Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home1/heartof6/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/responsive-mobile/includes/functions-extentions.php on line 35
Home › Posts tagged Prayer › Page 5

Prayer

Are You On The Outside Looking In?

Posted on by

Hebrews 10:15 – Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before

1 John 5:10 – He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

– – – –

When I am going through the problems in my life, it is always the most difficult plunge of faith to be able to trust God completely. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that in our own perspective versus God’s that we are on the outside looking in. There will be many occasions when we do not understand the feelings or pains that a circumstance brings to an individual or family. The perfect example I could give you is when you see someone go to pray. When they are on their way to the altar, others go to pray for them and are done praying quicker simply because their heart is not invested like the individual that came. It simply was not enough. In times like that we may just say what we think is best or just hug a person and say “You are going to be okay”, but what are we really doing? Are we not staying long enough? Are we not caring deeply enough to feel the load that they carry? Tough questions, right?

It is especially easy for people to get on the defensive when you are passing on worldly advice, yes. Obviously it is the easiest choice for you to just tell them what you might think is best for them at the present time. Sometimes personal advice will prove to work, while when times are harder it can be less effective. Trials will be trials and burdens will be hard felt, regardless of what we can offer. There is nothing that I could say or any shield that I could put around anyone that would keep them from being able to escape from all the things that life will bring. So what am I getting at today?

I have to remember to not be a judge on people and instead help to be a burden bearer spiritually! When my words will fail them and there is nothing else that I can do, sometimes you have to begin to pray for the situation to improve. Sometimes going and trying to intervene is not necessarily the best plan of attack. You see, God’s ways are far above our ways, and He is above looking over each and every one of us! His perspectives go far beyond yesterday and today, but even into tomorrow to see what is in store. Always remember that God is your judge, and that you can always lean on God for comfort, rest, and an escape from the trials of life each day!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

The first exercise is short and sweet. Go an entire day without saying a judging comment about another person. You would be surprised how hard it can be when you consciously try.

Whoa, What Happened?!?

Posted on by

We’re glad to have you back for another day and read! For some of our long time fans, you’ve seen the web site take on many new looks and features!

We are rolling new things out every day here and there to try and reach out to the online realms all over the world. It’s one thing to reach out person to person, but outreach has taken a completely new approach in the information age. We hope that through our site that we are setting an example and hope for others that online ministries are still going strong! So to all of you online ministers that feel no support or motivation, get back out there!

With the expansion on our radio times, the beginning of recording our official music, the new experience of the Everyday Word, as well as taking on more in all of our individual ministries, needless to say that our passion for God only grows stronger!

We are some of the proud laborers still left in the world, and encourage everyone to get back in and labor with us. Just remember that whether you contribute to the ministry through prayer or other significant contributions that you are just as much of a part of our outreach. We hope that we are providing tools for people to use even to others that they do not have the words to properly say.

We hope you enjoy the new looks and features, and continue to increase the power of our ministry by recommending us to someone! God Bless!

Keep Your Eyes Wide Open

Posted on by

Revelation 3:2 – Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 – Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

– – – –

When I go to lay my head down at night, there is a moment that takes place right before I go to sleep: I begin to relax my mind and my body, shut my eyes, and finally let my body give in to the weariness of the day because it simply has to. Every person must enter into rest at some point for many reasons, with one of the main ones being to obtain strength for another day. In considering how this happens for the body, we have to realize that this wants to happen naturally for us in our trials as well: we get discouraged and tired with the way things are for so long and eventually just want to close our eyes and give up. Doing this lets the outcome go in a direction that perhaps that it wasn’t meant to.

What do I mean? If we are continually praying to God each day over the things that bother us, we will never grow tired in our spiritual person. In fact, we will begin to grow stronger and start to revive the parts of us that have already fallen asleep. The church needs a strong awakening in such a way that they do not even realize! It starts with us! Don’t fall asleep on God!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

I would ask that this next exercise be a controlled one, so have at least one or two persons are very close by if you are going to try this in an area that has a lot of objects around. Find yourself something that you can have as a blindfold and hold it up to your eyes with the lights on (do not tie it on yet!) to make sure that no light can get into your vision. After you have found something that works, think of something safe to do that you think you could do “in your sleep” or “with your hands tied behind your back”. For example purposes, I would use trying to make a sandwich or brushing your teeth.

To me, it is amazing how it is so easy to get off track without having the simple leisure of light illuminating the way for you. People take it for granted each and every day! Now, simply remember this concept as you go about your life and remember how easy we can get off track without allowing the light (witness and spirit of God) to shine and lead us through all of the things we need help with, no matter how silly they are.

Time To Lose Some Weight

Posted on by

Hebrews 12:1-3 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

– – – –

I know that you are thinking that this is going to be the top 10 tips to weight loss, but that is not what we will be discussing today. I will say that I thought that this title might grab some attention though!

I would like for us to keep that perspective of weight loss to spiritual burdens. When it comes to losing weight, sometimes we see that we need to and sometimes we deny it. Other times we see that we need to but refuse to see why we ever got in the shape to start with.

When it comes to our walk with God and the burdens we carry, we often treat it with the same perspectives; we do not know exactly how we got in the shape we did, but we arrived there nonetheless. There are scriptures in the bible that indeed point us to cast off the weights that easily beset us. When I put that into perspective, all the things that easily bother me should be immediately put off as needs to God in prayer. God understands every need, no matter how great or small it is to our perspective. There is another scripture that says that nothing is impossible to God, and is indeed but a small thing.

So when we think about it like that, repenting and relinquishing ourselves of tough burdens should not be like the pains of dieting and exercise that we make it out to be! We can simply pray to God and ease the weight that we carry! Simple as that!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

This will be an interesting task. I ask you to give it a try! Take a couple plastic bags and put one within the other to give it a little more strength (add 1-2 more if you want to). Begin to fill the bag up with objects until you begin to think that the weight would exceed the bag. At this point, pick up the back and try to simply hold it for a minute. After that, perhaps you can try (without actually hurting yourself) to walk around while carrying the bags around.

When doing this in practice it is easy to see how easy it would be to begin to feel weighted down without continual prayer and communication to God each day. Without the casting off of the weights that would beset us, I am bold enough to say that eventually we will begin to beset others; especially those that need to be led to a relationship to Christ! Get rid of anything weighing you down and draw closer to God! Let the lightness by the strength of His spirit encourage you!

Face Your Confusion and Worries With God

Posted on by

1 Corinthians 14:33 – For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Psalm 71:1 – In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

– – – –

Normally I do not share personal details of this magnitude but I thought I would start this piece out with this: One of the most requested items that people come and ask me to pray for is either direction for their life or outside problems that they are worrying themselves to death over.

It is a big burden to walk around with these concerns on our hearts each day. I also do not think that this is something that people can easily just “shake off” without some assistance either. Luckily, we have something within us that gives us the ability to ward off all of the woes and worries of life. What is it you ask? God of course!

You see, the peace of God surpasses all understanding and will give you comfort when you cannot find it in logic or the facts you have before you. God works in things seen and unseen and goes before you even unto what you do not even know. We can begin each day alleviating our confusion by beginning to obtain peace in our mind! When the weight of burdens attempt to come and be more than we can bear, those are the times when we are to do more than watch. I believe that is why it said to “watch” AND “pray”.

Be aware of things, but don’t let the circumstance pull you down. Pray and begin to let God pull you out of the pits of every single issue that would steer you away from the focus of God’s will for your life!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

I really encourage you to participate in this exercise as we have many things that we are in question of or are confused about. Take one to two minutes and dedicate it to finding something (it will not take long) that is really bothering you that you cannot do anything about. Once you have it on your mind perform these simple steps: humble yourself in prayer, openly admit to God that you do not have the answer, and then openly establish your trust in God by believing and building your faith.

Please do not go past this page before completing this. I encourage you more than anything to get down this very moment and take God at His word to realize we can lay our confusion down and begin to realize a more greater love and trust with our unbreakable Godly relationship!

Put Denial In Its Place

Posted on by

Matthew 10:32-33 – Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

– – – –

Denial does exist and is prevalent in the everyday lives of everyone. I could not be more blown away when you consider that the average person will live in denial of at least two or three different things consecutively at a given time. I am not here to try and pinpoint those things for each and every individual, but I want us to begin to try to recognize where our help comes from.

We serve a God who is a God of help. God will reach out to you in your weakness, lift you up, and restore to you from the things that you never thought that you could move on from. God is also a God of understanding. Though many people may try and judge you by your trials, God will not. Bring your issues to God and allow Him to help you change what needs to be! God is also a God of love. Sometimes we will fight so long for the acceptance of popularity or the forgiveness of things from others that will more than likely never come. However, if you pray to God to forgive you, he will wipe it all away and restore your life unto you.

What I am trying to tell you today is to not let your denial overrule your acceptance. Accept that you can pray and repent for your mistakes. Accept that God can help you and do allow anything to let you not deny it. Accept that God can save you from sin and that you can make Heaven your home. There is no better time than the present to stop looking behind you in your past, regretting all of the things you cannot change, and moving on from your denial and stepping into the acceptance of the power of Christ!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

Sometimes the easiest way to recognize denial is in the silliest ones. If you are bold enough to try this example, I encourage you to: find an object that is heavy and will not break under any pressure or weight (like a rock or a bolt) and place it under a blanket. The interesting part is that in your mind you know that it is there and that walking on this would be quite uncomfortable. Try to humor yourself and say out loud “there isn’t anything under there”, and then try to walk on your blanket. If you have made it this far you are beginning to realize the power of denial.

Even though we will have problems that leap out in front of us or will hinder us in our walk with God we have to learn to recognize those small things and be able to remove them so that we can begin to be closer to God! Put denial in its place and do not allow yourself to live with it!

Learning To Be Satisfied

Posted on by
Click To Play     

Philippians 1:3-7

[3] I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
[4] Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
[5] For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
[6] Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
[7] Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

I am satisfied with the good works that Christ has perfected in all of us!

Consider the phrase “so many works, from the first day until now” – Think about it! We should have all the reason in the world to be thankful and to praise God with no matter what we are dealing with at the time in our lives.

God knew us before we ever came to know him! He had already taken care of us before we were ever formed in this world! From this day until now! That should let me know with certainty that I am definitely not alone for sure!

Philippians 3:8

[8] Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

I am satisfied with Christ’s compensation!

I would lose it all to gain him! Nothing else is of worth to keep that even compares to what you can feel through God!

When I really put into perspective what everything is really worth to me in comparison to what God means to me in my heart, all of this stuff in this world does not mean a thing!

Philippians 3:9-10

[9] And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
[10] That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

I am satisfied with Christ’s fellowship!

I want to know him, I want to know more of Him and I want to feel more of the spirit! To actually be in fellowship with the spirit is to be in a place of growth in my life!

I want to make it a goal in my life to be in continual fellowship with God and the spirit of God. That’s the only way my life can be in a ready state to grow!

Philippians 4:6-7

[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
[7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I am satisfied with Christ’s perfect peace!

It shall keep your minds and hearts if you will allow it to! In all reality, there is nothing out there that will ever keep me per say; it will only ever be the peace of God, because I will never be content with the way things are. God teaches us by the spirit to be content to a circumstance or situation.

Philippians 4:11-14

[11] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
[12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
[13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
[14] Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

I am satisfied with Christ’s perfect strength!

God will speak to your situations and circumstances, no matter how grim that they seem to be! He will give you strength to be able to endure them!

Always remember the joy of the Lord is our strength, and without that joy, there is no strength. So I need to remember to surround myself or get myself to a place where joy is abundant.

Philippians 4:18-19

[18] But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

More than anything, I am satisfied know that I will receive from Christ’s supply for my every need!

These things we get from God are according to his riches in glory, and are not limited to what we are in this world. That should say so much to us when we feel like we have so many reasons why we cannot make it or cannot move forward in life.

Singing And Speaking At Sweet Hill Church

Posted on by

It would be safe to say that it was quite the journey to get there from where we all live, but it sure was a beautiful trip there! As many times as we have been on the road, it always gives us times to reflect on all the wonderful times we have shared together going on the road and working the ministry for God. Oh the stories we could tell!

We had a wonderful time at Sweet Hill! We were ever-so welcomed, and it was just a wonderful place to go in and feel right at home. It was so great to see the amount of youth that they had in their church. A lot of places are losing sight of the youth, but this was not one for sure!

We enjoyed the singing as always, but we sure missed Mona! Speaking was great as well, I always enjoy getting out there and obeying God more and more.

I am definitely proud of all those that came up for prayer and want to let them all know that we will continue to pray for everything that was brought to us. Just because we only come one day does not mean you ever leave the burden of our hearts. We hope to come back and visit soon, and we will post the dates when we do!

Look Ahead And Not Behind

Posted on by

Matthew 26:41 – Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

– – – –

     I know that there are a lot of things that I have done in my life that I will always regret. The people that I have hurt through my own means seem to be the hardest things to forgive myself for. Words could never describe how sorry that I am for the person that I was, but I have prayed for forgiveness and I know I am not that person anymore. That is something we all have to remember and accept each day. We are not as we were. We put off the old person that we were and are as new!

Learning to move on from the past and seeking God for peace is one of the most important aspects about being spiritually self-sufficient. Some people are in church today but in their minds or hearts are still sitting in a church service that hurt them 10-20 years ago. Others are not able to be in fellowship with one another because or religious traditions or doctrines that they cannot seem to agree on, which in turn leads to grudges that seem to never end. We have to begin to learn to break these self-created bonds that hold us down. God can set us free from all of these burdens!

As we commit our lives to God and become new creatures in Him, there comes a time in your life where you have to stop looking back and start looking forward. Make today a day that you do not reflect on something to make yourself feel bad or worse than you already do. If anything, take those negative feelings and give them to God in prayer; let God begin to work those things for your good. Stop looking in the history books and begin to write a new chapter in yours. Move on and do the good works of the Lord!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

Let us do an applied example of how wonderful it is that we have been forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. On a piece of paper, write down with a pencil at least three things that you have done today that you wish that you did not. After you have wrote them down, turn the pencil around and erase them from the page. As you are erasing them, know that you can simulate this erasing process simply by having a humble prayer before God, asking for forgiveness of what you have done. You do not have to walk around with guilt and shame. It is rather simple when you get right down to it: ask for forgiveness, let God lead you in how not to do it the next time and move on to better things by having victory over the past!

Do Not Be Surprised By Anything

Posted on by

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

– – – –

Although this sort of reminder is now becoming more popular in today’s world, I feel it necessary to give a reality check about preparation. There are going to be many situations that will come up in the months, weeks, or even days ahead that will take you by surprise! These occurrences may be good or bad, wonderful or tragic, or simply just something you could not have put together in your mind to ever happen. There are also going to be circumstances, objects, or people that will be involved. Now that I have presented the reality, I would like to also give the solution to this reality: We cannot always be prepared, but we can be guarded! Regardless of how you put it all together before it happens, you have to learn to get yourself in the mindset to always be on guard in your mind through prayer. God has began showing me that in theory thought I may be surprised I can still be on guard and protected by the covering of His spirit!

I have learned as of late that the only thing you can put your trust in is God. Some of the best things are learned the hard way, right? Wrong! I cannot stress enough that the hard way is not the best way! Do not wait until you are in a real bind with your guard down before you begin to trust in God. God is the only foundation that will be solid that gives you a place you can seek for peace over the worries of your mind. I believe that is why the word of God talks about watching and praying. It bears more significance now more than ever!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

When it comes to testing yourself for being surprised, there are many things that came to mind that could be fun and silly and would more than likely leave you forgetting this quickly. What I would like to do instead is to go a step further than a physical activity.

Think and consider a time where you heard something that did not affect you at first but did over time. Think about another time where something you hear had an immediate effect on you, bringing forth emotions that are normally not exposed in an everyday scenario. Perhaps you may have opened a letter in the mail or read an email about something that affected your finances, or you were informed about the passing of a loved one. There are many things that you could get a hold of here, but I would just ask you not think about the event, but the reaction.

Begin to pray and seek God to prepare you for the “next time”. Sometimes we will have a good run for a while before something else will arise, but God wants us praying daily and continually so that we can abide in all of the benefits of the spirit. By doing this I can boldly guarantee that you will handle the situation much better than you would have without prayer and a guarded heart!