The good news of Christ
I do not pray that God will remove all your troubles, but that you will find in them motive for growth and thanksgiving for his goodness.
I do not pray that you will have an easy way of it, but that you will be given strength for each step and learn dependence upon the Almighty.
I do not pray that you will be saved from the sorrows of this world, but that you will find comfort in the arms of the Heavenly Father. Continue reading “I do not pray this for you”
“I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path” Psalm 119.104 NIV.
Love for and obedience to God’s word is the way to
Points by J.A. Motyer, “Psalms” NBC21, p. 569.
Lord God of love, let me be excited about this day, as a time to love, to give, to call to faith, as the hour of salvation, as a moment of new birth from heaven, of truth and knowledge, of hearing the Good News, as a space to welcome the Only Son and walk in the light.
Heavenly Father, make this day a challenge to the will, to decide to be the lover and giver that you are; a stimulation for the mind, to understand better the marvels of your wisdom; a brace for the emotions, to feel the joy of knowing you and of entering into your fellowship; a hope for the spirit, to escape the chains of sin and embrace eternal life in the Son.
Constant, unchanging, immutable God, our moods and thoughts frequently fluctuate. We sometimes do not feel like praying. The flesh is weak. Satan manages to distract us. We leave off meditating on the Word. Prayer grows cold, and our time for you withers on the vine. Continue reading “When we don’t feel like praying”
The heart is slow, behind the head,
To rest upon the truth it knows;
Until the two are joined and wed,
His patient love to man God shows. Continue reading “The heart is slow”
Jimmy Bagwell makes specific suggestions on developing one’s prayer life, including this one:
Pray for anything that is on your heart. You may feel the need to express deep dark emotions; this is perfectly fine. Jesus is our example of this. Many times he expressed his negative and hurt feelings in prayer. The secret is to always end with a positive thought. On one occasion Jesus expressed his angst and emotional distress with the phrase “Let this cup pass from me”. In so doing he poured out his feelings of remorse and sorrow but he ended with a positive thought; “Not my will but yours be done”. We must do the same. Those deep dark emotions, those feelings of despair and depression should be shared with God.