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10 Life Saving Tips for Surviving an Impending Avian Flu Pandemic
"An influenza pandemic of even moderate impact will result in the biggest single human disaster ever - far greater than AIDS, 9/11, all wars in the 20th century and the recent tsunami combined. It has the potential to redirect world history as the...
Making Your Own Flower Arrangements
Flowers have long been used to symbolize life's important events
and emotions. Roses are symbols of love, lilies, the flowers of
death and renewal, and carnations a sign of appreciation. We use
flowers as wedding decorations, Valentine's Day...
Overextended Infants
Brainy Baby. Bilingual Baby. Baby Babble Speech Development. Baby Bumblebee Smart Baby Series. So Smart. And let’s not forget Baby Einstein. Not familiar with all of these? Neither was I until curiosity drove me to look into the vast array of...
Special Washes
Attract and hold your family at home with some unique spiritual & New Age special washes inherited from the Hoodoo practice which combines elements of African and European magical, religious, and witchcraft traditions and a little bit of the Native...
Succession Planning for families
Have you ever thought about what you are going to leave your children when you pass from this earth? Wouldn’t it be a great feeling to be able to give them a really good head start in life – without actually spoiling them? It really doesn’t matter...
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Prayer is Powerful, Exciting
I’m finding late in life that prayer is a journey. We have
to learn to pray, because prayer is essential for a daily work
with Jesus. In Mark 11:23, it states that we “shall not doubt
in our heart that what we are praying for will come to pass, and
we shall receive it.” The key is to believe we will receive
that which we ask for, if we keep our eyes on Him. So, our
attitude targets the goal. The goal is met in His timing and in
His way. This matures our faith.
I recently attended a workshop on prayer. The speaker
looked like the son of Billy Graham, and he showcased vim and
Prayer page/2
vigor for our Lord as Mr. Graham does. He made a statement that
startled me.
He said, “we should pray our children and grandchildren to
heaven.”
I’m sure I sat straighter in my chair. I had not heard an
expression like that.
Then, he added, “we should be as passionate to pray for the
souls of our children and grandchildren as we are to pay our
monthly mortgage.”
“Wow,” that made sense to me, and since the room was filled
with Senior Citizens, there were lots of heads nodding in
agreement.
I left the workshop with a fresh, renewed excitement. The
speaker suggested that we keep a journal. When we are met
with a petition, we should write the prayer request in the
journal and date it. He also told us to pick a time of day, a
certain place to meditate and pray, and start our time with Him
with a sincere and genuine heart. This brought to my mind
Psalms 51:l0-11. It asks God “to cleanse our hearts, and
release a new attitude (there’s that word again) within us. To
not take away the Holy Spirit from us nor take His presence away
from us.” When we feel that our petitions have been answered,
then date the journal as such. Compare how long some prayers
take and how short some prayers take to be answered.
In
this new prayer life, I’ve learned that God does always
Prayer page/3
answer. He may not answer the way we have prayed or as soon as
we want, but He always answers. Sometimes, this process of
waiting and God showing His sovereignty, brings us blessings.
Blessings, because we are the one that can be changed. The
situation we are praying for may not change, but we do, and that
is the blessing. For to be drawn closer to our Savior, and to
grow into His image, (which a powerful prayer life can do) is
His heart’s desire.
In a study by Beth Moore, I’ve also learned that He wants
us to ask Him for blessings to be bestowed upon us. If we do
not ask Him, we do not receive. “Jesus desires us to be happy
and full of joy,” Beth harps on this over and over.
What a joy to have completed this study for it came on the
rim of the workshop I attended. In John 14:12-16, it offers
additional insight into the success of our prayer life. This
verse tells us we are to pray believing we will receive so that
God will be glorified. And then when we receive what we have
been praying for, we are to give Jesus all the glory. We are
not to brag and exalt ourselves. I believe this is the real
lesson on prayer. We give Jesus all the glory, and we thank
Him, on our knees, that He is a God that we are allowed to serve
and trust. We praise His name because He takes care of those
who trust in Him, and those who bow their heads and pray to Him.
About the Author
I am a native New Mexican recently retired, but my writing days are young.
I have three honorable mentions at Bylines Magazine for two short stories and a poem. I also was awarded a SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION for a poem from the same magazine. I feel like the honorable mention kid since I own one at Hodgepodge as well.
Retirement allows me time to hone my craft of which I so love to do and spend time with my family.
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