Father God, let our nation's upcoming presidential election be fair and just... and help us all remember that, no matter how it turns out, those in positions of authority have been placed there by You (Romans 13:1).
You are good, Lord, and You are worthy of our trust!
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Monday, October 29, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Prayer
Prayer is to the spiritual life
what the beating of the pulse
and the drawing of the breath are
to the life of the body.
- John Henry Newman
Prayer is a work to which
we must commit ourselves
if we are to make sense of our lives
in the light of eternity.
- Terry Glaspey
I love the LORD because
HE hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.
- Psalm 116:1, NLT
Friday, June 8, 2012
Worry...
I don't think I'm a real worrier... but sometimes I worry. About my boys. Like, how will they "turn out?" or Are our parenting efforts working? or What about the troublesome character issues we're dealing with?
Unfortunately, worried thoughts upon more worried thoughts can churn themselves into fear... and fearful thoughts can churn into despair. It's useless. There's no hope.
But in Christ, that is NOT TRUE! The Word says God "is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think" (Eph 3:20) and that He "causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28).
So I came up with this little saying:
Let worry
drive you to
prayer—
not despair!
It's a reminder to myself to TALK TO JESUS when everything seems out of control! HE is in control—and He cares! I can leave my worries in His loving hands because of His amazing promises (two of which I listed above).
What hope there is in Jesus... what peace! :)
Unfortunately, worried thoughts upon more worried thoughts can churn themselves into fear... and fearful thoughts can churn into despair. It's useless. There's no hope.
But in Christ, that is NOT TRUE! The Word says God "is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think" (Eph 3:20) and that He "causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28).
So I came up with this little saying:
Let worry
drive you to
prayer—
not despair!
It's a reminder to myself to TALK TO JESUS when everything seems out of control! HE is in control—and He cares! I can leave my worries in His loving hands because of His amazing promises (two of which I listed above).
What hope there is in Jesus... what peace! :)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
No matter what your mood... pray.
This paragraph from 31 Days of Praise was SO convicting to me! I should pray no matter how I feel—and perhaps especially when I'm not feeling like it!!
>>We get in trouble when we depend on our feelings in prayer. We start thinking we have to be in a praying mood to pray. Or we call our petitions "good prayers" if they give us a certain feeling. It's much better to just decide to pray, as God commands—regardless of how we feel. Charles Spurgeon wrote, "We should pray when we are in a praying mood, for it would be sinful to neglect so fair an opportunity. We should pray when we are not in a praying mood, because it would be dangerous to remain in so unhealthy a condition."<<
Myers, Ruth. 31 Days of Praise, p.193
>>We get in trouble when we depend on our feelings in prayer. We start thinking we have to be in a praying mood to pray. Or we call our petitions "good prayers" if they give us a certain feeling. It's much better to just decide to pray, as God commands—regardless of how we feel. Charles Spurgeon wrote, "We should pray when we are in a praying mood, for it would be sinful to neglect so fair an opportunity. We should pray when we are not in a praying mood, because it would be dangerous to remain in so unhealthy a condition."<<
Myers, Ruth. 31 Days of Praise, p.193
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Got prayer?
Yesterday I pulled 31 Days of Prayer (by Ruth Myers and Warren Myers) off the bookshelf. After a brief scan, I decided to make it my quiet time companion for the next month or so.
Actually, I'm a little surprised I didn't read it at the time I purchased it about 8 years ago. I have loved and re-read several times the Myers' previous book, 31 Days of Praise, and it ministers to my heart in new ways every time. But this book... a book specifically about prayer? What's there to know about prayer? You just tell God what you need, right? Well, yes... but there's so much more to it...
To quote from the book, prayer "brings us into a love relationship with God, rooted in our realizing how much we need Him and our choosing to depend on Him. Prayer also links our lives with God's exciting purposes and power." I want that!! I could use some help in this area! I want my prayer life to go beyond what I call vending machine prayers... "God, I need this" and "God, help me with that"... like putting my prayer into the coin slot and expecting an answer to drop into the basket.
So I read day 1 this afternoon, and boy did God move my heart! The prayer brought up being an ambassador for Christ in all areas of my life... asking God to work in me and through me... and recognizing that God alone can give true significance to my work and activities. It just made me realize how narrow my focus has become (i.e. too inwardly focused on MY mothering responsibilities, MY kids, MY issues).
Oh, how I want to walk closely with Him and rest in the joy of His presence. All. Day. Long. I hope this book will be a springboard into a greater prayer life—not just for mySELF, but for others (known or unknown)—and to experience God freshly and more deeply in seeing Him move!
Actually, I'm a little surprised I didn't read it at the time I purchased it about 8 years ago. I have loved and re-read several times the Myers' previous book, 31 Days of Praise, and it ministers to my heart in new ways every time. But this book... a book specifically about prayer? What's there to know about prayer? You just tell God what you need, right? Well, yes... but there's so much more to it...
To quote from the book, prayer "brings us into a love relationship with God, rooted in our realizing how much we need Him and our choosing to depend on Him. Prayer also links our lives with God's exciting purposes and power." I want that!! I could use some help in this area! I want my prayer life to go beyond what I call vending machine prayers... "God, I need this" and "God, help me with that"... like putting my prayer into the coin slot and expecting an answer to drop into the basket.
So I read day 1 this afternoon, and boy did God move my heart! The prayer brought up being an ambassador for Christ in all areas of my life... asking God to work in me and through me... and recognizing that God alone can give true significance to my work and activities. It just made me realize how narrow my focus has become (i.e. too inwardly focused on MY mothering responsibilities, MY kids, MY issues).
Oh, how I want to walk closely with Him and rest in the joy of His presence. All. Day. Long. I hope this book will be a springboard into a greater prayer life—not just for mySELF, but for others (known or unknown)—and to experience God freshly and more deeply in seeing Him move!
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