Posts Tagged ‘prayer’

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National Day of Prayer

May 3rd, 2012

It’s the National Day of Prayer.  In continuing Paul’s urging in First Thessalonians, lets make sure we “pray continually” and participate in the day in  some form or fashion.  As believers this is quite an honor and privilege and a source of great encouragement.  Make sure you work in a little extra moment of prayer today – and pray about this nation and the people you come in contact with each day. Oh, and also do it while you are full of hope and joy!

 

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18New International Version (NIV)

 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 NIV

And don’t forget the rewards from turning over things is praying.  The payback when we leave our anxieties with the Christ is tremendous.

 

 6-7Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 The Message (MSG)

 

I think today may be a good day to reap some of those, don’t you?

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Strengthen My Hands

March 7th, 2012

Over the last few weeks, the preacher at my church has been doing his stuff from the lesser known book of Nehemiah.  A book about a guy who gets compelled to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and becomes very very focused on his mission.

Well, in this story, there are of course, enemies, and detractors.  Those detractors constantly beat on him with words, taunts, threats, and other mischief.  Just think about them like the Occupy movement. But instead of killing the grass at your local courthouse, consider if those guys where camped, well, on you.  And the fact is, we all have detractors that are camped on us. It may not be a person, it may be an idea, or a habit, or thought pattern, or behavior.  But there is it is day after day, wearing you down.

And so, during his spiel last Sunday my eyes wandered over to this one verse in Nehemiah, as he responds to an advance from his detractors.

 9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”

   But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah 6:9 New International Version (NIV)

Do you ever feel like that?  Do you ever feel like those detractors our hoping that you will get too weak and not complete your task?  Well maybe today it’s time to borrow Nehemiah’s prayer.

“Now strengthen my hands.”

 

 

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Prayer for Peace

January 12th, 2012

Just a simple prayer this morning.

14 Turn from evil and do good;
   seek peace and pursue it.   Psalm 34:14 New International Version (NIV)

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Being Peace

November 15th, 2011

A few months ago, in a Sunday morning bible class, the instructor asked us what the our prayer was for our life.  I can’t remember the exact context of the conversation, but I remember the answer that immediately came to my mind.  And it come with so much authority and certainty that I actually felt like sharing it out loud, which doesn’t come easy for me in that setting. ( Which is really odd, since when I teach I love audience participation!)  Anyway, the prayer for my life on that day, and really ever since, was simple and powerful.  On that day I spoke these words:

I just want to be peace in storms.

I was sick – sick of the frustrating battles with my teenager, sick of the constant striving at work, sick of the ridiculous distractions that wrap me up and warp my viewpoints – sick of not just letting the spirit do what the spirit does.

That day was not the first time this thought was in my mind, but since that day I have prayed that prayer almost every day at some point in the day. And you know what – it has helped me grow is so many uncountable ways.!

So this past weekend as I cruised through Colossians I rediscovered this verse that I just love.  I hope it helps you as well.

 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 New International Version (NIV)

Be peace, be thankful, be Christ.

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Traffic Jam

March 24th, 2011

Well, I took the day off work yesterday and it appears my brain is still in vacation mode this morning.  My ideas are rolling in as fast as the afternoon traffic in Atlanta – which obviously means it’s going nowhere.

So here is an interesting verse to ponder today

6 Lord, the LORD Almighty,
may those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me. (Psalm 69:6, New International Version, ©2011)

It’s just a reminder of the fact that what you do and how you act impact those around you.  This is a pretty good prayer to pray today as  you interact with those around.  May your actions impact others for good!

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