Category: prayer

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A Sinner’s Prayer

What do you do when God says no?

Psalm 51, 52, 53 When God looks down from heaven what does He see but men who do not acknowledge Him. They think that no matter what they do or think or say, God will take them to heaven one day, but these psalms prove otherwise. Until men can look within their hearts to see how really evil they are, and take time to confess their sins, they can never find peace with God. 

It is amazing to hear men say that all go to heaven when you read these psalms and realize that God is holy and these are not. How can a holy God have impure men in His presence? This is but the lie of the enemy whose purposes are to seek, kill and destroy as he blinds the minds so men cannot see the glorious image of the Savior Jesus Christ. 

Precious reader, take time today to sit before God and confess your sins so He can make you holy as He is holy. Then you can say with the psalmist: But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I continually trust in God’s loyal love, I will continually thank you when you execute judgment;

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Prayer

Let God handle this

Colossians 4 What hinders your prayer life? Paul was in chains in a Roman prison yet even in that, he sought prayer from the believers that the message may not be hindered but go forth. Not only that, but Paul sought prayer from others for the work that he foresaw needed to happen. How fervent was his passion for the message of Christ crucified, risen and coming again to the lost. How fervent is my prayer for the lost around me? How about you? Listen to his words left for us:

At the same time pray for us too, that God may open a door for the message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ.

Is this our prayer? 

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Resolving Conflicts

God's perfect peace

Phil 4 Are you at peace today or are you filled with anxiety? Is the cause a conflict with another believer? How do you resolve it? Do you need someone have to come alongside to help? That was the situation in the church in Philippi between two precious women. Paul doesn’t tell us what the problem was but he appealed to them to resolve their differences and then asked a co-worker to assist. 

Whatever the problem was it seems to have caused anxiety and a lack of peaceful harmony. Paul reminded the two women and the helper to not be anxious about anything. Anxiety is the root cause and is troublesome because it keeps the Fruit of the Spirit from being implemented. Watch out for that trait. Paul then continues on how to handle this problem: Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Did you notice that Paul referred to peace twice in this passage (v 7 & v 9? Peace will guard your heart and the peace of God will be with you. Seek peace and harmony with others.

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The Believer’s Tool Belt

2 Thess 3 Prayer Needed

How often do you speak with others who are seeking prayer? It is an overarching theme for believers and a necessary element to our walk with the Lord. We have prayer meetings, we begin our services with prayer, we pray over our meals and we pray in our family circles. Paul writes to the Thessalonian church asking for prayer that the message he is preaching may bear fruit and it be done quickly and be honored. He knew one fact about these new believers, they were faithful to pray. How about us when someone near and dear to us comes seeking prayer? Do they trust us to fulfill that need or like many of us, we say but only do it at the moment? We have been given the privilege of speaking to the Lord God Almighty, the King of the Universe, for those who come seeking our advice or help. 

The second thing Paul seeks prayer for are those who would seek to not just undermine the truth but actively work against it. They are in need of spiritual protection, a hedge of fire around them [Zech 2:5] because they are facing the onslaught of the enemy’s reach. 

As the days grow spiritually cold, we have several tools in our belt so we can grow and mature in our walk for Christ. Two that are needed are prayer and faithfulness. How is your prayer walk today? 

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Questions about our…

1 Thessalonians 1 Prayer Life

How is your prayer life today? Is it full of needs that are keeping you from being focused on the needs of others? Do your prayers sound pious but in fact are unworthy to fit into the palace of heaven? Are you pure as you pray or is there some nagging sin that keeps your fellowship with God just on the surface level? These are questions it seems that need answers otherwise our words are like balloons that are floating into the clouds but not to heaven. 

Paul loves each church he has ministered to and the Thessalonians church has a special place in his heart. Listen to his prayer: “We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.”[I Thess 1:4] His heart was overjoyed because, like him, they had been chosen before the foundation of the world to be God’s special treasure. It is therefore, fitting that Paul and his companions praying with him,pray for these precious saints’ work produced by faith and labor motivated by love and endurance is rewarded by the Father and Jesus Christ. 

So how about you and I today? How is our prayer life? 

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God sees and hears all…

Psalm 41 How does one pray for the sick and bedridden? Do we pray that God takes them home or do we pray for their deliverance? It seems that there will always be those who are hypocritical in how they respond to us when we are set aside for a time. They come with words of mercy but their actions belie their true intentions. We see it in the encounters men had with our Lord. They said, we know you are from God for no one could do what you do but then after they leave His presence, they sought to kill him…but not at the Passover. 

There is a little song the children sing; be careful little eyes what you see for the Lord above is looking down in love, be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little tongue what you say, O be careful little tongue what you say,

For the Father up above Is looking down in love, So, be careful little tongue what you say.

This would be a good song/prayer to use when we act like these hypocrites. God sees all and hears all and will one day call to account. 

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The past is past…leave it there.

forget the past

Psalm 38 The Past and the Future

Today many counselors want us to dredge up the past and relive our past sins but is this healthy? The psalmist has brought his past before God, not some other person. Is this the way to handle our sins? Well, yes and no. Sometimes we are to carry our burdens to one another and share them so that they can give us wise counsel. Other times we are to carry them only to God. The psalmist wrote that he knelt before God and laid his past before him and let God take care of this problem he has before him. “But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” [Ps 38:15]

So where are you today? Are you reliving the past or are you putting the past behind you as Paul said he would do and move on to the future. We cannot change the past so why relive it? It is hidden in the deeps of the sea. Leave it there and move on!

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Actions speak louder than words

Mark 6 Listening but not believing

Mark notes that Herod was baffled by the words of John but he never made a commitment to the Lord. We can listen all we want but if we do not commit, then we are as lost as Herod. Prov 29:25 comes to mind: the fear of man is a snare and we see that in this chapter. 

On a night when Herod had a dinner, he made a foolish vow to give the child who danced before him a gift of whatever she asked. Her mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Hearing this, Herod was sad but he was more afraid of not keeping his word than keeping the life of a man who spoke truth to him. There are many like Herod in our world. They love to sit in the pew but do not bow the knee to the Savior. They are baffled but do not step out and search their hearts. 

Are you more like Herod or like John the Baptist? Are you just listening or are you committed to Jesus? 

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Morning Time

Jesus has risen from the dead

Mark 1 Early Morning

I love being up early and sitting with a cup of coffee. It is here, in my chair it is just the Lord and I.  Jesus has set the example for me and you too. 

Listen to Mark as he writes what a day in the lift of Jesus was like. After a whirlwind week of healing, driving out demons and calling his first four disciples, he was weary. He slept and then awoke early in the morning while it was still dark.  He left Peter’s house and went into the quiet of the wilderness to pray. What do you do early in the morning while it is still dark? 

As the sun rose Peter and the others went looking for Jesus and found him in the mode of prayer. What do others find us doing? Today is Easter and we praise God for the risen Savior. Jesus woke early to spend time in prayer and He sets the example for us. Does God find us rejoicing in prayer for the risen Savior?

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More Instructions

Titus 2 The life of a minister of the gospel means he must be a teacher of all. Paul knew that because Titus was young, he needed wisdom for each group in his flock and so he spent much time explaining what he has learned from experience. Each group of his parishioners look to him for wise counsel for the church and the home. We see this even today for our churches are multi-generational. The pastor must live a holy life as an example and then teach with wisdom. 

And lastly Paul tells Titus to not let anyone look down on him because of his youth. To do that, Titus must be a man of integrity and a man of prayer. This is wise counsel for even today we have many who are coming into the role of pastor and yet are young. Pray for your pastor! 

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