PM#0385 Giving Thanksgiving to God Luke 17:12-27, Phil 4:6-7

Did you know that the Lord is looking for people who will give Him thanks?

In the Bible, we have the story of 10 men were healed of leprosy – a dreaded disease. Only one came back and said ‘Thank You’ to Jesus. The Bible records Jesus asking about the other men—where are they? This is found in Luke 17:12-27. God gave these men a blessing. When He gives a blessing, we should show our gratefulness to Him through being thankful.

Unfortunately, many of us are like the 9 who did not give thanks. With this mindset, it takes major adjustment to change, but I believe as we do, that thankfulness that we give to God will bring His peace and blessing. (Phil 4:6-7)

So why not ask the Lord in prayer to help you be even more thankful.

Reflection Questions:

Take a Minute and listen to the attached 'Prayer Minute', then take a moment and consider the following Reflection Questions:

How do you feel when you help someone, and no one thanks you?  Does that help you understand how Christ felt?

The following is provided to help us think--and some might want to also provide a response to its questions--those responses can encourage and help others:

What are some issues that keep us from being thankful?  Let’s consider how we respond to others.  Our responses to others may reflect why our heart is not thankful.   Did someone do something that was just “expected”?  Do we think they did something “out of a motive”? There may be other reasons for our not giving thanks.  Are they real reasons, or a judgment that actually keeps us from being thankful?  How do these responses reflect on our heart attitude, and ultimately whether we give thanks to God for what He has done for us?

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.

PM#0387 Praying for Your Job

Have you been on a job and did not know how you could impact your work environment for Christ? Consider the following testimony:

Everything changed when I started working at my job as if I were working for God. My boss and most of my fellow employees were not Christians. In fact, most people were very hostile toward Christians in the workplace. In spite of that I decided to use my God-given spiritual gifts to help people at work instead of complaining. I started praying and interceding for the company I worked for, and we started seeing dramatic results. I would get words of knowledge or ideas that could help us and shared them as "ideas I got while praying.” The owner began to attribute my prayers with the company's success.

Prayer can make a difference in our work place.
Father, help us to continually pray for our jobs, and co-workers. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Anger and Reactions

PM#0040

Matt 5: 23-24

Have you ever been angry and provoked to where you reacted? Such reactions rarely accomplish what you probably want, and they often leave you very frustrated, depressed and feeling that no one listens or cares.

When this happens, it brings us to the question, what do you do? When a bad reaction occurs it is best to go to the Lord and confess your heart and its wrong response. It takes humility to do that. Then the next step is to go and when possible apologize for your reaction. Ask God to go with you as you do.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:23 & 24 “If you remember … that thy brother hath ought against thee; go thy way; and be reconciled to thy brother; God will help us if we ask Him and obey Him.”

Father, thank you for letting us come to you for forgiveness and help us to go to others as we have come to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Forgiveness - Pure Heart

PM#0167

Is 59:2

There are some today who do not own up to the complete truth. They can justify anything they did wrong, but that justification still does not change the act in God’s eyes. In reality there is a sad truth about doing things wrong. It’s called wickedness, and wickedness is sin which will block our prayers.

The Bible says in Ps 66:18 "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear." If we knowingly allow sin in our heart, God simply will not hear. All our justification cannot change God’s word,

Now if we have sinned, is there anything we can do so God will answer our prayers? Fortunately there is. John 1:19 says, ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Father, you know our hearts. Show us what sins need to be confessed so when we pray, our prayers will be heard." In Jesus Name, Amen.

Confession

Prayer Minute #0149

Ps 66:18


John, did you break that window? No sir, the ball did it.

There are some today who do not own up to the complete truth. They can justify anything they did wrong, but that justification still does not change the act in God’s eyes. In reality there is a sad truth about doing things wrong. It’s called wickedness, and wickedness is sin which will block our prayers.

The Bible says in Ps 66:18 "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear." If we knowingly allow sin in our heart, God simply will not hear. All our justification cannot change God’s word,

Now if we have sinned, is there anything we can do so God will answer our prayers? Fortunately there is. John 1:19 says, ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Father, you know our hearts. Show us what sins need to be confessed so when we pray, our prayers will be heard." In Jesus Name, Amen.

Judgment and Our Prayers

PM#0060


Are you free to love, or are you controlled by issues of judgment?
Judgment wants things to be a particular way. Judgment does not allow one to be free to love. And if it is not the way judgment wants, love may not be shown. You may have to ponder those points about judgment. It is important to realize what judgment does.

Christ on the other hand has accepted us with out judgment. How does that affect our prayers? It should encourage our prayer for others that they will be free to love others as Christ loved us. Unfortunately sometimes our own judgment does affect our prayers negatively.

How can we be free of judgment? We can ask Christ to help us pray for others, in a way that will show the unconditional love of Christ.

Father, so often we pray from our own judgment, that we fail to let you help us in our prayers. Please forgive us and help us pray for others that they may be free to love Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen