What Do We Pray For?

  

“If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (ESV)

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)

Life can be hard. Problems can seem insurmountable. We want to pray but don’t know how. What do we pray for?

The Bible says that if we ask for anything according to God’s will that He will hear us. (1 John 5:14). But what is God’s will? What should we ask Him for?

The Bible is full of many promises. Two of them come to mind.

James 1:5 promises that He will give wisdom to those who ask for it. And He gives generously. When life is hard and we don’t know what to do, we can ask God for wisdom. God promises to give wisdom to those who ask.

God also desires to give His children peace. On the night before He died, Jesus said to his followers: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.”  Inner peace in the middle of problems is a gift that He wants to give.

Get out your prayer list. For those who have big needs, pray for God to give wisdom and peace. For those whose needs seem to be small, pray for God to give wisdom and peace. There is no one who does not needs God’s wisdom and peace. Ask Him. He delights to give good gifts to His children.

 

Be Thankful

  

“Enter His gate with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 (ESV)

How should we enter God’s presence? With praise and thanksgiving!

Why should we thank God? Psalm 100 gives us three reasons. God is good. God’s love is steadfast. God is faithful.

The evidence of His goodness, love and faithfulness is on display every day. Often, we are too busy to notice it.

During November, let’s ask God to make us aware of His blessings.

I like to keep a gratitude list during the month of November. Every day I write down what I am thankful for. Then, I thank God the gifts He has given me.

Will you join me in making a gratitude list this November?

Let’s make this month a special time of noticing God’s gifts and of thanking Him for them.

When Thanksgiving Day arrives, may we overflow with thankfulness to our great God.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Faith the Size of a Poppy Seed

 

 

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain ‘move from here,’ and it will move.” Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

Did you ever bite into a warm poppy seed bagel covered with cream cheese? Delicious. If you are like me, a few poppy seeds always get stuck in your teeth. Think about how small a poppy seed is. That is the size of a mustard seed.

Now imagine Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in the US. It stands 20,310 feet above sea level. Imagine faith the size of a poppy seed moving Mount McKinley. What a ridiculous thought!

Yet, this is exactly what Jesus said in Matthew 17:20.

Do your problems seem as big as mountains?

Do your doubts seem large and your faith seem small?

Do you feel like you must wait until your faith is stronger before you start praying?

It is never too soon to pray. Do not wait until your faith is stronger. Remember the tiny little poppy seed. God hears prayers even when our faith is small. So, start praying! Then, watch the mountains start to move.                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

In God We Trust

  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”            Proverbs 3: 4-5(NKJV)

What is the motto of the United States? The answer can be found on any coin or bill. “In God We Trust.” In 1955 Congress passed a bill to put these words on all US currency. The bill passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Eisenhower.

We live in a wonderful country. But it is a country which is plagued with many complex problems. What is the answer? Who can we trust? Our motto says that we can trust God.

The Bible describes God as all wise, all powerful, all knowing, and abounding in love. God is faithful, and He hears our prayers. Our God is trustworthy.

I can’t tell you the answer to our country’s problems. But I would like to suggest a first step. Prayer.

The Fourth of July is approaching and we are ready for fireworks, parades, and hots dogs. Let’s add one more tradition to our Fourth of July celebration. Let’s take time to pray for our nation.

In 1955 the members of Congress put aside their differences and agreed on one thing: In God We trust. In 2025, let us do the same thing.

Happy Fourth of July!

Like a Hen Gathers Her Chicks

  

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37(NKJV)

The hen spreads her wings to gather her baby chicks. The rain comes and pounds relentlessly. The chicks are safe and warm nestled beneath her wings.

This is the image that Jesus used as He wept over the city of Jerusalem, saddened at their reluctance to come to Him.

The heart of Jesus is loving and kind and tender. Like the hen, He longs to keep His children close to Him, safe and secure. He extended an invitation to them, but they were not willing. So, Jesus wept.

Why would anyone be unwilling to come to Jesus? Why am I so often unwilling to turn to Him? We are all sinners, inclined to want our own way. A relationship with Jesus means acknowledging that He is Lord and King.

The cost of having a relationship with Jesus is total surrender. The cost is high. But the benefits are higher! Jesus loves us more than we can imagine. He loved us enough to lay down His life for us. Imagine being as close to Jesus as those little chicks are to their mother!

Jesus is calling. The invitation is open. Will you say yes?

Word of the Year 2025: God’s Love

 

“…to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.” Ephesians 3:18b-19a (NKJV)

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians includes the request that they would know how much God loves them. The greatness of God’s love is incomprehensible. My prayer is that I would know more of His love at the end of 2025 than I do now.

Every year I choose a word of the year to meditate on throughout the year. My 2025 Word of the Year it is technically two words: God’s Love. I will type the words of the year and the Bible verse, print it, and attach it to my bathroom mirror so that I will read it every day.

I also encourage you, my readers, to choose a word of the year and a Bible verse of the year. If you do, I would love to hear what you have chosen.

As the year 2025 stretches before us, I know that God loves each of us far more than we can imagine and that He will walk with us every day of 2025.

Happy New Years to all!

Uprooted Tree

  

“If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you’.”                   Luke 17:6ESV

It lay on the ground next to my home. The palm tree, once so proud, lay flat on its side, its roots exposed. Hurricane Milton had ravaged the area in the dead of night. Its powerful wind tore roofs off buildings, knocked trees into power lines, stripped off branches, and also uprooted my palm tree.

As I looked at the tree, I was thankful that it fell parallel to the house and did not cause any damage. Imagine the power of a hurricane that could uproot a sturdy tree!

In Luke 17, Jesus says that faith the size of a mustard seed can also uproot a tree. A mustard seed measures between 1/32 and 3/32 inch in diameter. Mustard seed faith is tiny faith. But tiny faith placed in a mighty God can do impossible things.

My faith often seems small and my problems often seem big. Doubts sometimes outweigh faith. Why even pray when my faith is so small? No! Jesus does not tell us to increase our faith then come back. Instead, He invites us to come and pray even when our faith is as tiny as a mustard seed.

Thank You, Lord that You are more powerful than a hurricane. Thank You that You invite me to come to You right now. And so, Lord, I bring my mustard seed faith and come.