PM#0205 Preparing the Soil...

PM#0205

Preparing the Soil

A farmer knows of the hard work that is done before a harvest.  It starts with preparing soil, and planting it.  If the soil is not prepared, precious seed may be lost and may not even grow.

To reach people for the Lord Jesus Christ, there is much preparatory work to be done so that people will be ready to hear and accept God’s word for them. This preparatory work starts with prayer, asking God’s help in preparing people’s hearts to be ready to receive God’s word and to respond to His Love. 

If your desire is to reach people for Christ, then join with me in this prayer.

Father, we ask you to go before us, preparing hearts to receive your word.  Help us to show your love to them.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection:

Why is it important for hearts to be prepared to hear God’s word?

Why is prayer important for people to be able to respond to God’s live?

If you have experienced a time where someone responded to God’s love, because someone prayed, please share a few words about it. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PM#0029 Couples Praying Together Matthew 18:29

PM#0029

Couples Praying Together

Matthew 18:29

If you wanted to get rid of divorce, how would you do it?  It seems that divorce is here to stay.  But there is a way that can reduce the probability of it.  That way is for a couple to pray together.

What does praying together do?  Praying together invites God into a marriage and it brings his power to help us to love, and it also helps us heal where it is needed.  Praying together can also remove barriers of communication with our spouse, with the result of a couple growing together, and a deepening of our spiritual lives together.

When you start praying with your spouse, let God perform a work in both of your hearts, and to start, consider this prayer of our spiritual lives together.

Father, help us to invite you into our marriage that we may grow together.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What Can Happen When a Couple Prays Together?

Reflection:

Have you ever thought that prayer could make such a difference in a marriage?

Is it prayer, or the invite of God’s presence that makes a difference?

       Read Matthew 18:20

Ok—we have invited God to be present—now what?  Consider learning to listen to your heart as the Lord moves.  Remember, if God is present, His Holy Spirit will speak to both of you—Are you ready to really listen to Him?  Those who have listened will testify to the difference it makes.

Perhaps someone might be brave enough to share what God has done in their marriage, when they have invited Him in and learned to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts.

PM#0496 Memorial Day John 15:13

PM#0496

Memorial Day

John 15:13

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have served and are serving in our military.  When we did not properly honor those who serve, deep hurt came upon them and our country.

Failing to honor, forgets that our freedoms come with a cost, one which we fought to preserve, and some gave their lives to protect. The Bible says in John 15:13 that ‘Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.”  

Turning to God’s way, we should honor that love by finding ways to bless. 

Consider this prayer as you remember those who are serving and have served our country in the military:

Father, help me to continually find ways to show honor to those serving and who have served in the military, and bless my country, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection:

Have we every thought of the those who serve our country in the Military,, serving because of Love?

How might blessing be a way to honor their service?

PM#0313 Interest in Others

PM#0313

Interest in Others

I have seen some people who talk just about themselves or their kids.  Even when I take an interest in them, they rarely take an interest in what is happening to me.

After a period of time, I honestly feel slighted the other person, because he did not reciprocate and take an interest in me. 

At this point, I should ask myself the question: does my personal self interest have to be met before I can reach out to others?  I will admit that it is encouraging when someone takes an interest in me.   When our Lord was on earth, He took an interest in others, and His focus was to help them learn to help others.  That then should be what motivates me to take an interest in others.  That should bring true self worth and serving others can be done with prayer for them and helping them.

Father, help us to learn to serve others by praying for them and helping them.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection:

How might you define Joy?  Ever think of what the letters J O Y mean?

J is for  ___________

O is for ___________

Y is for____________

The answer is Jesus, Others, then you –that spells Joy!

Question—when we put self interest first—does that bring more meaning to us or does real meaning come when we reach out to help others?

PM#0109 God's Call to Us to Pray for Others

PM#0109

God’s Call to Us to Pray for Others  

Do you ever get the feeling something is urgent?  You may not know why, but you have a strong feeling that it is?

There are indeed times when we sense a need to pray for someone and we may not understand why we sense the need.  Often when that happens, God is asking us to intercede for a particular person or situation.  We may never know or hear of what the need was, but because we prayed, God was able to work in that person's life or in that situation.  Sometimes Lord later on, makes it clear why He asked us to pray.

When we pray for others it releases the power of God in their lives on their behalf.

Father, help us to recognize your call to pray for others, and to obey.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Reflection:

When God gives us a name in our thoughts, might it be an invite to pray for them?

Have you ever sensed a situation where a name came to you and you did not know why?  Perhaps later you learned of something that happened that prayer may have made a change concerning the person whose name came to your thoughts. 

There are other times that a name comes to our thoughts, but we never learn of a need—when those times happen—wouldn’t it be better if we pray for that person? 

Perhaps you may want to share how you saw God work through bringing a name to you, and you prayed for them.

PM#0107 God’s Scriptural Wisdom for Prayer Col 1:9

PM#0107

God’s Scriptural Wisdom for Prayer

Col 1:9

What do you look to when you seek guidance?  Is it horoscopes, people, or what?  Did you ever think we need guidance when we pray?  If we believe in Jesus as our Savior, then we should look to the Bible to guide our prayers.  The Apostle Paul prayed that we would have wisdom.  Col 1:9 says "For this cause we also, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."

This prayer of Paul's is a scriptural example of a prayer.  There are other examples in the Bible, and they are there to guide us.  I believe that God wants us to use these prayers when you pray and if you do, you will have God's blessing for those whom we are praying.

Father, may God fill us with the knowledge of His will, and may it guide our prayers. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection: 

Have you ever thought to look to the scriptures to help us pray?

If you have, could you share a few references of scripture that have helped you?

What affect have you found from using scripture in your prayers?

PM#0545 Unity in Prayer Matthew 18:19, John 12:32, John 17:21

PM#0545
Unity in Prayer
Matthew 18:19, John 12:32,  John 17:21

Traveling across the United States we are a diverse people with different customs.  Yet we are one nation.  Acceptance of different customs is an important part of unity.

When it comes to prayer we often have differences that need God’s help so when people pray together we can ask in prayer that the Holy Spirit work and help us accept differences so we can be in Godly unity as we pray.  I believe that a fruit of this unity will be the Love of Christ being shed among us.   This love will lift up Christ, and the Bible says that when Christ is lifted up, He will draw all men to Himself. John 12 vs 32.
 
Father we ask your Holy Spirit to work in our hearts so we can come together in unity.  May your love be evident in us because of this praying together.  In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Reflection:  

What is in us that keeps us from accepting differences?

When we do not accept differences is this a form of judgment?

Those questions being asked, we need to stop a moment and recognize there are basic elements of our faith in Jesus—that we should pray in accordance with God’s Word and come to the Father in Jesus’ name.—Still when praying with others of differing customs of prayer—it can be difficult. 

One more thought to consider—why do you think that Christ prayed that we would be one?   See John 17:21 “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.”