Tag: praying

prayer

Praying Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

The Kedge Anchor
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“Be careful what you pray for, you might get it.” We’ve all heard that saying before. Sometimes what we get isn’t necessarily what we don’t want, it’s not what we expected and that can be either good or bad, depending on your perspective.

Think about the times you have prayed for someone, for their situation, for their salvation or for a situation to change and the outcome or the answer wasn’t what you expected. One thing that God has brought to my attention is as I pray I need to trust Him. Honestly, sometimes scenarios are going through my mind of how things will work out or how God will work things out. I don’t think that’s for me to know, I think that’s for me to trust.

“Not my will, but yours.” It’s God’s desire for all men to be saved, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” 1Timothy 2:3-4. When you are praying for someone to be saved and know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, what are you thinking?(Not “what ARE you thinking?) What are you imagining to happen? Maybe that they will be driving along one day and have this overwhelming desire to know Jesus and be forever changed. Not that, that can’t happen. But look at Saul or Paul, he was stopped dead in his tracks and made blind for a while. I know I think of easy transitions, smooth sailing for others and for situations. Rarely does that ever happen. That’s not how God works. I am learning that.

Only God can work through situations and change hearts and for Him to do that, He sometimes has to bring us and others to our knees, whatever it takes if we are sincere in our prayers. That’s also not to say we are wishing ill on them or bad things to happen, heavens no, we want to see changes and sometimes that takes hard times. Look at Jesus and His ministry. His ministry was to preach salvation to all. He came to earth as fully human and fully God as a baby to grow up in stature, teach, and to one day die on the cross and rise again in three days. Things got bad before they got better, same with Paul.

This was an “ah-ha” moment for me. When we are praying for God to change situations, change hearts, we need to be prepared that things may get worse before they get better. We need to trust God. We don’t know how God will work in each individual or situation. God knows the details of every challenging situation and the hearts of the people He created. He works “all things together for our good and His glory” Romans 8:28. God will work things out according to His plan, we have to trust. God may direct you or use you in the plan (be prepared for that) and He may give you specifics through the Holy Spirit pressing in on you to say something or do something specific.

Think back to Jesus in the Garden, things had to get worse before they got better. Sometimes we or our loved ones need to go through situations that will get worse before they get better.

We need to remember this:

  1. Trust God, His Providence, His timing.
  2. Things may get worse before they better.
  3. Ask for endurance, courage to get through the next few days weeks, months, however long it’s going to take for God to work things out.
  4. When we get to the other side, when victory comes, remember to give thanks. “Give thanks always” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16 so let’s remember days, weeks, months, even years later to recall God’s goodness in the situation, or any situation. It’s good to keep remembering what God has done for us.
  5. Keep praying for the situation or person. “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Now that things have changed, ask God to help you not make the same mistakes, to keep walking in His light, continue to pray for the person or situation that the person will grow spiritually and the situation will remain stable.

We have to trust God when we are praying for changes in others and in situations. We can’t know how God will work things out, other than He will work them out according to His plan for our good and His glory and that can and will look totally different than what we imagine. That’s dangerous prayer, are we bold enough to pray dangerously?

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A Conversation with God

The Kedge Anchor

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Prayer is really just talking to God. It can be transforming and life changing. But we have to first listen. We need to be still before God. As much as God wants to bestow blessings on us, He is not a genie. Prayer is so much more than just asking God for things and to do things. Prayer is about communing with God not just communicating.

Prayer is our chance to invite God into a conversation with us, not just listen to a poetic monologue, Matthew 6:7.  He’s not impressed with “thee’s” and “thou’s” or how eloquent you speak. And even though He knows what’s on your mind and in your heart, He still wants to hear all about it. He loves us, He is patient with us so even if we keep coming back with the same story, Philippians 4:6 -“…but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” He hears you and He is God and will answer according to His will. Psalm 66:19 -“But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.” (NKJV)

Have you ever been angry at God? I have. And I have gone to Him in prayer about it, with reverence. He knows what’s on my heart and why so why would I try to hide it? Have you ever been so happy and excited about something that you had to tell someone? Tell God. He wants to hear or joys and sorrows. He is our provider and blesses us. And remember to thank Him.

Sometimes I don’t know what to pray. And that’s ok. It’s ok to sit in silence with God. Just mediate on His words, pray back scripture to Him, recite the Lord’s prayer slowly and think about each word, each line. Breath in on a line and breath out on the next. Communication is a two way street and God needs a little time to get a word in.

When was the last time you just poured out your heart to God? Let it all out? He won’t be shocked or surprised, nothing goes unnoticed Hebrew 4:13 -“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (NIV).

It’s ok to talk to God like you were talking to a person of flesh and blood. Jesus was flesh and blood once, He walked as a human on His earth, He understands, He knows, He knows all. Invite God into you day, into your heart, let His words transform you.

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November 15, 2021 – Colossians 3:15

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Memorize Monday – free coloring page, Colossians 3:15- “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” God asks us to be thankful. If you want to know the will of God, be thankful. Yes God has more than that for us to do, but it’s a good place to start if you are looking to do God’s will. We were called to be thankful and the peace of God to rule in our hearts. There are many benefits to being thankful. Being thankful can improve mental and physical health. Having a heart of gratitude can foster empathy and allow us to be content with what we already have. For are you thankful for today? Share in the comments and if you find encouragement in the post, please like and share.


Nov 15Download

Colossians 3:15

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Teach Us to Pray – Part 5

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Prayer is a big subject. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. I think we humans tend to make it what it’s not and complicate it. What’s important is we talk to God and listen to His response. I do believe it is important to pray everyday. And that may look different for each of us.

For me the basics, praying daily to the Father as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s prayer and having a place everyday to pray away from everyone, alone as Jesus set that example for us. Luke 4:42 – “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.” Luke 11:1 -“He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Matthew 6:6-13 sums it up  – “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; …”

The time of day may not be early in the morning, it could be at noon or in the evening. Your quiet place may not be a mountain. It could be a prayer closet, a room, your car, or sitting outside under a tree in your yard. And it could change from time to time.

We don’t always have to have our heads bowed and hands folded. We can pray standing with our hands lifted or on our knees. We can pray while dancing or while walking and singing. God sees our heart. I like to have the heart of a child when I approach God, unabashed, with boldness. Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Sometimes kids don’t have filters. They just speak their minds. There is no hiding our feelings from God.

But don’t let these things, these ways, routines, think that God will only answer your prayer if you do these things and don’t miss a beat. Yes there is a way to pray and God hears your prayer and He will answer them according to His TIMING!! That’s the key, His timing. Trust His timing.

Keep it simple. “Pray without ceasing” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

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Teach US to Pray – Part 4

The Kedge Anchor
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Welcome to part four. If you have been following these posts on prayer, we looked at what prayer is and isn’t. Prayer is communicating with God and a form of meditation. God is not a genie and will only grant us what is best for us. He is our Heavenly Father and wants to bless us like a father would provide for his children.

Sometimes it appears God is silent. But it’s really us who need to stop and listen. Just because God is silent, doesn’t mean He is saying no, sometimes He is responding with a wait, not yet, in His time. He is sovereign and He has a plan for us. Philippians 4:6 tells us to “pray without ceasing,” “praying at all times,” Ephesians 6:8. God wants to hear it all. He wants us to pour our hearts out to him. Sometimes we don’t know what to pray but God has provided the Holy Spirit to hear the cries of our heart, the words we don’t know how to express and with groans, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26

So, to whom do we pray? The Scriptures make it clear that we are to pray to the Father.

Matthew 6:6-13 – “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; …”

Philippians 4:6 – “...but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God …”

John 16:23-24 – “… Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. “

John 14:13-14 – “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

In Matthew 6:6-13, Jesus tells us to pray directly to His Father. He tell us to send our requests no to Himself, the Holy Spirit or to dead saints, but to go directly to the Father, our Father with our prayers. Paul confirms this in Philippians 4:6. In John 16:23-24 and John 14:13-14 Jesus instructs us to not only pray to the Father but to pray in His name. We are to pray to the Father in Jesus’ name. By doing so we acknowledge that it through Jesus’ blood only that we have a direct connection to Him and the Father. We see this in John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus is the only way to eternal life and to our Heavenly Father.

I do believe there is a way to pray, but not to get our prayers answered. This is what Jesus is telling us is the best way to enter into prayer so that the Father will hear us. I see it as God’s love language. This is how we are to address our prayers to the Father. We all have a love language. Don’t know about you but I don’t like when people just bark orders at me. A “please,” “a would you do me a flavor, please.” And I certainly don’t appreciate attitude. But at the same time we can go to the Father in all reverence but still talk to Him as if we could see Him sitting next to us.

I have gone to God telling Him how I feel. There’s no hiding that I have been mad at Him, so for me to even try and cover that up, He KNOWS my heart, He sees my anger and it’s ok to be angry and express it to Him as long as we don’t sin. He understands our limited knowledge of our situation. And usually after I have expressed my anger, I not only feel better but I fell comforted knowing that God knows all and in time He just may reveal to me some or all details at some point.

There are some examples in the Bible of God’s people being mad at Him. Numbers 11:11,15 – “Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated with your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? . . . If you treat me this way, please kill me right now . . .” and Jonah 3:10-4:9 . “Therefore now, Lord, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” . . . “I am right to be angry, even to death. Anger is an emotion God gave us, He just wants us to express it wisely.

So go to the Father in the name of Jesus about everything at all times. No holding back. We have a big God, He can handle it. He knows our hearts.

Thank you for stopping by. If you liked this post, please like and share. If you have any comments or prayer requests please leave them in the comment section.

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“Teach Us to Pray”- Luke 11:1 Part 1

The Kedge Anchor
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Prayer can sometimes be a little daunting. We so often don’t know what to say. We have no words to express how we feel or what we want to see happen. We can feel inadequate, sometimes unworthy. We often feel uncomfortable praying in front of others and worse asked to pray on the spot. We can feel lost and start to question our faith when our prayers go unanswered.

We wonder, is God hearing me? Where is He? Why aren’t my prayers being answered? I’ve been praying for ______ fill in the blank, for years, what’s taking so long? We ask, “where are you God?” These are normal responses. We are after all human. We don’t have all the answers to anything. We don’t have infinite knowledege. We were not present when God created the universe.

So, let’s find out and dig a little deeper into what prayer is and isn’t. Let define prayer, practice it, share it. I am no expert on prayer. I have probably just as many if not more questions than you do about prayer.

Jesus gave a perfect model of prayer in Luke 11:1 and in Matthew 6:5-15. And that is just what it is a model prayer. It illustrates how to pray rather than dictating the necessary words to use. Even as a model prayer I still find myself praying it from time to time when I am at a loss for words, sometimes I pray it to calm my mind. I do believe God still hears my words, my unspoken words.

When writing about something, in some cases I was taught to start by defining what it is about I am writing. So let’s define prayer.

The Merriam – Webster Dictionary defines prayer as:

1a(1): an address (such as a petition) to God or a god in word or thoughtsaid a prayer for the success of the voyage

(2): a set order of words used in prayingb: an earnest request or wish

2: the act or practice of praying to God or a godkneeling in prayer

3: a religious service consisting chiefly of prayers  —often used in plural

4: something prayed for

5: a slight chancehaven’t got a prayer

In Biblical terms, prayer can be defined as a conversation with God. However, I do believe that God has a love language and we need to know what that is. Just like your spouse or your family members, friends, boss, co-workers, anyone in who you have a realtionship with has a love language and to communicate best with them, learning their love language can make a difference. But, I still believe that God hear us when we can seem to find the words. Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.“

So you maybe asking, “why pray?” Stay tuned as we try to gain some insight to prayer. Please like and share and if you have any comments please share them.