PM#0459 Dreams that are Dry Bones

PM#0459

Dreams that are Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:4-6, Habakkuk 2:3, II Chronicles 7:14

Have you ever had a dream that is like a deep heart yearning?  One that at one time has really happened, but now is one that is not happening anymore for what ever reason?  Do you yearn for it enough to let God help you bring it back to reality?

Think about this and what God can do for us if we really let Him be free to work on our behalf.  If the Lord can give flesh again to dry bones, He and only He can revive a dream which has become dry bones (Ezekiel 37:4-6).  He knows who should come along side and help.  He knows where to find that help. 

We cannot manipulate God, but we can let God show us if that dream is of Him, and obey Him and His word. 

Write the dream down (Habakkuk 2:3) and in humility take it to the Lord in prayer.  Pray, listen, and obey God’s word.  God knows our heart and when we turn in humility in prayer to Him, He will listen and guide us. (II Chronicles 7:14).

Reflections:

Have you had a dream that has not come to reality?

Have you written the vision down?

Have you humbly taken it to Him in prayer?

Dreams that God has given us—we need to write them down and humbly seek the Lord’s guidance in moving forward.  God will listen and guide us.

PM#0386 Dry Bones Ez 37 vs 4-6

PM#0386

Dry Bones

Ez 37:4-6

Have you ever heard of dry bones getting flesh again?  This is spoken of in Ez 37:4-6.

Flesh being restored to dry bones seems impossible, but God says it will happen.  Now if that can happen, are there other things that can be restored?  The answer is Yes.

Restoration can occur where there is forgiveness and grace which are acts of love which restore.

There is a story of a man who was a ruler and very cruel to many people.  It caused many people to be discouraged and give up hope. 
One day this man found forgiveness and grace from Jesus, which completely changed him and led him to a life of helping others, and that change in him brought new flesh not only to his dry bones but to others who had given up hope.

When all hope seems to have dried up, consider this prayer:  Father, hope has dried up.  We need restoration to again have hope.  Please send forgiveness and grace.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

When hope seems to be gone—where do we turn?

Have you seen times when God did restore in situations that seemed helpless to us?

How does forgiveness bring about change?

PM#0247 Short Prayers for Wife James 1 vs 5

PM#0247

Short Prayers for Wife

James 1:5

I just wonder if for one reason some of us don’t pray for our wives is that our prayers for them end up too long and we do not have the time to pray those prayers.

Many of us may never have though about that.  We just simply stopped praying.  Did you know that your prayers can be a short sentence?  They can, and a short prayer form the heart is very effective.

Here’s an example:  Father, my wife needs your wisdom in caring for our children. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Go head and start praying short prayers like this for your wife.  When you do you will be inviting God’s help for her.

Reflection—

Men—Have you ever thought that if my wife would pray for me that things would be better?  Perhaps we should consider the law of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7-9.  If we are not praying for our spouse why should we expect them to pray for us?  There are many reasons some of us have not prayed for our spouse, and the prayer minute here lists one reason.

That reason some of us don’t pray is that it takes too much time out of our schedule.  Stop and think—what did the Lord say about the Pharisee who prayed long prayers?  He directed us about the one who prayed a short prayer that was answered.

If the Lord is encouraging short prayers—and our heart is aching, then a short prayer from our heart may be needed in praying for our spouse.

Special note—wives—the encouragement given here for men—may help you as well. Prayer from a heart seeking the Lord, brings God’s help.

Consider doing what the Apostle Paul exhorted us to Pray without Ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17—use short heart prayers—this can be a way of praying without ceasing.

Perhaps praying short heart prayers frequently for our spouse may be a way to Pray without Ceasing for them.  Would love to hear how the Lord works when we pray from our heart.  

PM#0188 Spanish Translation

The following is a Spanish translation--no voice--test only.  It is a trial--but we would like feed back from others who see this post. 

Note:  below this Prayer Minute are Prayer Minutes in English--or you can go to the following web location/link: http://prayerminutes.blogspot.com/2015/01/pm0236-prayera-way-to-show-gods-love-i.html

We would like to hear back from those who appreciate having the Prayer Minutes also in Spanish.

 I Cor. 13:2

PM#0188

Por qué ora la mayoría de la gente?   La primera razón por la cual, la mayoría de nosotros puede relacionarse con la oración, es generalmente por una necesidad urgente de peligro o crisis.

Éstas son razones legítimas, pero me he hallado a mí orando aparte, por otros motivos. 

Ese motivo hace que deje de orar por mí mismo, a orar por otros. Esto ocurrió porque mientras aprendemos​ a amar a Jesús, aprendemos a amar a los otros. Ese amor me guía a cómo​ orar. El amor no ora para controlar. Busca só​lo lo mejor para la otra persona. I Cor 13:2 dice que sin amor no somos nada. Debemos orar en amor por los demás y cualquier cosa que hagamos, será hecha a través del​ amor. 

Qué acerca de ti?  Has permitido que el amor de Dios guíe tus oraciones?  

Padre, mientras crecemos en tu amor, que sea este amor el que guíe nuestras oraciones. En el nombre de Jesús, Amén.

Reflexión

Por qué debe ser importante el amor en nuestras oraciones?

 Qué hace que el amor nos ayude a orar?–Un amor verdadero que proviene del Dios de Amor.

¿Podemos ser engañados pensando  que cuando oramos de manera que creemos que es por amor-en realidad proviene de una clase de ​ amor que no viene de Dios?

PM#0236 Prayer—A Way to Show God’s Love I Peter 5:7

PM#0236

Prayer—A Way to Show God’s Love

I Peter 5:7

Did you know that prayer is a way you can care for people?

When someone has a need, many will ask what can we do?  Sometimes it sees like there is nothing we can do to physically provide for their needs.  But when we involve ourselves in prayer for others, a lot can happen.  Our prayers can invite the power of God to help them.

The Bible says in I Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care on Him, for He careth for you.”  Prayer is a way we can do this for others in need.

Dear Heavenly Father, may we care for others by bringing their needs to you.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Reflection questions:

I Peter 5:7 says to cast all our care on Jesus.  If we pray for others is this a way to cast care on Jesus?  It is a way to show that we care?

Will our prayers invite the power of God to help them when the help asked for is in accordance with God’s word?

Why would God’s word instruct us to cast our cares on Jesus?

PM#0188 Praying Out of Love I Cor 13 vs 2

Praying Out of Love

 I Cor 13:2

PM#0188

Why do most people pray?   A Primary reason that most of us can relate to is, there usually is an urgent need like danger or a crisis.  These are legitimate reasons, but I have found myself now praying out of another motive.  That motive moves me from praying just for myself to praying for others. This came about because in learning to love Jesus, we learn to love others.  That love guides how I pray.  Love does not pray to control.  It seeks only the best in the other person.  I Cor 13:2 says that with out love, we are nothing.  We must pray in love for others, and anything we do must be done through love.

How about you?  Have you ever let God’s love guide your prayers?

Father, as we grow in your love, may that love guide our prayers. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Reflection:

Why would love be important in our praying?

What does love –a true love that comes from loving God—do that helps us pray?

Can we be fooled into thinking that what we pray—that we when we pray in a manner that what we think is out of love—that it might actually out of a type of love that does not come from God?
 

PM#390 New Years--Removing Deep Hurt Hebrews 12 verse 15

PM#0390

New Years - Removing Deep Hurt

Heb 12: 15

As we approach this New Year, we do so with everything that has happened to us, whether good or bad.  Unfortunately some of the bad issues may have deeply disturbed us and could influence how we respond to others.

We can chose whether to go into the New Year carrying hurt from those issues or giving them to the Lord and forgiving what happened.  Forgiveness frees us, so we can move forward.

If we do not forgive, that hurt can turn to bitterness (Heb 12: 15) and cause a critical spirit to rise up making things worse for us and others in the coming year.  Most of us really don’t want that.  The best way to keep that critical spirit from developing is to remove that hurt by forgiving.

Perhaps we should consider this prayer of forgiveness:  Father, last year, I experienced deep hurts that I have not forgiven.  I choose to forgive them now.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

Forgiveness is important—why might lack of forgiveness give opportunity for a critical spirit to take root and affect us?

Did Christ consider forgiveness important?  See Matthew 6:14-15.