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Archive for the ‘Prayer’ Category

If It Be Your Will

Posted in Healing, Jesus, Love, Prayer, Salvation, The Righteous on February 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.  Matthew 4:23

“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  Mark 16: 17-18

Many times when we pray for the sick we usually begin by saying “God if it be your will…”  What we are really asking “is it God’s will to heal the sick everytime?”

When Jesus was on the earth He only did what He saw the Father in Heaven do.  We know that Jesus healed everyone who came to Him that needed healing.  He healed every kind of disease and sickness.

Jesus died for our sins and through Him we have salvation and the redemption of our sins. But Jesus also came to heal the sick and commissioned us to continue the work of healing to sick.

Jesus demonstrated God’s perfect will.  It was the Father’s will to heal the sick then and it is still His will today.  That is why He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins – for eternal life; to bless us and live life to its fullness.

It is not only God’s will to heal but it is our mandate as believers to heal the sick.  God is no respecter of persons.  He wants to heal both believers and unbelievers.  It is the kindness of God that brings about repentance, and it is through that kindness and love that healing comes.

We should be confident when we pray for the sick that it is God’s will to heal.  God is able and willing to heal all those who come to Him.  The real question is “are we willing to accept His healing?”

To be continued…

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One Year Later

Posted in God's Glory, Healing, Prayer, Prophesy, The Righteous on January 12, 2011| 2 Comments »

4Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,
 They will raise up the former devastations;
 And they will repair the ruined cities,
 The desolations of many generations.
5Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,
 And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
6But you will be called the priests of the LORD;
 You will be spoken of as ministers of our God
 You will eat the wealth of nations,
 And in their riches you will boast.
7Instead of your shame you will have a double portion,
 And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion
 Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,
 Everlasting joy will be theirs.  Isaiah 61:4-7

It was one year ago a terrible earthquake hit Haiti.  Today there are still many places that are lying in ruin.  Many are frustrated with the rebuilding process that is taking so long.  The news reports that still about one million Haitians are still living in tents.  Billions of dollars in aid have been pledged but many wonder where the money is.  Not much has been said in the media about Haiti for the last several months.  Many of us in the world have gone on with our lives not thinking much about Haiti or the tragedy that still exists today.  But the pain, tragedy, and memory of one year ago still resonate with the people of Haiti and their families.

This past year shows that man will not rebuild Haiti.  No amount of money can rebuild this nation, only God can.  There is great comfort in the above scriptures because it is a promise from God that I believe is a promise for Haiti.  There are Haitians that fear God and have been calling on His name.  God has heard Haiti’s cry and He will rebuild this nation.  Isaiah 61:4-7 is God’s promise to Haiti.

God will be glorified in all that has happened in Haiti.  The nations will know it was only God that brought this nation back from ruin.  Haitians will testify all that God has done for them.  So don’t lose hope Haiti because the people have forgotten you.  God has not forgotten.  He will rebuild, He will restore, and everlasting Joy will be yours.

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Unmet Expectations

Posted in Healing, Jesus, Prayer on October 26, 2010| 2 Comments »

Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?”

When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'”

At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.

And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.  Luke 7: 19-22

John the Baptist had been arrested by Herod and thrown into prison.  John did what was right and stood up to Herod for his sin.  In return John was arrested and later beheaded.  Jesus never came to rescue John the Baptist.  Why didn’t Jesus come to John’s aid?  John wanted to know and even sent two of his disciples to ask if Jesus really was “The One.”

Many times are expectations are not met by God.  Many times we find ourselves in situations beyond our control and we hope and pray God will deliver us from those situations.  There are times we pray for healing and it does not come.  There are times we pray for God to spare a loved one’s life but they still die.  Is God listening?  Does God care?  Do we have enough faith?  These are questions people ask when God does not meet their expectations.  Often times God does not give us the answer we are looking for.

In John’s case Jesus responded to John’s inquiry that the gospel was being preached, the sick were being healed and the dead were being raised.  Jesus didn’t go to save John but sent him the answer.  Jesus was doing what the Father had sent Him to do.  He was spreading the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.  Jesus knew John’s plight but the issue Jesus was concerned about was not a temporary one but an eternal one.  Yes Jesus was the expected One and He was doing exactly what God intended Him to do – saving the world.

There are things that happen in life that we don’t always understand.  Sometimes we do not get the answer from God that we seek.  But we should take courage in knowing that He is the one and that the gospel is preached.  I don’t know why Jesus did not rescue John or why John died the way he did.  John paved the way for Jesus and he was able to see Jesus, baptize Him, and know that the Gospel was being preached.

When things do not go the way we expect let us remember that God is still God.  He will never forsake us especially in our time of need.  God is the eternal answer to our temporary situations.  Let us continue to rely on God even when we do not understand everything about God.  We have to continually put our faith in God, even when are expectations are not met.

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Rejoice!

Posted in God's Glory, Prayer, The Righteous on September 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:4-8

The news is quite depressing.  There are so many problems going on and people are angry.  Many people are not happy with their life and do not have a positive outlook of the future.  Even the experts say these are tough times.  Yet God is still worthy to be praised.

Why dwell on the negative?  It takes so much energy and stress to worry and be angry.  Circumstances should not dictate how we feel.  We can set our minds on the things above and not on the things of this world.

Paul admonishes us to let our gentleness be known to all because the Lord is near.  We have no reason to worry because we can take everything to God in prayer.  We have peace that surpasses all understanding even in the midst of turmoil and in times we don’t understand why these things happen. 

Choose today to rejoice in the Lord and be glad.  Think about the excellent things God has done and will continue to do.  Remember when God got you out of that tough situation?  Remember when God answered your prayer at the moment all hope seemed lost?  Look at the lilies in the field, they don’t worry about when it will rain or when the sun will shine, they just are lilies in the field displaying the glory of God.  So rejoice, rejoice and again rejoice!  Then you will see the peace of God transcend all life’s problems.

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Have You Asked?

Posted in Prayer on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »

2You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. James 4:2 New International Version

One of my favorite hymns is What a Friend We Have in Jesus.  There is a verse that says we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Too often we do not follow this advice.  We get upset about what we lack and do not rejoice in what we have.  Many times this attitude can lead to coveting what others have and envy.  As James says we kill and covet but we cannot have what we want.

We are to take everything to God in prayer.  All our needs and desires.  When we take things to God in prayer He will give us wisdom.  Many times we lack because we do not ask God.  Are you in need of money? Then ask God.  Don’t covet and plot how you are going to get yours.  Don’t lust after things.  By asking God, God will show us the way.  He will bless us to be a blessing to others.  Also, God will search our hearts and check our motives.  He will know whether the thing that we want will really be of a benefit or a stumbling block in our walk.

When we put God above everything, then He will give us the desires of our hearts.  By making God first His desires become our desires.  What He wants for us is what we will want for ourselves.  In this there is no room for lust, envy or covetousness.

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In All Your Ways

Posted in Prayer on June 1, 2010| 2 Comments »

    5Trust in the LORD with all your heart
         And do not lean on your own understanding.
    6In all your ways acknowledge Him,
         And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6

 There is a saying “the devil is in the details.”  The question we should ask ourselves is: “Do we acknowledge God in every detail of our life?”  Many people know the above verses and quote them a lot.  The proverb is very important and we should fully embrace it.

This scripture encourages us to always trust in God and to acknowledge Him in all our ways. That means whatever situation we are in, whatever decisions we need to make, whenever we need direction we should always acknowledge God first.  By acknowledging God, He will direct our steps.  God will give us wisdom about decisions and help in situations.  He will also give us answers to our problems.  All we have to do is acknowledge Him.

Many times we do not acknowledge God out of fear.  We fear what He might say or tell us no to something we desire.  We should never put fear above trusting God.  He knows what is best for us and only what is best for us.  When we involve God in every detail of our life we are telling Him how much we trust Him and need Him.  God wants us to be dependent upon Him and not ourselves.  God never intended for us to be apart from Him, but to be a part of Him and He a part of us.  Remember with God all things are possible.

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Fasting

Posted in Fasting, Prayer on May 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

 2And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

 3And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

 4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'”  Matthew 4: 1-4

Fasting can be one of the most difficult disciplines in our Christian walk.  Jesus had a lifestyle of fasting and prayer.  Fasting is not an act we do just to impress God.  Fasting should be utilized to allow ourselves to focus more on God and put our flesh under submission.

Fasting should be part of our lifestyle.  Jesus did it and the early church fasted and prayed.  Fasting should not be done apart from prayer.  The two go together.  If you fast without prayer or spending quiet time before the Lord, then you are just starving yourself.

People fast from certain meals, for a day or more.  Extended fasts like the one Jesus did for 40 days should only be done when led by the Holy Spirit.  These types of Fasts cannot be accomplished apart from the Holy Spirit.  Any type of total food fasts beyond three days should be guided by the Holy Spirit.

We should not see fasting as a way to impress God or get God to do something for us.  Often times our flesh can get our focus off of God, so by fasting we are depriving our flesh of something it desires and putting it under submission to the Holy Spirit.

So when you do fast try to set time apart for God; more time than you would on a regular day.  For instance, if you are fasting from food then use the time you normally spend preparing and making meals to pray and spend time in the bible.  Also, fasts do not have to be abstaining from food, but it can include an activity that takes up a lot of your time and giving that time up to spend with God.

Fasting really benefits us more than it does God.  It helps us to be focused and able to hear from God more clearly.  Fasting can also prepare us for work God is calling us to do like Jesus.  Before Jesus started His ministry the Holy Spirit led Him to the wilderness to be tempted.  After this Jesus started His ministry to the people.

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