Pray

Prayer Makes A Difference

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

Do we always get what we want, when we want it?  No

Does a child always get what they ask for?  Do they understand why?

No, they don’t…what we do know is that God wants us to pray

It is our way to communicate with God

It is a common topic in the bible…Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6 and many more places

Prayer is something God encourages us to do and knowing that, means that even though we may not understand how it works, prayer does make a difference

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

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“ Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessolanians 5:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

God Is Love

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“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12 NIV

Love is about more than words or a feeling

Love is about how we treat each other with our actions and our behaviors

In this fallen and broken world we all will make mistakes and need to be forgiven

Thankfully, God is love and put His love into the action by sending His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins

We have been forgiven

Now it is our turn to put love into action

In what relationship or situation in your life is there a lack of love?

Who in your life needs to experience love in action?

Pray about it and ask God to guide you in love

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“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

1 John 4:8-10 NIV

(This photo was taken near the border between South Dakota and Minnesota)

When We Pray

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“For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV

Prayer…it is our way to interact with God

It is how we can grow in our relationship with Him

Communication is the foundation of any relationship

Anyone can do it…it is not about using the right words or being in a certain position…it is all about speaking sincerely and from the heart

We can pray about everything in our lives and the best part?  God is waiting to hear from you…He will listen…He will respond…that doesn’t mean you should expect everything to go the way you desire…that’s not how it works

But God promises no matter what you are going through He will be with you…it is up to you to do your part…so talk to Him and seek Him

God’s peace be with you

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

Confess…Renew

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“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9 NIV

“Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalm 51:1-2 NIV

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12 NIV

(This photo was taken in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Prayer Makes A Difference

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

Do we always get what we want, when we want it?

No. Does a child always get what they ask for?

No. Do we or they understand why?

No, we don’t…what we do know is that God wants us to pray

It is our way to communicate and stay connected to God

The greatest gift we have received is we can have a personal relationship with God

Connect with God through prayer…it will make all the difference in life

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

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“ Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessolanians 5:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Open Ended Praying

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8 NIV

When we pray we ought to leave room for God’s will and God’s plan to be the way we go

We tend to think we have things all figured out and we just need to top it off with a quick FYI to God to get Him on board with our way

Surrendering to God’s will and God’s plan means we are open to a new way for things to go

Maybe in a way we haven’t considered or thought about yet

Let’s be more open ended with our prayers

Remember to make room for God’s way in your life

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in southern New Mexico)

The Message

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“…but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NIV

“Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:1-5 NIV

All of life comes down to this question…

What do you believe?

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“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:31-33 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

Prayer

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

Romans 12:12 NIV

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

No matter what the situation or circumstances, do not stop praying about it

Do not give up when God doesn’t meet your timeline, He knows more about everything than we could ever ask, think or imagine

Instead choose to trust in Him and His Way

He loves you, He cares for you and He is with you every step along the way

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“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.“

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

The Power Of Prayer

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“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

We are children of God

He wants to hear from us

We may think, well He is God if He knows everything and life is supposed to go according to His plan why do I need to talk to Him?

Think about your relationship with your parents or if you are a parent think about your relationship with your children

In both circumstances the relationship is always enhanced or stronger when we have good two-way communication

The same is true with Father God.  Believe in the power of prayer

“When We Pray” by Tauren Wells

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Different…Changed

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“Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalm 51:1-2 NIV

Different by Micah Tyler

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12 NIV

(This photo was taken in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)