I’ve got to share a bit of inspiration and clarity with you. Regarding prayer, 'how to pray,' etc.
-- it's easier than you might think:
Philippians 4:6-7 --
“Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus.”
One key phrase: ‘In everything.”
Everything.
I encourage you to take a moment and simply talk with Him today. Ask (petition) Him for help with something today. Say ‘Thank you, Jesus’ for something, today.
It can be simple, if we let it be. Too often, ‘religion’ gets in the way and complicates the Truth.
It can be as easy as, “Lord, I’m not sure why you’re letting me go through this right now, but please help? Please bless this situation? Thank you, Jesus, for loving me.”
Take comfort in knowing that our Lord, our Savior, is almighty. He is omnipotent, and omnipresent.
He does hear you.
So, give it a go why don’t you, right now?
If you’re already okay with all this, great. How about stopping someone else in their tracks today, then -- and help them to stop worrying over something?
Be a blessing! Share this simple truth with them.
Philippians 4, verses 6-7 is a great comfort, as it’s meant to be. Go comfort someone, and help them learn to, or get back to, or get comfortable with praying.
May God bless your efforts, and His peace be with you.
I want, hope, and pray for only the best for you.
Merry Christmas!
December 8, 2010
December 7, 2010
A Prayer for Your Day
Good Morning Jesus, Lord. Thank you for today, Lord. Thank you, Father. Thank you for the Holy Spirit to lead us today.
Lord, we’ve got a ton of stuff we think needs doing today. We often get caught up in worry and concern over things we ‘think’ are important. We know you know all that is truly important, and what is not.
We put our day, our plans, our very lives, in your hands, Jesus. We know we are under your authority anyway, even if we chose to ignore you. But Lord, we willingly, happily, give ourselves to you today, the best we know how.
Please lead us today. Please bless us today. Please bless others through us, use us, today, Lord. Be in the middle of every interaction we have. Bless everyone, everyone we interact with. And please bless the outcome of every interaction today.
Please bless each of us with your Godly wisdom. Bless us with your Holy peace this day, Jesus. Help us to stay calm in the face of absurdity which seems so common these days. Help us to lead, rather than be led by such ignorance, such emotion.
Lord Jesus, please strengthen us this day, so that we can easily handle all that we have planned. Our responsibilities and our hopes of enjoyment today as well, Lord. We give them to you. Please lead us through them.
More importantly than our own plans and hopes, Jesus, help us handle with your grace whatever you allow in our path today. Your will be done, Lord, not mine, not ours.
Strengthen our faith in you today, Lord. Give us a deeper understanding of you, of your word. Fill us to overflowing today, Jesus, with your amazing peace, with your love, and with your grace for all those in our paths today.
Put a desire in our hearts, now, Jesus, to want to, to need to, read more of your word, the Holy Bible. Thank you for your Word, Father.
We ask Lord, please, do these things for all those we love, care about, and pray for. Our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, peers, and even our enemies, Lord. Please bless each and every one of us in these ways today.
Thank you for your almighty power, and for paying attention to our tiny details in each of our lives as well, Jesus.
Only you, only you could hold the waters of the earth in the palm of your hand, and yet still know the number of hairs on our heads, Lord. Only you know the thoughts in the deepest recesses of our hearts. Only you could do so much, care so much, and pay attention to every detail of our lives as well.
Thank you for loving us, Lord. Please, lead us now, Jesus. Amen.
To the best of your ability today, Friend -- strive to make it extraordinary! You’ll never be able to ‘re-do’ this day, this hour.
You only get one chance at making the most of each day. Make today extraordinary.
I encourage you to begin, now, by letting Jesus Christ, THE Lord and Savior, lead you.
Lord, we’ve got a ton of stuff we think needs doing today. We often get caught up in worry and concern over things we ‘think’ are important. We know you know all that is truly important, and what is not.
We put our day, our plans, our very lives, in your hands, Jesus. We know we are under your authority anyway, even if we chose to ignore you. But Lord, we willingly, happily, give ourselves to you today, the best we know how.
Please lead us today. Please bless us today. Please bless others through us, use us, today, Lord. Be in the middle of every interaction we have. Bless everyone, everyone we interact with. And please bless the outcome of every interaction today.
Please bless each of us with your Godly wisdom. Bless us with your Holy peace this day, Jesus. Help us to stay calm in the face of absurdity which seems so common these days. Help us to lead, rather than be led by such ignorance, such emotion.
Lord Jesus, please strengthen us this day, so that we can easily handle all that we have planned. Our responsibilities and our hopes of enjoyment today as well, Lord. We give them to you. Please lead us through them.
More importantly than our own plans and hopes, Jesus, help us handle with your grace whatever you allow in our path today. Your will be done, Lord, not mine, not ours.
Strengthen our faith in you today, Lord. Give us a deeper understanding of you, of your word. Fill us to overflowing today, Jesus, with your amazing peace, with your love, and with your grace for all those in our paths today.
Put a desire in our hearts, now, Jesus, to want to, to need to, read more of your word, the Holy Bible. Thank you for your Word, Father.
We ask Lord, please, do these things for all those we love, care about, and pray for. Our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, peers, and even our enemies, Lord. Please bless each and every one of us in these ways today.
Thank you for your almighty power, and for paying attention to our tiny details in each of our lives as well, Jesus.
Only you, only you could hold the waters of the earth in the palm of your hand, and yet still know the number of hairs on our heads, Lord. Only you know the thoughts in the deepest recesses of our hearts. Only you could do so much, care so much, and pay attention to every detail of our lives as well.
Thank you for loving us, Lord. Please, lead us now, Jesus. Amen.
To the best of your ability today, Friend -- strive to make it extraordinary! You’ll never be able to ‘re-do’ this day, this hour.
You only get one chance at making the most of each day. Make today extraordinary.
I encourage you to begin, now, by letting Jesus Christ, THE Lord and Savior, lead you.
December 3, 2010
Psalm 37 -- Beauty, Encouragement, and Truth
I want to share a bit of encouragement today:
It's from Psalm 37, the first 13 verses.
Read whatever version you choose to. This happens to be from the NIV. I'd also recommend the ESV, NAS, or even the KJV.
The important thing is to read the actual Word of God for yourself.
Here it is:
"1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming."
(Psalm 37:1-13)
There's plenty more. But that section was encouraging to me. I thought it might be
for you, too, and so wanted to share.
Strive On, Today -- All for His Glory!
It's from Psalm 37, the first 13 verses.
Read whatever version you choose to. This happens to be from the NIV. I'd also recommend the ESV, NAS, or even the KJV.
The important thing is to read the actual Word of God for yourself.
Here it is:
"1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming."
(Psalm 37:1-13)
There's plenty more. But that section was encouraging to me. I thought it might be
for you, too, and so wanted to share.
Strive On, Today -- All for His Glory!
December 1, 2010
Sharing the Richness of Romans 12
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21 -- NIV)
That verse was shared with me recently.
It’s a good verse. But I'm not one for simply accepting single verses as they are. I like to know what context surrounds them, too, when possible.
The Book of Romans, chapter 12, has lots of great stuff in it. It's a great chapter to show one how to live with honor, with integrity.
Here are just a few examples of the richness within:
Part of verse 2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Part of verse 9 says: "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."
I’m giving only bits and pieces here. To hopefully intrigue you enough so that you go and actually read it for yourself. Also to share some important points here, just in case you don't go and read it for yourself.
If you choose to actually read God's inspired word, the very breath of God (2 Timothy 3:16), you can start at BibleGateway.com -- if you don't have a bible handy.
BibleGateway.com has tons of versions -- and languages -- to choose from. You can look scripture up in 5 different versions at once, if you'd like. It's a handy tool -- and a blessing to have available.
Other bits from Romans 12 say things like:
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"
"Practice hospitality"
"Bless those who persecute you"
"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
Verse 16 is sobering. But I'll let you read it for yourself. It's worth your time to go and read, trust me. It should tap you upside your noggin and provide a bit of enlightenment -- no matter what bible version you choose.
Actually 16-19 are huge. And anyone who says the Bible is not relevant to today's world is just silly.
The last bit I'll share with you on this chapter is about heaping burning coals onto others heads. And no, it doesn't say NOT to do it. Seriously, check it out for yourself. It’s one of the ‘fun’ verses, but truly, oh so hard to live up to.
Grab your bible -- or jump on over to BibleGateway.com.
And God bless your reading!
My Prayer for You Today:
Lord, please, bless each one who reads this with your Godly wisdom. Open their eyes, their hearts, to your truth. Break down the walls every one of us puts up each day. Take away their hearts of stone, and give them hearts of flesh, Jesus, please? Allow them to begin seeing you in everything, Jesus. Soften our hearts, and sharpen our minds today, Lord. Please forgive us our sins, and put us on your narrow path starting this very day. Father, I praise you, and I pray to you, all in the name of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
That verse was shared with me recently.
It’s a good verse. But I'm not one for simply accepting single verses as they are. I like to know what context surrounds them, too, when possible.
The Book of Romans, chapter 12, has lots of great stuff in it. It's a great chapter to show one how to live with honor, with integrity.
Here are just a few examples of the richness within:
Part of verse 2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Part of verse 9 says: "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."
I’m giving only bits and pieces here. To hopefully intrigue you enough so that you go and actually read it for yourself. Also to share some important points here, just in case you don't go and read it for yourself.
If you choose to actually read God's inspired word, the very breath of God (2 Timothy 3:16), you can start at BibleGateway.com -- if you don't have a bible handy.
BibleGateway.com has tons of versions -- and languages -- to choose from. You can look scripture up in 5 different versions at once, if you'd like. It's a handy tool -- and a blessing to have available.
Other bits from Romans 12 say things like:
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"
"Practice hospitality"
"Bless those who persecute you"
"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
Verse 16 is sobering. But I'll let you read it for yourself. It's worth your time to go and read, trust me. It should tap you upside your noggin and provide a bit of enlightenment -- no matter what bible version you choose.
Actually 16-19 are huge. And anyone who says the Bible is not relevant to today's world is just silly.
The last bit I'll share with you on this chapter is about heaping burning coals onto others heads. And no, it doesn't say NOT to do it. Seriously, check it out for yourself. It’s one of the ‘fun’ verses, but truly, oh so hard to live up to.
Grab your bible -- or jump on over to BibleGateway.com.
And God bless your reading!
My Prayer for You Today:
Lord, please, bless each one who reads this with your Godly wisdom. Open their eyes, their hearts, to your truth. Break down the walls every one of us puts up each day. Take away their hearts of stone, and give them hearts of flesh, Jesus, please? Allow them to begin seeing you in everything, Jesus. Soften our hearts, and sharpen our minds today, Lord. Please forgive us our sins, and put us on your narrow path starting this very day. Father, I praise you, and I pray to you, all in the name of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)