Category: prayer

In the Realm of “Already”

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

Present Your Requests to God (YouVersion Bible App, Max Lucado: “Anxious for Nothing”

In Luke 18:1–8, Jesus told a parable about a persistent widow who went before an unjust judge. The woman so pestered the judge that he finally agreed to her request just to get her to go away. Jesus ended the parable by saying, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” (verse 8 NIV).

What are you to make of this parable? Is God a reluctant judge? Are you the marginalized widow? Is prayer a matter of pestering God until he breaks down and gives you what you want? No, this is a parable of contrast, not comparison. God is not like the judge in the story. He is not reluctant in answering the prayers of his people. As a child of the King, you can turn to him at any moment. He never places you on hold or tells you to call again later. God loves the sound of your voice. Always. He doesn’t hide when you call. He hears your prayers.

But why present your requests to him at all? What’s the purpose when he already knows what you are going to ask? Prayer is actually for your benefit. It allows you to act in faith on what you know about his character. When you pray in specific ways—for the particulars of your problems—and you see God respond in specific ways, your faith grows. You come to trust that God will always be there for you, even in the midst of the most anxiety-producing moments.

Prayer is simply a conversation with your heavenly Father. You place your anxieties in his hands and remind him—and yourself—of the promises he has made in his Word. You find a promise that fits your problem and build your prayer around it. These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and activate the angels of heaven. Miracles are set into motion. You experience less consternation; more supplication. Fewer anxious thoughts, more prayer-filled thoughts.

Thanksgiving is the means God uses to help you take the focus off yourself and onto him. Gratitude is a powerful weapon in the arsenal against anxiety because it leads you out of the land “if only” and into the realm of “already.” The anxious heart says, “Lord, if only I had this, that, or the other, I’d be okay.” The grateful heart says, “Lord, you’ve already given me this, that, and the other thing. Thank you for your blessings, God.”

Christ-based contentment will turn you into a strong person. It helps you realize that since no one can take your Christ, no one can take your joy. Failure can’t steal your joy, because Jesus is greater than your sin. Disappointments can’t steal your joy, because even though your plans may not work out, God’s plans always will. Not even death can steal your joy, because Jesus has even conquered death itself.

What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have. You have God, who is crazy about you, and the forces of heaven to monitor and protect you. You have the living presence of Jesus within you. In Christ you have everything. So anchor your heart to the character of God. Treat each anxious thought with a grateful one, and prepare yourself for a new day of joy.

Respond

Do you ever feel like you are pestering God when you pray? How does knowing God is eager to hear from you affect your desire to talk to him?

What attitude do you tend to have when you pray? How would your prayers change if you focused on what God has already done in your life?

What anxious thoughts will you pray for specifically today? How will you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past as you pray specifically for these needs?

My Thoughts

One of the pages that I follow on Facebook is called “Cowboyisms.” Yes, there are horses, cowboys and gorgeous sunsets. But I follow the page because there is a lot of godly wisdom on the graphics the participants post. One such post was this morning, and it said, “You don’t pray to inform God. You pray to involve God.” Isn’t that the truth? God already knows all that we are going through, so we don’t tell Him what is going on in our lives because He needs information. We are telling Him so that we are asking Him to get intimately involved in the circumstances of our life.

I really like what today’s devotional has to say about being in the realm of “already.” When we take time to recognize what God has already done for us, then our faith increases and our doubt flees.

Whenever my husband goes out to run errands, as soon as he comes into the house again, I am eager to share what has happened in the few hours he has been gone. I want to tell him about what I read in the Bible, what I heard from my news blurbs online and any interesting blogs I read that day. I want to tell him about phone calls and prayer requests that I am praying for. You see, he actually wasn’t there when I was going through these events.

But God was…He is always there! So, when I tell Him about my day and the things I am grateful for and the help that I need from Him, He already knows. But as my loving Father, He wants me to set aside time just to talk to Him, to have the relationship with Him that strengthens me for my day. That is what my prayers with God are like. It’s not a sonorous pulpit-like prayer, but rather a conversation with the One who knows me best and loves me most. I don’t want to sound sacrilegious, but I talk to God as I would talk to my husband who just walked into the door and is interested in what has been happening. God, who is always there, wants to know what is on my heart and mind and takes the time to listen. And, I have found, if I will sit quietly, He will also respond with words that I need to hear, mostly from His Word but sometimes timely words of advice just for me in a given situation. Talking to God relieves my anxiety and helps me recall all that He has already done for me.

Do you talk to God daily? I talk to Him all day long…prayer in the morning and then I just keep the conversation going as I seek His wisdom and His input on current issues. He never shuts the door in my face or tells me He’s just too busy to listen right now, that I should come back later. I call His name and I am assured that He is listening and ready to be there for me, whatever I need. If I need to vent because I am angry about something, He listens and calms me down. If I need to cry because I am sad, He listens, without judging that the thing I am upset about is a small thing. I am so thankful that He is always ready to hear me when I call out to Him, He is never impatient with me, and He always has an answer for me. No, the answer may not come right away, but I know, because I know Him, that He is working on solutions that are best for me and others, and the answer will come at just the right time.

The Prayer-Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli

Unity

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture, YouVersion App4 Comments

This is my prayer, not just for believers but for our nation. Please enjoy this devotional from the YouVersion and join me in praying for our nation today, for unity in spite of our differences of opinion about candidates.

And without adding it to the Scripture, because that would be wrong, let me add the comment there is neither Republican nor Democrat. We believers are called to be one!

Christ Calls You to Unity and Fellowship

Key Verse

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

In his letter to the Galatian church, the Apostle Paul offers a glimpse of the demographics of heaven. And it looks like paradise. If there were a census in heaven, it would ask only one question: Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? Everything else is incidental.

But Paul is not necessarily talking about heaven in Galatians 3. He’s talking about the church—Christ’s followers in this world. The unity of our shared purpose far outweighs any differences in race, gender, or background. In 1 Corinthians 12:12–31, Paul uses the human body as an analogy for the church. Within the body, various parts have different features, different functions, and different ways of working. But they share a common goal—one that unites them profoundly and overrides their differences. Like the parts of the human body, Christ’s followers work together and depend on one another to accomplish Christ’s work.

The unity to which Christ calls us can serve as an example to the world. It can inspire and give hope to people who know little about Christ. Learning to embrace—and celebrate—the unique set of cultural mores, personal experiences, and God-given gifts and sensibilities that every believer brings to the work of Christ is one of the most powerful forms of outreach the church has to offer.

A lack of unity within a church can have a devastating effect on its outreach. If people look to the church and see fractious relationships, backbiting, and internal warfare, they will likely, and justifiably, chalk it up to hypocrisy. For many, it will confirm their worst suspicions about Christianity. If they see there’s nothing special about the way Christ’s followers interact with one another, they may question Christ’s ability to change lives. If, on the other hand, people see loving concern, cooperation, encouragement, accountability, and “iron-sharpening iron,” they may be inspired to investigate Christ further.

Romans 12:18 gets to the heart of the matter: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” You may be surprised by how much doesdepend on you—that is, how much unity you can inspire simply by developing a Christlike heart for others.

The walls that separate us are much more fragile than they seem. If you take the time, effort, and risk to reach out to other believers, especially those who are different from you, you’ll find that those walls can be toppled in no time.

(Note: I added the emphasis on those two sentences.)

At 6 p.m. tonight, the night before the election, all believers everywhere are being asked to pray for the election, our nation and that we may be unified afterwards in a miraculous way. Please join me in prayer tonight, no matter what time zone you are in.

May God bless America!

A Prayer for All of Us

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture3 Comments

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”


‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.3.14-21.ESV (Emphasis added by me)

I am doing a study of prayers in the Bible and this is one that the apostle Paul prayed. Even in his afflictions, imprisonment and troubles, he prayed for all the saints everywhere, for all generations. That’s us! I am praying this prayer for you today…no matter how busy your day is, don’t be too busy to pray.

Prayer Is a Touchstone

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture, YouVersion App3 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/11667/day/12

As I read this devotional this morning, the word “touchstone” jumped into my mind. I have read it in books, heard it from others but I didn’t really know what it meant. I only had a vague idea. So, I consulted the online Merriam-Webster dictionary and this is what I found. It is a stone used to test the quality or genuineness of something. Having read that definition, I decided that prayer is a touchstone for my relationship with God. The time I spend with God each day is important to me. It helps me to start each day knowing that I have touched base with the One who will guide and keep me throughout the day. I may not have a lot of time some days to pray long prayers, but I know that God is still there for me, waiting and listening and hearing and even answering as I call. I have said it before on this page, but I think it bears repeating. My prayers to God are like a long phone call. I call on him when I awaken and never hang up. He is still on the line for me all day long. The quotations in this devotional really spoke to me, especially the ones by John Bunyan and Corrie Ten Boom. Prayer isn’t just a thing I do…it is a part of me that helps me to know that my faith is genuine. I do really believe, even when times are hard and the doubts assail me from all sides. Prayer is my touchstone; faith is the rock upon which my life has been built and it is the rock upon which I will stand until God calls me home. My prayer time with God is always quality time, not because of me but because of the One who hears and spends time assuring me that He is there and always will be.

May your day be blessed with the touchstone of prayer.

Prayer for Israel, Part 2

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture1 Comment

Yesterday, my prayer was focused on Israel’s physical enemy. Today, my prayer will center on their spiritual well-being. It is not a new truth that the people of Israel need to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and most have not accepted Him as their Messiah. So, let us pray together for their salvation, that many will come to know the Lord even through this great suffering in their land.

I pray that they will see the need for Jesus and confess their belief in Him and His resurrection. That is the only way to salvation. The Israelites know much about the Old Testament and the Law. I pray for God to open their hearts to the truths of the New Testament and all of the prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

May these blessed and chosen people of God believe with their hearts and be justified, professing their faith in the Lord aloud and rejoicing in the salvation that comes with their belief in the only One who can truly save them. Jesus is the Passover Lamb, the final and ultimate sacrifice. May the Lord open their eyes and hearts to see and believe.

It is only by grace that any of us has been saved. It is a gift, and no amount of following God’s laws can save us. Only God’s grace and our faith in Him can lead to salvation. May the eyes of the Jewish people be opened and their ears attentive to God crying out to them to turn to Him.

No one…not one person can be saved without believing in Jesus. My prayer is for the Jewish people, especially those in Israel, to see their need for a Savior and the truth that the Messiah has come and will come again.

None of us is better than another. God desires to save both Gentiles and Jews. My emphasis today is on the Jewish people who have suffered so much for so long, in the darkness and without hope. May the Lord bring them into the knowledge of His Son as their Savior and into the light of His presence where there is hope and life everlasting.

It is fitting to end my prayer back in Exodus where I began yesterday. I pray that God will use His unfailing love to lead His people and to guide them to the real promised land, eternal life with Him.

In Jesus’s Name. Amen.

Prayer for Israel, part 1

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture2 Comments

Part of my devotional each morning is a study of the Old Testament and our online group is currently in the Book of Exodus. Today, I read Exodus 15 and as I read, the Holy Spirit prompted me to turn some of the verses into a prayer for Israel.

Lord God, I pray that you will once again be the strength and song of your people Israel. I pray that you will grant them victory so that they will be reminded of all you have done for them and will be able to exalt and praise you as in the days in the wilderness. The battle is yours, Lord!

It is you, Lord, who crushes the enemy, the evil ones who destroy, pillage and take humans as hostages. Do not let this evil stand, O Lord, I pray. Stretch out your right hand against this powerful foe and smash them completely so that they may never rise against your people again.

For nothing is too difficult for you, Lord, so I call on your to swallow up the enemies. The Israelites have weapons and manpower, but they cannot win this battle without your right hand firmly holding them and on their side.

I pray for the peace of Israel, Lord, but as they are surrounded by such a great enemy, I pray that they will have the spiritual eyes to see your hand at work on their behalf. I pray that their leaders will have the wisdom to listen to your battle plan and that you will grant them victory and peace again in the land that you have given them.

In Jesus’s Name. Amen.

What Matters Most

On By vickleaIn prayer, YouVersion App2 Comments

You really find out what matters and what you can live without when all changes quickly in an unexpected way. That was me in the hospital. I could not go to the bathroom without calling a nurse to shut off the bed alarm. Even then, she stayed with me the entire time to make sure I did not fall and was okay. I could not rest well because there were constant disruptions to sleep, lie labs to be done and vitals to be taken. I was so thankful to get home yesterday, not just because it’s my place of rest and comfort, but I could take a shower, sit comfortably in my chair, talk to my husband face to face, eat the food that he had lovingly prepared for me (some of my favorites) and go to bed when I got tired instead of when I was told that it was time. There is so much that we take for granted. What matters most is Jesus and His love for us and then the love we show to others. I’m not sure if I succeeded in being a good witness in the hospital but I have to say that I consciously tried to be cheerful and agreeable and pleasant in spite of my circumstances. One nurse said that it was a pleasure to be with me. That’s what I like to hear, even as I am struggling to understand the situation, I want to keep my eyes on Jesus and realize that I always represent Him.

Sunday Prayer

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture2 Comments

Sunday is a day of reflection, spending time with God and other Christians at church and also with my husband just talking. So, I don’t have a lot of time to spend on writing my blog. When I prayed about what to do for my Sunday posts, God said to just pray. Thus, here is my prayer for you today.

In Jesus’s Name. Amen!