Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Truth

Comment: Prayer and praise allow our faith to grow and provide even more opportunities for God to intervene on our behalf. Our ability to share the truth of our situation through prayer is an essential aspect of our faith that can empower our lives and transform the lives of others.

Verse: James 5:13 - 20

13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
 17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Be Thankful

Comment: We must remember that prayer, praise, and patience can help us better understand God's plan for our life. Our daily actions should focus on emulating a kind heart and joyful spirit, one that is diligent for Christ and thankful in all circumstances.

Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:12 - 22.

 12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Comment: It's a very hard task to realize the full extent of peace that God can bring. One thing is for certain, a decision to meditate on the positive can help. Often, this might be a very tough choice, but prayer can provide a quick and simple vehicle in every circumstance.

Verse: Philippians 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
  8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Hear My Prayer...

Comment: The Lord stands ready to hear our prayers and provide comfort. His intervention will come, but not based on our time table. We must not be ashamed to cry out for help, and continue to place complete trust in the power of God's mercy and love.

Verse: Psalms 86

1 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
      answer me, for I need your help.
 2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
      Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
      You are my God.
 3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
      for I am calling on you constantly.
 4 Give me happiness, O Lord,
      for I give myself to you.
 5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
      so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
 6 Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
      hear my urgent cry.
 7 I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
      and you will answer me.
8 No pagan god is like you, O Lord.
      None can do what you do!
 9 All the nations you made
      will come and bow before you, Lord;
      they will praise your holy name.
 10 For you are great and perform wonderful deeds.
      You alone are God.
 11 Teach me your ways, O Lord,
      that I may live according to your truth!
   Grant me purity of heart,
      so that I may honor you.
 12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
      I will give glory to your name forever,
 13 for your love for me is very great.
      You have rescued me from the depths of death.[a]
 14 O God, insolent people rise up against me;
      a violent gang is trying to kill me.
      You mean nothing to them.
 15 But you, O Lord,
      are a God of compassion and mercy,
   slow to get angry
      and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
 16 Look down and have mercy on me.
      Give your strength to your servant;
      save me, the son of your servant.
 17 Send me a sign of your favor.
      Then those who hate me will be put to shame,
      for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

An Excellent Secret

Commentary: When was the last time you truly felt at peace? The apostle Paul shares an important secret that can be learned. Christ is willing to share his peace with us in every circumstance. However, we must go to him in prayer and have faith in His ability to bear our burdens.

Verse: Phillipians 4:6-13

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[c] who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Anxious?

Commentary: It is natural to be anxious about decisions in our lives. We are encouraged to let our request be known to God through prayer and with a humble spirit. The result will be a clearer picture of the best next steps, removing all doubt.


Scripture: Philippians 4: 4 - 9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.