Psalm 32:6 “Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you (God) while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach Him.”
Have you seen those magnetic ribbons on vehicles that are all over? I believe that they all started from a Tony Orlando & Dawn song titled “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree” ... remember that? They became popular again with the slogan “Support our Troops” after the War on Terror began on 9/11. But, today these ribbons say just about anything, and the Cancer society has adopted that symbol with each color representing a different type of cancer to help bring support for research for a cure ... and that is great. Visibility helps awareness that promotes action in a world looking for answers in all the wrong places. So on the tailgate of my truck, I have one of those magnetic ribbons and it says “God Answers Prayer”. In a world that needs prayer, we need godly guidance, spiritual revival and conversation with our Father in Heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:7 “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” How easily we forget that America was founded on the Bible and principles centered on the Christian faith, as proved by such documents as the Mayflower Compact, the Northwest Ordinance, the first Congressional records and much more that declared this a Christian nation. The darkness of Atheism and Polytheism are threatening this nation today by denying the One True God and the Savior of Mankind, and the blessings from Heaven that accompany. In God We Trust.
2Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will 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 piece of Holy Scripture is the favorite Bible verse of many of my Christian friend’s today. Notice that it does not say “If everyone” or the “majority”, but my people, who are called by my name. The answer is not found in compromising the word, will and work of God, and not by tolerantly accepting thoughts, words and deeds that are sinful & wrong in the eyes of God, as normal, good & right. We need to humble ourselves, pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, stand firm and act as witnesses for Christ to bring individuals to the foot of the Cross, for their salvation by a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are not to remain discretionally or fearfully silent about the living holy God of Heaven and Earth, and our Redeemer Christ to this lost generation, so that unbelievers may stay spiritually lost & dying in sin for the sake of man-made peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We have the spiritual medicine, the remedy, for people in a socially declining world on the wide road to destruction. So what are we if we never tell them the truth or give them the cure ... tolerant? Not only is our neighbor’s house on fire, but we have a fire truck next door. Is that what Jesus wants?
Jeremiah 29:12 “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” God hears and answers all prayers, and we hope that the answer to those prayers are always “yes”, but our Heavenly Fathers knows what plans He has for us, what is best for us, and what we truly need. Therefore, the answer may be: “You’ve got to be kidding. No way. What were you thinking”, or “No, I have something better in mind for you, let’s do it My way instead.” The other answer could be “Let's do that later, when the timing is right.” And that, of course is in God’s timing, so we must be patient children. Think about the privilege it is to talk to God in prayer... and our Father in Heaven listens to us!
James 4:2-4 “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” If at times we feel that our prayers are unanswered, we need to ask, “Did I pray to be empowered to live more comfortably, or inspired to live more usefully, as a Jesus-like servant?” The world tells us to seek power, position, profit and pleasure. Do our prayers reflect the world or Christ? Like Christ, we are to be about our Heavenly Father’s busy and making prayers and petitions in line with His will and purposes, not ours. In John 14:13 Jesus tells us, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” Prayer is not a wish list for our personal gain and prosperity. Our prayers need to be centered on "Thy will be done, not my will be done". We ask all in the name of Jesus, for the honor, the glory, the praise and the adoration of God. Amen.
Brian
Have you seen those magnetic ribbons on vehicles that are all over? I believe that they all started from a Tony Orlando & Dawn song titled “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree” ... remember that? They became popular again with the slogan “Support our Troops” after the War on Terror began on 9/11. But, today these ribbons say just about anything, and the Cancer society has adopted that symbol with each color representing a different type of cancer to help bring support for research for a cure ... and that is great. Visibility helps awareness that promotes action in a world looking for answers in all the wrong places. So on the tailgate of my truck, I have one of those magnetic ribbons and it says “God Answers Prayer”. In a world that needs prayer, we need godly guidance, spiritual revival and conversation with our Father in Heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:7 “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” How easily we forget that America was founded on the Bible and principles centered on the Christian faith, as proved by such documents as the Mayflower Compact, the Northwest Ordinance, the first Congressional records and much more that declared this a Christian nation. The darkness of Atheism and Polytheism are threatening this nation today by denying the One True God and the Savior of Mankind, and the blessings from Heaven that accompany. In God We Trust.
2Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will 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 piece of Holy Scripture is the favorite Bible verse of many of my Christian friend’s today. Notice that it does not say “If everyone” or the “majority”, but my people, who are called by my name. The answer is not found in compromising the word, will and work of God, and not by tolerantly accepting thoughts, words and deeds that are sinful & wrong in the eyes of God, as normal, good & right. We need to humble ourselves, pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, stand firm and act as witnesses for Christ to bring individuals to the foot of the Cross, for their salvation by a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are not to remain discretionally or fearfully silent about the living holy God of Heaven and Earth, and our Redeemer Christ to this lost generation, so that unbelievers may stay spiritually lost & dying in sin for the sake of man-made peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We have the spiritual medicine, the remedy, for people in a socially declining world on the wide road to destruction. So what are we if we never tell them the truth or give them the cure ... tolerant? Not only is our neighbor’s house on fire, but we have a fire truck next door. Is that what Jesus wants?
Jeremiah 29:12 “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” God hears and answers all prayers, and we hope that the answer to those prayers are always “yes”, but our Heavenly Fathers knows what plans He has for us, what is best for us, and what we truly need. Therefore, the answer may be: “You’ve got to be kidding. No way. What were you thinking”, or “No, I have something better in mind for you, let’s do it My way instead.” The other answer could be “Let's do that later, when the timing is right.” And that, of course is in God’s timing, so we must be patient children. Think about the privilege it is to talk to God in prayer... and our Father in Heaven listens to us!
James 4:2-4 “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” If at times we feel that our prayers are unanswered, we need to ask, “Did I pray to be empowered to live more comfortably, or inspired to live more usefully, as a Jesus-like servant?” The world tells us to seek power, position, profit and pleasure. Do our prayers reflect the world or Christ? Like Christ, we are to be about our Heavenly Father’s busy and making prayers and petitions in line with His will and purposes, not ours. In John 14:13 Jesus tells us, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” Prayer is not a wish list for our personal gain and prosperity. Our prayers need to be centered on "Thy will be done, not my will be done". We ask all in the name of Jesus, for the honor, the glory, the praise and the adoration of God. Amen.
Brian
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