Prayer 201

Sin is a refusal to admit that God knows better than I do by doing MY will, not his. Worry is doubting that He will do what is best.

The devil cannot stop God from answering but he may stop you from asking Dr. David Jerrimah

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What can we do? We can pray, sure, but this needs something else to do with prayer. I have been using a prayer Michael Youssef devised in the prayer group. Here is a liberal interpretation. ‘Heavenly Father, there are so many families in need of your peace. They are quick to anger of quick with a permanent judgment. They don’t even struggle to forgive, they don’t forgive, and they suffer from a lack of stable, loving relationships. Lord, we pray that You would bind up wounded families with Your love that covers a multitude of sins. Here is where we come in:

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‘May families find healing through Your Gospel and experience a redemption that transforms families through Your love and power, starting with mine—that You might be glorified, and our communities may flourish. I pray in the name of Jesus.’ We must put a stop to this from now on. The only thing we can control is from now on. Let us all stop this evil. How?

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We had better start spreading the story to our families. Your family is the easiest, most accessible people to talk to because they are not strangers; maybe they don’t know your story. As I mentioned to a friend in Grand Marais, MN, “Both Mike (Smith, mutual friend) and I have had brushes with the Lord and are better for it. Don’t you think you should give it a shot?” I have been working on him for years. Mike has since died. My friend is facing some real bad times

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As you come nearer heaven, ought you not to be more heavenly? ‌Charles Spurgeon

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But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. Job 5:17(NLT)

Or when others sin, for the Lord is good.

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Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” Romans 2:4(NLT)

It means something to me. He has turned me from evil. I don’t know how.

In Max Lucado’s book “before AMEN.”

What Pulls Me to Pray

Difficult seasons of life.

Jesus’ example of praying.

Jesus’ promises regarding prayer.

A desire to know God as Jesus did.

Other reasons

What Pushes Me Away from Prayer

Busyness

Awkwardness (I feel as if I’m talking into space)

Doubt in the power of prayer.

My checkered history with prayer (My prayers sometimes aren’t answered)

Limited understanding of prayer

Other reasons

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The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him”.

Nahum 1:7(NLT)

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That’s it –trust him? Somebody wrote these words:

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And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline and don’t give up when he corrects you.

6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?

8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits and live forever?

10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us so that we might share in his holiness.

11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Hebrews 12:5–11(NLT)

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Now I see!

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We have discussed many issues surrounding Prayer.Prayer is not a one-and-done sort of thing. We’ve talked about praying without stopping. We’ve talked a couple of times about the ‘hand prayer.’ Now, I pray for my relationships and my married friends.

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3>. We’ve talked about forgiveness, about how hard it is for some to forgive others. We’ve talked about getting your life in line with God, about giving up on Buddha, Tarot cards, Horoscopes, etc. We also talked about Consecrating your place and self and fasting. We also learned to pray any time you feel the need for help. People/need.

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And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:28(NLT)

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So what’s his plan? For now, He wants us to relate with one another in love. Remember, “love one another”? All you need is love; love is all you need.

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In a world already filled with many tests and trials, it is crucial that we do not become divided among ourselves in the last days. Dr. David Jeremiah

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In the handwritten prayer journal of Flannery O’Connor, in 1946, writing in Iowa when she was 21, she started to deepen her prayer life and struggled to become a great writer. She wrote, “I want very much to succeed in the world with what I want to do… I am so discouraged about my work…. Mediocrity is hard work to apply to oneself… yet it is impossible not to throw it at myself… I have nothing to be proud of yet myself. I am stupid, quite as stupid as the people I ridicule.” She wrote of

“effort at artistry in this rather than thinking of You and feeling inspired with love I wish I had. Dear God, I cannot love Thee the way I want to. You are the slim crescent of a moon that I see, and my self is the earth’s shadow that keeps me from seeing all the moon… what I am afraid of, dear God, is that my shadow will grow so large that it blocks the whole moon and that I will judge myself by the shadow that is nothing. I do not know You, God, because I am in the way.”

In his book on prayer, Tim Keller said, "Prayer is the only entryway into genuine self-knowledge. It is also the main way we experience deep change—the reordering of our loves." “Prayer is how God gives us so many of the unimaginable things he has for us. Indeed, prayer makes it safe for God to give us many of the things we most desire. It is the way we know God, the way we finally treat God as God. Prayer is simply the key to everything we need to do and be in life.

We must learn to pray. We have to.”

Today, I wanted to cover the words you use or don’t use when praying. This is the first thing the Lord wanted me to communicate with you today. Once, I got caught doing this, and God threw it into my face.

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I said something like, “Dear Lord, I want to pray for the cops, Mayor, and Governor.” That is like flying a kite with the Holy Spirit. (At least that is what God told me right after I prayed that.) It doesn’t matter. You are shooting blanks, wasting God’s time.

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I should have said, “Dear Lord, I want to pray for all the cops—that they will all make it home to their families. I pray for the mayor—that he will listen to the people, and I pray for the governor—that she stays safe.

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It doesn’t matter what you need to pray for. If you don’t know the people, pray for their necks to be UN-stiffened. If you are praying for your neighbors, pray for their hearts to be opened to the need for God and that they go to church. If you Know someone needs God’s help but don’t know the need, say, “Lord, please meet them at their needs.” I have found that people seem to be very willing to share their needs.

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Matthew 6:33 promises, “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well” (NCV).

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Praying in Jesus’ name. You had better be sure what you are praying for is something that the Lord would want you to be praying for. He pretty much doesn’t care for your new truck or good grade on a test or the traffic lite to change. You may pray to Jesus for those things; don’t do it in ‘Jesus' name,’ Amen. If you are praying for healing or soft hearts and unstiffened necks, surely Jesus could help.

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“I tell you the truth, Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” John 12 – 14 (NLT)

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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” Philippians 4:6 – 7. (NLT)

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Lastly, don’t you wish you could develop an all-encompassing Prayer sometime? Don’t worry; Paul is here to help.

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Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion, people are made great and given strength.” 1 Chronicles 29:11–12 (NLT)

Ephesian says in verse 18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

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‌ Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.