israel. That's a long time to wait for your leader to return-especially when he disappeared in a cloud of smoke and left you at the base of a mountain in the desert (Exodus 19:18-20). It's no wonder the people became restless! In their restlessness, they lost their faith in God's promise to be with them always, to protect them, and to care for them in their need. They wanted something to hold on to in Moses' absence, so they asked Aaron to
build a god who would be their leader. For the people, the golden calf Aaron
built was a symbol of God's strength and fertility, and gave them something
to help focus their worship and to help them feel safe and secure in Moses'
absence. So in a sense, the people had not stopped believing in God. They had lost
their faith in his kindness and provision. If God was going to make himself
absent, they reasoned, we'll just try to conjure him back again by creating
an image of him and worshipping it. Maybe he'll be so impressed with our
ingenuity, they thought, that he will show up again. Let's try to apply this reading to our own lives. None of us would seriously consider building a physical idol to replace Jesus. But we can lose our focus and let our trust in God slip away. We may still believe in God but lose sight of God's faithfulness to his promises-even of his faithfulness to us. So while we are waiting for God to respond, we try to lure him back bybeing extra good or making grand promises or deals with him. And as a
result, we end up creating a "false God" out of the true God-a God who bends
to our wills rather than one who forms us according to his love, compassion,
and infinite wisdom. Don't get caught off guard! Instead, test your faith. Challenge yourself to believe, even if God seems to be absent. You can be sure that if you do,
you'll find a great reward when he "returns"!"Lord, help me to have the faith that you are with me always, even when you seem to be absent. Lord, help my unbelief!"

Psalm 106:19-23; Matthew 13:31-35

Today's meditation was forwarded to me by my dear niece Teresa.

Monday, July 27, 2009

God's Protection In Times of Affliction


God’s protection is in the midst of our suffering. God does not promise a world free from affliction, but He does promise He will be with us whenever we face pain in our lives.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
Surely I will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling –
even the Lord, who is my refuge –
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,“ says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Isn’t it comforting to know that God watches over us even in times of stress and fear? In times such as these we need to be even more thankful and offer our praises to the Lord. It is when our valleys are the darkest that He is doing the most powerful work in us. When thanking and praising becomes an integral part of our life in times of trouble, we can find that our attitude towards our circumstances changes. Even through the distress we are experiencing we can become more positive, gracious, loving and humble while facing our adversities.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Prayer and Fasting - A Definition

Prayer and fasting is defined as voluntarily going without food in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God. Prayer and fasting often go hand in hand, but this is not always the case. You can pray without fasting, and fast without prayer. It is when these two activities are combined and dedicated to God's glory that they reach their full effectiveness. Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Rather, it is simply forcing yourself to focus and rely on God for the strength, provision, and wisdom you need.

By taking our eyes off the things of this world through prayer and biblical fasting, we can focus better on Christ. Matthew 6:16-18 declares, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Spending time in prayer and fasting is not automatically effective in accomplishing the desires of those who fast. Fasting or no fasting, God only promises to answer our prayers when we ask according to His will. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." In the prophet Isaiah's time, the people grumbled that they had fasted, yet God did not answer in the way they wanted (Isaiah 58:3-4). Isaiah responded by proclaiming that the external show of fasting and prayer, without the proper heart attitude, was futile (Isaiah 58:5-9).

Saturday, July 25, 2009

A Message From Me

My mission to create Prayer shawls is a traditional form of expressing praying for others in a tangible, physical way. It is my way of saying "I'm praying for you," and to be able to hand someone a physical object that constitutes an entire process of prayer for them. Many of the prayer shawls I’ve made have been given to people who are experiencing a time of suffering or have a specific need in their life. The recipients have been people I know, and have also been given to total strangers.
Patterns for prayer shawls I have created differ, but many of them have been worked in patterns of three, and many have used three or more colors. The number three has a great deal of significance to me as it represents to me our Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit.The seeds of prayer sewn through the Prayer Shawl Ministry and Prayer Worrier Blog are not to pump me up but are for God’s glory and honor not mine. With the need for prayer and some of the responses I have been receiving I listed some of the reasons I feel it is so important to keep these outreaches flowing. The cries of prayer listed on the Prayer Link, and testimonies below show how God is impacting so many lives. This season God joined us together in a journey as intercessors to witness the fruits of our labor, and to support others as He answers our petitions for them in prayer. He has given me the mission to serve Him as I encourage and pray for people so that they may find a more intimate relationship with Him. I learned that prayer is a way of giving others “hope” when they seem to find it impossible to see beyond the circumstances they are going through.

Here are some of the responses I have been receiving:
You are a wonderful loving caring person. I am so proud to have been able to work with you. Even though we never met in person, I feel a warm bond with you. Thank you so much for your prayers. Sharon – Little Rock, Arkansas
Thank you for the Blog. –Yvonne- New Orleans, Louisiana

Bonnie, you are an inspiration in your faith! – Gwen – Kenner, Louisiana

Each one is lovelier than the next. I’m sure they will be
appreciated. Thanks. – Margaret – Kenner, Louisiana

Thank You, I always need God's love and protection over me and my family. - Larry – Mandeville, Louisiana

HOW BEAUTIFUL!!! HOW UNIQUE!!! HOW DO I GET ON HER LIST? – Debbie – Louisiana

Bonnie.....I don't even know what a "blog" is. I assume it is like having a web site just as you have created and you post a new message every day. If that is correct, my feeling is that you have created a wonderful vehicle through which to serve the Lord. It is inspirational and gives the feeling that someone cares about us and is helping to get/keep people on the correct path to also be God's servant. Bill – Baton Rouge, Louisiana


THANK YOU – Dr. Wayne Lyerlry – Metairie, Louisiana

Thank you so much for the link to the blog. I like to start my day with a spiritual breakfast! Thanks again for the link to the blog. I especially liked seeing the photo of Grandmommy wearing the prayer shawl. She looked so happy. I also really liked the photo of the cross in the sky on your moving day. I see these little signs occasionally, too. They help me to move forward knowing I am moving in the right direction. Terrie – Brandon, Mississippi

Your blog is very good. It is very inspirational to all of us. I am glad to see the Lord has you right where He wants you...listening to Him. Cathy – Kenner, Louisiana


Please continue to pray for me and every intercessor in prayer so that we will edify God while praying for and making a difference in others lives.

You are in my thoughts and in my prayers today and always,

Bonnie

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Answer May Come In A Different Way Than We Think It Should

We know the answer may come a different way then what we think it should be, but we know it will be as our Father wants it done.
Until we can understand the Father-???we may never always understand the answer!!! But no matter what, we trust and know our Creator knows and understands His creation better than we do..amen. Remember, God will even allow us to suffer, to get our attention...out of love...He wants us to know Him...If Jesus could suffer for us, you know God will allow us to go through things to press into Him...it is all for our good. He loves us that much....of course, when we are going through problems, difficulties, and pain in our life, we cannot see where this is good--but after the
storm clears and we are able to see better, we can see the great things God has done in us and for us in the hardship we endured...

Words of Wisdom From A Dear Friend

Sowing seed is an important job, prayer and intercession are very important also...we need that for the body of Christ, that is why Jesus intercedes for us....We learn the heart of our Father in prayer..we can then pray in agreement with our Father through Jesus Christ. This is why the Lord could have miracles flowing in His life...he prayed in agreement with the Father in Heaven (when two agree it will be done for them)...we must pray in agreement with our heavenly Father and we will see miracles, signs and wonders take place in our life..the secret is we must first learn through prayer what is the heart of our Father..(Jesus said" I say what the Father tells me to say and I do what I see my Father do"). We must be imitators of the Lord
Jesus and say what the Father says and do what we see Him do. In prayer, we learn to do this, that is intimacy with our Lord and Father in heaven.Prayer is our communication to our Father to learn from Him and become like Jesus...Amen

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

When You Face A Set Back Pray and Seek God


Joseph was a handsome teenage boy (about 17 years old). His mother died when he was 15 years old. Two years later his father gave him the authority to be shepherd over the flocks, even though he had several other brothers. He had a couple of problems though.

He had ten older brothers and one younger one who were really jealous of him because he was the favorite of their father Jacob (Isreal). It didn’t help that Joseph’s father gave Joseph a beautiful coat that he himself made. It was fancy, decorated, with long sleeves and had many colors. People in Bible times loved beautiful clothes. They made their cloths out of black or white cloth. Sometimes they liked to use bright colors like purple, red, blue or yellow. Joseph’s coat was made by sewing colored threads into designs in the cloth. The coat/robe that Jacob gave Joseph was more than just a beautiful gift. It showed that Joseph had more importance in his family than his brothers did. This coat made the brothers more jealous than ever and they hated Joseph.

The second problem Joseph had was that he dreamed strange dreams. Worse of all, he liked telling his dreams to his family. He really should have been more private with them. Can you just hear him? “Listen to this one!” “I dreamed the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me”. His brothers thought that he was saying that some day he would be so important that they would all bow down to him like a king, even his mother and father. Joseph’s brothers thought that he was telling them how much better he was than them.

These two problems led him into big trouble. Jacob sent Joseph to see how his ten other brothers were doing in the far away fields where they took care of the sheep. When they saw him coming they made an evil plan to kill him. They were going to throw him into a near by well and tell their father that a wild animal ate him up.

His brother Reuben didn’t want this to happen to Joseph and told the others that they should just leave him by the well. He planned to come back for Joseph later. The other brothers agreed with him. But, while Reuben was away the other brothers took Joseph out of the well. They sold him for twenty pieces of silver as a slave to some merchants who were on their way to Egypt.

The brothers kept Joseph’s beautiful coat. They killed a goat and dipped the coat in its blood. When they got home they showed the coat to Jacob and pretended not to know that it was Josephs.

Jacob knew it was the special coat he made for Joseph and that the brothers killed a goat and poured its blood on it. Jacob was heartbroken, moaned and cried many days for the loss of his son.

Little did Jacob know that Joseph was alive in the far-away country of Egypt. He and Joseph’s brothers thought that they would never see Joseph again. Although Joseph no longer had the beautiful fancy coat, he still dreamed dreams and had God’s favor. In the land of Egypt he was sold as a slave to an Egyptian named Potiphar. Potiphar was very impressed with Joseph’s wisdom. Joseph managed his home and his property.

Joseph spent many years in the house of Potipher as a slave. He was wrongfully accused of a crime and put into prison for thirteen years. Eventually after these humble years he was exalted to a position of honor with the ruler. Through all of these bad and good times Joseph prayed and learned to be happy where he was. He wanted to be the best person he could be with what God gave him. He learned to trust God no matter what the circumstances were.

Some of us can identify with one or more of the hardships that Joseph encountered. He experienced betrayal, was deserted by his family, was exposed to sexual temptation, was forgotten by those he helped and was punished for doing what is right. His positive response transformed each set back into a step forward. He didn’t spend much time asking God “Why”? His approach was to pray and ask God, “What should I do now”? God was with him.

When you are facing a set back, pray, seek God and acknowledge that He is with you. There is nothing like His presence to shed a new light on a dark situation.

Gen (37)



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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

How To Utilize The Power Of Prayer

The power of prayer relies on the assurance that the God of the Universe is listening to you. Since prayer is a two-way communication between you and God, you will always receive an answer to your prayers! It might be YES, NO, or NOT YET. This may surprise you, but unanswered prayer does not exist. Sometimes, we feel like God has not answered, but the reality is that sometimes we don't like the answer we've received.

How can I say powerful prayers? The Bible gives several principles regarding the power of prayer:
Bring glory to God. In the Bible, we read a simple yet sincere prayer that brought glory to God. Elijah prayed, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."
Prayers don't have to be long and elaborated, they just have to come from our hearts and give glory to God.
Pray in Jesus' name. The power of prayer relies on the authority we have when we say a prayer. Adding the phrase "in Jesus' name" is not a magic tag line that will secure our prayers or make them more effective. Praying in the name of Jesus simply means that we desire His will. We can be confident while approaching the Father because we have been cleansed from our sins. Without the blood of Jesus that washes away our sins, there is no chance in coming close to God - He is perfect and holy. Because we have been justified through Christ, we can know that our prayers reach the throne of God. Praying in Jesus' name means to come and speak through His authority and according to His will.
God is powerful. Understand that the power is not in the words of your prayer or in the way your prayer is spoken. The power comes from God! He has the power to do far more with your prayer than you can even imagine. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
The one and only way to experience the power of prayer is to pray. We can thank God for the prayers He has answered with a YES, but also for the ones that were answered differently than we expected. Each answer has molded our lives and our fellowship with God.

Monday, July 20, 2009

God is so Good and His Mercy Endures Forever


"God is so good and His mercy endures forever".


Most holy, wise and powerful preserver of all your creatures, keep us in health in body and soundness of mind. Keep us in purity of heart and cheerfulness of spirit, in contentment with our lives and in charity with our neighbors. Strengthen us in our labors. Direct us in our difficulties. Defend us from our perils. Comfort us in our troubles. Please care for our needs according to the riches of your grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Power of Prayer




The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Jesus Prayed a Prayer

John 17:20-26

Jesus prayed a prayer “I pray for all those who believe in me that they may be one.”

Let’s join together with Christians all over the world as a witness for the Lord. We need to reach out to others even though they may be a burden or a heavy load to carry at times. There are so many people who often get lost from time to time. Many people also are difficult to deal with because they may make allot of noise and are sometimes a real burden.

Although a dollar bill is lighter and easier to carry than four quarters it is the same isn’t it? So, what I’m trying to say is that we need to be one and join together with Christians all over the world as ambassadors for the Lord. It is time to pray for and reach out to others even though they may be a burden or a heavy load for us to carry at times.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Listen to God's Voice



1 Kings 11-13 - "Be still and listen". God is more likely to speak to you with a gentle whisper than in a loud voice. We need to realize that God doesen't only reveal Himself in powerful, miraculous ways. To look for God in only something big may be to miss Him because He is often found whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart. Are you listening to God? Step back from the noise and activity of your busy life and listen humbly and quietly for His guidance. It may come when you are least expected.



I hope all of you can see the beautiful cross in the sky above the truck/trailer that Jerry was driving ahead of me. As Jerry and I crossed the Charlotte border on April 3d the day we moved to North Carolina, the Lord let us know He had answered our prayer and placed on our hearts this sign to show us that we are following His will for our life.

Please post your prayer requests in the comments section of this blog or you may continue to do so by emailing me. I will continue to pray for you and lift your petitions to the Lord on a daily basis. I have gotten a favorable response regarding the Prayer Shawl/Throw Ministry as well as lots of prayer requests and testamonies. It is such a blessing to see how my obedience to the Lord has touched so many lives.






God's love and blessings to all of you today and always. Never stop praying for each other.





Sincerely,





Bonnie

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Turn Your Worries Into Prayer



Imagine never being "anxious" or "worried" about anything. It seems impossible doesn't it? We all have worries. We need to turn our worries into prayers. It is simple but we make it so difficult. Do you want to worry less? Then the key is to "pray" more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and "pray".




"Do not become anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God". NIV Phil 4:6 & 7
























Monday, July 13, 2009

I'm Called To Pray


Prayer is our most powerful warfare...that is why it is such an important part of our lives...The more we pray the more we can win in the battles we face each and everyday..In prayer we connect to the Lord with intimacy and we become stronger in Him and we can defeat the enemy when we are strong in Christ...prayer causes our faith to increase, our relationship to develope stronger with the Lord and causes our deaf ears to open to hear His voice...that is why He says, My sheep know My voice....You always know the voice of the people you spend the most time with...hearing theLord will sharpen our hearing of His voice...That is how we put on the armor of Christ, the breast plate of righteousness,the shield of faith, the helment of salvation etc...Prayer gets us dressed for the battles we encounter, prayer raise s ourfaith to have victory over things in our life, prayer causes us to grow and enlarge our terriories..we begin to pray forothers needs, other nations and we see how really small the world is in God's eyes.... When we focus on us, we lose sight of all others..but when we pray we see the needs all over the world in a new way and we see a BIG God who can do all things for us according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus....amen.. Prayer really puts things in order in our lives and helps us to find our place in Him....He is so amazing. Without prayer, there is nothing..but with prayer there is more than we could ask or think...He loves us to communicate with Him..and the key there is commune...Communion is so important to the Lord, not just the symbol of eating a cracker with juice or wine, but true communion we develope with Him through prayer..He will engulf us in our prayer time with Himself and that is the spiritual communion He loves with us... God is good and we are so blessed to have such a loving, wonderful Father who looks after us in every way.
Thank you for all you do in His name for all others...He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him...amen..No one can out-give God...Blessings to you all, keep the faith, keep the prayers going up and you will contiue to see answers come down...

In Times That We Don't Know How To Pray

Five Finger Prayer

1. The thumb – Your thumb is nearest you. Begin your prayers by praying for those
closest to you. (Pray for your loved ones).
2. The pointer – Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. (This includes teachers,
doctors and ministers). They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right
direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The tallest finger – It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in
business and in industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide
public opinion. They need God’s guidance.
4. The fourth finger – Surprisingly to many is fact that this is our weakest finger; as any
piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in
trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much
for them.
5. Lastly comes our little finger - The smallest finger of all. Which is where we should
place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says “The last shall be the
greatest among you.” Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself.

By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

The Our Father


The Lord’s Prayer

“Our Farther which art in heaven” – We need to always acknowledge first and foremost who we are taking to. He (God is our heavenly Father). We address Him with respect just as we should address our earthly father with respect. His is the only true God who created all things in this universe, which includes ourselves. He loves us and we need to show our love for Him.

“Hollowed by your name” – We must see Him as being Holy, Sanctified, Consecrated; Worthy of praise, Honor and Glory!

“Your kingdom come” – We acknowledge His coming kingdom. We pray that Christ will soon return and establish His earthly kingdom where we will reign with Him for eternity.

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” - We need to be praying for His will to be done in our lives, so that we might bring glory to Him here on earth as He is also glorified in heaven. We need to do things His way, instead of selfishly doing our own things to satisfy our own desires.

“Give us today our daily bread” – We should ask our Father each day to provide for our needs, just as He promised in His Holy Word. His word says that we don’t have, because we don’t ask. Of course, we must first know God through His Son, our personal Lord and Savior. If we don’t know Christ, God won’t acknowledge this request for daily provision.

“Forgive us our (sins) debts (or transgressions) as we have forgiven our debtors (transgressors)” – This speaks about forgiveness among our associates, neighbors, friends, family and loved ones. Any and all persons in our lives that we come in contact with in social or business situations are included as well. If we can’t forgive others, how can we expect our Heavenly Father to forgive us?

“Lead us not into temptation” – We need to ask our Heavenly Father to help us recognize every evil thing, every temptation before us. We need to help to stay focused on our Father and see that the evil we might fall into is really a trap set by Satan to bring us down to his level.


“But deliver us from the evil one” – Help us, dear Father to steer clear of that liar and deceiver. Let us see clearly the path that you want each of us to walk. By the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us may we never stray from your will and way

Lords Prayer – A Glorious Ending

Some commentators believe that the end of the Lord’s Prayer

– “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” – was added by someone other than the writer. Whether it is true or not, this last phrase simply emphasizes more praise and glory to God the Father – so it’s absolutely biblical… a glorious ending to a model prayer to God!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Words of God's Wisdom and Encouragement


Encouragement


After much prayer and submission to the Lord, my mission today is to come to you with His word and encouragement.

In reading the book of Joshua I have found a fine example of being obedient to the will of God as well as having faith to endure and overcome life’s hardships. We need to remember that God is in control of our lives and if we follow His unique strategy we will win the battle and cross over Jordon to reach the “Promised Land”. Although the valley is very deep and it may seem difficult to tolerate, the key to winning our victory is our submission to the Lord. We are required to do it God’s way in order to finish the march and conquer the “Promised Land”. God is a God of love, mercy and kindness. He is not going to settle for anything less than the very best for us. It is when we are facing our deepest valley that Our Heavenly Father God Almighty is doing His most glorious work in us.

We need to encourage each other and tell each other the truth to lighten the load by sharing their burdens. We double our joys and halve our sorrows when we share them with ones most closely to our hearts.

Friends come and go but a true friend sticks by like family (Proverbs 18:24)

Think of three small acts of kindness or generosity you can share with someone today. We need to treat others as equals. No one should be humiliated or treated with disrespect. Sometimes we do this without thinking. We should treat all people the same and not be arrogant or feel we are better than others. Just for today look at every person you encounter as an equal. Treat everyone with the same dignity you would give to someone you deeply admire.

We don’t need have a bad day to deserve a little encouragement. It is always welcomed. Even on days when we really feel good about ourselves.

Jesus reached out and changed the lives of many people. He brought new strength and healing to those who were suffering. He did it with compassion and a kind word.

They brought a man to Jesus who was paralyzed and lying on a mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, He said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, young man. your sins are forgiven”. Matt 9:2

Jesus turned and saw the woman and said, “Be encouraged, dear woman you are made well because you believed. “ And the woman was healed from that moment on. Matt 9:22

“Be encouraged, you who worship God”. Ps 69:32

Many of the encouragements are already ours because they come from God’s own hand. We need to pray that our eyes see what has already been given us, even if there is no one else to come alongside us and encourage us for a difficult day. The God we serve will provide our every need—even the need for encouragement.

Patience and encouragement come form God. The same God, who is our source of life, salvation, and strength for living, took the time to make sure we also have a ready supply of encouragement along the way. He thinks of everything. Rom 15:6

One of the greatest sources of encouragement in our lives comes from the fact that God is always with us. We are His children and His Spirit touches our very soul.

These two things cannot change: ‘God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who come to God for safety. They give us strength to hold onto the hope we have been given”.

‘When I pray you answer me; you encourage me by giving me the strength I need”. Ps 138:3

David’s thanks are two fold. First of all, God encouraged Him by answering his prayers. Secondly, David is encouraged because God gave him the strength he needed to face each day. Even the discipline we receive from God can be a source of encouragement because it means God loves us and will not leave us to be a prisoner to sin. “For whom the LORD loves He chastens. HEB 12:6

Because GOD encourages us we are able to give encouragement to others. When the well of our hearts is dry we have nothing to give. GOD is able to fill our reservoirs to overflowing. 2 COR 1:6

“So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for our benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to others. Then they can patiently endure the same things we suffer”. So we can reach out and encourage those who are going through the same things we have gone through. The same GOD who was faithful in carrying us through will be able to carry them. You have God’s Spirit and you can fellowship with other believers because you share the same Spirit. We know God doesn’t lie to us, so we can take great encouragement from His promises because we know they will come to pass.

“Let nothing can be done by selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of us look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…He humbled Himself and became obedient” Jesus’ attitude is summed up here as being one of unselfishness, considerate, obedient and as on who showed humility. ‘We should not be “interested only in our own life, but should be interested in the lives of others’.

Paul described the bounty of blessings and encouragement we have been given. “May our LORD, Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. God loved us, and through His grace He gave us
hope and encouragement that continues forever” 2THES 2:17 The encouragement that GOD gives will strengthen us in this life and will continue for eternity.

PS 119:28 states “Encourage me by your word”. If you have a bible, you hold the greatest source of encouragement you could ever hope to find. The bible isn’t just GOD’s scrapbook—it is written with a purpose in mind. It is good to know that the words were recorded so that we could read them, believe them, and find life. The scriptures that were written long ago are to teach us and give us hope and encouragement while we wait for everything to come to pass.



Thursday, July 9, 2009

What to Say When You Pray

What do you say when you pray and talk to God?
Praying is like talking to your best friend.

Is it easy to talk to someone when you know they love you?
Yes.

Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and make you new in him.
Now turn from your sins and turn to God so he can cleanse you of your sins. (Acts 3:19)

Tell Jesus your needs.

Give him all your worries.
For He cares about what happens to you. (1Pet5:7)

Thank Him.
He died on the cross at Calvary for us. For God so loved the world that he gave
His only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have
eternal life. (John 3:16)

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What is Prayer?

Prayer is talking to God. It is our direct line to Him and heaven. It is when we communicate with Him. It is like a person to person phone call with Him.

To keep in touch with the Lord we must pray every day or we well will loose our source of connection with Him. While spending time in prayer He rubs off on us and is formed in us. We should begin every day with some type of prayer to get ourselves and our life connected with the Lord, and so that the enemy won’t discourage us and make us feel distant from God. We receive God’s best for our lives through prayer and avoid the things that are not His will. Praying over everything that concerns us no matter how large or small allows us to see that:

1. “With God nothing will be impossible”. Luke 1:37
2. “The very hairs of your head are all numbered”. Matt 10:30

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Fifteen Reasons to Pray

1. To seek the face of the Lord and know Him better (Ps 27:8)
2. To get your eyes off your problems and onto the Lord (Ps.121:1)
3. To speak to God (1 Peter 3:12)
4. To unburden your heart (Ps 142:1-2
5. To make your requests known to God (Matt 21-22)
6. To hear God (Prov 8:34)
7. To be free of suffering (James 5:13)
8. To resist temptation (Matt 26:41)
9. To be rescued from distress (Ps 107:9)
10. To receive God’s reward (Matt 6:6)
11. To withstand evil (Eph 6:13)
12. To have joy (John 16:24)
13. To get close to God (Isa 64:7)
14. To be healed emotionally (James 5:13)
15. To have peace (Phil 4:6-7)