Power In Prayer Continued

There is power in prayer!

Power Of Prayer - For what kind of things should I pray?

God's help through the power of prayer is available for all kinds of requests and issues.

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."


If you need an example of a prayer, read Matthew 6:9-13. These verses are known as the Lord's prayer.

The Lord's prayer is not a prayer we are supposed to memorize and simply recite to God. It is only an example of how to pray and the things that should go into a prayer - worship, trust in God, requests, confession, protection, etc. Pray for these kinds of things, but speak to God using your own words.

The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome enemies (Psalm 6:9-10), conquered death (2 Kings 4:3-36), brought healing (James 5:14-15), and defeated demons (Mark 9:29). God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5).

The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe! Daniel 4:35 proclaims, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Psalm 95:2,6.

It is powerful and a very special experience to begin prayer time with thanksgiving and praise. Also, mingle requests with praise and thanksgiving. The prayers in the Bible by men such as Daniel, Elijah, and others always began with praise, thanksgiving, or confessing who God is. “We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. If the loving-kindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer.

Our Goal is to keep ALL Prayers:

Simple - Talk with God as a friend. Nothing complicated or memorized.

Positive - Positive Prayers are faith-filled and line up with the Bible, Negative Prayers are fear-filled and do not line up with God’s Word.

Powerful - Filled with the anointing of God. Affirm and confess what God says.

Proven - Backed up by God’s word – the most Powerful and Proven force in the Universe. Learn to speak and pray God's Bible Promises for your life! Get Victory in every area of your life!

Spiritual Awareness and Protection

Once you become an effective prayer warrior by praying in God's will you will attract the attention of the spiritual forces of evil in the spiritual realms.

It is written in Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

You must, therefore, become spiritually aware so that you may recognize when you are under attack from the evil ones. You must also learn how to defend yourself against any such assaults.

Speak the Word over your circumstances and use it as you pray concerning every aspect of your life.

Source: Got Questions Ministries - Bible Questions Answered http://www.gotquestions.org/
~~~~~
If you found this article helpful and need to know more about Spiritual Awareness please take time to read articles listed below. The Archives are found on left side of this Blogg. Be blessed and Empowered Today!

April 2006 Archive: SPIRITUAL WARFARE - WE WIN THROUGH PRAYER! - Wait On The Lord - Gods Weapons Of Warfare - Fight against the Kingdom of Darkness effectively

Jan 2007 Archive: When overwhelmed in Spiritual Warfare

Feb 2007 Archive: UNLEASHING THE POWER OF GOD - Spiritual Survival! Feb 2007

May 2007 Archive: Affirmations Using God's word

Also you may find helpful "Prayers to pray using Scripture' these can be found in my other Blogg called "Reflection Jewels' 2009 archive the link for this is at top of page on left hand side.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Pull Out Your Sword"

"...  and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"  Ephesians 6:17b

My little granddaughter spent the night with me the night before last. When we got up yesterday morning, after we had a quiet moment to wake up and a time of prayer for our families,
I decided to tell her about the armor of God (in three year old terms). 

 So I told her that we are soldiers for Jesus and we needed to put on our armor. 

We physically went through the motions of putting on each piece. Afterwards, I told her that every time the devil tried to "make" her not mind her parents, or get angry, or be unkind for her to "hold" her sword out and tell him, "Devil, I am not going to disobey my mama; I am going to obey her". So all day long, each time I would see her doing any of those things, I told her, "Pull out your sword" and she would. After she did she would do the right thing. 

I was thinking about that this morning, mostly thinking that there's a lot of Christians (and most of them adults) who need to be doing the same thing. 

They need to be pulling out their swords (the sword of the Spirit- the Word of God) and using it against the enemy. There are many of them who fall prey to his temptations.

We have been given spiritual weapons in which to fight against our enemy and not only fight him, but prevail. The Lord has provided the weapons. He even says that He will fight our battles for us. 

Jesus already got victory over him and has made us more than conquerors through His victory. And He left us an example of how to use the weapons that He has provided. 

Therefore, when we are in the time of temptation, we don't have to give in to it. 

And just like my granddaughter, after she pulled out her "sword", she did the right thing. 

So when the temptation to be angry, unkind, bitter, unforgiving, to cheat, to lie or steal, or whatever the temptation is- you need to "pull out your sword" and say... "It is written". 

Have a great day. Don't forget about your weapons and use them. 

Source: From Coffee Break a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.  http://www.mastersbusiness.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~

Affirmations/scriptures to speak out can be found in May Archive 2007 - Also you may find helpful "Prayers to pray using Scripture' these can be found in my other Blogg called "Reflection Jewels' 2009 archive the link for this is at top of page on left hand side.

God Is With Us In The Storms:

 Many times in the last few years I have posted messages warning us to prepare for storms that may come in life many took heed by maintaining diciplines of spending time with Abba, praying and reading the word.   Many ask why are these things happening to me? Many times there is no answer.
Recently my attention was caught by the next few messages I have posted below by Greg Laurie. These messages are encouragements that no matter what your situation is 'God is with you'. It also shows storms can come to correct, protect or perfect us. As you read may you be blessed, encouraged and able to go on to encourage others. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Grace is Sufficient for You

You know the drill. Things are going well, no crisis, no conflicts to speak of, pretty much smooth sailing. Then seemingly out of nowhere, a storm hits. Maybe it's a crisis, or a hardship. Maybe it's a personal tragedy. So what do you do when a hurricane-force storm hits and water is filling your boat?

Answer: You take heart. Because you are not alone.

When Paul was at sea on his way to Rome and the mighty tempest hit him and the others on board, he was able to courageously encourage others.  

He told them, "But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me" (Acts 27:22-23).

God was with him

How was Paul able to be so confident?

He was conscious of the presence of God in the face of danger. He knew that God was there with him.

And God is with us in our storms as well. God will always give us what we need when we need it. You remember that Paul had what he called his "thorn in the flesh," which was presumably some kind of physical disability or illness. He asked the Lord three times to remove it (see 2 Corinthians 12).

God's answer was, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9), which is another way of saying, "I will be with you, Paul. Instead of a healing, I will personally be there in a special and sufficient way." Now it is the Lord

A. B. Simpson wrote these words:

"Once it was the Blessing, now it is the Lord.

Once it was the Feeling, now it is His Word.

Once His Gifts I wanted, now the Giver alone.

Once I sought Healing, now Himself alone."

God is with you right now, regardless of the storm or even the shipwreck. We may not hear an audible voice, but you may hear that "still small voice" of God's Holy Spirit. Or He will speak to you through His Word.

Then you, like Paul, can reassure others that "the Lord is in control."Time and time again, God reminded Paul of His presence.

1.     He was there when Paul was in jail in Jerusalem, as Jesus told him to "be courageous!" (Acts 23:11)

2.     It happened in 2 Timothy 4:16-17 when Paul said, "All deserted me . . . but the Lord stood by me."
3.     And it happened here in Acts 27, in the midst of the storm.
When the boss calls you in his office . . .

You can take heart in the face of danger or uncertainty because you are aware of God's presence with you.

When your boss says, "I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to let you go!" Or when the doctor says, "The test results are back and I need you to come in." Or when the telephone rings and someone says, "There's been an accident."

You are not alone. The Lord is standing next to you. He cares. Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Source: Greg Laurie: Daily Devotion June 5  2010 website: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Storms that Correct

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." — Hebrews 12:5–6

Storms will come in life in the form of a hardship or crisis or even tragedy. There will be times when we can anticipate the storm, when we see the clouds start to darken and hear the thunder in the distance. At other times, a storm will arrive unexpectedly. But there is no getting around the fact that we will go through storms.

We will bring some storms on ourselves as a result of our actions. We will do something wrong, it catches up with us, and we face the consequences. A classic example of this is Jonah. God called him, an Israelite, to go and bring a message of repentance to the great city of Nineveh. But the people of Nineveh were enemies of Israel. So Jonah reasoned that if he preached to the Ninevites, they would probably repent and God would spare them. On the other hand, if he didn't preach to them, they wouldn't repent, and God would destroy them. That would be one less enemy Israel would have to worry about. So Jonah boarded a boat that was traveling in the opposite direction.

A terrible storm arose, which was so severe that even the seasoned sailors began to call upon their various gods, hoping for deliverance. Ultimately it was determined that the storm they were facing was a result of Jonah's disobedience. So Jonah was thrown overboard, and you know the rest of the story.

That is what we would call a correcting storm. Correcting storms are reminders that God loves us. If God didn't love Jonah, He wouldn't have sent a storm. But He wanted to get Jonah's attention and get him back on track. So if you find yourself in the midst of a correcting storm, know that it is because God loves you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Correcting Storms

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. — Hebrews 12:7–8

When storms come into our lives, some of them can be considered correcting storms. After Jonah disobeyed God and tried to run the other way, a great storm arose, and God took hold of the reluctant prophet and put him back on course. That storm was the result of Jonah's own disobedience to God and the call on his life.

Many times we bring storms on ourselves when we do the wrong things and then experience the repercussions. And sometimes God will allow us to reap what we have sown so that we ultimately will change our ways.

But when we go astray and then face God's discipline, it is a reminder that we are His children. Hebrews 12:7–8 tells us, "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all."David wrote, "Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). The staff is that long, crooked instrument the shepherd used to pull a wayward sheep back into line. But the rod is a club. And sometimes the shepherd would use the rod to break a sheep's legs, if necessary. That may seem drastic, but it is better to have a broken leg than to become a leg of lamb. If that sheep wandered away from the others, he was easy prey. So the shepherd protected that wayward sheep and the others that may have followed it.

In the same way, when we are going the wrong direction, God will discipline us. This is the purpose of correcting storms in our lives.

Source: Greg Laurie: Daily Devotion December 13 // 2010 website: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Storms that Perfect

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. — James 1:2–4

Some storms in our lives are not the result of our disobedience to God; they are the result of our obedience to Him. A good example of this is Job. What was Job doing wrong when all of those calamities befell him? Nothing. In fact, he was doing so well that God was bragging on him in the presence of the angels and Satan: "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (Job 1:8).

Then the attacks on Job began. These were allowed by God to bring about change in his life. So Job went through a perfecting storm. James writes, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2–4).

 The end game of a perfecting storm is to make us more like Christ.
We may think that when a bad thing happens, it will always turn into a good thing, because Romans 8:28 says, "All things work together for good to those who love God. . . . "

While there are some bad things that God turns into good things, there are also some bad things that are always bad things. Let's remember the verse that comes after Romans 8:28: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son . . . " (verse 29).

God's end game is not to make us happy, but to make us holy. And I believe that if we are holy, we will be happy, ultimately. It is not all about happiness; it is about becoming more like Jesus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Perfecting Storms

For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. — 2 Corinthians 4:17–18

Probably the most common storms we face in life are perfecting storms. These storms come into our lives as a result of following Jesus. But God has a work He wants to do and a desired result that He wants to produce in these storms. As 2 Corinthians 4:17 reminds us, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!"

Storms will come, and in the midst of them, God is doing a work. Sometimes you can see the work, and sometimes you can't. Sometimes that work is simply to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

 Quite honestly, a lot of storms are inexplicable. And when you get to heaven, you will understand why God allowed that storm and why that particular difficulty lasted so long. We can't control our universe. (I have tried, and it doesn't work.) We can't say when a storm will start or when a storm will stop. All we can do is react to that storm.

One of the greatest examples of this is found in the life of Joni Eareckson Tada who, as a young girl, dove into a shallow lake and suffered a spinal cord injury that paralyzed her from the neck down. Despite this severe, lifelong disability, Joni has encouraged millions of people. Now she is battling breast cancer. In an interview she said, "I keep thinking God is up to something big. How can I showcase Him to others?" She knows that her life is on display, and others are watching and learning by her response to these storms.

One day, every storm will have an end. And then, in the big picture, we will see God's ultimate plan and purpose.

Source: Greg Laurie: Daily Devotion December 15 // 2010 website: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Storms that Protect

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. — Matthew 14:22

Sometimes a storm will come into our lives that is protecting us from something worse. This is hard for us to wrap our minds around. Is it possible that a hardship ever could be better than a success? Sometimes it can, because there are things we learn that we would not have learned otherwise.

That is the type of storm the disciples faced when Jesus made them get into a boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Trouble was brewing. Jesus had just fed the multitude, and He "perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king" (John 6:15). Effectively the people said, "You are going to be our king whether you like it or not, because you are the kind of king we want. Raising the dead? That's nice. Restoration of sight to the blind? That's good. Free meal? Now we are talking." They essentially were using Jesus.

So He sent the disciples away, because He knew this would destroy them. On more than one occasion, they had argued about who would be greatest in the kingdom. For their own protection, Jesus had to get them out of there as soon as possible. He was basically saying, "Guys, I am delivering you from major success, which only would destroy you at this time in your lives. So get into the boat."

We need to remember that He who stirred up the storm is also the hiding place in it. God will allow calamity in your life to show you His power. Storms will come. There is no getting around them. Jesus knew a storm was coming when He sent the disciple away—but He was with them in that storm. And He will be with you as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Protecting Storms

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. . . . Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. — Matthew 14:22, 24

The Gospel of John records the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, which was Jesus' most popular miracle. The people loved it so much that afterward, they came by force to make Jesus their king. But Jesus knew their hearts were wrong. He knew they didn't really want Him to be their Lord and Master; they just wanted a free lunch from that point on.

He also knew it would destroy His disciples, who already were having visions of grandeur. On more than one occasion, they argued about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. If the people had taken Jesus and made him king, the disciples suddenly would be elevated to positions of prominence. So Jesus got His boys out of Dodge as quickly as possible. He put them into a boat and sent them to the other side. And as they were crossing, a storm came up.

The disciples were experiencing a protecting storm. And what was it protecting them from? Themselves. Sometimes God will bring difficulty into our lives to keep us from something worse. Be thankful that God doesn't answer all of your prayers in the affirmative: Lord, if You really love me, this person would marry me. . . . Lord, if You really love me, I would have gotten that promotion. . . . Lord, if You really love me, I would win the lottery. God knows what is best. He loves you too much, and therefore is not going to let certain things happen. Maybe God knows that thing you want so bad would actually destroy you if you were to get it.

Are you facing a storm in your life today—a storm that is not of your own making? Just maybe it is a protecting storm.

Source: Greg Laurie: Daily Devotion December 14 // 2010 website: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/
~~~~~~~~~~~
Through Rough Waters

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2

When the disciples faced a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, they cried out to Jesus, and He stopped it. But first He rebuked them. He asked, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26). In other words, "Hey, guys, where is your faith? Haven't you learned anything?"

We find a little detail in Mark 4:35 that we don't have in Matthew's account of the story: "On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' " Jesus did not promise the disciples smooth sailing. But He did promise a safe arrival. They needed to know it would be rough. But Jesus did say, "Let us cross over to the other side." And that means they would get to the other side.

Jesus promises to be with us as well. God says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you" (Isaiah 43:2). In the storm you are in right now, God is with you. He is walking with you through it.

But if you abandon your faith, if you turn against God, you won't make it. God has given you a free will, and you can choose to walk away from Him. However, if you want to make it, then you will. It won't be through your effort, but because God will give you the strength to make it. And He is looking for your cooperation.

Storms will come into every life. The rain will fall and the wind will blow. You might have a rough voyage, but you will get to the other side.

Source: Greg Laurie: Daily Devotion December 16 // 2010 website: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/ 

Hope for the Storms

Reflective Thought: When you go through difficulties in life, there are things you will learn and discover that you would not learn anywhere else! Know that you are not alone, and God will get you through whatever you are facing.
~~~~~~~~~

Hope for the Storms  (Greg Laurie)

Matthew's Gospel tells us, 'Now when He [Jesus] got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea...' (Matthew 8:23–24 NKJV)

Sometimes when storms come into our lives, when hardships come, we may think it is because we are doing something wrong.

But notice these disciples were in the will of God. The storm came as they were obeying Jesus, not because they had disobeyed Him.

And sometimes calamities will come because of your obedience, not your disobedience.

This reminds us that storms will come into our lives.

The storm the disciples were facing was a serious one—so serious in fact that these seasoned sailors began to fear for their lives. In the original Greek, the word that is used to describe this storm is also used to speak of an earthquake. So it was a mega-storm.

One translation from Mark's Gospel says the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger. These were guys who knew how to navigate rough seas and knew how to use their equipment. And they were panicking. Meanwhile, Jesus was sound asleep in the lower part of the boat.

Does it ever seem to you as though God is asleep, that He is not paying attention?

It can be rather disheartening when someone falls asleep when we need them. In the technical sense, Jesus, weary from a hard day's work, was asleep.

But in the broader sense, God never sleeps. Psalm 121:4 NKJV says, 'Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.'  

God is always on watch, always on duty, always paying attention. Jesus was asleep because He rested confidently in the will of God the Father.

The disciples cried out to Jesus, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' (Matthew 8:25 NKJV) And that is what we need to do when we find ourselves in the midst of a storm.

We are not going to offend or hurt God by crying out to him.

Tell him how you are feeling. Sometimes I think we feel as though we need to sanitise all of our prayers.

God wants to hear you speak from your heart. He wants honest prayer.

Even Jesus, hanging on the cross, cried out, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'

You can be sure the disciples had tried everything possible to get out of the mess they were in. But after exhausting all their efforts, they knew Jesus was their only hope.

Sometimes in life, God will allow us get to the end of our rope to come to the end of ourselves so that we will cry out to Him. And when we cry out to Him, He is always ready to answer.

God says, 'He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him.' (Psalm 91:15 NKJV)

Although the shrieking of the storm did not wake Jesus, the cry of His disciples did. He heard their cries, and He responded by rebuking the storm. Suddenly everything calmed down. Matthew's Gospel tells us that it was 'a great calm' (8:26).

God has His purposes in the storms of life. Maybe you are in a storm right now and have cried out forit to stop, but it hasn't. In fact, maybe it has gotten worse.

You are wondering why God is allowing it. There are no easy answers to that question, but know this:

where there are no trials in life, there will be no triumphs. It has been said the hammer shatters glass, but it forges steel. And often in the hardships of life, great things will come.

Many times when you go through difficulties in life, there are things you will learn and discover that you would not learn anywhere else.

Psalm 23 is a well-loved passage of Scripture that opens with a pleasant scene: 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters' (vv1–2).

It was written by a shepherd named David, who knew a little bit about sheep. But David continues, 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me' (v4).

'Hold on,' we say. 'I signed up for green pastures and still waters—not for dark valleys. I don't do valleys.'

While there will be those times God will take us to green pastures and still waters, He will lead us into valleys as well. And it is through those valleys we learn important lessons, because fruit does not grow on mountaintops; it grows in valleys.

And here is the secret of making it through the valleys of life, the storms of life: Know that you are not alone, and God will get you through whatever you are facing.

David said, 'I will fear no evil; for You are with me' (Psalm 23:4).

That is the hope and the promise: God is with you. And He is with you in your storms.

Used with Permission: (Part Message) UCB Today June 11 http://www.ucb.com.au/national/ucb-today

THE SKINNY ON PRAYER

THE SKINNY ON PRAYER

I have placed this link below by Skit Guys (Mini-Movies) As it gives one something to reflect on. May it bless you & inspire you to pray!

http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/22268/The-Skinny-On-Prayer

Prayer is our way to communicate with God, but as Christians we often treat prayer as something to be checked off a list and we miss the part where we are building our relationship with the Creator of the universe.

To Walk With God - Daily

To Walk With God - Daily

In the days ahead many will be stirred by proclamations, both true and false, of ominous events set for fulfillment on specific dates. However, we are not being prepared for a "date" but for a marriage.

It is the depth of our day-by-day relationship with Christ that defines walking with God at the end of the age.

The confidence we have as we face tomorrow is rooted in the quality of our walk with God today. Thus, as these days unfold, the way of the Lord will be revealed for what it truly is: a narrow path upon which we walk with God. It is an indisputable truth: the only way to prepare for Jesus' second coming is to faithfully obey what He commanded in His first coming – and His first command was "Follow Me" (John 1:43).

What does it mean to "follow" Jesus but that we walk faithfully with Him throughout our life? The fact is, we anticipate the nearness of the Lord, but we do not know when He might return. While I believe we are very near to the end of the age, still it may be many years before some of the unfulfilled prophecies come to pass. Regardless, our call is to follow the Lamb – to walk with Him every day.

If we study the Scriptures, we will see that, from the beginning, the Lord always provided for those who walked with Him in His presence. No matter what occurred in the world, God's servants were not held hostage to the fears and anxieties of their times. Their walk with God prepared them for all things.

Jesus said the days prior to His return would be as the days of Noah. Let us look again at Noah's life. God did not give Noah a predetermined date specifying when the flood would come. The Lord gave Noah two things: a task, which was to build the ark, and time to get the job done.

The Almighty could have destroyed wickedness in a heartbeat. Yet, the Scriptures tell us that the "patience of God kept waiting...during the construction of the ark" (1 Peter 3:20). The priority of God was focused not on what was to be destroyed but on what was being built.

Too many of us are so focused on what the devil is doing that we fail to see what God is doing. The focus of the Lord is not on how dark evil becomes but how Christlike the Church becomes! There is a grace streaming from God's heart. In the midst of great darkness, the Lord has purposed to bring glory to Himself and protection to His people.

God told Noah to build the ark. When the task was completed, then the flood came. We also have a task, a vision from God: build the house of the Lord and participate in the harvest of the nations. Jesus did not say, "When evil gets worse the harvest begins." He said, "when the crop permits...the harvest has come" (Mark 4:29).

Certainly, God's highest plans will not be diverted by the increase of wickedness. One may say that God's justice demands He destroy the wicked! Yes, but His nature demands His good plans and promises concerning His glory in the Church first be fulfilled!

Look again at Noah. Noah lived at a time when "every intent of the thoughts of his [man's] heart was only evil continually." His world, like ours, "was corrupt in the sight of God, and...filled with violence" (Genesis 6:5, 11).

Yet, during these same days, "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). What was unique about Noah? How did he find the preserving grace of God in his life? The Scriptures tell us, "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:9).

I love this Scripture: Noah walked with God. What does it mean to walk with God? It means that we stay yielded to His Word and attentive to His presence. Though we do not see Him, we know Him. We have found our place of security in the Almighty. Our peace comes from Him, not people, places, or things.

The name Noah means "rest." As the Lord's servant, Noah not only knew his mission in life, but he found His place of rest in God alone. Step-by-step, day-by-day, Noah lived in the Lord's presence. Noah walked with God and was intimate with Him.

But to know someone deeply does not happen quickly. It takes time to penetrate through the veil of unknowing into the place of enduring friendship and intimacy. This is why walking with God is so pleasing to Him, for it creates a time-tested relationship between God and man. We no longer are controlled by the opinions, criticisms, and approval of the world around us. Only as our walk with God matures does intimacy with the Creator truly begin and peace about the future increase.

Consider Abraham. Abraham was called the friend of God (see Isaiah 41:8). When he was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless" (Genesis 17:1). Walking with God leads to purity and intimate friendship with God. It is the source of becoming blameless.

Abraham's descendants, Isaac and Jacob, also walked with God (Genesis 48:15). The lifelong companionship between the Almighty and these patriarchs set the standard for all who followed, from the kings and the prophets of Israel to each Christian who walks with God today.

My Own Experience

We should not be hard on those who have falsely affixed a prophetic event or even the Second Coming to a specific date. It is usually the sincerity of these people that propels their prophecies into regional or national prominence. I, myself, was swept up in a similar experience in the mid-seventies.

Those were days when threats of nuclear war seemed everywhere; many Christians were predicting divine judgment for America. During those days, I came across an article about a huge comet that was due to appear on Christmas Day, 1973. Previously unknown, the comet was named Kohoutek after the Hungarian astronomer who discovered it. The signs of the times confirmed my fears, but when I read in a religious publication that Kohoutek meant "the wolf that devours the lamb," I felt certain that this was a "sign in the heavens" confirming that the end was near.

Compelled by my inner convictions, I began to warn every church in Detroit, all 1,200 of them, that the world would end that Christmas. I even managed to become a guest on the most-watched morning talk show in Detroit, where I warned as many as three million people of God's imminent wrath.

Christmas came and went and nothing happened. The comet was an over-exaggerated astronomical flop. I had been so sure of my insights, so fearfully compelled by the signs of the times, yet so wrongly informed. Then in late January, I happened to meet a woman fluent in Hungarian. I asked her to translate Kohoutek into English. She thought it meant something like "add a tomato to the stew."

God knew my motives were right, even though my knowledge was wrong. Out of that humiliating experience I began to research other "end of the world" movements in Church history. In my study, I discovered two significant items that occurred in Europe. Masses of people were convinced the year 1666 would see the rise of the Antichrist. This thought led to waves of fanaticism and fear which spread from country to country.

I had also been reading a devotional containing a series of letters written by a man named Brother Lawrence, a monk who served Christ as a dishwasher in a monastery. The simple, yet profound, sense of God's presence that accompanied Brother Lawrence made this book, The Practice of the Presence of God, an enduring Christian classic. But what changed my life was that his first letters were written in the year 1666, during the time when Europe was awash with fear of the Antichrist! For all the turmoil in the world around him, at least one soul dwelt in the peace of Jesus Christ.

Brother Lawrence serves as a model for our generation. For when the terrors and confusion of the end of the age increase, it is only in the Lord's presence that we shall find a calm harbor. And to truly know Him then, we must walk with Him now.

Enoch Walked With God

One of my favorite texts is from Genesis 5:22-24. It reads, "Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years...and he was not, for God took him." Hebrews 11:5 tells us that Enoch had "obtained the witness...he was pleasing to God."

Enoch walked with God 300 years. Every day, Enoch arose and sought the Lord, walking faithfully with the Almighty. Eventually, Enoch became so pleasing to God that, without passing through death, He was taken home to be with the Lord.

So also with us, when we faithfully walk with God we bring great pleasure to our Father. The Scripture says that Enoch "obtained the witness" that his life was "pleasing to God." God communicated His pleasure to Enoch. To know the pleasure of God is to taste the nectar of Heaven itself.

Whatever may happen in the future, the God of the future is walking with us today. And while we may not be able to see into tomorrow, our faithfulness to Christ today is our best security for whatever lies ahead.

As the first person raptured by Christ, Enoch sets the standard for all whom Jesus will one day gather to Himself. They simply and passionately walk with God.

Source: The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, The Days of His Presence. Francis Frangipane - Ministries of Francis Frangipane

How to Pray

Recently many have asked me "How do I pray?" Every one approaches this in a different way so I have posted the message below 'How to Pray" that has some excellent suggestions I use myself.

You can also find in the archive link below the following articles:

"Keys to effective prayers" & more scriptures/Affirmations May 2009
"Teach me how to pray" & "A Model Prayer" 2006
"One Hour prayer Guide" June 2009

For those struggling in trials "Learn to Lament" 2006 Will be of blessing.
~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Pray

In Chapter 5 of the book Private Worship: 'the Key to Joy," Nancy shares some of the insights on prayer she has gained over the past 50 years in her walk with the Lord.

If praying to God is foreign to you or you don't know exactly what to say, these principles may be of help.

Praying the Scriptures

I learned long ago that if I wanted anything at all to be accomplished in my life, it must be brought before the Lord in prayer.

I also learned, however, that there is an appropriate way to pray and an appropriate time to pray laid out for us in Scripture.

When I followed the Lord's prescribed instructions, tremendous results occurred. When I didn't, everything would fall apart! Again, God makes the rules; our duty is simply to follow them.

Someone taught me years ago that when I prayed the Scriptures, God would do powerful things, not only in me, but also in the ones I was praying for.

Bob Sorge, again in his book Secrets of the Secret Place, states that "when we pray with God's Word on our lips, we know we are praying prayers that are living and powerful." Without question, we are specifically praying "according to His will."

Hebrews 4:12 validates this. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

And, it's true! "When the language of our prayers is shaped by the Scriptures, we gain confidence in knowing that we are praying according to the will of God."

This way we by-pass our own self-centered, pity-party prayers and step into God's thoughts, His mind and His wisdom. Now, there's no reason to be afraid of repetition. God knows our heart and what is important to us, and by repeating the same prayers we become like that persistent friend in Luke 11 who would not take "no" for an answer. (The ineffectual prayers that we must watch out for are those mechanical prayers that the Pharisees prayed in order to be seen, heard and thought of "as godly." These were not genuine prayers from their heart, nor from the Spirit of God.)

Also, when you go into your prayer closet, always be sure to have your Bible handy. Then, you not only can pray the Scriptures, but the Lord can also speak His will back to you through the Scriptures.

Since it's always been very difficult for me to memorize Scripture, I found writing the Scriptures out and then praying them, to be extremely helpful and beneficial. So, the following Scriptures are simply suggestions for prayer. They are not intended to be an in-depth thesis on prayer and worship. They are simply some personal thoughts and ideas that have helped me in my almost 50-year walk with the Lord. If they minister, wonderful! If not, skip them and continue reading. Just as in worship, it's imperative to allow the Holy Spirit to direct your prayers.

Remember, we are not under the law but under grace. Therefore, I do not mean to imply a "methodology" or a "ritual" here. We certainly don't have to "work our way to heaven." However, I do believe God has given us His Word and He is very pleased when we pray it back to Him.
Personal Prayers

Some personal prayers that have ministered to me over the years are:

• Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me and know my heart and my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in Your way.

• Job 34:32 - That which I cannot see, please teach me.

• Psalm 45:17 - I desire to make Your Name be remembered in all generations.

• Psalm 17:2 - Let my sentence come forth only from Your presence.

• Ephesians 4:29-31 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearer. Let me not grieve the Holy Spirit, whereby I am sealed. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from me with all malice, etc.

• Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as Christ has forgiven me.

• Hebrews 4:16 - Let me come boldly to Your throne in time of need and find mercy.

• Psalm 119:133 - Order my steps in Your Word. Don't let sin or self have dominion over me.

• Romans 4:21 - I choose to be fully persuaded that what You have promised me, You will perform.

• 1 Corinthians 2:2 - I pray that I would know nothing but "Christ crucified."

• Philippians 4:19 - That You would supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory.

• Matthew 22:37 - I desire to love You with all my heart, with all my will and with all my soul, so that I can then love my neighbor as myself.

• Romans 12:1-2 - I offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable which is my reasonable service, and I choose not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed into Your Image (and show forth Your Life) by the renewing of my mind, so that I can, then, prove in my actions what is the good, the acceptable and the perfect will of God.

• Psalm 138:3 - Make me bold with Your strength in my soul.

• Galatians 1:16 - May You reveal Yourself in me, so that I might speak as You would have me.

• Joshua 9:25 - I am in Your hands, do what You will with me. Have Your way in me.

• Philemon 14 - Without Your opinion, I will do nothing.

• Acts 2:28 - That You would make me full of joy with Your countenance.

• Colossians 3:4 - Christ, You are my life.

• Philippians 1:21 - For me to live is Christ.

Family Prayers

In addition to your own daily prayers for each member of your family, here are some further Scriptures you might want to pray for them. (Again, let the Holy Spirit pick which ones.)

Ephesians 1:17-19 - I pray for Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation for ________. I pray that the eyes of his understanding would be enlightened, so that he might know the hope of Your calling, the riches of Your inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of Your Power towards them who believe.

• Ephesians 3:16-19 - I pray ________will be strengthened with might by Your Spirit in the inner man; that You might dwell in his heart and that he might be rooted and grounded in Your Love and able to comprehend the breadth, the depth and the height of Your Love, so that he might be filled up with the fullness of You.

• Philippians 3:10 - I pray that________may know You and the power of Your resurrection and the fel low ship of Your sufferings, so that he might be made conformable to Your Image.

• 2 Timothy 2:25 - I pray that You would give_________ repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

• Think also about praying: Acts 16:31; 1 Kings 8:23-53; Daniel 9:3-19; and, Colossians 1:9.

Other Suggested Prayers for Loved Ones

Someone once gave me this list to pray for others. As I tried it, I was amazed to see so many I prayed for changed.

• Pray that God would "lift the veil" and give them a personal revelation of Jesus.

• Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to hover over them and give them supernatural protection.

• Pray that God would put godly people in their path.

• Pray that God would expose all pride and rebelliousness.

• Pray that God would expose all their hidden thought patterns–religious prejudices, known strongholds and evil spirits, etc.

• Pray that God would bind Satan from taking them captive.

• Pray that He would place His armor around them, and that He would do all He could to bring them to Himself.

P.S. I might also suggest making a special prayer notebook or prayer journal with all of your own special Scriptures. Then, you can take it into the prayer closet with you.

My prayer diary goes everywhere with me. Those who have seen it laugh, because it is so dog-eared and so beat up. Never mind, I know what it says and it helps me remember the Scriptures.

Lingering in His Presence

David Wilkerson, again one of my favorite pastors, says, "After I end my prayer time, I linger in my secret closet of prayer. I bow before the Lord and say, 'Jesus, I'm here just for You. I don't bring any more requests or petitions. This is Your time and Yours alone. I'm here to listen to Your heart.'"

He goes on to say, "I simply stay in His presence, loving Him and waiting on Him. I know He will come to me and speak His Mind."

When their times of worship and prayer were over, the priests of Solomon's temple went out to minister to the congregation. Just so may we go forth to share the fullness of the Lord received in our worship of Him at the altar of our hearts. And in so doing, and by His continuing presence in us, we will bless all those with whom we come in contact.

Source: Nancy Missler - King's Highway Ministries http://www.kingshighway.org/PRAYER/How_to_Pray.html

The End of the World!

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ~Matthew 24:42

"The end of the world didn't happen [Saturday], but Jesus IS returning. ...

God will bring this present world to a close. Time will come to an end. .... None of us know for certain when we will breathe our last breath, and we are all a heartbeat away from eternity. Whether you stand before God on May 21st, or whether you stand before Him 50 years from now, is irrelevant in the scope of eternity.

The important thing isn't when you stand before God; it's where you stand with God." -

"The truth is, we never know when Christ will return. It could be in the next moment." .........

"Are you ready to stand before God?"

Source: Will Graham (part message) May 24 'A New Day on The Jersey Shore

Are You Ready

Do you know Jesus? If not please read below. Please know God loves You.

Who is this Jesus?

Do you know Jesus?

What would you say if someone asked you "Who is Jesus?" Are you prepared to give an answer?

It is important to know our own testimony of what Jesus has done & be able share the basics of the path to salvation.

How do we do that? We start by reading our Bible & meditating upon God's word - spending time waiting upon Him & listening.

Please note there is a new Christian website set up called http://www.whosjesus.com/

Please when you have time to spare go to this site & browse reflectively - there is a small booklet, videos & many testimonies. May you truly be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God Wants to Answer Your Prayers

If you are discouraged or wondering if God has forgotten you there is a message waiting for you in August 06 Archive!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


God Wants to Answer Your Prayers - Pastor Mark Stephens

The world needs a positive influence from Christians. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

It's important to know that a positive influence glorifies God! IF we're going to stay positive, we need to commit ourselves to prayer. We must not underestimate the importance of prayer in maintaining a level of peace when we are surrounded by negativity.

Philippians 4:6, 7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

In this verse, Paul tells us to present our problems to God instead of worrying about them-then God's peace will come into our heart and mind.

We have to resist the temptation to worry. Why? Because God told us not to be anxious about anything. We were not designed to carry anxiety and burdens. Yet, if we're not careful, we can allow our minds to become disappointed, discouraged, and depressed. We can allow worry to enter in instead of what God has said.

Worry is designed to distract you from the Word of God. The devil tries to get us to spend our time worrying about things-and often, about things that haven't happened yet and probably never will happen. If he is successful, we will become more and more negative, and our faith and prayer life will become ineffective.

God wants to answer your prayers! He wants you to bring your concerns to Him-to cast your anxiety on Him.

1st Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety [worry, care] on him because he cares for you."

John Wesley, the eighteenth century founder of Methodism, once said, "It seems God is limited by our prayer life-that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him."

In Mark 11:24, Jesus Himself said, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Look at what else Jesus said about prayer in John 14:13, 14 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."

Also John 15:7, 8 says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." The fruit that Jesus spoke about is "answered prayer." God gets the glory when we receive answers to prayer!

Answered prayer is one of God's greatest blessings to enable us to remain in peace-too maintain a positive attitude.

Remember the verse from Philippians 4? "Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" When we pray, we give Him not only our petitions, but also our burdens. In exchange, He gives us His peace that passes our human understanding and the promise that He will take care of us and answer our prayers. He relieves us of the anxiety, worry, and care associated with our problem so that we can stay positive and thank Him for the answer, while we are expecting it to come to pass!

Praying in faith will bring you into victory on the other side of every test and trial. On the other side of every sickness, disease, financial problem, or whatever you're facing-victory awaits you!

The following verses will support that truth:
Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 10:23, 35 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised). . . Cast not away
therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward."

The Bible patriarchs of old, who won tremendous victories in prayer, practiced these verses before they were ever written! They brought their requests to God boldly, obtaining mercy and grace from Him in their time of need. They judged Him faithful and held on to their confidence and godly hope until they saw their answer come.

In the nineteenth century, George Mueller founded a great chain of orphanages on nothing but prayer. He lived by faith, refusing to inform anyone of his needs. Instead, he mentioned them only to God on his knees in prayer. At one point in his ministry, he housed more than 10,000 orphans with no steady financial resource. He trusted God daily to meet their needs. Rev. Mueller estimated God "had answered over 50,000 of his prayers, many thousands of which were answered on the day he made them and often before he arose from his knees." His fruitful prayer life can be traced back to his commitment to the Word of God.

Rev. Mueller wrote this poem concerning prayer:

I believe God answers prayer, answers always, everywhere;
I may cast my anxious care,
burdens I could never bear,
On the God who heareth prayer.
Never need my soul despair
since He bids me boldly dare
to the secret place repair,
there to prove He answers prayer.

George Mueller performed exploits for God in his ministry to orphans. At times, there wasn't a bite of food in the entire orphanage for hundred of children. But Mueller and his staff would pray. Again and again, he records "money or supplies had arrived with only minutes to spare before the children sat down at the table."

Why do you think he could make such an impact on mankind? Because he was saturated with the Word of God and had a strong faith and confidence in his prayer-answering God!

2nd Chronicles 7:14 God declared to Israel, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

This is no less true for you and I today. Considering the unprecedented decisions made every day, we should pray for our nations and for those in authority on every level, national, state, and local.

In fact, Paul wrote, "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Timothy 2:1, 2).

Far too often, Christians fail to pray for those in authority-those that make decisions that affect all our lives-yet Paul says to do it first when we pray! Many don't fully comprehend the huge benefit that comes from such obedience: a quiet and peaceable life!

Reflective Thought: We must not neglect this important matter of prayer. We need to believe that God wants to answer our prayers, and then do something about it - we must pray!
~~~~~~~~

Prayer For The Stressed

Many are feeling stressed from undergoing trials so please find below a prayer for you to pray. Some new scriptures & prayers are also posted today in "Reflection Jewels' (link top of page on left side). Sometimes events in life are overwhelming - despite this always remember God is still on the throne and He is still in control. May the messages below minister to your need.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be Encouraged Today... Even In Your Storms

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

I do not know what your needs are today but Jesus knows. You may be discouraged today. You may be going through the hardest trial of your life. I want to encourage you today! Whatever your situation-- the Lord can meet your need! Trust Him-- He loves you.

In this stressful world in which we live, there is a resting place. Aren't you glad? That rest is found safe in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. When troubles come, we can run to our Rock-- the Lord is our Shelter from the storms. He does not always make the winds and the storms cease but He will give us adequate shelter until the storm passes by and will lead us on-- and where He leads, we will follow. We are His sheep and Christ Jesus is our Loving Shepherd. Blessed be His name!

Sometimes, the Lord makes the storm to cease,

Psalm 107:29 says: He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

Other times, the Lord will shield us from the storm as it rages:

Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Still other times, He will walk us through the trials and storms in our lives to bring about a greater work on the inside of us:

James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

2 Cor 1:3,4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforted us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

No matter what our need may be today, there is safety in His everlasting arms. The Lord can meet our every need and He will see us through. He gives rest to the weary. Strength to the feeble. Hope to the depressed. Comfort to the hurting. He loves us at all times. No problem is too big for God... and no problem is too small that He does not hear our cry. The Lord can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

We are to cast upon Him our every burden:

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Author Unknown: Source - Cobblestone Road Ministries
~~~~~~~~~

Prayer for those who are stressed (Author Unknown)

Lord, I need your help. I am feeling the strain of stress. My body is agitated by worry and fear. I confess to you my inability to handle it alone.

I surrender my mind to you. Take charge of the control centre of my brain. Think your thoughts through me and send into my nervous system the pure signals of your peace, power and patience. I don't want to have a divided mind fragmented from your control.

Forgive my angers rooted in petulant self-will. Make me a channel, a riverbed, of Your love to others suffering as much stress as I. Help me act on the inspiration You gave me rather than stifling Your guidance.

Take charge of my tongue so that it becomes an instrument of healing. Make me a communicator of love and forgiveness as I cheer others on to their best.

I commit my schedule to you, Lord: help me to know and do your will. Guide me in doing your will on your timing so that I don't burn out doing the things I don't really want to do, or fearing to do what is your best for me.

Set me free from the tyranny of acquisitiveness and the lust of seeking my security in things rather than in my relationship with you.

I long to be the person you created me to be and not anyone else. Forgive me when I take my signals of success from others and not you.

Most of all, Lord, help me to catch the drumbeat of your guidance and live by your timing. Here is my life - invade it, fill it, transform it.

And I thank you in advance for the healing of my life and for giving me strength to conquer the stress of daily life. Amen.

Wings To Fly!

Reflective Thoughts:

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:6-9)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (Jam 1:2-3, NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~

The Butterfly (Author Unknown)

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.



So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.


The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.



What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we went through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What an awesome God. (Author Unknown)

God's accuracy may be observed in the hatching of eggs.

For example:

-the eggs of the potato bug hatch in 7 days;
-those of the canary in 14 days;
-those of the barnyard hen in 21 days;
-The eggs of ducks and geese hatch in 28 days;
-those of the mallard in 35 days;
-The eggs of the parrot and the ostrich hatch in 42 days.
(Notice, they are all divisible by seven, the number of days in a week!)

The lives of each of you may be ordered by the Lord in a beautiful way for His glory, if you will only entrust Him with your life. If you try to regulate your own life, it will only be a mess and a failure. Only the One Who made the brain and the heart can successfully guide them to a profitable end.

God's wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant.. The four legs of this great beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other quadruped is so made. God planned that this animal would have a huge body, too large to live on two legs. For this reason He gave it four fulcrums so that it can rise from the ground easily.

The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first.
A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first.

How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation!

God's wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of sections and segments, as well as in the number of grains.

-Each watermelon has an even number of strips on the rind.
-Each orange has an even number of segments.
-Each ear of corn has an even number of rows.
-Each stalk of wheat has an even number of grains.
-Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row an even number of bananas, and each row decreases by one, so that one row has an even number and the next row an odd number.

-The waves of the sea roll in on shore twenty-six to the minute in all kinds of weather.

All grains are found in even numbers on the stalks, and the Lord specified thirty fold, sixty fold, and a hundredfold - all even numbers.

God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day, so that Linnaeus, the great botanist, once said that if he had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed!

Thus the Lord in His wonderful grace can arrange the life that is entrusted to His care in such a way that it will carry out His purposes and plans, and will be fragrant with His presence.

Only the God-planned safe life is successful. Only the life given over to the care of the Lord is fulfilled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

One Hour Prayer Guide

Below is a suggestion of one way to spend an hour with Abba - It is broken into twelve five minute segments - Each segment also has a scripture to reflect upon - Note these are only guidelines & each must follow what they are comfortable with many find after a few times they increase time in each segment & start finding these prayer times are very special. There is also a brief article in February 2006 archive "Tell me what to pray' that is encouraging for those new to praying.
~~~~~~~~~~~

Spend an hour with God?

Its easier than you think. Break it up into 5 minute blocks and focus on the following during each 5 minute segment:

1. PRAISE

Start your prayer hour by praising the Lord. Praise Him for things that are on your mind right now. Praise Him for one special thing He has done in your life in the past week. Praise Him for His goodness to your family. (Psalm 34:1)

2. WAITING

Spend this time waiting on the Lord. Let Him pull together reflections for you. Think about the hour before you and the things you want the Lord to do in your life. (Psalm 27:14)

3. CONFESSION

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life which might be displeasing to Him. Ask Him to point out attitudes that are wrong, as well as specific acts for which you have not yet made a prayer of confession. Now confess that to the Lord and claim 1 John 1:9 so that you might be cleansed for the remainder of the hour before you, and then pick up and read the Word. (Psalm 51:1-19)

4. READ THE WORD

Spend time reading promises of God in the Psalms, in the prophets, and passages on prayer located in the New Testament. Check your concordance. (Psalm 119:97)

5. PETITION

This is general request for others, praying through the prayer list, the prayer cards, or personal prayer interest on behalf of yourself and others. (Hebrews 4:16)

6. INTERCESSION

Specific prayer on the behalf of others. Pray specifically for those requests of which you are aware. (Romans 15:30-33)

7. PRAY THE WORD

Now take the Scriptures and start praying the Scriptures as certain sections of Psalm 119 lend themselves beautifully to prayer expression. (Psalm 119:38-46)

8. THANKSGIVING

Spend these minutes giving thanks to the Lord for things in your life, things on behalf of the church, things on behalf of your family. (Philippians 4:6)

9. SINGING

Take your hymnal and sing a prayer song, sing a praise song, sing a song regarding soul winning or witnessing. Let it be a time of praise. (Psalm 59:17)

10. MEDITATE

Ask the Lord to speak back to you and keep a paper and pen handy, ready to relate the impressions that He makes upon your life. (Psalm 63)

11. LISTEN

Spend time merging the things you have read from the Word, the things you have prayed, the things you have thanked the Lord for, the things that you have been singing, and see how the Lord brings them all together to speak to you. (I Samuel 3:9-10)

12. END WITH PRAISE

Praise the Lord for the time you have had to spend with Him. Praise Him for the impressions that He has given you. Praise Him for the prayer requests He raised up in your mind. (Psalm 145:1-13)

Source: Spiritual Formation - Becoming Like Jesus http://www.christianchallenge.us/Spiritual_Formation/Prayer/onehour-prayer.html

Original Source: 1 Calvary Baptist Church, Prayer Wheel, http://www.calvarynow.com/partner/0,,320286,00.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May this message below encourage you further - you will also find an article in September 2006 Archive 'A Model Prayer" compliments this article:
~~~~~~~~~~~

"How To Talk To God In Prayer"

The Scriptures tell us in Luke II: 1-2 that Jesus' disciples came to Him and asked Him, "Lord, teach us to pray."

And then in Matthew 6:9-13, which is a corresponding passage, Jesus gives the "model" prayer that we incorporate into our worship services each Sunday. I am of the opinion that many times the recitations, etc. that we utilize in our worship can become ritualistic (which is not necessarily bad) and so routine that we do not think about what we are saying (or praying). What follows is an attempt to bring us back to consciousness and "prayerful" meditation about the significance of the Lord's Prayer.

Yes, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Lord teach us to pray." This simple prayer which Jesus taught His disciples can show us too, how to talk to God in prayer.

Our Father, who art in heaven - Jesus taught His disciples to call God our Father.

It is this intimate Father/child relationship that makes prayer possible. As children of God, we come to His throne expectant and unafraid because we are accepted in His beloved Son (Hebrews 4: 15-16).

Because we are His children, we can come often and speak with our Heavenly Father, for He delights to hear our prayers!

Hallowed be Thy name - Worship!

To honour and adore God is the highest privilege of the Christian. We who have experienced this miracle of His saving grace can praise Him for His love. Every day, we can offer praise and thanksgiving as He showers us with His blessings. I Chronicles16:29 says "Give unto the glory due unto His name. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven - is the next phrase.

As Gods children, we long for His righteous reign throughout the earth. But His reign must first begin in our own lives. We are made sensitive to His will for us as we prayerfully read and meditate on the Word of God. As we pray, God measures our spiritual condition and brings our desires into conformity with His will. From these first three petitions, the Lord teaches us that His glory and kingdom must have pre-eminence in our prayers and lives.

God promises those who put Him first - "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

Give us this day our daily bread - We are dependent upon God for all our needs, both spiritual and material. Daily bread, in Bible times, referred to daily necessities. He is speaking of necessities, not superfluous wants (although there is freedom to ask for anything). Like any loving Father, He desires to richly bless us. Nothing is too great for His power and nothing is too small for His love. My advice is to share the most intimate details of our life with Him.

Phil.4:4-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors -

As we speak with our loving Father and read His Word, realizing that He expects us to be gracious to others, we must confess all sin, including our unforgiveness toward others. Unconfessed sin hinders our communication with God.

The Psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Our hearts must be clean before He can hear and answer our prayer. Of course, He always hears the sincere prayer of confession because He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - The Lord has promised to protect His children in the hour of temptation.

We're told in I Corinthians10:13 that ".. .there is no temptation taken us but such as is common to all; but God is faithful, Who will not permit us to be tempted above that which we are able, but will, with the temptation also make a way of escape, that we may be able to bear it."

Let us, therefore, pray for wisdom to see His way of escape. As we learn to pray to the Father, we will enter the glorious doxology which closes the prayer.

For Thine is the Kingdom - we know that God has control over all matters and we can trust our deepest needs to Him.

And the power - He has power to accomplish all that we ask, for "He is able to do above that which we are able to think or ask.

And then the phrase... And the glory forever. Amen. -

We worship Him as the Almighty God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

This is how the Lord taught His disciples to pray and by His example He showed them the need for time alone with the Father in prayer.

We, too, must set aside a time to talk with God and read His Word. Many Christians find that the morning is the best time for this. Others say that late evening is the. best.

The following suggestions are given for your time with God:

1. Understand the necessity of prayer.

Our Lord taught that prayer is not an option, it is a command. It is not something to do when we feel like it, it's a God-given responsibility. We must make the time to labour in prayer. Jesus said, "People ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18: I).

2. The Bible and prayer goes hand in hand.

Pray as you read and meditate on God's Word. As you read the Bible, praise God for what He has revealed of Himself and pray for strength and wisdom to obey His commands. What you read will give fresh insights as you prayer for yourself and others. Try using some prayers of the Bible as patterns (Matt. 6:9-13; Ephesians I: 15-23; 3: 14-21 and many of the Psalms).

3. Draw up a prayer list.

A list of prayer requests reminds you of specific needs and will keep your mind from wandering. By recording how God has answered a request, you will be encouraged to keep praying. But don't let this steal your spontaneity. Remember, you're praying, not just compiling a list, although I believe that a prayer list (journal, diary) is an important aspect of prayer.

4. It's good to have a prayer partner to help you pray consistently.

Ask the Lord for a friend with whom you can share and pray. Meeting regularly provides mutual encouragement.

5. Be careful of distractions.

Because prayer is a spiritual exercise, you can expect it to become a spiritual battle. If you have trouble with wandering thoughts, try changing positions. Praying aloud, starting a prayer list in your Bible, singing a hymn or whatever you find most effective.

But whatever you do - PRAY!

Source: * From the September 2005 monthly publication "Communiqué" of Community Church in Pastor Ken's message