“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.”  1 Timothy 2: 1

Today I learned from an acquaintance about a fella who holds resentment and hatred toward his mother. Evidently this man—in his 50s—was born out of wedlock (unlike his siblings), and was treated differently by his mother all his life.

My acquaintance encouraged me to pray for this guy who has felt second-rate, disowned, and marginalized. I know personally that he has suffered from drug and alcohol addiction.

So I prayed for him. Interceded for him. Not a long prayer, just one that asked God to help this brother forgive his mom for so much pain, and that they might be able to talk about it, and work through it.

Isn’t it amazing that God lets us join in the conversation of healing and hope for other people? And better yet is that God promises his Spirit to help in the dialogue. Paul says in Romans 8,

“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

While I may not be consistently faithful in interceding for others, I know God loves to hear me pleading for them. Have you interceded for others?

God, help me be more aware of people who need your strength and grace to manage the challenges of life, and to pray for them specifically regarding their problems. Thank you for your Spirit who articulates more clearly what my heart can’t form. Amen.

Pray for someone you know today.

by Bill Strom
Used by Permission

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

Bill also writes for www.thelife.com/dailydevotions

Articles on How to Pray

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What Should Be Included in Prayer?

Prayer is Talking to God

Praying with Confidence

Foundational Core Truths about Prayer by Sylvia Gunter

The post Praying on Behalf of Others appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!” Psalm 66:20

If we honestly look back on the sort of prayers we often pray, we will be filled with wonder that God has ever answered them. There may be some who think their prayers worthy of acceptance, like the Pharisee did. But the true Christian, in a more enlightened retrospect, weeps over their prayers, and if they could retrace their steps would desire to pray more truly, more earnestly. (Luke 18:9-14)

Think about how cold your prayers often are. When praying alone in your room (Matthew 6:6) you should wrestle as Jacob did. (Genesis 32:22-32) But instead, your petitions have been faint and few. They have been far removed from that humble, believing, persevering faith, which cries, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:26)

Yet, how wonderful is it that God has nonetheless heard these cold prayers, and not only heard, but answered them!

Reflect also how infrequent your prayers are. Unless you’re in trouble, that is. That’s when people hasten to pray! When deliverance has come, where has been your constant prayer of thanks? Yet, even when you cease to pray diligently, God does not cease to bless. When you have neglected God in prayer, God has not deserted you. His bright glorious light continues to shine.

Oh Yet, how wonderful is it that God has nonetheless heard these cold prayers, and not only heard, but answered them! What a God He is to hear the prayers of those who come to Him when they have pressing wants, but neglect Him when they have received a mercy. He even hears those who approach Him when they are forced to come, but who almost forget to address Him when mercies are plentiful and sorrows are few.

Let His gracious kindness in hearing such prayers touch our hearts, so that we may “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Questions: In what areas have you been “praying halfheartedly” lately? In what areas can you see that God has been at work despite your lack of prayer?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon,
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer,  2010.
used by permission

FURTHER READING

What Should Be Included in Prayer?

Continuous Partial Attention Is your prayer time undistracted?

How did Jesus Pray?

The post God Hears Halfhearted Prayer appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Keep on praying.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)

Corrie ten Boom asked, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

My husband Bill was a man driven to pray frequently.

One morning he was awakened around 2am.  One of our staff associates faced a personal crisis.  That morning, God impressed upon Bill to pray for the man and to ask for God’s wisdom in how to respond to the needs of our friend.

God prepared Bill for a crucial meeting with that same man the next day.

Oh, but my husband would pray about everything!  (SMILE).  He would even pray about what clothes to wear.  He felt that the way he dressed, as well as his words and actions, should bring glory to God.

As Bill said, “The more frequently you share your thoughts and desires with your Lord, the closer you come to Him.”

Friend, make prayer your steering wheel.

“Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.” – E.M. Bounds

By Vonette Bright
used by permission

FURTHER READING’

Prayer: Continuous Partial Attention

Imbalanced Prayer

Foundational Core Truths about Prayer

The post Spare Prayer? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.” James 5:16

A branch is a growth of the vine, produced to bear fruit. It has only one purpose: that through it the vine may bear and ripen its fruit.  As the vine lives to produce the sap that makes the grape, so the branch receives that sap and bears the grape.  Its work is to serve the vine so that, through the branch, the vine may do
its work.

The believer, the branch of Christ the heavenly Vine, is to live exclusively so Christ may bear fruit through him.  A true Christian is to be devoted to the work of bearing fruit to the glory of God.

With our life abiding in Him, and His words abiding and ruling in our heart, there will be grace to pray as we should and faith to receive whatever we ask.

The promises of our Lord’s farewell discourse appear to us too large to be taken literally.  We rationalize them to meet our human ideas of what we think they ought to be.  We separate them from the life of devotion to Christ’s service for which they were given.

God’s covenant is: give all and take all. One who is willing to be nothing but a branch of Christ, the Vine, will receive liberty to claim Christ’s riches in all their fullness and the wisdom and humility to use them properly.

By Andrew Murray
From: ‘Teach Me to Pray’
Used by permission.

FURTHER READING

Book of James – Bible Study – Part 14

Praying in a Crisis

Why Should We Pray?

The post Bearing Fruit appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

Never underestimate the power of prayer!

Five high school students began to sense their responsibility to God.  They wanted to help fulfill the Great Commission on their campus. Each made a list of three friends whom they wanted to claim for Christ.

The first week they met daily to pray that these friends would sense their need for Jesus. The second week they prayed to be instruments of God. The third week they prayed for opportunities to speak to their friends about Christ. That same week 15 students for whom they had prayed invited Jesus into their lives through prayer!

Dear friend, the more frequently you share your thoughts and desires with Christ, the closer you come to Him.

Prayer is powerful and pleases God.  That’s why He says, “Keep on praying.”  And I say, “Amen!”

By Vonette Bright
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Hold On a Little While Longer

How To Be Sure God Listens To Your Prayers

Praying with Confidence

The post Amazing Prayer appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Two or three times a week, I volunteer in our church office and type up the prayer requests from our weekend services. During that hour or so, I get a glimpse into the deepest, most vulnerable spaces in the hearts of men and women, young and old. I read of great joys – the birth of a baby, a son’s turning to Christ, a new job; and I feel the depths of despair – a miscarriage, a child diagnosed with cancer, a death too young.

Prayers are asked for job interviews, school exams, struggling marriages; for safety in war, peace with finances, release from fears, faith.

Only a few of the prayers come with a request for follow-up from a pastor or a volunteer. Some clearly want guidance in how to deal with the situation; some may just want to know that someone—anyone—has heard and prayed.

A number of weeks ago I came across a prayer request that spoke of violence in the home, abuse the writer didn’t know how to handle. They didn’t mark the “follow-up” box; I don’t remember if they even wrote their name or contact information, or if this was one of the several anonymous requests we receive each week.

It’s not my place to respond in those situations, and I trust our church’s pastors to act even when no action is requested. But that was one of the many times I’ve taken my hands away from the keyboard and lifted them to God in brokenness and empathy, and asked Him to intervene.

Other than the cries from deep pain, the hardest thing about these prayer requests is that there are so few, and so few seem to want anyone to come talk. On a typical Sunday, we receive maybe 20-30 prayer requests; that’s less than two for every hundred people in church. That’s staggering. Do we not believe in prayer, or that God answers? Do we not know that a team of people is waiting every week just to pray for those in our church? Or do we think that no one cares enough to want to read our burdens?

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, New Living Translation)

So many of our prayers are looking for peace – in families, in finances, in work situations. God tells us to pray about it and thank him for what he’s already done, and then peace will come. Peace that doesn’t make any sense. Peace in the midst of the struggles, the questions, the radiation treatments.

Jesus prays for us (John 17) and the Holy Spirit prays for us (Rom 8:26); God also says we ought to pray for others (James 5:14-16) and to let others pray for us (1 Thess 5:25, Heb 13:18).

Today, pray for the people in your church, in your neighborhood, at your school, in your family. Let someone know that you prayed for them. And let them pray for you.

Prayer is not reserved for the “professionals.” It is what we do. It is how we live as family, as community, as church.

by Randy Ehle
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Intercessory Prayer Story

A Call to Prayer- to seniors and those who are housebound but have internet.

Concerts of Prayer Outline (Prayer Meeting)

You Can Change the Lives of Men and Nations

The post A Voice for Good appeared first on Thoughts About God.

As I recently prayed about an important decision I needed to make, I remembered there was a time when I didn’t. As a young Christian I didn’t even know that I should.

When I was in my early twenties I moved without even praying about it. I loved God and it was not my intention to go the wrong way, I just had not learned yet that we are to seek God as we make choices and decisions. I just plowed ahead completely tossing all wisdom aside.

I was a young Christian and hadn’t been in my Bible much or heard a lot of teaching and I didn’t know to even pray about choices and decisions. I had not been raised in the church and had not learned these important spiritual lessons.

So, I immaturely quit a job and moved out of state just because I was not satisfied with the status quo. Long story short, that move failed and I quickly ended up back in the same town, but without an apartment, furniture, or job. I had to start over.

But it wasn’t that long until my husband came into the picture and I knew exactly why God brought me back.

When I think about God undoing my bad decision and bringing me back and how He brought my husband across my path by moving him to my town and bringing him to my church – I saw His grace and love for me forged deeply across my heart forever.

Oh, I am grateful He covers us with a lot of tender grace in our youth and that He is patient with us as we learn and grow in the ways of the Lord.

God definitely gained my attention through that experience and how He amazingly worked in my life. It was a significant turning point in my spiritual growth that impacted the deepness of faith I walk in today.

God cares about every detail of our lives and He has a plan that is slowly unfolding through the circumstances we experience. We would be wise to seek Him, and pray and also to trust and wait on Him.

Philippians 4:6-7

“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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

By Kathy Cheek
Used by Permission

Are you at a place in your life where you want to know Jesus and have him in your life?  You can start a life surrendered to Christ today. This is a sample, simple prayer, but the words are powerful and full of meaning.  If  you truly believe them Christ will enter your life and start you on a wonderful journey. (not always easy, but never alone)

Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to You and ask You to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

It starts now!

FURTHER READING

Pray, Then Decide

God Knows – Know God

If God Were to Answer Your Phone Call

The post Pray Before You Leap appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” John 15:7  (KJV).

When Campus Crusade for Christ began at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1951, our first act was to organize a 24-hour prayer chain. Around the clock, scores of men and women interceded for UCLA students and faculty. God answered prayer in a remarkable way, as His Spirit touched the entire campus.

Thirty-one years later, more than 16,000 full-time and associate staff members of Campus Crusade for Christ in more than 150 countries and protectorates are teaching millions of others the importance of prayer, with revolutionary spiritual results and many millions receiving Christ.

Prayer has always been the breath, life, vitality, strength and power of the Christian. Beginning with our Lord, who spent much time in prayer, and continuing with the disciples and fruitful, Spirit-filled Christians through the centuries, prayer remains a major emphasis in the life of every believer.

History records no mighty men or women of God whose lives were not characterized by prayer, nor any great spiritual movements, awakenings or revivals that were not preceded by prayer. James 4:2 reminds us, “Ye have not, because ye ask not.”

It is not enough to pray, we must pray according to the Word and will of God. For that reason, understanding and obeying our Scripture assignment for today is crucial. We must abide in Christ and allow His Word to abide in us before we are qualified to pray. God’s Word reminds us,

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15, KJV).

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:7-11

Thought: From this day forth I will seek, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, to abide in Christ and have His Word abide in me. As I discover God’s Will through the diligent study of His Word and the leading of His Holy Spirit, I will pray more intelligently and thus can expect answers to my prayers.

by Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

God Answers Prayers

The Equation Prayer

Praying in Faith

The post Ask What You Will appeared first on Thoughts About God.

A Father’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for my children’s salvation. Thank You for choosing them to be children of mine and Yours. Thank You that You have lavished Your riches and Your inheritance on them, although they could do nothing to earn it or deserve it.

I pray for my children’s legs to walk always with You, not racing ahead, not lagging behind, not wandering off, but day-by-day walking with Jesus, so that He is their constant companion. God, take them where You want them to go and keep them from the places they shouldn’t go. Give them strength to continue when they feel weak. Give them courage to keep on walking with You, even when the road ahead looks uncertain and dim. Give them grace to bridge gaps, to leap walls, to span the separations between people and groups.

I pray for my children’s feet, that You would place them where You want them to stand. Plant their feet on the immovable rock of Jesus. Talk to them when storms come or the world’s attractions try to lure them down its path. Whisper in their ears and to their spirits, “Stand firm.”

Through my children’s arms, always do Your work. Strengthen them, hold them up, and direct them to do whatever You want them to do. Make their time valuable for eternity, not just the quick flash that is the span of their days on earth.

I pray for my children’s hands that they will often fold them in prayer. Make them mighty in prayer. Teach them to pray after Your own heart. Enable them to live their lives so that everyone will see Your signature, “This one is the Lord’s.”

Give my children the patience to wait on You, Lord, so that You may renew their spirits and they may soar as on eagle’s wings.

By Your enabling power, make my children’s will as strong as iron for clinging to what is good and resisting evil. Cause them to be unyielding in following righteousness and rejecting anything not pure, holy, and completely from You. Make their wills toward You as pliable as spun silk when You convict them of sin or following their own ways. Give them tender hearts and teachable spirits for You, God.

I pray for my children’s character, that You will make it strong and godly. Use godly men and women to mold, shape, and weave their character, beliefs, and views of You as You want to make them.

Enable by Your grace that their conscience will be clear. I pray they will keep a short list of accounts with You and quickly acknowledge sin to You and confess their wrongs. Give them the humility to seek forgiveness from the ones they offend. Enlarge their hearts to grant forgiveness freely, even before it is asked, when they are wronged.

I pray for my children’s heart, that You would guard it. Keep them protected, covered, shielded, and sheltered from all harm that seeks to touch them. Make their hearts soft when they should show compassion, firm when “tough love” is required, and always holy.

By Your power, protect their bodies. Keep them well and safe, and heal them when they are sick or injured. Hold them and comfort them when they are afraid, lonely, sad, or discouraged. Give them the strength and the courage to keep on keepin’ on when they feel they cannot any longer.

I pray for my children’s minds, that regarding the things of Christ they will be full of knowledge and wisdom, and regarding the things of sin they will be ignorant. Give them Your wisdom and discernment to evaluate what they see.

Light my children’s eyes with the light of Christ shining within them. Filter what they will see through holy filters. Protect them and keep them, for the devil masquerades as an angel of light. Give them holy understanding to see past the surface, to see the world from Your perspective, and to respond as You would.

Father, put Your Word in my children’s ears and in their hearts frequently. I pray that they will not listen to unwise counsel or foolish talk and will seek Your wisdom and Your ways all their days.

I pray for my children’s mouths, that words of praise and prayer will be on their lips always. Curb them from speaking rashly or without thought, so that they will bring honor and glory to You. I pray for my children’s countenances, that they will reflect Your glory and the radiance of the hope that is alive within them.

Sanctify their pocketbooks, and teach them to be good stewards of what You give them. Teach them the principles of Your economy, the way to manage and use the things that You loan them. Beyond finances and possessions, make them good stewards of their talents, time, and opportunities You send. Help them to acknowledge that everything is Yours, and because of that, they need not worry or fear loss.

I pray that they will abide in righteousness and live worthy of the One who purchased their lives from destruction and eternal death. Show them that life is in Christ alone, that there is no other source of life, joy, light, peace, comfort, love, or truth that can endure forever, and no other is pure or holy but You.

Father-God, I place all these things in Your hands in the name of the One who is able to do all things, beyond anything we ask or imagine, to whom is all glory, honor, and praise, Amen.

-Charley Gunter, praying for Richmond and Margie Louise

Looking at a picture of your children or grandchildren, or with the indelible memory of them before your mind’s eye, pray for them. Set them apart from head-to-toe for God’s purposes and glory. You might include their future mates in this prayer.

by Charley Gunter
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Father’s Day

•  My Dad’s Love – Frank shares a true story of how his father’s love affected his life.e

•  Salvation Explained

The post A Father’s Prayer appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Are you someone who has suffered emotionally, and perhaps physically at the hands of others?

Have emotions such as anger, resentment, hate, hostility, bitterness and revenge entered your heart and mind? Have you become filled with an unforgiving spirit?

Unforgiveness can be a hidden culprit. It can make you a prisoner within yourself.

When an unforgiving spirit LIVES inside you, it isn’t bothering those who have wronged you. They’ve gone on their way. But you are still holding onto something that has taken control of your thoughts, actions and words. It eats away at you like a poisonous cancer, and you find yourself bound, with no peace. In reality, you are punishing yourself.

But to forgive in your own power becomes futile, because your heart must first be cleansed of all that the things that unforgiveness creates. Only Jesus can make that happen. He laid down His life and shed His blood to give us the gift of salvation and clean up our hearts. Through Him, there is freedom and victory.

God says “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, KJV) Isn’t rest what we long for when filled with the torture of an unforgiving spirit?

According to 1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to . forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (KJV). So why not dare to invite Christ into your heart? Cast your care upon Him. Let Him do the cleansing. Let Him to take that unforgiving spirit out of your heart and give you a new heart with a forgiving spirit.
You could pray a prayer like this – “Lord Jesus, forgive me for bearing a grudge toward the person who has wronged me. Come into my heart, take control of my life. Cleanse me of this unforgiving spirit, and fill me with a forgiving spirit.”

One man who prayed a similar prayer said, “I’ve got peace in my heart, and I’ve got love in my heart for those who have wronged me. One of the greatest possessions I own now is a forgiving heart.” His burden had been surrendered, and freedom was his.

The Bible says “If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14,15, KJV).

That may seem harsh. But why shouldn’t God expect you to forgive those who have offended you, when He has forgiven you of so much more?

Choosing to forgive, is a choice of your will. When you make that choice your heart is then open and ready for the Lord’s cleansing.

Choosing not to forgive, is also a choice of your will. But the door of your heart is then shut and God will not do His cleansing work.

THINK ABOUT IT. . .
Are you harboring an unforgiving spirit? What’s preventing you from letting it go? Remember, it is harming you far more than the person who has made you angry. Give it to God and ask Him to cleanse your heart and free you to experience His love and freedom.

By Dr. Henry Brandt
used by permission

Read : Matthew 6:14,15, Matthew 11:28, John 14:6, 1John 1:9, Psalm 55:22, Revelation 3

FURTHER READING

The Stumbling Block of Unforgiveness

Victory over Unforgiveness 

Prayer of Forgiveness and Release

The post The Power of Forgiveness appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

Thoughts on today’s verse

No matter how we try to perceive God, he is still God and we are not. We must forever remember that the original, and still primary sin was to try to become like God in terms of knowledge and understanding. We are to know God, but we can never fully know about him. We are to take on his character, but we cannot approach his majesty. This is both exciting and frustrating. But the promise remains that one day we will be like him and see him as he is.

Prayer:

Tender Shepherd, thank you for being so patient with me when I cannot fully understand and appreciate your holy and transcendent character. Thank you for sending Jesus so I can know you better and trust you to know me better than I know myself. I look forward to seeing you face to face when Jesus comes to bring me home. Until that day, please know I love you. Through Jesus I offer my thanks and praise. Amen.

by Phil Ware
used by permission

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God’s Patience

We Plan – God Directs

Where is God?

The post God’s Ways appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Stephanie’s dream was to be an author, but family obligations took priority.  When she was forty, however, the urge to write hit again.  She wondered if it was from God.

Friend, you might be wondering about your dream.  Is it God’s best for your life?

Well, at first Stephanie’s prayers were filled with doubt. Then she heard Charles Stanley speak about prayer and fasting.  So she abstained from eating while the family was away.  It left her with more time for God.  As she prayed and released her dream to God, His Word spoke to her heart.  Her dream was confirmed.  Writing was God’s will for her!

Jesus then took Stephanie Reed with her God-given ability to write and used her for His glory.

And, dear one, God can do the same for you.  Give Him your dream today!

by Vonette Bright
used by permission

RELATED READING

My Life Has Purpose

God’s Plan — A Study on God’s Destiny for Me

The Path of Life

God Has a Plan

We Plan – God Directs

The post Erasing Doubt appeared first on Thoughts About God.