Category Archives: Prayer

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December 4, 2013

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God's Grace & Love, Prayer, Thanks & Praise

Count Your Blessings and Give Thanks – (Prayer part 3)

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!
He forgives your sins – every one.
He heals your diseases – every one.
He redeems you from hell – saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy – a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness – beauty eternal.
He renews your youth – you’re always young in his presence. [Psalm 103:1-5 (MSG)]

God does amazing things for us. He forgives us, redeems us, loves us and fills our lives with countless gifts. He may not cure our every ill, but he always heals our ailing spirits. He may not keep us from aging, but he will always renew our hearts and minds. No matter how difficult life may be, there are always blessings to count. Thank you God. Bless the Lord, oh my soul!

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December 3, 2013

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Joy, Prayer, Thanks & Praise

Praise with Every Breath – (Prayer part 2)

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
Praise him in his mighty heaven!
Praise him for his mighty works;
Praise his unequaled greatness!
[Psalm 150:1-2 (NLT)]

Praise isn’t just a response for the good times in our lives; it is a 24/7 deal. We may not like our present situation or be pleased with the current state of affairs, but we can love our God and praise His Holy Name. In the middle of our praise, we might just find joy and that peace that transcends all understanding!

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! [Psalm 150:6 (NLT)]

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December 2, 2013

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Prayer, Wisdom & Guidance

Our Prayer Plates – (Prayer part 1)

Lord, you are the God who saves me. I cry out to you day and night. Receive my prayer, and listen to my cry. [Psalm 88:1-2 (NCV)]

“My Plate” is the latest guide to healthy eating with its five food groups: fruit, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Just as we need an assortment of food to maintain our health, we need various kinds of prayer for spiritual health. Years ago, my pastor preached about the “Five Fingers of Prayer”: praise, thanksgiving, confession, intercession and petition. Praise was to be first and foremost while petition (prayer for ourselves) was to be the last and least. Unfortunately, for me at least, my prayer plate is often too heavily laden with personal appeals and far too light on the others.

Lord, guide our prayers so they begin with praise to you for your glory and are filled with thanksgiving (for everything, not just the things we like). Don’t let us omit honest confession and enthusiastic appeals for others. Guide us, so that it is only after we have offered these prayers that we offer our own personal petitions.

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November 25, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Prayer

It’s Time to Get Moving

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” [Exodus 14:13-16 (NIV)]

Yes, God will deliver us but He expects us to do our part. We can’t stand still and expect him to do the work! God parted the Red Sea, but Moses had to raise his staff and the Israelites had to do the walking. God provided the manna to feed them, but they had to gather it. Jesus provided the healing, but the bleeding woman had to push through the crowd to touch his cloak. Noah’s family wouldn’t have been saved if he hadn’t built the ark nor would the Jews have been saved if Esther hadn’t risked speaking to the king.

Sometimes, when God answers our prayers, we fail to recognize His solution because it involves some effort on our part. If all we ever did was pray and wait, not much would happen; we’d miss a lot of God’s gifts. God may provide the miracles but we need to do the work!

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. [Thomas Alva Edison]

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November 19, 2013

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Fruit of the Spirit, Obedience, Peace of God, Prayer, Spiritual Gifts, Thanks & Praise

Let There Be Peace

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. [Colossians 3:15 (NLT)]

The only way to let peace truly rule our hearts is to surrender to God and allow him to rule our lives. It is His presence in our lives that will give us peace in the midst of turmoil, sorrow, or stress.

Oh Lord, let your Holy Spirit rule my life so that your heavenly peace rules my heart. Only then will I, indeed, be thankful in all circumstances.

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November 18, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Prayer, Thanks & Praise

Praise: A Powerful Antidote

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough? [Psalm 106:1-2 (NLT)]

If we’re in pain, praise God. If we’re sinking under the weight of our troubles, praise God. When we’re mired in misery, praise God. Praise is a powerful antidote to our problems. It can heal our broken spirits and help us rise above our circumstances. Praise redirects our focus from our predicaments to God’s promises. It leads us to trust Him for a better tomorrow. It is praising God that will enable us to tap into His power!

Arise, O Lord, in your strength. We will sing and make music to praise your power. [Psalm 21:13 (GW)]