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How often do you pray?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Never stop praying.” Is that possible? Can I really maintain constant communication with God? I believe it all begins with understanding that prayer is a relationship . . . a relationship with one who says He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is always with us. When we have a constant consciousness of His presence with us throughout the day, we can better maintain an attitude of talking and listening to God our Father. Another question we need to answer is: How important is prayer to you in your spiritual journey and growth? We must not only recognize its importance, but we must understand that it is absolutely essential to our spiritual lives. Our prayers must come often and regularly, not from legalistic duty, but from a humble heart, realizing our dependence on God in every aspect of our lives. Prayer should be personal and private as well as corporate with the body of Christ…His church. As we pray by ourselves and with one another we need to remember:
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth. In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.” 1 Timothy 2:1-8 NLT Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Acts 1:14 Monday - John 17:20-21 Tuesday - Acts 12:5 Wednesday - 1 Timothy 2:1-8 Thursday - Matthew 6:5-13 Friday - Matthew 21:13 Saturday - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Prayer: Lord, thank you for hearing me, responding to me and loving me. Amen
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Have you ever made a call to a company, been quickly greeted by an operator or secretary, and before you can say a word, they say, “Would you hold please?”
Or maybe you get an automated system that walks you through what seems like an eternal series of prompts, and when you finally get the extension you want, a recording says, “Please leave your name and number and somebody will get back with you as soon as possible.” Yeah, right. Does it sometimes feel like you’re constantly waiting? With the use of cell phones, internet, texting & email, we have become spoiled, expecting instant access. Whenever an operator puts us on hold, we feel as if we’ve been deprived. What about when God is slow in responding to your prayers? What do you do when you have to wait on God, when He puts you on hold? In Matthew’s and Mark’s gospel accounts, we read about the Canaanite woman who approached Jesus and asked for help for her daughter. Initially, Jesus didn’t respond to her. From this account, I believe we can learn what we should do when we are waiting on a response from God, when we feel as if God has put us on hold. #1 Keep on trusting in Jesus #2 Take inventory of where you stand with God #3 Surrender your whole life to God '“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Matthew 15:21-28 Monday - Mark 7:24-30 Tuesday - Romans 1;16 Wednesday - Matthew 10:1-6 Thursday - Psalm 27:14 Friday - Matthew 7:7-8 Saturday - Romans 12:12 Prayer: Lord, help me to wait on You. I know You hear me and I know You are faithful and just. Give me the peace that can only come from You in those moments in my life when I am waiting on You. Help me see what You are wanting me to learn. Amen “Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices…” 2 Chronicles 7:12
God hears your prayers because…
If…
God’s eyes will be open and ears attentive to His temple…because… We are God’s temple:
Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 Monday - James 4:6-8 Tuesday - 1 Peter 5:5-6 Wednesday - Romans 12:1-2 Thursday - Proverbs 3:6 Friday - 1 Corinthians 10:13 Saturday - 1 John 3:6-7 Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving me your name and calling me your child. Help me to live like Jesus, love like Jesus, and lead others to do the same. Amen The 24th Psalm is a praise song written by David when he went to the house of Obed-Edom to get the Ark of the Covenant. It was a celebration for all of Israel. David worshiped the Lord as an expression of joy before the very presence of God.
We come to church on Sunday mornings to worship God. We often refer to our services as worship services. To most people, worship and going to church are the same thing. Going to church is important. But worship is more than simply going to church. Just because we say we attend church doesn’t mean that we worship. Worship is the act of entering God’s presence for the sole purpose of exalting Him. Each time we worship, we enter into the presence of God Almighty; therefore, our worship services should be memorable experiences. When we enter into His presence to express our humility, our respect, our adoration, our gratitude, and our love for Him, we experience true worship. And how can we truly experience the presence of God in worship and not be excited…impacted…changed? Listen to the excitement in David’s words: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him. For He laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.” David was focused on God - and only God. He understood that everything - the earth, everything in it, everyone who lives in it - everything belongs to God. Is your love for God strong enough to focus only on Him as you worship? Set your heart to do more than simply attend church…worship the Lord your God. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Psalm 24 Monday - Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday - 1 Corinthians 6:19 Wednesday - Romans 12:1-2 Thursday - Psalm 15 Friday - Psalm 96 Saturday - Psalm 100 Prayer: I worship You, Almighty God. There is none like you. I worship You, O Prince of Peace. That is what I want to do. I give you praise…for you are my righteousness. I worship you Almighty God, there is none like you. There is none like you. There is none like you. Amen There are many questions in life that we must answer. The Word of God poses some of the most important questions we will ever respond to. In Matthew 16 Jesus is talking with His disciples, and he asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” He then asked Peter a question that He is asking you today, “But who do you say I am?”
In John 1:9 it says, “The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” In John 9:5 Jesus said, “But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
The Scriptures say in Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”
These are all questions worth answering and truths worth pondering. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Matthew 16:13-20 Monday - John 3:19-21 Tuesday - 1 John 1:5-7 Wednesday - Matthew 5:14-16 Thursday - Mark 10:17-22 Friday - Philippians 3:8 Saturday - 1 John 4:9-10, 19-21 Prayer: Lord, you are my light, my strength, my hope, my salvation. Father, I give you my heart, my life, my all. Jesus, you are my Savior, my Redeemer, my King. Thank for being the answer to everything in my life no matter what the question is that I might ask. Amen |
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February 2019
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