Tag: prayer

5 Essentials to Prayer When Living in a Hostile World

From the midst of a dark, cold jail cell; Paul wrote to the early church. A church that he knew would be persecuted. Even more so, the church which Paul was preaching too were the Gentiles—those who were by the Jewish nation considered the lowest of the low—the heathens. So, while imprisoned for his faith in Christ, beaten and flogged for having preached the gospel; Paul has eloquently been telling early believers to remember who they are in Christ. They are the redeemed, beloved, chosen children of the most high God. He has urged them to remember these truths as they were going to need to cling tight to those facts while they are being rejected and persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. He reminded them that it was God’s plan from before the earth was formed that the body of believers would include them. The new church was to be formed from the gentiles, as well as the Jews.  These former enemies would be joined in the formation of the “church” of believers that would now spread the gospel of Christ.

rooted in love

[bctt tweet=”From a jail cell, Paul prayed for all believers to be rooted & grounded in the Love of Christ”] He knew that they would be facing so much unrest, injustice, and ostracism that they would by nature grow bitter, angry and hostile in their response. Yet, Paul knowing the battle that might occur around them and within their own hearts; prays that they become so rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, that they are strengthened with hope. He prays to the only one who can perform this kind of miracle of love, which is God himself. Look at this prayer.

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How to Actually Joyfully Finish the Race of Faith

How to Actually Joyfully Finish the Race of Faith

As any athlete would tell you, it is important to set your pace. You must know your own levels of endurance. Endurance is built over time with precision. The years of illness, followed by years of working long hours had taken its toll on my body. Last year, I realized that I had laid aside any exercise—well, actually it had been hit and miss with occasional weeks of good followed by more weeks of none. I realized that if I am to live life with both joy and endurance; something had to change. I began easy at first-treadmill at noon every day at work. At first, I began at 3 miles per hour pace for twenty minutes at an incline of 10%. It was a struggle at first; but, every day I would determine to go. At first I would think, ok I can finish 5 minutes. Then at 5 minutes I would think, I can do 5 more. I would do that until I reached my 20 minutes. Now I look forward to my noon work out. I am up to 4 miles/hour, 13% incline and 30 minutes. Each day is the same thought process-5 minutes, then 5 more, then 5 more etc. until I have finished the 30 minutes. I remembered when I was young and would run 10K races—one block at a time.

stretching for the race

[bctt tweet=”Our Christian Journey is much like a marathon requiring endurance looking toward the finish line- “] 10 m at a time.

THE RACE OF LIFE BY FAITH

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12).

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How Can Prayer Really Assure A Life Full Of Joy?

How Can Prayer Really Assure A Life Full Of Joy?

How are you doing with this prayer challenge? We have passed the midway point. I must say that scheduling a time to spend 30 minutes alone dedicated to prayer was challenging at first (because I didn’t want to get up earlier); but, it is becoming a time I really look forward to. It is said that it takes 21 days to really establish a new habit. If that is true we are well on our way. Don’t worry if you have slipped off or haven’t started yet. Today is a new day. Particularly, I want you to know that prayer is the assurance of full joy in the life of the Christian.

KEY TO GOD’S THRONE ROOM

Christ, as He tried to prepare His apostles for His crucifixion comforted them by telling them that even though they would for a moment feel great sorrow—He would rise again to go to the Father. Once He had gone to be with the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit to dwell in the hearts of each believer to be their comforter and their guide. His death as atonement for our sin and His resurrection as conqueror over death would be the key that opens the door to our father/child relationship with God. He wanted them to understand that they would be equipped with all they needed to perform the task of evangelization, even though He would not be physically present. They would have direct access through prayer to request all they needed from the Father themselves. We have (in the name of Christ) direct access to our Heavenly Father.

ebsps0637© Erik Stenbakken/Licensed from GoodSalt.com

[bctt tweet=”Prayer is the key that opens the floodgates of great Joy in the life of every believer.”]

If I never spend time alone with God, I can never fully understand His goodness, His Glory, His Love toward me, and His Joyous delight in me.

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6 Reasons Why Suffering In the Life of Believers

6 Reasons Why Suffering In the Life of Believers

Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries or questions that we as believers face is why is there still so much suffering?  Didn’t Christ say “come unto me and I will give you rest”?  (Matthew 11: 28)  Didn’t God promise that “3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” Psalm 147?   Yet, Paul wrote concerning the Christian that   “8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4). So, what is Paul talking about? When I am cut do I not bleed?  Troubled on every side, but no distress?  If I am distressed does that mean I have failed in my faith?  Are all these trials a punishment for my sin? Or can there be other reasons?

save meArtwork used by permission of the artist Ronald Barba for information go to http://www.barba-art.com

[bctt tweet=”If anguish forces me to turn & look at the cross Could it be storms in my life are God’s Grace?”]

A STUDENT OF SUFFERING

My life has not been exempt to sorrow.  Indeed, trials have always been present in one sense or another as a part of this my journey, my pilgrimage.  I have not been a stranger to emotional and physical abuse, cancer, chronic illness, financial disaster, multiple surgeries, false accusations, tragedies, death of those I loved most, and periods of desperate loneliness.  Beyond the sufferings from outside, there have been those torments from within. I mean by that the sufferings deep within the heart. Those moments of feeling unworthy, guilt laden and that fear of failing.  I tell you all this very honestly to allow you to know that I have been a student of suffering and as such have learned that there are 6 reasons that God allows suffering in the life of the Believer. All six reasons that God allows suffering in the life of the believer are acts of Grace born out of God’s perfect Love. Through suffering He leads and guides us to a place of Glory, Peace, Hope, and Exceeding Joy.

The six reasons why God allows and even ordains suffering in the life of the Believer are as follows.

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Can Praying the Lord’s Prayer be actually powerful?

Can Praying the Lord’s Prayer be actually powerful?

We find in the Bible two recordings of Jesus instructing his disciples to pray. Once in Matthew 6 and the second time in Luke 11. These do appear to be at different times because the one in Matthew is while Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount. The prayer in Luke is amongst a much smaller crowd and occurred when one of His disciples had seen Jesus praying and then asked if Jesus would teach them how to pray. The differences between the two prayers are minor.

Of note, in Matthew; a few verses before Christ had warned against repetitious prayers. “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7). Then Jesus proceeds and says, “After this manner therefore pray ye” (Matthew 6:9). The Lord’s Prayer that follows was to be a template, a guide. Still, can we use it as our prayer? There are those times when it can be actually very powerful, when we pray it from our heart.   Let’s exam it- section by section.

Our Father Which Art In Heaven (Matthew 6:9)

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What an amazing truth those words.  God is my Heavenly Father The fact that we can call God Father reflects that this is a relationship.  I have the wondrous gracious privilege to talk to my Heavenly Father; because of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.

 

 

© Liz Lemon Swindle/Licensed from GoodSalt.com

[bctt tweet=”I can sit beside God, My Father with childlike wonder and tell Him all about my day.”] No pretenses. No need to hide my flaws. I can sit beside Him, babbling on in my child like speech; knowing that He listens. I also know that He will guide and teach as a loving Father who desires my best. And, note;the word “our”. In this relationship with God, I have many brothers and sisters, including Christ Jesus. I am not alone; rather,

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