Tag: prayer

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HS-COVER-KINDLEThe scripture for today, October 2 (10/2), is Daniel 10:2ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks…On the twenty-fourth day of the first month…I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude….Then he continued, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”

The description of the speaker indicates he is an angel, possibly Gabriel. Michael is another known angel. In Daniel 12:1 he is called “Michael, the great prince who protects your people.” Jude 9 refers to Michael as an archangel who disputed with Satan over the body of Moses.

Revelation 12:7-9 says, “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down ~ that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him.”

Now, let us look back at Daniel 10. Daniel prayed for 21 days. The un-named angel (Gabriel?) appeared to him on the 24th day and said Daniel’s prayers had been heard the first day, but God’s angel could not break away to help because of fighting Satan’s angels.

Now look at Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Does our persistence in prayer give strength to the angels? Something to think about….

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The scripture for today, July 14 (7/14), is 2nd Chronicles 7:14 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

There is always a little bit of turmoil in all nations of the world.  Of course, there is more in some.  The average person cannot make their own nation call on God.  But the average person can do this:  “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone ~ for kings and all those in authority” (I Timothy 2:1-2).  Further, we should pray for them by name.

Even if you think some people in authority in your nation are against you, you must pray for them anyway.  Then wait quietly for God to work things out.  It may take Him a year, a decade or a lifetime to bring about your heart’s desire for your nation.  But keep praying.

Your job, in the mean time, is to follow God’s ways yourself.  Romans 13:1, 3-4 says, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. …For rulers hold no terror for those who do right….For he is God’s servant to do you good.”

God is aware of the suffering going on in your nation.  He will not leave you or forsake you.

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The scripture for today, July 9 (7/9) is Deuteronomy 7:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”

Our amazing God!  He loved our great great grandparents and He will love our great great grandchildren.  The average age of having children is 30.  Therefore, if we took this literally, 1000 generations would be 30,000 years.  In that case, we’ve only just begun.

If taken figuratively, 10 to the Jews meant all inclusiveness, and 1000 is 10 x 10 x 10 or all inclusiveness times all inclusiveness times all inclusiveness.  This means God will love us all inclusive years, times all inclusive years, times all inclusive years ~ for eternity!

And God gives everything we ask of him if it is good for us.  All He asks in return is for us to give the little bit that He asks of us ~ faithfulness and keeping his few commandments.   What a grand arrangement!

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The scripture for today, July 8 (7/8), is Ecclesiastes 7:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”

Years ago there was a little boy who belonged to the Pee-Wee Baseball League.  A lot of teams played in different parts of a very large ball field.  He would get in line to wait his turn to bat the ball.  But he’d become impatient, feeling that he should be able to bat as often as he wanted.

So he’d take off across the field and get in the line of another team, hoping his turn at bat would come sooner.  When he didn’t go to bat as soon as he thought he should, he’d take off across the field in yet another direction and get in line of yet another team, hoping his turn at bat would come sooner.

After doing all that, he’d finally give up and come back to his own team.  By that time, if he had just stayed in line with his own team, he could have come up to bat 2 or 3 times.  His pride got in the way, his impatience got in the way, and he ended up losing all his turns.

What we hope and dream for may happen today, or a year from now, a decade from now. Let us learn to wait for our turn.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, Inspirational2 Comments

The scripture for today, July 7 (7/7), is Matthew 7:7 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

How beautiful.  The Creator of the universe pays attention to each and every one of us. How does He do it? How does He even sort us all out when thousands of us are praying to Him at the same time?

Sometimes we may not think He is listening to our prayers.  But it takes time to answer some of them.  If I am praying to meet my future husband or wife, God may have to move him or her from the other side of the country, get a new job for him or her, and arrange for us to “accidentally” bump into each other.  This is just one example.

Also, when Jesus said whatever we seek will be given to us, he had already explained that we must “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).  So only within that context, God will give us our heart’s desire.

Maybe today you can do a little bit of extra seeking and extra knocking.

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The scripture for today, June 18 (6/18), is 2nd Chronicles 6:18a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“But will God really dwell on earth with men?  The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you.”

Did you ever want to see God, to talk to him face to face?  Perhaps something bad had just happened in your life and you had this urge to complaint to him, then let him explain why. Or did you ever want to touch God?  Perhaps you were so very lonely that you desperately needed his arms around you, and feel his touch as he brushed away your tears.

But, if we could see him and touch him, it would mean that he could not be with others in the world at that time, and could not hear anyone else’s prayers at that time except yours. Let us be grateful that we cannot see and touch him for now.  He is always available to all of us, regardless of where we are in this vast world and regardless of how many others are praying to him at that moment.

How he can sort out all our prayers at once is mind-boggling.  How he can be everywhere at once is amazing.

 

The scripture for today, June 12 (6/12), is Luke 6:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountain side to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

How in the world did Jesus think of enough things to say that he could pray all night? Most of us on a good day only manage a 5-minute prayer. The next verse says that the next morning he selected his twelve apostles. He had probably spent at least half an hour each praying for them by name, as well as for others he was considering.

Who do you pray for by name? Do you have a prayer list? How about opening the newspaper and praying for all those people in the news ~ perpetrators, victims, causes, governments, situations? Or everyone you work with? Or everyone your children go to school with? Or all their teachers and administrators? Or the clerks in the stores you go to regularly? Or members of an organization you belong to?

There are always people in need of prayer. And one of the joys of such a prayer life is now and then telling people whom you know that they are in your prayers; or writing a note to someone who was a stranger to you that you pray for them.

Some people have never heard their name in prayer. Some people have never even been told that someone prays for them.

God loves to answer prayer. Do you love prayer?

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The scripture for today, May 26 (5/26), is 1st Thessalonians 5:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Brothers, pray for us.”

Do you have a prayer list?  There are many people we can pray for besides ourselves.  Often prayers get bogged down and short because the only person we “remember” in prayer is ourselves.  Well, and maybe a relative or two.

There are many people who need your prayers:  Your family is obvious.  How about your neighbors?  If you don’t know their names, pray for them by house or apartment number.  What about the newspaper?  Everyone of those bad-news stories is crying out for prayer.  The school near you needs your prayers ~  students, teachers, administrators, janitors.  It doesn’t matter whether you have a child in that school; pray for them anyway.  Who are your local government officials?  Not liking them doesn’t make any different, for Jesus said we are to pray for our enemies too.  And that leads to the list of your enemies; do you have any at your work place? Include them too.  It’s pretty hard to resent someone you pray for.

One other thing you might try doing in addition to having a prayer list:  Have an answered-prayer list.  Write down when you pray for someone, then when it is answered.  Keep it as a reminder when you are down and don’t think He’s ever going to answer your requests.  God does care after all.

And speaking of requests, by the time you’re done praying for all the other people on your prayer list, you won’t have a lot of time to pray for yourself.  And that is okay too, for others are praying for you!

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The scripture for today, May 11 (5/11), is 1st  Peter 5:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible: “To him be the power for ever and ever.  Amen.” God has the power to do more for you than you ever dreamed.  He can take you in new directions in your life; arrange for you to meet wonderful people; provide the ability to overcome not-so-good things in your life.   All you have to do is ask.  Perhaps more than once.  Perhaps many times.  But he wants you to ask.  Why? Parents sometimes tell their children “no” the first time they ask for something.  Maybe it’s because the child needs to find our for him/herself how badly s/he wants it.  It’s in the asking that they find out.  So God waits for the request.  Sometimes the request never comes.  And so the blessing never comes.   Remember, God has the power.  He may have something special in mind for you.  So ask.

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The scripture for today, May 7 (5/7), is 1st Peter 5:7 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

How many times in a week are you anxious about something?  Your job, your home, your children, your neighbors, your government, your
health?  How many times in a day are you?  Are they heavy?  Sometimes almost too heavy to bear?

Name them to God.  Tell him all about them.  Go into as much detail as you like.  Then put them all on his shoulders.  That’s what he wants you to do.  He will carry those burdens for you.  Why?  Because he cares for you.