Pray Without Ceasing

Our vacation turned out to be sick leave. Our plans turned out to be the complete opposite of what we had intended. Instead of spending a few days sight-seeing, we spent a few days finding out more about the intensive care unit, brain surgery and prayer.  I have no regrets on the change of plans because I believe God already knew what was going to happen and He knew that faced with the choice of being at my brother’s bedside or being somewhere else, there was no choice to make. I love my brother.  

He stood at the crossroads of the Cross and surveyed the choice. He could have called 10,000 angels to His defense. He could have looked at you and I and said, not worth it. And yet, in the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed so urgently and so deeply that drops of blood beaded on His forehead.  When faced with the choice of going to the Cross or being somewhere else, there was no choice for Him to make. He loved you and He loved me. He has no regrets. He prayed in the Garden and He continues to pray in heaven for us. He never quits interceding.  He loves us.

God wants you to know today that Easter is for you. It is the greatest story ever told and it was written with you in mind. He loves you. He loved you before the foundation of the world and He continues to love you. He surveyed the Cross, took the beating, faced the humiliation, stepped into hell and faced it all for you.  God wants you to know that He loves you. (period, end of sentence) Because of this Great Love, He will be with you to guide you, protect you, redeem you, restore you, bless you and remain faithful to you forever and ever.  Every single time you have called out to Him He has been right at your side. You might not always feel His presence, but you can count on it.  He knows the pain you have experienced at the hands of another. He knows the humiliation you’ve felt when decisions were made that had nothing to do with love. He knows the sorrow you experience as prayers seemed to go unanswered.

God also wants you to know that because Easter is a day of resurrection, you too will experience resurrection. When you are at the end of your life, the resurrection will be in heaven with the Lord. But even now, while things look bleak and the grave of your hopes and dreams is all you can see, resurrection is coming! God is going to work all things out for your good. He is reviving your calling even as you are reading this. He is renewing your hopes, restoring your dreams and rearranging your circumstances so that your life will be a blessing to all who know you. Now is the time to pray more, read His Word and walk in faith. Three days Christ was in the grave and yet there was much going on we could not see. You may feel that you’ve been in the grave of sorrow, humiliation, regret and uselessness. But much is going on behind the scenes of your life. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep looking for the stone to roll away from the Grave.

Oh beloved, never quit praying. God loves you and He is for you. It makes no difference what others are doing or who has walked away. You are in His hands and His plans for you are as sure as Easter morning. Rejoice in His truth and linger in prayer for at just the right time God will show His plans to you and you will live in the light of His Word!

I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Romans 8:34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Psalm 116:2 Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! NLT

John 11:20 Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.

Ephesians 1:11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan. NLT

The Sovereign Lord Wants You to Remain Flexible

The Sovereign Lord Wants You to Remain Flexible

by rebekahbeene

 

One day this week we had some unusual weather – sun, rain, thunder, winds. And all this within moments. The trees were creaking and the limbs were falling. When I got home I noticed that we had a “widow maker” in our yard. One of our trees is in pretty bad shape and a huge limb had falling, breaking up into smaller pieces as it hit the ground. The trees that are in good shape all made it fine without much more than a leaf or two of new growth flying away. But this old near dead tree didn’t fare so well.

God wants you to know that His desire for you is that you remain healthy and flexible. Your spiritual health is His greatest concern. He knows that as long as you can bend in the weather of life’s circumstances, which are constantly changing, you won’t break. Being flexible is important to Him too, because you can’t see the road ahead. He knows what’s around the next curve in life and He has prepared a way to make it. But if you break under the stress you’ll never get past the present hurts or disasters to see the better way. High winds of adversity, strong storms of trouble, the thundering load of sorrow were never meant to destroy you. The bending of your life is not meant to humiliate you, but humble responses to God’s Sovereignty are needed. Bending your knee to seek His face when things are going wrong will always result in new growth and greater strength.

Oh beloved, you’ve weathered quite a bit haven’t you? It’s tiring to keep up appearances and make sure all around you is neat and tidy. But you’re starting to wonder where God is and you want to just let it all go. Believing is easy when things are going well, but when those winds howl at your extremities and bit at your heart and mind it weakens the best resolve. Now is your time to bend – bend to the Truth of God’s Word. Bend to the Sovereignty of God, bend to the knowledge that God is still God and He has your best interest in mind. He will get you through, you can stay in one piece, you don’t have to lose ground or lose faith. Rejoice in His Truth, hide in His love and watch as you come through more understanding and knowledge of God after all.

God loves you and He’s for you. His desire is that nothing would break your spirit but that leaning and bending towards Him will always result in your good and His glory. Trust Him today, give Him your troubles, let Him shelter you, guide you, watch over you and protect you all the days of your life. When this storm passes, you will be able to share the Truth with another who will need to know just what you’ve learned about God and about the strength you can display as you set your heart toward God.

Psalm 27:7-8 Listen to my pleading, O LORD. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Isaiah 50:5 The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened. I do not rebel or turn away.

Psalm 69:32 The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help live in joy.

Storms of Life Can’t Knock the Real Power Out

by rebekahbeene

It was another stormy night in Arkansas. Having been through a cold and rainy winter, we’ve all been looking forward to spring. But Arkansas springs bring storms and those are not fun. Some places in the state were under tornado warnings off and on all night. I was awake several times checking the weather map. We were awakened to thunder and lightning and even a power outage. But it’s morning andwe have made it through again.

God speaks to my heart: Storms in your life are inevitable. But you don’t have to let them knock the power out of you. I AM with you in the peaceful sunny days and I AM with you when the storms are raging. Storms may knock you to your knees, but always know that when you are praying is when you are at your strongest. No mere words said to hope the talisman protects you. No, you are calling on Me and I AM the Great I AM. I AM the One Who calms the storm and answers your prayers. Your power for living is greatest when your natural power is weakest. You are more than the storms in your life. You are invincible and every time you pray the powers of the storm and the powers of hell are rendered useless. You may be in a storm today but because you come to Me with your needs during the storm and let Me speak to your storm, you can know that your future will be sunny and your damage will be null.

Oh beloved, are you hiding in a corner? Do you hear the rage of life storming over your head? Arise and know that you don’t have to be in fear. No storm lasts forever and no child of God has to fear. You may feel powerless but you are not. You may think it has all gone dark but you are walking in the light. You may be concerned of the damage being done, but as long as you take your storms to Jesus and face them with faith, the winds and the howling and the trouble has to stop. You can rejoice even in the midst of it all because by faith you know that God is working it all out for your good and His glory. Don’t stare at the weather, beloved, and don’t let what the natural eye sees knock you to the ground. Don’t worry about the bad reports and the damage around you. Instead rejoice in the midst, thank God for your opportunity to release your faith and be blessed as you know you will see the morning and the Son will shine again.

God loves you so much that He didn’t just create you to live by your wits. He gave you life to live close to Him, in His power and by His Spirit. He’s for you so even when the storm is raging, you can have peace and faith to endure it all and be more than a conqueror.

Proverbs 10:25 When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. 

Mark 4:39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

2 Corinthians 6:7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

I Peter 5:6-7 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

God Wants to Speak Into Your Life

We were playing with grandkids last night and turned on a little praise music. They started dancing and having a blessed time. Our 6 year old was really into it. In a few minutes he came up to me and said, “This is where, if I was at church, I would pray”. So precious. I told him that we can pray anywhere, anytime. He looked at me and then danced off to the stairway where he knelt on the stairs. I could see him out of the corner of my eye. In a moment, he danced by and said, “I prayed”. I know he was emulating things he’d seen at church and there’s nothing wrong with that. He’s so intuitive.

Aren’t we like that at times? We think we have to be in church to do spiritual things. We save prayer for the service. We find ourselves preoccupied with life during the week We get busy and we just forget. Sunday comes around. Just as when my own children were little and we had to spend many Sunday mornings finding the Sunday shoes, we get busy finding our way to God. The problem is He’s been with us all the time. I wonder, does He walk around hoping we’ll notice Him like our kids and grandkids do us when we get sidetracked?

God speaks to my heart: Precious one, my name is I AM and I am with you right now. I have observed your life and am intimately acquainted with all your plans, your distractions, your hopes, your fears and your joys and tears. I am a present tense God – you don’t have to wait to talk to Me or praise Me or give Me your heart. That still small voice you have been hearing is Me. I am always calling to you to rest in My promises, delight in My precepts and hem your day in Me. I know things can be hard and juggling all that you do makes for busy days and late nights. But I AM. If you will give Me time right now, I will multiply your time for you so that you can prioritize the things that must get done and leave behind the things that don’t need attention. I created light and dark, time and space, so I AM able to manage everything in the universe and beyond. I AM able to help you through it all. When you wait to visit with Me until Sunday you simply rob yourself of the best. Bring Me your troubles today and by Sunday I will lift your spirits so that you can praise Me and live for Me every day of the week.

Oh beloved, Jesus loves you! He not only gave His life for you, He is making intercession – praying for you – always – at the Father’s throne in heaven. There is much you need to know about life – about your life – and there is much He needs to hear from you. This wondrous love that God has for you in Christ is enough to give Him charge over every single day, over your day to day life. Time spent with God divides sorrows and multiplies blessings. There is nothing too small to ask Him for help. There is nothing too big that He cannot move. He gives rest to you when you are weary and faith to you when you are unsure of decisions that must be made. His ways are best. Today is your best day to seek His face, read His Word and live in the light of His glory and grace.

This love God has for you is like no other. His care for you is beyond belief. Go ahead and share your life with Him. Give Him your day today and talk to Him about everything. You’ll be amazed at how your burdens will lighten and your day will go better. His plans for your life include Him and it begins today and you can rejoice in Him always!

Romans 8:34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Isaiah 25:1 O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.

Matthew 6:32-33 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. NLT

Psalm 63:6-8 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Keep Praying, Keep Watching for the Son to Rise

The weather forecast has most of us holding our breath. For the south, we’ve had a pretty hard winter. The cold temps have dipped and stayed low for a long time. Not much clear bright sunshine to speak of. 

When winter first comes we meet it with excitement. We can do this. The wood pile is full, the jackets and boots are taken out of storage and we anticipate changes of snow to play. But eventually winter is just winter. No longer fun, no longer tolerable, we’ve had it. Snow is messy, the wood pile is waning and the sun hasn’t shined much at all. We need spring. We need some sunny days and warmer temperatures. We’re tired of bundling up everywhere we go. 

Just as we prepare for winter, we also prepare for hard times. We know the Word and we speak it into our own hearts with confidence. We can do this. We can get through it. Sometimes though, the hard, cold reality is the chill of hard times gets to us. Spring gets delayed and our hopes get delayed. We were willing to believe God would get us through, that we’d have enough spiritual insight to get by, but now we’re done with it. Chilled to the bone, we want the Son to shine again. We want Jesus to come and take away the pain and make things new. The anticipation has given way to heartache. 

Maybe you’re there. You prayed, you quoted Scripture, you held tight to God’s hand and you bundled up in His love. But you’re tired of it. The prayers are waning, the hope is diminishing and even though the Word forecasts that better days are ahead, you’re beginning to doubt it all. You put all your hope in the forecast, but it’s not happening and you’re weakening. Where is God when the winter times linger, when the answers to prayer don’t come quickly and the chill of the present situation is starting to cause frostbite to your heart and mind?

Oh beloved, this is the time to hold tighter to God’s unfailing promises. His forecast is the only one you can rely on. He promises that better days are ahead, but we think that means everything is going to be fine quickly. Sometimes winter lingers far into the days that should be sunny. But God says you will be better. You will overcome. You will be victorious. You will live in the warmth of His light and His love. Keep praying, keep quoting Scripture, keep looking for Him. He’s your answer to hard times, bad outcomes and worse weather. He is the One who makes all things new. Even when the spouse stays gone, the money stays low, the friends stay gone and the child stays wayward. Even when you see no sign of the Son. Especially when you grow weak and weary and unsure if spring’s answer will come.

Whatever you are hoping for, praying about and trying to get through, God will see you through. Don’t give up now, for just as the forecast says warmer days are ahead, you know that the answer is just ahead. Just as you cannot choose the exact day that warm weather and sunny days will return, you cannot choose when God answers or how He will answer, but answer He will. The situation you are presently in is just a passage where your faith is growing and your knowledge of God is growing and your hope is becoming more steadfast. 

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you can endure the winter of waiting, knowing that God has an answer to your heartfelt cries as you look to Him.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

James 1:6 But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

Isaiah 60:19 No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Disaster House or Christ Built House?

Disaster House highlights home remodeling the “wrong way”.  The episode I watched showed them pulling out a load bearing wall by hitching the wall to a set of Clydesdale horses through a window. The horses pulled that wall down without much effort. But the after effects were bad: falling plaster, sagging ceiling, and the floor above falling down.

The results were truly disastrous.  The host did go on to show how to fix the mess once you’ve done it.  It took a lot more time, money and effort to repair the mess. They could have done it the right way to start with and saved a boatload of money and headaches!

Fortunately for us believers growing in faith and becoming Christlike don’t have to come at the cost of a disaster. Just like home remodeling, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things in the Kingdom of God. Unlike a homeowner who may have no background knowledge and no guidebook to go by, we believers have the knowledge of the Most High God spoken into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Our “resident” expert shines His Spirit on God’s Word and we can know that we know that we know how to live with one another, how to grow in unity, love and faith. We can also know how to build up one another, build up God’s ministry and repair any problem that arises.

But there will be times that we will have to start from the ground up. A lot of times we come into a situation with all of God’s knowledge but the building has sagged for a long time. Lack of prayer, lack of love, lack of the bolstering of God’s Spirit: all make for a bad situation.  We could just tear down the entire building or let it go empty. But is that God’s plan?   How do we go from the disaster house we find ourselves in to the Spirit built Kingdom God desires?

It may be that the disaster you are facing looks too far gone to do anything about.  You’ve tried everything and yet the walls are falling in everywhere. It may be your ministry, your marriage, your children, your future, your finances or your friendships.  While there’s nothing you can do to change things in the natural, there is always something you can do that will move heaven and earth on your behalf: you can pray. Keep asking God to show up and show out. Ask God to change your heart and then the hearts and minds of others.

Without God as the Master Builder and Chief Architect we all might as well go home. Without Jesus as the chief cornerstone of all we do we are headed for disaster. And would we want it any other way? Do we really want to do it all by the flesh? Are we really content when we’ve had our way? Do we feel great satisfaction when the things fall completely to the ground?  Does “I told you so” ever make the disastrous heap of rubbish look better or feel better?

Oh beloved, God has a wonderful plan for your life and for the life of those around you. His plan calls for Him to be first, for love to reign supreme and for the head of the building to be Christ. Can you work with that? Can you leave the choices to Him? If you do, you will watch Him display His wondrous power in glorious ways! He will take the crumbling edifice and rebuild it for His glory! And when it’s all said and done and our life of faith is over here on earth, we will arrive home face to face with the Stone the builders rejected.

God loves you and He’s for you – and that’s why He keeps asking you to let Him do the construction throughout your life as you learn to be more like Him. When it’s all about Jesus, He makes the reconstruction better than anything you could dream up on your own. You can trust Him as He builds your life into something magnificent to show forth His glory!

Ephesians 2:20 Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself.

Colossians 2:7 Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Matthew 7:24 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Jude 1:20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

God Hears

Our pastor shared about giving blood this week-end. He and his wife usually go to Hope to give blood since it’s the closest place. But this time they went to a blood drive in Hot Springs, which is 75 miles away from their home. He just felt that was what he was supposed to do. So they went. 

While he was being prepped for his turn, there is a battery of questions they usually ask everyone who gives blood. While he was answering those questions, he noticed the lady had a photo of a little baby girl who looked incredibly like his own youngest granddaughter. They got to talking and before he knew it she was asking him if he was in a hurry. He replied no and she began to pour her heart out to him.  She shared things that no stranger would share with you.  He shared God’s love with her. Between them she made a decision to give her life fresh and new to the Lord.  He prayed for her and with her and God did the work.

Because that woman needed a touch from the Lord, God sent a man and his wife 75 miles out of their way just for her. God does this kind of thing all the time. He moves heaven and earth for people, He went to the cross for people, He makes intercession in heaven for people and he sends His children to minister grace and peace and life to others who are parched and thirsty and desperate for just a drop from the Lord.

Two things occurred that day: a man felt the nudge to go out of his way, out of his comfort zone, out of his area. A woman was undoubtedly crying out to God for help.

You may be the one God is nudging. You may feel the urge to do something different, ride a different road, stop at a different gas station, cash your check at a different bank, whatever…if you belong to the Lord it just may be the Holy Spirit nudging you in the direction of some poor fainting hungry person who needs rescuing. God wants to use you – are you willing to listen? Are you willing to answer the call? Are you willing to move in the Spirit? If you are, God will use you beyond your wildest imagination. For people everywhere you go need a touch from Jesus and you are the arms and hands in this world just for that.

You may be the one calling out to God. No matter what you are calling on Him for, rest assured beloved He hears you! Rest assured precious one that He is sending the answer to your every need. It may be just outside the door of your heart. It may be just around the corner of your mind. But you can know for a fact the answer – the Lord Himself – is coming your way.

Why would God do this? Because He loves you! Why did He go to the cross, why did He suffer the shame, why is He seated at the right Hand of God the Father Almighty? Why is He coming again? Why is He preparing a place for you? Because He loves you!

Oh beloved, God loves you! If you can get that one fact settled in your heart today everything will change.  He has a love for you that’s beyond words yet He conveys it in His actions, in His gifts and in His Word. And because He loves you He will make all things good, all things new and all things work together. He’ll even use you as you yield yourself to His love. 

Ask Him this morning to show you His love and then pledge your love back to Him. Ask Him and He will show you the keys to the Kingdom and give you a life that’s out of this world – all for Love, all for Love.

Psalm 138:1-3 I give You thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing Your praises before the gods.  I bow before Your holy Temple as I worship.  I praise Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness; for Your promises are backed by all the honor of Your name.  As soon as I pray, You answer me;  You encourage me by giving me strength.

Psalm 138:7-8  Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.   The Lord will work out His plans for my life— for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for You made me.

Romans 10:14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

Psalm 145:19 He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them.

Romans 8:34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

I Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

 

Lord, Teach Us to Pray!

I’ve noticed something about kids. They pick up words and habits so easily when they’re little.  I remember the time that our pastor was kneeling down front at church.  Our grandson Blake might have been three and he slipped out of the pew and knelt down beside him. It was priceless.  Recently I’ve noticed that Stella will say Amen when she hears someone say it in church. So cute to hear a toddler amen the pastor’s message.  No one will let us forget to ask God to bless our meals. The habit of prayer is learned so quickly.  I can remember being asked by grandchildren to “pray over it!” when they had a scraped knee or other injury.

For the believer, we need to build habits into our lives as well. The habit of fellowship with like minded believers. Nothing sweeter than talking about the Lord together and reminiscing about His wonderful works among us.  Amening the pastor. He needs the encouragement of agreement and we need the reinforcement of the agreement as well.  As we live in the habit of adoration of God, reading of His Word and studying the Bible, we just naturally gravitate to one of the most wonderful habits a believer can have and that’s the habit of prayer.

God has granted all of His loved ones an open invitation to prayer. We can pray about everything and we can pray any time we want to.  What a beautiful habit to develop! This access to the Heavenly Father is no light thing. We are granted the benefit of coming into His presence with requests and intercession always. And we learn about prayer from His time in the garden, His response to satan and His fellowship with people. Everything we need to know about prayer we can find in His Word.  It is always the right time to pray. We can pray about the big things and pray about the little things. This Wonderful Savior wants you to talk to Him about every aspect of the life He shares with you and to keep you thriving in the very center of His will.

Oh beloved, God knows the issues of life can weigh heavily on you. He knows you’ve been through the mill, run through the ringer and left high and dry. He knows you have been at the end of your rope,  left between a rock and a hard place and been under the gun.  He knows you want to please Him, but without fellowship with Him in prayer, it’s going to be hard to get over things, solve problems and move on in your life. He’s got your entire life covered.  There is nothing in your life that is too great for His power. There is nothing going on that is too small to need His help.   He speaks so lovingly this morning as He woos you to come into His presence and give your hurts, your needs, your hopes, your desires, your problems and your successes to Him.  Tell Him everything. Hold nothing back. For He is the One who can be trusted with your most intimate details. He knows all about you and He knows all about those things that not even your best friend knows.

God is your Prayer Warrior. God is your Loving Father. God is your Way Maker. He loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you can come to Him in prayer for everything and any time.

 Luke 11:1 Then He was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, [just] as John taught his disciples. AMP

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:24

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. Philippians 4:6 AMP

James 5:16b  The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

Are You Wondering if God Even Hears You?

Heading down the interstate, I was praying for someone I’ve been praying for a long time. I was asking the usual petitions. “Lord, speak to their heart. Lord, come into their home and be the Lord of their life. God, speak and move and change things for them. Send salvation and sanctification and regeneration into their home and their family.”  I heard a voice from Heaven speak, “What makes you think I have not already been speaking to their heart?”

I was surprised and relieved. I felt a very calm spirit relaxed over my heart. I realized I had been praying as though every prayer was just reaching the ears of God. Almost begging God to do something! And then through that still small voice I realized that God is speaking and calling and urging the one I am praying for to return to Him.

It changed how I pray. I now pray in more faith.  Lord, I know that you are speaking to their heart. I pray that their ears will be open to your call. Thank you Lord that you are calling them to You.  Thank you Lord that You love them and are working out Your marvelous plan for their life.

If you’re like me you may not be sure who prayed for you to have a walk with Jesus. I just know that from my earliest childhood I was always thinking about God and always asking Him for things that were beyond me. Because of that I believe someone in my family history interceded for me.  If you’re like Danny you can point to at least one person in your family who was a true intercessor. In Danny’s case it was a godly grandmother and she prayed both him and several of his closest friends into the Kingdom and into service for God. (that’s a whole other story I’d love to share with you)  Most of all I believe it is God who calls and God who wills humanity to believe and live for Christ.

Oh beloved are you having a hard time seeing the results of prayer? Are you wondering if God is listening or if He really cares? Have you been praying consistently for a long time for a loved one? Maybe you’re dealing with personal issues. Have you been asking God for His help and don’t feel like you’ve seen the answer yet?  I can assure you that He surely listens – you can believe this morning that He hears you and He cares. One is His Word. He says so and His Word is His Bond.  The other is practical application – I’ve seen Him work and I’ve heard Him answer. God is no respecter of persons – He hears all His own when they pray. He even hears the penitent prayer of those who have wandered off from His will.

Listen quietly this morning and take ALL your needs to Him. Thank Him for His answers even before you see them.  Praise Him for His marvelous work in your life and the life of those you pray for. Never quit praying and seeking and asking for God rewards those who seek Him. He responds to those who are persistent. Never quit praising Him for God inhabits praise.

I John 5:14 And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him.

Psalm 66:19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.

Colossians 4:2 Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. Amplified Bible

Matthew 7:7-8 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Isaiah 65:24 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Prayer is the Ultimate Anti-Spyware

Over the week-end my computer got very slow. Even typing and using the word processor program got laborious. I did a system restore and that didn’t accomplish a thing. I also downloaded new spyware applications and got rid of a few spy programs that were hidden in the system. I finally changed the batteries in the wireless keyboard and mouse. It seemed to work a little better, but who knows which change made the difference? It wasn’t fast enough though. Finally I resorted to what I should have done first – I prayed! Yes, I prayed for me and my computer. I asked God to help because He knows the computer is important to me and I am important to Him. 

Pray for a computer you say? Pray for yourself? Yes! If you’re like me your time is valuable and short. There are many things vying for every hour of the day and if one thing runs down it all comes to a halt. So I prayed.  Spyware abounds everywhere. The enemy of our souls wants nothing better than to derail and dislodge our walk with God.  First he attempts to distract us with pressing events and issues. If that doesn’t work he’ll try to disarm and disengage us. His spyware is very sophisticated – so much so that we often don’t even see it until we’re bogged down with rage or fear or worry or frustration.  

Prayer is the ultimate anti spyware. Through prayer we can do a thorough system restore. We can go back to our Father and restore the things we left behind while we were getting busier and busier.  Praying His Word dislodges bad programming that threatens our hearts and minds.  We need time talking with the Lord to restore our spiritual batteries and make our hearts stronger and more effective. Prayer for ourselves is the first line of defense-as we pray for God to restore us and renew us, He gives us a clean heart and fresh mind for the day ahead. As we ask God for the very things we have tried to fix ourselves, He gives us His design for repair and we find ourselves feeling rejuvenated and better able to hear from the Lord.

Oh beloved, are you having a hard time hearing from the Lord? Has your heart been loaded with weariness, guilt, insecurity, comparison, and perfectionism? Are you wondering what’s going to happen next? The Lord knows your weaknesses; He knows the enemy’s first line of attack to your system. He knows you personally! And because He knows you, He has a plan to thwart the enemy’s plans. When you seek Him first, for yourself, your loved ones, your life and your plans He will steer you in the right direction! He will speak love words over your entire being, so that you will be so filled with His love that nothing else can come in! He will speak His care over your life so that you will be so filled with the knowledge of His mercy and grace that nothing can come in to bog your life back down!

Oh how He loves you! Wherever you are and whatever situation you find yourself in, God is with you and as you turn your heart to Him in prayer He will do whatever it takes to restore you so that you can praise, honor and glorify Him!

Psalm 5:2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You.

Psalm 142:5 Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.

Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

Isaiah 55:6  Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near.

Keep Asking - He Delights in You!

We will have new neighbors this week. The house across the street has been empty for several months now. It was full of life and fun just a year ago, before the owner’s wife passed away.  Then he moved back home to Tennessee.  It’s going to be nice to have someone in the house.  There’s more to that story…

I got some news recently that did not line up with what I’ve been praying. I was frustrated and hurt.  I thought I had seen signs of the prayers beginning to be answered, but with this recent turn of events I was floored.  In fact I was sure that God just wasn’t going to answer that particular prayer. 

I was sharing my dismay with the new neighbor, who just happens to be Stella’s mom and my daughter. She said, “I’ve got a devotional for you.” And this is what she related: “I prayed to get an opportunity to move to Arkadelphia.  All the time I griped daily. I would say to myself you’ll never get to move. Things will never change. Gripe,  complain, etc. But here we are moving into a big house with a great yard and two bathrooms.”  She continued, “God answered my prayers even though I was saying it just won’t happen. Even though I was complaining pretty much every day”.  Well? You guessed it.  I will continue to pray, no matter what my eyes see, no matter what the circumstances are. I know I am praying according to God’s will, so whatever comes I’ll keep praying.

Oh beloved, what have you been praying for? What is that heart’s desire that you just keep hoping for?  I want to encourage you this morning to keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking! Don’t look to the circumstances or the situation, but look to the Lord! Remember that satan can throw roadblocks at you, things that seem to say there’s no hope, but he can’t stop God’s will.  There’s nothing God loves more than to answer His children with good and wonderful answers!   Press on to the One Who loves you; press in to the One Who delights in answering your prayers; press close to the One Who is for you. How blessed are you who speaks with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord about all your troubles, trials, hopes, fears and desires – knowing He always answers in His time and right on time!

Psalm 6:9  The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD will answer my prayer.

Psalm 118:21  I thank You for answering my prayer and giving me victory!

2 Corinthians 10:4  We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

Luke 11:9 And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Everything to God in Prayer...

It's an old hymn sung by faithful believers many years ago. I love the new praise and worship because it opens our hearts to the Word of God but the old hymns were written by people who lived in the trenches of life and knew that they knew that they knew God is real and ever present...

Originally a poem, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" was never intended by the hymn writer, Joseph Scriven, for publication. Upon learning of his mother's serious illness and unable to be with her in faraway Dublin, he wrote a letter of comfort enclosing the words of this text. Some time later when he himself was ill, a friend who came to see him chanced to see the poem scribbled on scratch people near his bed. The friend read it with interest and asked if he had written the words. With typical modesty, Scriven replied, "The Lord and I did it between us."


The Words go like this -
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Old Time Religion Stuff, but however sophisticated we Christians get, one thing remains true - we can never find a Friend so faithful and it is truly a privilege to take every need, every desire, every shortcoming, every friend and loved one to Him in prayer. Most of all, prayer is that intimate time we have of worship with the One True God.

I like what Ergan Caner said: The praise song that goes, "There's no God like Jehovah" should really say, "There's no God but Jehovah!"

Imagine, revel in and rejoice - we believers who are born again have the PRIVILEGE to take it to the Lord God Jehovah in prayer!

Here are some interesting quotes on prayer from some famous and not so famous believers:

Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God. --Andrew Murray

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go. -- Abraham Lincoln

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?-- Corrie Ten Boom

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan --John Bunyan

We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another. --William Law

There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision. It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire off their guns anywhere. Possibly somebody would be killed, but the majority of the enemy would be missed. --Charles Haddon Spurgeon

We lean to our own understanding, or we bank on service and do away with prayer, and consequently by succeeding in the external we fail in the eternal, because in the eternal we succeed only by prevailing prayer. --Oswald Chambers

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work. --Oswald Chambers

And for those who struggle with their prayer time:

"...True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length." C. H. Spurgeon