How Should I Pray?

HOW SHOULD I PRAY?

For days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 1:4 NLT

PRAY LIKE THIS:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us our food for today, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13 NLT

ALIGNING MY WILL TO GOD'S

E. Stanley Jones described the effect of prayer on us like this:

Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God. Aligned to God's redemptive will, anything, everything can happen in character, conduct, and creativeness. The whole person is heightened by that prayer contact. In that contact I find health for my body, illumination for my mind, and moral and spiritual reinforcement for my soul. "Prayer is a time exposure to God," so I expose myself to God for an hour and a half or two hours a day, asking less and less for things and more and more for Himself. For having Him, I have everything. He gives me what I need for character, conduct, and creativeness, so I'm rich with His riches, strong in His strength, pure in His purity, and able in His ability.

The First Parent

Now, being a parent is a never-ending occupation....whether your children are 6, 16 or 60. They are....and always will be.....your children. Your concerns will change through the years from making certain their diets are balanced, their clothes clean, and their manners acceptable in public to wondering where you went wrong when they pronounce you "the meanest Mom (or Dad) in the world". But, if you've been yoked with the Lord Jesus through the years, you can rest in the assurance that you have done your best.....and that's all any parent can do!

I take comfort in reading Bill Cosby's comments on "The First Parent":

Whenever your kids are out of control,

you can take comfort from the thought that even

God's omnipotence did not extend to his kids.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing God said to them was: "Don't"

"Don't what?" Adam asked.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit," said God.

"Forbidden fruit? Really? Where is it?"

Adam and Eve asked jumping up and down excitedly."

"It's over there," said God,

wondering why he hadn't stopped after making the elephants.

A few minutes later God saw the kids having an apple break and he was very angry.

"Didn't I tell you not to eat that fruit?" The First Parent asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you do it?" God asked exasperatedly.

"I dunno, " Adam answered.

God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own.

Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

But there is a reassurance in this story.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom

and they haven't taken it,

don't be so hard on yourself.

If God had trouble handling his children,

what makes you think it should be a piece of cake for you?

The Grasshopper Syndrome

30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."31But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." 32And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
Numbers 13:30-33 NKJV

As a person who struggles with a chronic illness that seems to take me from cane to walkers and back again regularly, occasionally I deal with something I call, "The Grasshopper Syndrome." Many have suffered from this ailment along life’s road. According to Scripture, the children of Israel had spies go out from among them to explore the Promised Land and after the spies reported back, they found themselves similarly afflicted with this "disease." The spies had ventured out to take a look at things and though the land was plenty with sustenance like they had never seen before, they were unable to truly see it. Why? Because they immediately focused on their enemy. The longer they looked at their opposition, the bigger they became. Soon their faith in the Jehovah Who had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt, was swallowed up. With it went their ability to believe that they could indeed conquer and possess the land. They were definitely suffering from "The Grasshopper Syndrome." They no longer saw themselves as mighty men of war or God’s chosen people, but instead referred to themselves as "grasshoppers."

Grasshoppers are fairly harmless little bugs that often get stepped on unless they quickly hop away. Israel’s confidence in God and in themselves as His children quickly evaporated. Strangely enough, they were quickly convinced that their opponents saw them just as they were seeing themselves and in that vein of thinking, they may have been right.

Let’s take my current situation for example. I have arthritis, spinal stenosis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. Just about every inch of my body is affected in some way. Some of these maladies can be very devastating because all balance is lost, and it is very difficult to remain steady on one foot. I can choose to call myself "a cripple," or I can instead say that I am "temporarily inconvenienced." I can say that I am "unable to do anything because of the tremendous obstacles," or I can say, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Grasshoppers see everything around them as being bigger than them. The child of God sees God as being around everything, which makes every thing around them grow incredibly small.
When we act like a grasshopper, others see us that way. When we act like a faith-filled believer ready to conquer in Jesus’ Name, we are seen just that way. No matter how big that obstacle is in your life, the Holy Spirit—which is resident in you—is more powerful. Your Father in Heaven is bigger than any devil you will ever face. The King of Kings and Lord of Lord—in whose image you were created—is the same Almighty One Who lives in you.

Should you run into enemies today as you travel on towards your "Promised Land," remember the promises of God regardless of the giants. You are not a grasshopper…so don’t behave like one! Reflect His image as He brings you through to that place of rich fulfillment. You are destined for great things in God—do not settle for anything less.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Hooray! I have finally finished my container garden. God has been so good, sent lots of beautiful rain and all the transplants are thriving. Today I sowed Mountaineer White Halfrunner beans in the flower bed. Got the trellis set up for the cucumber vines to climb on...gave away extra tomato, cucumber, pepper, and eggplant plants. All remaining to do is get out the tomato cages and the trellis for the beans to climb, and MY PART is almost done.

And I have absolutely no doubt that God will do HIS PART, send the rain and sun to make everything grow!

It remains to be seen if either of us can keep the deer away from my patio! From the number of deer roaming around this subdivision, you'd think I live near a forest, but I'm smack-dab in the middle of MANY, MANY housing developments.

Time will tell whether I or the deer will enjoy the "garden" more this year!

New Car

Well, I am now the proud owner of a 2006 Toyota Camry LE....My daughter says the color is "champagne"...You can't prove it by me. I just think it's "purty" and drives beautifully and only had 27,700 miles on the odometer. Since I'm hoping to retire at the end of this year, I thought it might be wise to consider an extended warranty (beyond the original Toyota warranty of 36 months or 35,000 miles....so I purchased an additional 72 months. By then I'll be about 82 years old....and probably ready to give up driving! Any major repairs will be covered with a maximum deductible of $75.00.

Wasn't able to stick with the $12,000. maximum purchase price, but feel the additional expense well worth it to obtain a vehicle with excellent safety features, performance record.....and.... VERY IMPORTANT these days......GREAT GAS MILEAGE!

When it rains.......

It’s been a bit of a rough-go with my health for the past few weeks! What with the high temps and really humid days, my asthma flared up. Then, I was hit by a cause-still-to-be-determined rash all over my body! And, of course, the ever-present aches and pains of arthritis and fibro-myalgia.
Ah, but our God is good….and finally He has allowed me to complete my “container garden”. I now have bell peppers, eggplant, two different varieties of tomatoes, and two different varieties of cucumbers growing in large containers….and the ground ALMOST ready to sow a row of white half runner beans in a flower bed by the patio. My grandfather always says if you’ll plant by July 4th, you’ll reap a good harvest before frost!
I feel a sense of renewal and anticipation as I’ve spent time “digging in the dirt” and talking with the Lord. It’s such a special time of fellowship….and a glorious reminder of just how He is in control of everything in my life.
On the downside of things, my car’s air-conditioning system has gone out AGAIN! With my asthma, it’s absolutely essential that I have air-conditioning in the car on those 90+ degree days. So, tomorrow, my daughter and I are going “car shopping”. Where am I going to find a used car in good condition, 30+ miles per gallon of gas, with less than 35,000 miles for no more than $12,000! You can be certain I’m praying HARD for God to lead me. Friends, this is just another one of life’s little challenges! God can handle them all!!!

Time Out

Time is a precious commodity these days. In a world of instant everything we can find ourselves living life in the fast lane. Like race car drivers on a track, our speed doesn’t allow us to really see clearly, and as a result everything becomes a quick blur.

Often times we go too fast and find ourselves spinning out of control. Next comes the "crash and burn" phase which is a place none of us desire to go. We literally give till we have no more to give or go with the flow until we cannot do it anymore. Then we "hit the wall" and most times we do not even see it coming. We blame it on specific incidents but this condition is not a place that we arrive at overnight. It happens gradually and sometimes without our full attention.

I have been there before but thank God His Word still has the power to deliver…because often times the biggest thing I need to be delivered from is me. I expect things from myself that not even God does. I fail to eat right, sleep right, or take time for myself and then wonder why I do not have what it takes and what I need to live a peaceful and victorious life.

Jesus knew the importance of time and rest. He was found resting in the middle of the storm. He was found out in the desert, up on the mountain, on the other side of the shore having gone away by Himself. If He needed rest and to be alone for a time then surely we have an even greater need.

I often wonder why we are afraid to "rest." When we rest we cease action or motion, we relax, we let up temporarily. On the seventh day God rested from His creating. He stopped working and perhaps just enjoyed the wonder of His creation. We need to take times to rest and cease working so we can look and see what the Lord has done, and so that we can get renewed strength. Yes, God has made a provision for rest but we need to take Him up on it.

Someone once shared with me a "company concept" that is very fitting for our lives as believers. We are, in a sense, like a bank. People come and make withdrawals from us in many ways. They need comfort, help, companionship and they look to us for it. Many withdrawals are made but unfortunately, few people make deposits in our lives and spirits. Pretty soon funds are running low and no one can get anything of value from us.

So, what do we do? We make and take times of rest whether we feel like it or not. We also gather together with people who do not mind making deposits to go along with the withdrawals. We do not want to be like an empty ATM machine. But if we do not rest and get food for our spirits we will be emptied quite quickly.

Let me encourage you along several lines today. First of all, begin now to set aside a time of rest. Perhaps you think that is easier for me than it will ever be for you. We are all busy in different ways and I find it very difficult to set aside time too. Recently I have been suffering from chronic insomnia and my "spiritual funds" have very quickly been depleted. Thus I offer you this advice knowing I need to act on it as well.

It is not quantity but quality time I am speaking of. Some people can get more rest in thirty minutes then most get in thirty days. It will take discipline and perhaps practice but it will be well worth it. So, get alone…no books, no phones, no deadlines, and no immediate goals. Let go and relax in the Arms of Your Father.

Secondly, find someone who can make deposits in your spirit. This is not an option but a necessity lest you end up bankrupt in the Lord. Receive and breath deposit and your account will quickly be replenished. Find what you need in The Word and in the hearts of God’s people. Only then will you have what is necessary to allow people’s withdrawals to be of great value. They will get what they need and you will still have plenty left to give.

It is not a sin to rest and actually the Bible tells us it is essential. May you begin to find rest even now and may your strength be renewed.

"And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat."
Mark 6:31