PRAYER? WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? (ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING)

What is prayer? Well dictionaries tell us it is a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship. Now lets see what the bible tells us what prayer is.

• Exodus 32:11-THEN MOSES PLEADED WITH THE LORD HIS GOD…
• 2 Chronicles 32:20-… PRAYED AND CRIED OUT
• Job 8:5-IF YOU WOULD EARNESTLY SEEK GOD AND MAKE YOUR SUPPLICATION TO THE ALMIGHTY
• Ephesians 3:14-…I BOW MY KNEES…

(These are just a few verses that describe what prayer is in the Bible. I urge you not to just take my word but to grab your bible and search and study for yourself.)

Now lets see what we have gathered. In Exodus 32:11 we are told prayer is a pleading with the Lord our God. Plead means, “to make an emotional appeal. Synonyms include beg, implore and supplicate.(remember this word) 2 Chronicles 32:20 tells and shows us prayer is a cry out to the Lord our God. The phrase cry out is defined as, “to weep, shed tears with or without sound. Also defined as, to call loudly, shout or to demand resolution or strongly indicate a particular disposition. Now Job 8:5 tells us prayer is, “earnestly seeking good and making our supplication.” Earnestly defined is, “is with sincere and intense conviction. Supplication means, “the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. Ephesians 3:14 show us that prayer is a bowing of our knees. What this means is that we humble ourselves in the presence of our God. For we are not worthy to stand in his presence.

Why is Prayer important?

For starters prayer is a direct commucication to our Father. Prayer is also how we call upon Christ in that moment we gain our salvation. The fact that we use prayer to call out to Christ and accept him as our lord and saviour makes it so important. Through prayer we gain guidance. We gain understanding of who God is and what his Word means. Through prayer it strengthens and builds our relationship with God. I believe prayer should be a huge part of our faith and relationship with God. In reality, if your not praying and communicating with God, its not much of a relationship. Its like relationships on earth. To build and maintain a relationship we have to communicate with one another. So again, PRAYER? WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.

So to close this out here is my prayer. Lord I ask that you work your way through our lives letting your will will be done. I ask that you put it on our hearts to humble ourselves and call out to you in prayer. I thank you for the ultimate sacrifice and our salvation. In Jesus name I pray, Amen

We are the Painting and God is the Painter

We have all thought it or said it, whether it is directly related to us. We wanna know why “bad” things happen to “good” people.

Well to start off with, Jesus tell us in Mark 10:18, “why  do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God” and we are told again in Luke 18:19. So we learn from these two verses that our man kind mentality has brought to fruition a phrase that goes against scripture. We must realize we are not good. We are broken and sinful. But that still leaves us to beg the question as to why God allows bad things to happen. Notice I said allows and not causes. Our God is not an evil, wicked, and vile God. He is a God built on love, grace, mercy, and compassion. 

Sometimes our human minds can’t see the “big picture” of things. We don’t see the end game, but God sees all aspect of the picture. We are the Painting and God is the Painter.

Here are some cool verses:

Romans Ch. 5:3-4

“And not only that but we also Glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perserverance, and perserverance, character, and character hope.”

This one passage speaks to me so clearly as to why bad things happen. Not to good people, but to broken unclean people who give their lives to the only good one, God. Tragedy and tribulations happens because God wants us to reach out to him. Tragedy happens because their is spiritual growth involved. We need to practice and form a habit of lifting our burdens and struggles up to the Lord. In doing so we feel his love and compassion and gain insight. We learn to perserver and we build upon our character, and ultimately through this we end up in a position or circumstance where God needs us and has destined us to be. 

This is a not so extreme example, but it paints the picture.

About three years ago I worked at Blockbuster. Until as we all know they closed down. I was in a position where I needed Gods help and Guidance. So I gave my troubles up to the lord and laid my burdens of this place down at the cross. Over the next few months I had begun to work at another movie store. I strongly believe God had brought me to this place for one major reason. Not to be a hopeless romantic, but I feel I was brought here to meet the woman I would one day marry. God had prepared me and brought me to my future wife. After working at the movie store for a few months I decided to start applying for a bank job. A decision I believe the Lord put on me. The Lord has blessed me by placing me in this bank job. A job that involves a beautiful Christian work Enviroment where I can freely express my love of God with my co-workers and customers. I’ve no doubt that the Lord allowed the doors to close on Blockbuster (literally and figuritively) and allowed me to struggle because he sees the big picture and where He intends for me to be. I am the Painting and God is the Painter.

My prayer for you is one of perseverance through your struggles. For growth and understanding of who God is and how his love really works. In Jesus Mighty name. Amen

Brotherhood (In Christ)

Brotherhood? Brotherhood defined is the relationship between two brothers. Simply Put. Lets look at some synonyms; comradeship, fellowship, and brotherliness. I find it strikingly cool that fellowship is a synonym. Today I looked up fellowship in the bible and I found the verse 1 Thessalonians 5:11. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing.” I find this verse so perfect for what I am writing this about.

You know, I never gave it to much thought about the importance of brotherhood in Christ until recently I became burdened and stressed to the max. I’ve always been the prideful closed off type. The type of guy who tries to cope with things on his own. Well at this moment and time I felt God speaking to me, urging me to break from my comfort zone and to reach out for help and prayers from a close friend of mine of about 10 years. I consider this guy a brother to me. A brother from another mother as the phrase goes and a brother in Christ. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and that’s what I did. I reached out for prayers for the burdens and stress I was facing. Afterwards, I realized how important brotherhood is and how blessed I am. In reaching out for prayer and help I could feel the bond of our brotherhood as Christ worked through us and through the conversation that followed. I could feel real genuine fellowship in that moment as both of our hearts were focused on God and his Glory. 

The reason 1 Thessalonian 5:11 jumped out at me is because thats exactly what had happened. My brother in Christ encouraged and built me up. We are a fellowship in Christ. 

So here is my prayer. I pray that the lord blesses you with a brotherhood in Christ. Someone that is there to encourage and build you up just as you are doing. In Jesus mighty name, Amen.

Do I Matter? (Do We Matter?)

Today I read a devotional (Daily Bread) and the topic was “DO I MATTER?” The individual talked about how they were in a Grocery store. They were looking around noticing all the different people, and thought, “Do all these people really matter to God?

Being a christian since sixteen and being fortunate to have parents who showed me who God was as a child, I have never given it any real thought about this question. And then a revelation hit me. There are about 7.5 billion people in the world. That’s no small number. A revelation that my God not only cares so much for me but also the 7.5 billion other people who make up our planet. All at the same time. The beautiful thing is, even if God doesn’t matter to us, we will always matter to him. I know this all seems like basic knowledge and very logical thinking, but take a second, step back and really think about it. 7.5 billion people and how important every single person is just as important to God as the next. Now lets look at our society for a moment. We have a whole society turning away from God. God doesn’t matter to them but they will always matter to God. I debated on using this example where as I don’t want to step on toes but I feel God compeling me to share. We have many protesting in the streets. People going crazy. Losing their minds. Being violent to our fellow man and woman alike. Our initial reaction, including me, is to get angry and upset. God on the other hand looks at them with a broken heart and sadness. But through all the sadness and broken heartedness they are still just as important to God as the pastor in church on Sunday morning. The missionaries out in the third world countries. Just as important as you and me. So that brings me to a question of my own that I think we should keep close.

Shouldn’t they be just as important to us?

This put myself in check. I gained perspective. I’m learning, instead of a christian being agnry and grumpy, I need to be a christian who loves and prays for those who are so important and precious to my God.