Quiet day today, have some puttering around to do, Carla is off and playing in the dirt.  Think she said something about planting so peas – unusually early, but we shall see.

Blaze is spending more time outside, he lets the neighbors know that he is around, but unless there is something bothering him he quiets down.  Still has a long way to go, one step forward, five backwards and I haven’t had the ability to really work with him on a steady basis, I am hoping that will change in a couple months.

Not much else going on in our neck of the woods, just getting ready for more doctor visits.

Prayer, continued:  This is not an all-encompassing list, I have not even touched on the Old Testament verses concerning prayer and even many of the New Testament verses are not mentioned.  I write of these because I find I am in need of remembering these truths and commands and need to be more dedicated in my prayers on these matters.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Many of us have experienced the need to pray for someone, we do not know what is happening, we just know that the Spirit of God is leading us in prayer.

Several years ago I was driving along and a name of a friend came to mind, there was no apparent reason for it.  I wasn’t thinking of him, I wasn’t anywhere that would cause me to think of him, yet he came to mind.  I didn’t even think about praying for him although there was a tug on my heart to do so.

A couple days later I was in conversation with him.  He told me that he almost drowned.  He was rafting the Deschutes and his raft flipped over, trapping him underneath.  He was wearing his life vest, but that actually made it worse, he wasn’t able to get out from underneath the raft and he was totally submerged by it.  After what seemed hours – probably a minute at most, he was finally able to free himself.  He made it to shore where he lay gasping for breath.  It was very close.

I asked him when it occurred; it was the exact time that his name was brought up in my mind.  While I didn’t know he needed prayer the Holy Spirit did. 

Since that time, whenever a name or a need randomly pops into my head I realize it is the Holy Spirit telling me to pray.  Most of the time it is but a minute or two, but the burden has gone on for much longer than that and I am not to stop until it is lifted.

Romans 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

James 5:13-14 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

¹⁴ Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

I don’t know about you, but many times I neglect to ask for prayers for my physical and spiritual well-being.  I know many of you that read these, do pray, but I think there is a need from within a person to ask for prayers.

Until I started writing these on a daily basis I pretty much kept my needs to myself, it was no one else’s business or concern.  I was wrong. 

As Christians we need to share our struggles with each other.  I have found that many people who read these have experienced similar circumstances and overcame them – giving encouragement to me that God is there for me. 

Others have commented that they have similar struggles but were afraid to address them, or didn’t know how.  My posts have helped them come to terms with their circumstances and pray for relief.

1 Corinthians 14:15  What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

I am a firm believer in the infilling of the Holy Spirit and praying in another language – one I do not know, but is given me by His Spirit.  However, while I have that prayer life, I am reminded that it is basically a personal prayer as directed by the Spirit.  Often I do not know what the prayer is, but I know that it is led by His Spirit. 

When done in the congregation we must take great care to be sure it is to be given to the congregation and that there is an interpretation.  It is a heart pounding experience to be given a message that way and sometimes we are so fearful that we do not give it.  However, if of the Holy Spirit there will be an interpretation, either by the giver, or another person in the congregation. 

I have found that others have been given a similar interpretation, but I was the one God wanted to speak it – I have had members confirm that God was speaking to them in a similar way.

1 Ephesians 1:16-17 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

It is important that we pray for others.  It is important that we take their spiritual welfare seriously and pray that they will grow in Christ as well as in wisdom.  There are other reasons, of course, but when we pray for their spiritual wellbeing we are striving to assist them in their personal development with Him.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

God is concerned about every facet of our life.  When we hurt, when we worry, when we are scared we will often quickly come to Him for aid.  However, if we are dedicated to pray to Him, we can ask Him about anything – sometimes we are confronted with something that needs to be done immediately and we have but little time to ask Him to guide us – I have had that happen to me many times as a Police Officer – He honors those prayers.

But most of the time we have time to seek His guidance.  He doesn’t care if our concerns are minor or major, He is there for us.  He is not too busy to be there for us.

2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

This is probably the hardest prayer to pray – forgiving someone else that has turned their back on us, a close friend or relative that has betrayed our trust and placed us in a vulnerable position. 

While we have stood our ground for Christ or for a just cause, they either fled for fear of injury or persecution of self, or undermined us with gossip, lies or innuendos. 

It is far easier to forgive a person that you do not know, even if they were violent toward you, than to pray for a person you have trusted only to find they betrayed you.  Yet both must be forgiven by us and prayed for – only God can give us that kind of forgiveness. 

Prayer is an important part of our Christian experience.  We too often deal with it flippantly, not concentrating or even really thinking about what we are praying.  We pray because we know it is important, but we do not actually make it a serious commitment to God.  As He has told us, we must not pray in repetitious words or simply to be heard, we must focus on Him, not trying to impress others, but only talking with Him.

Praying is not just saying words, it is actually conversing with God as we would another close friend.  As we would a friend we can confide in Him, rejoice with Him, ask Him to do things no one else would do for us.  As we tell a special friend of our fears, concerns, our hopes, dreams and accomplishments, He is there for us to listen and rejoice with us.

We have such a wonderful opportunity to have direct access to God on everything we do, every minute of the day, day in and day out.  What a magnificent God we have!

Later,

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