The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Richard Craig, Author at GraceAndWorks - Page 53 of 59
This blog was written by my sister, Connie Willoughby. She was baptized and added to the Lord’s Church some 60 years ago. This is her explanation on the importance and power of prayer.
I BELIEVE–not in Santa, the Easter bunny, or the tooth fairy!! I believe in the One that created me and sustains me. I read in Ephesians that this very One planned, even before the count of time, that I could become his daughter. My God loves me and I love Him. I thirst for a relationship with Him. The means to this relationship is different than any human, earthly relationship because of the way God and I communicate. He tells me through His word everything He wants me to know about Himself, this world, and how He wants me to live in this world. He tells me about heaven and his desire that I would one day dwell with Him there. I, then in turn, verbally communicate with God through prayer.
Volumes have been written by men about the subject of prayer. Many people find themselves intimidated by the very act of praying. Over the years I have come to believe there is a time each day for formal prayer and time all day–every day for conversational prayer.
The model for a formal prayer is the Lord’s prayer, found in Matthew 6: 9-13. A formal prayer should be done in a predetermined quiet time and should include praise to God (Matthew 6:9), confessions of ones sins ( 1 John 1:9), thanksgiving to God for His gifts (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and a time for requests (Mark 11:24). This a very good time to read from His Word, creating a true time of devotion. Setting aside time each day at a specific time requires discipline, but it reaps rewards untold.
We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 to “pray without ceasing”. I believe this includes conversational prayer all through out the day, spoken verbally or silently. These prayers are often praise for the moment or pleas for help for a current problem, but it is a constant sense of being in communication with God. Conversational prayer or visits with God help me realize my complete dependence on Him.
We are told in God’s Word that he will answer prayer. A few such scriptures are as follows: Matthew 7:7, Matthew 18:19 and 1 John 5:14-15. While the promise is to answer all prayers we must remember that God is in control of what those answers are to be and how quickly they will be answered. God has our spiritual well-being in His mind with the answer of every prayer. It is pretty safe to assume I won’t find a new Cadillac in the driveway just because my best friend got one!
As flawed humans, we have a difficult time understanding God’s timeline. When we pray a fervent prayer we expect an immediate answer. Recently I had an answer to a pray that I had been offering to God for 30 years. Since God’s action depended on the heart of another as well as my heart I knew wasn’t the right time spiritually–but 30 years??? When this prayer was answered in April of this year our family could see the hand of God on each step. No one likes to have to exercise patience, but God shows His love in abundance when we pray in love and faith.
Prayer is not magic. It is not a coin to put in a vending machine, expecting blessings in return. It is communication between man and God about man’s needs and desires. God’s answer is dependent on what is best for the spirituality of His child.
In our fast paced, self centered world we often neglect being grateful It grieves God when he answers prayers and those answers are not acknowledged. Luke 17:11-19 tells a story of Jesus’ healing of ten lepers. They all went away rejoicing, yet only one returned to thank Jesus. Ask yourself if you tend to be like the nine or are you truly grateful like the one. You might keep a list of prayer requests and check the list frequently. When you discover a request that has been answered, even if you aren’t pleased with the answer, take time to thank the Father for the answer. GIVE THANKS in all circumstances for that is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
“I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plan them in this land of faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. For thus says the Lord: Just as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them.”
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor, and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
And this is love, THAT WE FOLLOW HIS COMMANDMENTS; this is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you follow love. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward. Any one who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who also abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son. If any one comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked work.
For this is the love of God, that WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we may be sure that we know Him, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. He who says “I know Him” but disobeys His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in Him; he who says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.
The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. It’s that time of the year that we shop ’til we drop. We have a list of those who we care most about and set about to find the best gift ever. Cost is no problem, I’ll just pay for it later. The stress is about to overwhelm me and I know the depression of it all will hit later. I think I’ll listen to some songs. Here comes Santa Claus, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snow Man, etc. Oh, yeah, I have to have all those special “Goodies.” Fudge, popcorn balls, cookies, turkey, ham, and the list goes on. WELL, now I have to go buy groceries!! Don’t forget “TIS THE SEASON TO REMEMBER JESUS!!
I’ve have read and heard it said that we need to put “Christ” back in CHRISTmas. I agree, but, I think we need to understand why. Christ came to this earth to live in human form and set an example for us to live by. He lived on this earth, died on this earth, was buried on this earth and was resurrected to sit on the right hand of His Father in Heaven. He came to seek and save the lost–That’s you and me!! Don’t forget ‘TIS THE SEASON TO REMEMBER JESUS!!
I have also read and heard it said that we need to put Christ back into CHRISTian. How do we do that? By studying the life of Christ, how he lived and what he did while on this earth. His life, death, burial and resurrection directly parallels Baptism. We live, die to our sins, are buried with Him in Baptism, resurrected up out of that water to live a new life. Living the new life means to live righteous and be obedient unto death. Just like Jesus did. Philippians Chapter 2 explains and directs us on how to live. Don’t forget ‘TIS THE SEASON TO REMEMBER JESUS!!
Where is YOUR focus? Christ’s Church was set up on the Day of Pentecost. Christians remember Jesus every day and Worship with Him every Sunday (1st day of the week) as directed in Acts. We commune with Him every Sun as is also directed in Acts. So if we want to put Christ back in CHRISTian, we need to focus each and every day not just at Christmas time. Don’t forget EVERYDAY “Tis The Season To Remember Christ!!”
SMILE God loves YOU!!! Have a good day all.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will He do because I go to the Father. Whatever ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you, for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you.”
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GIVE GLORY TO YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, til heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called the least in kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
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