My thoughts, this morning, was to have a dinner of pancakes, bacon and eggs.  We received a call from Carla’s Boss, Brenda; she had a couple of goose eggs to give her.  So instead of having a couple of chicken eggs we shared ‘one’ goose egg.  I couldn’t tell the difference and neither could Carla.  ‘course it was about the size of a hardball elongated, and therefore a lot more on the plate – as a matter of fact it took up the whole 10 inch plate.

Overcast and a bit cooler today, but just right for working in the garden, where Carla spent most of the day.  I had to go in for lab work and we ran a couple errands and then she was outside playing in the dirt.

Supposed to have some snow on the mountains tonight and tomorrow, it looks like we might have some much needed moisture too, we shall see – not sure the snow levels are going to be even close to normal this ‘winter.’ 

Last year winter came later, but it was here by this date, not so much this year.  Now if we could just transport New England and Mid-west snow here..........

Got a few things done around the house, although you can’t tell the difference.  Spent a half hour on the phone trying to get the doctor’s bill taken care of.

It was the ER doctor – those docs have a separate contract and are billed separately from the hospital.  However, even though the hospital has ALL pertinent info, somehow the doc’s billing service didn’t get the right information.  Once I got through, “your call is important to us, please hold the line and our next available service representative will assist you” it only took a few minutes with the clerk to get it ironed out – I hope.

James 5:15-7 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

¹⁷ Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

Mathew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Prayer is an expectation of God for us.  It is mentioned hundreds of times in His Word.  It is the way we communicate with Him and it is how He can see we are determined to serve Him and/or present our needs to Him. 

If we are not concerned enough to pray to Him, why should He be concerned with the outcome?

He knows what we need and what is needed by those we pray for, He wants to provide those things to us and them, but He also expects us to ask Him – and to be persistent if necessary.  We just have to understand it isn’t a list of ‘it would be nice to have’ we should be praying for, but needs to assist us or others in living a life dedicated to Him.

We are told there are ways and reasons for our prayers to Him, He EXPECTS us to ask Him and to pray for others while prayer is mentioned hundreds of times I have listed just a few:

Mathew 6:6-8  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Be specific.  Don’t try and impress others with your praying ability.  Be sincere.

Mathew 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Pray for people to help spread His Gospel.  Pray that the Holy Spirit with work on the hearts of men to serve God in a way that will proclaim His love for man and glorify Him.

Mark 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Understand that some issues require us to sacrifice our time and even our nourishment to demonstrate our desire to have the needs met.

Mark 11:24-25 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

²⁵ And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

We don’t just pray as a satisfaction to obey a command to pray, we pray from the heart.  We must believe that what we asked will be heard by God.  We do know that God does answer prayer, it may not be done in our timing, or desire, but He is going to answer a fervent prayer.

He also conditions His answers on our dealings with others, are we expecting something from God that we are unwilling to give to others?

Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

We need to be in a continual prayer, to watch for not only His return, but to be able to pray for others.

Mark 14:35-36 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

³⁶ And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

There will be times God wants us to do something and it can be fearful for us – it might place us in danger.  As Jesus asked to be relieved from that duty, so can we ask in prayer – However, we need to do what HE wants regardless of what we may want to do.

Acts 9:40  But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

We need to pray for others that God will heal them and we can expect to see miracles when we pray.

Luke 32:22 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

We also need to pray for the spiritual lives of people not just their physical needs.

Acts 8:14-16  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

¹⁵ Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

¹⁶ (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

We need to pray that we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and that others do also.

Acts 18:21-22 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

We need to make sure our heart is right with God and the reason we are praying to Him is out of a righteous need and desire to see ourselves and others draw closer to Him. 

Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

We need to pray for them that are in grave danger and circumstances that God will intervene in their behalf.

There are of course many other reasons to pray and manner in which we pray, I will address a few more in my post tomorrow.

I am finding this particular study very interesting.  There is really nothing I haven’t already been told by Pastors preaching, teachers teaching and prior readings, but I feel a special need, right now to recommit myself to prayer.

Later,

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again