Pray

Pray

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When wondering about prayer, Jesus set the example for us.  He not only gave us the words of the Lord’s prayer…He lived it in His actions and behaviors.  Prayer works…true, sincere, honest and from the heart prayer works.  It is not about granting you what you want, when you want it.  It is about your relationship with God.  If you struggle with prayer…think about when a child is learning to talk…they don’t use the right words the right way when they first speak, yet it gets better over time.  They also do not get everything they ask for but the communication is still very important for their relationships.  Dedicate time to prayer every day.  Amen.

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Luke 5:16

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

Luke 6:12

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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

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

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

“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

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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

(This photo was taken in July of 2015 at a lake in central Minnesota)

Open Ended Praying

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When you pray leave room for God’s will and God’s plan to be the way you should 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.  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…be open ended in your prayers…make room for God’s way in your life.  Amen.

“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

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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

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

Don’t Stop Praying

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As I awake this morning there are 2 songs that I can’t stop hearing in my mind that are constant reminders to not give up…we must learn to be patient and persistent.  No matter how long you have been praying about something and you haven’t seen a change…don’t quit…keep praying…believe…many people fall away from God because He does not work on our time line.  Remember He is God and He knows what is best for us even if we can’t see it.  Trust Him in everything.  Amen.

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

Blessing I Can’t See by Building 429

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)

Prayer Makes A Difference

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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 another topic in the bible that is repeated often…Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6 and many more places.  This 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.  Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in july of 2018 on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Pray

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When you don’t know what else to do…when you are grateful for what you have been given…when things are going well…when things are not going well…pray.  God wants a relationship with us, through every part of life…the good, the difficult, the peaceful times as much as the stressful times.  The best relationships are built on communication with one another.  Turn towards God in prayer…open up your heart and trust in Him…He loves you; He cares for you and He is waiting to hear from you.  Amen.

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“pray continually…”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

(This photo was taken in August of 2012 on hike along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Pray Faithfully

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No matter what your circumstances are, make time to pray.  If everything is going well and you are feeling good, say a prayer of thanks.  If it feels like the world is crashing down around you, say a prayer for courage and strength.  Prayer is our primary way of connecting with the Lord.  It is about spending time with Him and walking with Him.  Think about it this way…if God is like that person you pass in the hall at work or at school every day and you only exchange a hello or hi and never have a real conversation, how can you know God and His plan for you any better than you know this person?  Invest time in your relationship with God, pray faithfully.  Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

God Is Love

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Love is about more than words.  Love is about how we treat each other with our actions and our behaviors.  We all will make mistakes and need to be able to forgive as well as be forgiven.  In what relationship or situation in your life is there a lack of love?  Pray about it and ask God to guide you in love.  Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 near the border between South Dakota and Minnesota)

Connection Through Prayer

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The joy of the resurrection is more than a one day event or church service.  It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to never leave us or abandon us.  We can continue and grow our relationship with the Lord each day through prayer.  Prayer that is from the heart, that involves raw emotion, not a list of wants or a moment that we recite words before a meal with no feeling or emotion other than let’s finish praying so we can eat.  Our connection with God the Father exists through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ our risen Lord…start today…thank Jesus for what He did for you on the cross and ask Him to guide you and teach you through your prayers.  Amen.

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“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Pray

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Communicate…petition…give thanks…ask..seek…listen, do all of it with an open heart and an open mind.  Prayer is not about the words you use rather it is about sincerity, belief and a willingness to trust.  Prayer is about our relationship with Jesus.  Because of Jesus we have the gift and ability to develop a deep and strong bond with God.  As with any relationship in our lives the best ones take a significant investment of time.  May we all take our greatest worries and biggest triumphs and share them with God in prayer.  Amen.

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“pray continually”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)