Lord Kill the Spider!!

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of

the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV). 

Last Sunday our pastor told an interesting story and, had it not been serious, it would have been funny. He told about a fellow in a support group who for months on end kept praying about a personal problem but never did anything about it. Week after week he would pray with seemingly great conviction, "Oh God, clean the cobwebs out of my life...clean the cobwebs out of my life!"

Finally, in utter frustration the leader of the group broke into the man's prayer and prayed rather boisterously, "Oh God, KILL THE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ SPIDER!"

I can identify with this leader in that I, too, know of people who have been confessing the same sin and/or problem for years, asking God for deliverance but never doing anything about it. True, God feeds the sparrows but as the old saying goes, he doesn't throw the food into their nests.

If we are struggling with a besetting sin or bad habit, what can we do about it? Certainly pray and ask God for deliverance but also pray that he will show us the root cause of our problem because, more often than not, our repetitive failures are the fruit of a deeper root. God not only wants to deliver us from habitual sins but also free us from the deeper root cause. Also, we need to ask God to lead us to the help we need to overcome whether it be an AA Group, some other kind of recovery group, a counselor, a pastor or whatever help we need.

And then we need to do something about finding that help. As we do our part, God will do his, but he won't do for us what we can and are able to do for ourselves. For us to do less is an avoidance of personal responsibility.

Be Vigilant, Be Watchful, Be Prepared

"So be prepared, because you don't know what day your Lord is coming. You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected." - Matthew 24:4, 44 (NLT). 

Paul Gunther writes, is this: 'Be vigilant, be watchful, be prepared.' Be vigilant in matters of security, whether at an airport, a government institution or in the back sorting room of your office. Be watchful for signs of terrorism: a back-pack left unattended, a strange request for chemicals at a fertilizer plant, a white powder in the mail or unusual behavior by a neighbor down the street. Be prepared to call the police or FBI. Be prepared to evacuate a building. Be prepared to take defensive measures when your life or the lives of others is threatened. 'Be vigilant, be watchful, and be prepared. This motto should apply to every country in this day and age.


To be prepared, of course, is nothing new. As a kid I learned the same lesson in the Boy Scouts whose motto was, "Be Prepared." But it goes back at least two thousand years earlier when Jesus promised his followers that he would return to earth to take his true followers home to heaven to be with him. He advised them to be prepared for his coming because he will come when people least expect it.


However, Jesus did say that there would be certain signs that would precede his return to earth—such as an increase of earthquakes, pestilences, wars and rumors of war, etc., etc.


Howard Sugden used to say, "All the signs that Jesus said would precede his second coming have been happening since his first coming 2,000 years ago, but today they are all standing up at once!"


Only God knows the exact day and the hour of Jesus' return. It may or may not be in our lifetime. But of one thing we can be certain, as Jesus first coming to earth is an indisputable fact of history, so will be his second coming. The important thing for us is to be vigilant, be watchful, and be prepared!

Teachable

"When Priscilla and Aquila heard him [Apollos], they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately" - (Acts 18:26, NIV). 

Seeing is not always believing. Old beliefs as well as old habits die hard. For centuries people believed Aristotle's opinion that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth.


I am not an engineer but according to a report I read, in 1589 Galileo challenged Aristotle's teaching. He invited learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Galileo went to the top of the tower and at exactly the same moment pushed off a ten-pound and a one-pound weight.


Both landed at the same instant, but the professors still wouldn't believe what they saw. They insisted Aristotle was right.


To move ahead in life and to grow—intellectually, emotionally and spiritually—it is important that we examine all our beliefs, test them, hold to the true and discard the false. Admittedly, this is much easier said than done but done it must be if we are to keep learning and growing. Unless we are open to and willing to change, we get stuck in our ways and cease to grow.


We don't read much about Apollos in the Bible but he was a contemporary of the Apostle Paul. He was a very gifted and educated man "with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures." But he only knew about John the Baptist's baptism. So when Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak, they explained the gospel message to him more completely.


The end result was that Apollos was willing to listen, was teachable, made the necessary changes in his beliefs and as a result became a "great help" to the church (v. 27).

Turning Pebbles Into Pearls

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). 


Into the shell of an oyster a tiny grain of sand finds its way. "The intruder, though microscopic, is a source of irritation and pain to the soft body of the oyster. Unable to rid itself of the unwelcome pebble, the oyster seeks to reduce the irritation by coating it with layers of soft, iridescent mother-of-pearl material from its own
shell. Over time, the oyster transforms a painful irritation into a beautiful pearl of great value."

Most of us have "grains of sand" or annoying "pebbles" that come into our life on a regular basis ... many of which can be very frustrating and even painful.

But every one of these annoyances gives us a chance to grow. Some will require great patience, others tough love. Some will require our turning the other cheek, some confrontation, and some kindness and understanding. For example, addicts need to be treated with tough love. Bullies require us to maintain healthy boundaries. Cheaters need to be confronted. Manipulators need to be managed. Control freaks need to be resisted, guilt throwers need to be challenged, and toxic people may need to be avoided, and so on.

With God's help, if we so choose, we can turn every one of these annoying pebbles into pearls or we can allow them to make us bitter. For it's not what happens to us that matters, but how we react to what happens. What we do about it is what matters—and that's a choice we make either consciously or unconsciously. And remember, "The bumps are what we climb on."

How to Go to Heaven

                          According to the Word of God

      It is very simple to be saved and takes only a minute to explain. Please let me show you how to get to Heavenfrom the Bible, God's Word...

1. Man is a sinner.

• Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
• John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”
• Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

2. There is a price on our sin―eternal death in Hell.  

• Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
• Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
• 2nd Thessalonians 1:8, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Revelation 20:15, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
• Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

3. Jesus paid that price by dying on the cross and shedding His blood; Christ was buried and rose again!

• Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
• John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
• 1st Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
• 1st Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ...”
• 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

4. By faith in Jesus Christ ALONE we can be saved.

Salvation is NOT found in a religion or good works, but in a Person... The LORD JESUS CHRIST!

• John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
• John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
• Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
• Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
• Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
• 1st Corinthians 3:11, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
• Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
   

HERE IS HOW YOU CALL UPON THE LORD

Do you admit that you are a GUILTY sinner, under the condemnation of God's LAW, deserving of Hellfire?

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God (God in the flesh) who died upon the cross, sacrificing His precious blood to pay for your sins? Do you believe that Jesus was buried and rose again three days later?

That is the good news of the gospel... Jesus DIED, He was BURIED and He is RISEN!

If you'd like to be saved, simply come in your heart as a guilty sinner and BELIEVE upon the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Perhaps you'd feel comfortable praying a sinner's prayer as did the publican in Luke 18:13... “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

Dear Jesus,
I admit that I am a sinner deserving of Hell. I believe that you died, were buried and rose again. Please forgive me of my sins and take me to Heaven when I die. I now believe upon You alone, apart from all self-righteous works and religion, as my personal Savior. Thank you. Amen.

Just as you were born physically to your parents, so you were born spiritually into the Family of God when youreceived Jesus! Please understand that we are not saved because we pray a prayer; but because we believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. It is certainly appropriate to ask the Lord in prayer to forgive and save us; but it is our faith which prompts us to pray. You could just as easily believe in your heart upon the Lord to be saved, and not pray at all. Salvation is of the heart, as we read in Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness...”

It's not what you're doing that gets you to Heaven, it's where you're looking. Look to Jesus!

You do NOT have to be water baptized nor doing anything to get to Heaven other than trust upon the Lord as your Savior. Romans 4:5 proclaims... “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him (Jesus) that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” What a wonderful truth! Our faith is COUNTED for righteousness! There is NO self-righteousness involved in salvation. It is the gift of God. You see, we have no righteousness of our own to offer God. No amount of good can undo the bad we've done. Thus, Jesus paid a debt that He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay. Salvation is receiving, not giving. We areSinners and Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is precious!

Unbelief is the only sin which can keep you out of Heaven. 

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

Trusting Jesus is meaningless without the cross. You must believe that Jesus died, was buried and rose again. 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 teaches that the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple!” Yes, that simple. It is scriptural; it is God's plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If you've never been saved, then now is the time to believe upon the name of Jesus, the Christ, that your sins will be blotted out forever and you can know that your name is written in Heaven.

Christ died for your sins. You are a sinner by nature and by choice. Jesus took your sins and charged them to His own record. He went to the cross and paid the penalty for your sins. He says if you're willing to receive Him in faith; He will transfer His payment to your debt, and His righteousness to your sins. He will impute to you His goodness, and impute to His own record your sin; if you in faith will trust Him as your Savior.

Romans 8:34, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Billions of People are Going to Hell!

There are an estimated 6 billion people in the world, that’s 6,000,000,000 people!  The average life expectancy of a person is estimated to be around 70 years of age.  With all the natural disasters, people smoking, the global aids epidemic, terrorism, drug overdoses, liquor related deaths, accidents, murders, war, et cetera. I’m sure the average life expectancy is much lower. 
If 232,876 people die every day (on average), then how many people die per second?  Well, 232,876 divided by 24 hours = 9,703 people die every hour.  9,703 divided by 60 minutes = 161 people die every minute.  161 divided by 60 seconds = 2.6 (we'll say 2) people die every second.  Can you imagine this?  2 people die in this world every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year!  It's adds up to 85,000,000 people a year.  

Visit a cemetery sometime and you’ll be surprised how many people have died at a much younger age.  Nevertheless, let’s suppose that the average person lives to be 70 years old.  6,000,000,000 divided by 70 equals 85,714,285.  This means that 85,000,000 people, on average, die every year.  If we divide 85,000,000 by 365 days in a year, this means that an average of 232,876 people are dying every day in this world.  Are you shocked?  You'd never think from listening to the daily news that so many were dying. 

I’ve never heard anything like this on radio or TV, but it's a fact.  Every day in this world, 232,000 people fulfill their appointment with death.  Could you imagine reading the front page of a newspaper and seeing something like... “232,000 PEOPLE DEAD!”?  It happens every single day my friend!  The reason you’ll never see something like this is because it isn’t glamorous.  People like to hear about the one person who was shot to death, or the CEO that jumped out of his office window. 

The news media isn’t interested in how many people are dying around the world. There are natural deaths occurring all over the earth every second, 24 hours a day, but we never hear of them.  Deaths resulting from crime, war, disaster, sickness, injury, poison, disease and starvation are seldom heard of from other countries.  We only hear of the tip of the ice-berg!  

You can’t disagree with the math! 6,000,000,000 people will all be dead in 100 years! (ok, maybe 99.9%).   

How many people live to be 100?  NOT MANY!   By dividing 70 into 6,000,000,000, we found that 85,000,000 humans will die every year on average (more or less from year to year, but all will be dead in approximately 70 years).  We also found that dividing 365 days into 85,000,000 means that an average of 232,000 humans die every day.

 Now, let’s say that one in ten people are genuine born-again Believers.  We are clearly told in Matthew 7:14 that few people ever make it to heaven!, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT” (Matthew 7:14; Luke 13:23,24).   How tragic!  How horrible!  Honestly, I would be very surprised if more than one out of every hundred people are truly saved and on their way to Heaven! Consider the billion people in China who know not the Lord Jesus Christ! 

Consider the countless hundreds of millions of Arabs (Islamic Muslims) who worship Allah and the prophet Mohammed.  Consider the billion Catholics around the world that worship Mary and are trying to earn their way into Heaven through the keeping of the Seven-Sacraments and good works. 

On and on, religion and more religion!   Countless billions of people are trusting in their religion to save them instead of the Lord Jesus Christ.   Surely, nine out of ten people in this wicked world are bound for a Godless, eternal hell.  I have no doubts whatsoever that 90% of the people in this world are going to Hell.  Why?  For one simple reason friend, they do not have the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Their sins have not been forgiven.  We estimated that 232,876 humans die every day on average. 232,876 minus 10 % equals 209,588 people that perish into hell fire and destruction every single day that passes.  So roughly, 200,000 HUMANS PLUNGE INTO HELL FIRE EACH AND EVERY DAY!   We also see that 23,287 people (10%) make it to Heaven each day on average.  

The number of people which die every day can’t be denied!   You can argue concerning the percentage of people going to Heaven verses Hell; however, Matthew 7:14 clearly teaches that only a "FEW" people will enter into Heaven. "MANY" are going to Hell.  As I mentioned, I'd be surprised if more than 1% of the population are born-again believers. 

If you don't believe the Bible, then you had better hope to God that your right; If you believe the Bible "just enough" to obey it and call upon the saving name of Jesus Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of sins--you will be safe!   We all must die and it’s guaranteed that were not going to escape death!   It’s just a matter OF TIME!  Prepare to meet thy God!  

Salvation is not found in religion, but in a person—Jesus Christ! 

Let's think a bit further on this shall we...

What percentage of people do you believe are truly saved?  If you say "ALL," then you are obviously NOT a believer.  1st John 2:22 teaches that anyone who denies Jesus Christ is a LIAR. That means all Islamic Muslims are liars, because they deny that Jesus is the Son of God. Muslims deny that Jesus ever died on a cross. There are an estimated 1,300,000,000 Muslims in the world.

All followers of Judaism are liars, because they deny that Jesus is the Messiah. That's what the Bible teaches in 1st John 2:22. It's Jesus or Hell.

The question is: Do you believe that the Bible is God's Word? I do. By the way, the King James Bible is the only reliable English Bible that hasn't been corrupted by Satan.

There are another estimated 1,000,000,000 Catholics in the world, all who believe that Mary is able to give salvation, that the Seven-Sacraments are essential to salvation, that the pope is God upon the earth, that the priest has power to forgive sins and that good works can get them into Heaven.  The Bible teaches that we are saved solely by Christ's righteousness, which is through faith in His precious literal, physical, blood that washes our sins away (1st Peter 1:18-19; Hebrews 9:12,24; Revelation 1:5; Romans 3:25).

I witnessed to a Catholic man once who said he didn't believe Jesus was almighty God.  He's not a born-again believer. How sad!  Most of the world has been deceived by false religion.  Jesus is almighty God (John 1:1,14; John 10:33; John 14:1-3; 1st Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9; Revelation 1:8).  Yes friend, billions of people are going to Hell.  Each and every HOUR, roughly 9,500 people die.  Thousands of those people go straight to Hell.

If you've never received Jesus as you personal Savior, please do so now.  John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Being saved is very easy.  Salvation happens when a person acknowledges their guilt of sin, coming to God on the basis of being a hell-deserving sinner; believing on Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, to forgive their sins.  Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

Please understand—all one's good deeds, keeping of the Ten Commandments, water baptism, church membership, holy communion, penance, confirmation and praying are A ROAD TO HELL if you place any trust in them to save you. Salvation is solely by Christ's righteousness; and not by any self-righteousness of our own.  Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...” God DIDN'T give us the Ten Commandments to earn our way to Heaven; but rather, to show us our sinful condition and need for a Savior. Galatians 3:24, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Amen!

Don't rely upon anything or anyone other than the Son of God, Jesus, to forgive your sins.  Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Whosoever means YOU!!!  “Call” means “to appeal unto” i.e., “to go to Jesus to be saved.”  If you come to the Savior, He will not turn you away (John 6:37).  Isaiah 1:18 teaches that God will forgive the vilest sinner who comes through the Son of God. All that God the Father asks is that we come to Him through His dear Son for forgiveness (John 14:6).

Salvation is not a prayer!  Salvation is not a decision.  Salvation is not an experience. Salvation is a supernatural act of God in response to one's faith in Jesus Christ. Eternal life is freely given (Romans 5:15), freely offered (Romans 10:13), and freely received (Revelation 22:15).

To be saved, you simply stop trying to work your way to Heaven; and you rest in the finished work of Christ.  That's what the Sabbath Day pictured in the Old Testament. Jesus is our Sabbath, in Whom we rest for salvation. The only way to Heaven is to come as a guilty sinner and cast one's self at the feet of Jesus for forgiveness.  Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.”  Did you read that? ... HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!

You don't need to stop living in sin to be saved. Only a hypocrite would teach such a thing. Who can stop sinning? How much sin do you have to give up to be saved? Can anyone give up all their sins... sinful bad habits included? Even Jesus asked in John chapter 8, who is without sin among you?  Salvation is not about us giving up our sins to be saved. Salvation is about us admitting that we are guilty, hell-deserving, sinners and therefore need a Savior to redeem us. Jesus has the nail-scarred hands and feet. Jesus is that Savior.

Then, when we are saved, God will work in our heart to make the necessary changes. A changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance; and not a part of the ROOT of saving-faith. Salvation is solely by Christ's righteousness (Romans 10:3-4; 2nd Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 6:33).

THE REALITY OF HELL VIDEO

How is your Prayer Life?

How is your prayer life? Is prayer your first response for all thoughts and encounters in your life? If not,we need to examine why not! 

Matthew-6:5-15- “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Matthew 7: 7-12 -  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who  knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 3:21 - "When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened."

Luke 5:16 - " But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Luke 6:12 - "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God."


Luke 9:18 - "And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”

Luke 9:28 - "About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray."

Luke 11:1 - "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Luke 23:46 - Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

 John 15:4-5 - Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Romans 8: 18-30 - I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that  the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to son-ship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 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. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 James 5:13-18 - Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Have you ever thought through why you do not spend more time with God? What aspects of your time and commitment hold you back from prayer? Most of us do not have the kind of prayer life we should have; in my experience, most people give up because either they do not know how to pray or they do not understand the significance of prayer. Others may have prayer lives but they are not godly or effectual prayers; these tend to be the prayers with only the self-interests or personal agendas in mind. We may know about prayer, but is our understanding and practice lined up to Christ as Lord, or to what we want? One might presume that a Christian in a church automatically knows how and why to pray, but few are ever taught the power, relevance, and importance of prayer. Therefore, we go on presumptions and perhaps even model our prayers after someone else, not from what God has communicated to us. 

The purpose of prayer is not just to get what we want; it is lining ourselves up with His thoughts, ways, and precepts. The focus of our prayers is Christ, His work, and His impact on you, your family, and the world. This is what the Lord’s Prayer is about (Luke 11:1-4). The main theme of prayer is our vital connection with God as Lord and Savior, and His empowering us for all we do in life. He is sovereign; He directs our lives as well as the rest of the universe, so we must get in tune with Him. We must lean on and dwell in Him so we are infused with His Way rather than clouded and distracted by our ways or the ways of the world.

If prayer is our connection with God, then to ignore prayer means we are trying to put God out of our lives. When we misuse prayer, we are usurping God’s authority and missing out on His best for us. We are treating God like a pet, giving Him the time and affection when it is convenient for us, when it fits our needs, concerns, and occasion. God must come first and prayer helps us make this happen. Prayer is one of, if not the most quintessential important aspect of the Christian life. Prayer needs to be number one for the serious Christian to whom Jesus is not merely Savior but also LORD. However, to make entreaty (deep prayer) with God our first priority, we must first receive His redemptive work through the power of the Spirit. Once we have received His amazing gift, and His work is transforming and renewing us (Rom. 12:1-3), prayer becomes our response to Him, and helps us continually commune His Work within us.

Do we truly understand the power, significance, and eminence of prayer? If not, why not? What is in the way of prayer being more momentous in our lives? We need to ask ourselves, what has happened in my life and how am I responding in prayer to my connection to God? What will it take to become more of a person who has “heartfelt prayer” at my core; what will it take for me to be a “prayer warrior,” whose life goal is to make Christ first in all things? The prerequisite to this type of effective, prayer warrior prayer is consistency and growth in our prayers. In conjunction, we learn about prayer and life in general from spending time with Him and His Word, and by continually growing in that prayer life. We also become better equipped to handle all that comes our way.

Prayer helps us see the great expectations He has for us, but this insight does not come  about all at once. As with any growth, it is gradual. Prayer is something that does not just happen overnight; it is like planting a seed that geminates, grows, matures, and then produces its fruit. The seed alone does not produce the fruit; it is only after its growth and development from its time in the sun, the water and fertilizer, and its care and cultivation that brings about its bountiful harvest. It is the same with our growth in Christ! Prayer develops as we consistently obey Christ. It is watered by the fertilizer of His Word. The care and cultivation comes from effective, godly teachers. Our nurturing and learning feeds our roots in Him. If we negate our cultivation of prayer, we are negating Christ in our life and the result will be a very slow growth, perhaps even retardation in our spiritual formation. Prayer needs attention and constant tending for effectual growth.

Prayer helps create more of itself. Prayer begets more prayer and that begets greater  spiritual formation. When our prayers are not just self-focused but engage others as well, our Christian walk becomes deeper, more relevant, and heartfelt. Heartfelt prayer is the sense of passion and urgency that needs to come before progress can take place. This is where prayer becomes more real and transfers into an authentic connection with God, not just regarding Him as a vending machine for meeting our desires.

Our prayer life grows when we plow the field and plant the seed so it can grow. We must plow away the weeds of our selfishness along with the things in life that distract and obstruct us. This must take place to bring more nourishment into our soilfrom His presence, so the seeds of our faith can grow into the mustard tree of maturity and service. We have to know God and His Word first; then we will know the importance of worship and faith development that fuels our prayer that in turns fuels our worship of God and connection with others.

Prayer is reciprocal, as it needs to be a perennial and continual attitude that begets a perpetual, continuous, constant action; thus, prayer is a ceaseless relationship we have with God and that echoes in eternity. Prayer begets our character and maturity and, in turn, our character and maturity help spur on our prayer life. Learning about God and worshiping Him brings us closer to His presence and makes our prayers deeper and more alive.

Passion that honors Christ synergizes our prayer life; it forms from our realization of who He is and what He has done for us. Passion increases  prayer from explorations, curiosity, or perhaps a selfish mindset, to a vigorous lifestyle. Prayer becomes more continual and effective as we build on our growing relationship in Him. Thus, the characteristics of knowing Christ, worshiping Him, learning more about Him, and practicing prayer through the work of the Holy Spirit fuel the growth of our prayer life. Then those characteristics back flow to cause each one of them to work synergistically better.

Consequently, as our prayer life grows, so does our worship and learning of Christ. As our relationship grows, our gifts and skills grow, our meaning and purpose in life grows, and so forth (2 Peter 1:5-9). Therefore, more prayer will cause us to be more passionate, have deeper worship experiences, become better leaders, develop more knowledge, maturity, and character, and become better servants and friends.

Questions to Ponder

Read Luke 3:21; 5:16, remember, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. How is your prayer life? Is prayer your first response for all thoughts and encounters in your life? If not, we need to examine why not!

Have you ever thought through why you do not spend more time with God? What aspects of your time and commitment hold you back from prayer? How can you better understand and practice Prayer? Why is prayer not about what we want? Why would people think it is? The purpose of prayer is not just to get what we want, so what is the reason we are to pray? How can prayer help you be lined up to Christ as Lord? Read Luke 11:1-4. The focus of our prayers is Christ, His work? How will this improve your spiritual life? How does His impact on you affect your impact on your family, and the world? (This is what the Lord’s Prayer is about).

Do you truly understand the power, significance, and eminence of prayer? If not, why not? What is in the way of prayer being more momentous in our lives? How  can you better respond in prayer to your connection to God? What will it take to become more of a person who has “heartfelt prayer” at your core? What will it take for you to be a “prayer warrior,” whose life goal is to make Christ first in all things? The prerequisite to this type of effective, prayer... How will you make this so in your personal life and in your church? How will prayer help your growth in Christ? What are you going to do about your prayer life now? How does the practice of prayer build much heartier relationships with others? How can you improve your prayer life? Can you think of a specific area in your life where prayer needs to be more manifested? If so, how can you make this so? 

You can Answer these Question above and write them down on the little cute blank note provided on the side here. Print the blank note and write down your thoughts or the answers for the questions above or you can use this blank note to write down your daily thoughts and paste in your diary or stack it in a file. Every time you want to be encouraged you can go back to your file and read those positive thoughts that you have jotted down. You can even write few nice words on this blank note and Share it with your friends and family too so they can treasure it as a gift from you. Another thing You can do is Print  a bunch of these blank notes and do an activity with your kids and their friends to write nice things about each others and share. God bless you all. :)




PRAY about Every thing! ♥

The Fear of the Lord

Verse of the Day: "The fear of The Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding" - (Job 28:28). 


"You learn something new every day, you know that?" Brad slapped his friend, Andrew, on the back as he sat beside him in the youth group room at their church.


Andrew tossed his head to brush his hair out of his eyes and look at his friend. "You sound like my dad."


"Have you ever heard adults talk about 'the fear of God'?"


"Yeah," Andrew answered. "So?"


"Well, for the first time in my life, I think I understand what they're talking about. . . . You remember how Mr. Phillips started our first driver's ed. class last Tuesday?"


"Yeah," Andrew said with a shrug. "He gave us some speech about how we should 'be afraid, be very afraid' when we get behind the wheel of a car."


"Right! He said we should respect driving, because, while driving a car could be really good for us-getting us to school, taking us to the amusement park, stuff like that—it could also take our life or our passengers' lives away like that—" he snapped his fingers—"if we're not responsible drivers."


"Yeah," Andrew said, as if waiting for the punch line of a joke. "He said we're not ready to drive a car until we're 'afraid, very afraid.' So?"


"Well, I was reading my Bible this morning, and I came across the verse that says, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' And for the first time, I understood what the fear of God is all about. It's not being scared of him, but it's realizing that he's God, he has the power of life and death, and he's the judge of good and evil."


Andrew smiled and nodded with understanding.


"So," Brad finished, "just like we're not ready to drive a car until we 'fear' it, we're not ready to know and serve God until we understand how awesome and powerful he is."


"And how happy we should be that he loves us," Andrew said.


TO DO: As a family, come up with your own definition of what it means to "fear the Lord." Then hang your definition in a place where everyone will be sure to see it.