Pray With Confidence!

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas. You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength. Psalm 65:5-6.

When we cry out to God in prayer, we are talking to the God of the universe who created the earth and all that is on it with His mighty deeds! He answers our prayers with "amazing wonders" and have designed prayer to be the agent by which to release His mighty power in our lives and for those in desperate need of His help! God is the "generator", prayer is our power cord to Him, we are the ones who receive the power we need from God through the power cord of prayer! As we began to realize God's awesome power working in our lives and in the lives of others, we will gain the faith we need to believe that God will "show up" in every situation we find ourselves in life. His power is available to help us in our many needs! We "can do everything with the help of Christ who gives (us) the strength (we) need" (Philippians 4:13). This is the most powerful God we can trust and lean on. This is the most powerful God that promised to never leave us nor forsake us! He is our Heavenly Father, Shepherd, and Friend.

OUR PRAYERS LAY THE TRACK DOWN ON WHICH GOD'S POWER CAN COME. LIKE A MIGHTY LOCOMOTIVE, HIS POWER IS IRRESISTIBLE, BUT IT CANNOT REACH US WITHOUT RAILS. Watchman Nee (1903-1972)

I Can Meet With God As Friend!

Whenever Moses went out to the tent of meeting, all the people would get up and stand in their tent entrances. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. Exodus 33:8-9.

The children of God would stand outside their tents watching Moses walk into the tent of meeting waiting as the tent closed in around him-of what God would say to him on their behalf! The Israelites had to worship outside away from the tent of meeting while Moses sat in the presents of God, enjoying His glory, and speaking with God as friend. In our own walk with God, we can feel distant as though worshipping Him outside the tent of meeting. In our struggles, we look longingly at those who are doing well and walking close with God as though they are in that "tent of meeting" with Moses while we are worshipping on the outside of that tent! But here is the good news. We don't have to have a special "tent of meeting" to meet with God, or have a special set of words to speak to God with. When we pray to Him where we are at any given moment in time, we are actually in the "tent of meeting!" Church is important to fellowship with God and other believers corporately yet, God is with us and for us when we call out to Him at any given time. When we cry out to the Lord in prayer, we are in the "tent of meeting!"

PRAYER IS NOT ARTFUL MONOLOGUE OF VOICE UPLIFTED FROM THE SOD; IT IS LOVE"S TENDER DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE SOUL AND GOD. John Richard Morland (1880-1947)

The Lord Will Keep Me Safe!

You can be sure of this: The Lord has set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will answer when I call Him. …Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let the smile on Your Face shine on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvest of grain and wine. I will lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:3, 6-8.

Many times-it’s hard to find and keep joy during difficult times! Our hearts can get heavy and our minds are pre-occupied with what to do next! David, in this Psalm, found praise and peace while being pursued by his enemies and sleeping in a cave. He even said while sleeping in that cave,…”I will lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. David somehow knew in the midst of his danger that God would “show up big” and deliver him even before his deliverance came about. David was weary in this moment, yet God gave him the faith to have more joy than those who had the abundance wine and harvest! This Psalm tells us that in the midst of “the cave,” we can call on our God for help-being honest with our feelings as we call out to Him, and He will answer. What is your heart-ache and struggle today? I know what mine is! So call on the One with me, who never slumbers nor sleeps, that when our eyes close at night, we are rest assured that His Eyes will remain wide open! May God grant us His peace today and always.

TALK TO HIM IN PRAYER OF ALL YOUR WANTS, YOUR TROUBLES, EVEN OF THE WEARINESS YOU FEEL IN SERVING HIM. YOU CANNOT SPEAK TOO FREELY, TOO TRUSTFULLY TO HIM. (Francois Fenelon)

God Will Come Again and Again!

When they came to Marah, they finally found water. But the people couldn't drink it because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah, which means "bitter.") Then the people turned against Moses. "What are we going to drink?" they demanded. Exodus 15:23-24 NLT.

The children of Israel saw the cloud and the pillar of fire linger close by in between their camp and the Egyptians who were chasing them. The cloud protected the Israelites by day and the fire gave them warmth and light at night while their enemies were left with no light at all! The Israelites would later look on with their own eyes and see God part the Red Sea for them while the water would come in on the Egyptians and drown them! But, when the children of God got thirsty in the desert they began to complain saying; "God has brought us out of Egypt only to "kill us" in the desert!" The problem the Israelites had at that time is the same problem we have today! They focused more on their immediate need than on the God Who has been faithful to deliver them time and time again! When we are in an tough and difficult place, we can take heart and be of good courage by calling forward all the ways God delivered us out of all of our troubles in the past. We can jot down the times when God brought us that miracle we've believed Him for! We can remind ourselves that sense God delivered me in the past! He will deliver me again, and again, and again! "Intervene Lord Jesus!" Amen!

IF WE HAVE NOTED THE LORD'S ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS AND THANKED HIM FOR WHAT WE HAVE RECIEVED OF HIM, THEN IT BECOMES EASIER FOR US, AND WE GET MORE COURAGE, TO PRAY FOR MORE. (Ole Hallesby)

Good Thoughts!

Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things (fix your mind on them). Philippians 4:8.

Many times-being in tough circumstances can cause us to have a negative mind set that will cause us to have a negative attitude. The Apostle Paul encourages us in this passage of scripture to concentrate on these good things-that will then give us a good and hopeful attitude. Our thoughts affects our attitude. God, on the other hand, tells us to do things that are for our good. He wants us to be happy and fulfilled and the only way to have happiness and fulfillment is to have it God’s way! If we’re full of wrong thoughts, we’re miserable because we’re not thinking about what we’re thinking about! This can be a big challenge for us, especially when or calendars get so busy and to top it off, spiritual warfare! It is impossible to be happy while entertaining negative, critical, and depressing thoughts. God will help us to overcome Satan in this battle for our thoughts!

EVERY STEP TOWARDS CHRIST KILLS A DOUBT. EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED FOR HIM CARRIES YOU AWAY FROM DISCOURAGEMRNT.  Theodore Ledyard Cuyler (1822-1909)

He Will Lift My Burdens!

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. There are times when heavy burdens weigh us down and bring heaviness and weariness to our spirit. A difficult relationship, caring for elderly parents, tough deadlines at work, a loss of job, being a single parent, dealing with illness, or seeking direction for our lives just to name a few, can lead us to feel overwhelmed, and in some cases even  make us feel alone. In these times as in all times, Jesus invites us to “Come to Me. Give Me the heavy load you are carrying. And in exchange, I will give you rest!” We can breathe a lot easier knowing that Jesus knows the hardships, challenges, deadlines, tasks, and other responsibilities that tend to stress us out and weigh us down! Let us come to our Savior for the help and strength we need. He is our High Priest Who is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach His throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16. He will bring us from “job”…”to joy!” Blessings!

WHEN HE SAYS TO YOUR DISTURBED, DISTRACTED, RESTLESS SOUL AND MIND, “COME UNTO ME,” HE IS SAYING, COME OUT OF THE STRIFE AND DOUBT AND STRUGGLE OF WHAT IS AT THE MOMENT WHERE YOU STAND, INTO THAT WHICH WAS AND IS AND IS TO BE-THE ETERNAL, THE ESSENTIAL, THE ABSOLUTE.  Phillips Brooks.

Don't Stop Asking!

(Jesus said,) "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who ask, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds." Matthew 7:7-8 NLT.

There are times when we have been praying to God to act in a certain situation in our lives or in the lives of others. As time passes by we can become weary of asking God for His intervention! God is looking for people to give themselves to earnest, persevering prayer. Jesus is telling us in these verses to be persistent in prayer for what we desire as the widow was in Luke 18:1-8. If we just asked once and got what we wanted without really seeking God consistently in relationship with Him, our faith would become "shallow" and our walk with Him would be weak at best! It is in the areas where we have to persevere in prayer that we learn persistence in prayer! As we persevere in prayer and not give up-even when things are not changing at the moment, we will grow closer to God, our faith will grow, and we will see the blessings flow! Whatever we are waiting for in the Lord, we must persevere in prayer and seek Him as much as possible everyday until the answer comes! He promises to answer us when we call. Let's ask God by the power of the Holy Spirit to give us an extra measure of faith to believe Him for what we've asked for! "Blessings!"

IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BEGAN TO PRAY, NOR TO PRAY ARIGHT; NOR IS IT ENOUGH TO CONTINUE FOR A TIME TO PRAY; BUT WE MUST PATIENTLY, BELIEVINGLY, CONTINUE IN PRAYER UNTIL WE OBTAIN AN ANSWER. (George Muller)