"Mary Did You Know?" LIVE Kathy Mattea HQ 4:3 captioned

On Earth as it is in Heaven

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."  Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

Sometimes it is difficult to know "how" to pray.  We know what we want.  We know what we think we need. But we don't know His will.  How can we pray as we ought if we do not know His will.  I truly think most people are confused about the purpose of prayer.  Our prayers will never change God's purposes, but they can change the way He accomplishes those purposes.  His will is always of the utmost importance, not ours.  We often pray for what we think is best but we really have no idea what is best (although we think we do).  We are guilty of trying to manipulate God into doing things our way.  Many people have this mentality:  My way or the highway!  People get angry with God when He can't be bullied into doing what they want.  They don't realize that His will is the only will that counts.

"We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails."   Proverbs 19:21 (The Message)  If God's purposes will always prevail, then we should be praying for His purposes, His will.  We should also be praying to be used by God to bring about His purposes.  If we do not know what His will is,  then we must trust that the Holy Spirit does and that the "groanings too deep for words" that He employs in us describe the depths of our desires as well as the breadth of God's will.  Our job is to trust God.  Our job is to be obedient.  Our job is to pray for His will to be done and to be available to be used for His purposes.

So then, we need to "let go" of our own will!  We are all strong willed children and God wants us to offer up our strong wills to Him.  He doesn't want us to become mealy mouthed door mats; He wants us to become new creatures in Christ being conformed to His image.  As it says in Romans 8:28-30, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified."  (ESV)

Dear Lord, Help us to know Your will and to give up our own.  Use us to accomplish Your purposes in Your time and teach us how to pray,  "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

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"Truly You are the Son of God!"

Matthew 14:13-36 (NIV)

 Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

 ¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  ¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
 ¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
 ¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
   ¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Water

 ²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  ²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
 ²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
 ²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
   ²⁹ “Come,” he said.
   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
 ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
 ³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
 ³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Michael W. Smith - Son of God

AMAZING LOVE

We Are The Reason[Avalon]

Light a Candle

The Greater Work

"Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work."  Oswald Chambers

How many times do we work through every possible senario, every action item of our own, and then when nothing has worked, we decide that our only option now is to pray. Prayer is not a last resort; it is a first response.   Prayer not only changes things, it is our living link to God.  He longs to hear us communicate with him and promises to answer us.

"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."  James 5:16 (NIV)

"You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."  James 4:2b-3 (NASB)

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentle spirit be known to all men.  The Lord is near.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."  Philippians 4:4-9 (NASB)

"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.  Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.  And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.  So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.  Pray, then, in this way:  'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]'"  Matthew 6:5-13 (NASB)

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."  Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (The Message)

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality."  Romans 12:10-13 (NASB)

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God."  Brother Lawrence

 Dear Lord,  Let us be faithful in prayer, strong in Your Holy Spirit, thankful, watchful, asking, desiring Your will, fervent, effectual, selfless, devoted.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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