Powerful Prayer

Hey yall, here comes some deep thoughts :-)

Tonight in Praise Team, we were talking about prayer and how we put limits on our prayers or just ask for things without fully believing that God will "come through." Whatever we think about praying, maybe this will put a new aspect on things:

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

This is a verse most of us know and have heard many times before. Heard sermons on it, and think we have it down. The verse doesn't say, ask me, but I might say no, and I might say yes. If you really deserve it, I might just say yes this time, or if you've been bad, I'll say no. It says, if you ask you'll get it. "You have not because you ask not." (James 4:2) Now does this mean, ask God for everything you have ever wanted and He'll give it to you! I don't think so, but then again I dunno! Try it! Ask Him, because we all know that He is capable, He owns and is in control of everything, so He could if He wanted to!

What if it is not in His will for me? Well, then maybe He'll say, not right now. We were talking about a child asking for a car. If the parent can, they will probably buy them a car, but if they are only 10, they'll have to wait a few more years until the parent sees that the time is right. Just like God, maybe He has my house ready to give to me, but the time isn't right right now. Maybe God has a wonderful job lined up for you where you'll be getting paid more, but now isn't the time. He's got THE ONE picked out for you, but He isn't done getting them, or you ready for one another....

Waiting on Him is a HARD lesson in patience, but His ultimate goal is to bring glory to Himself. So, ya know its gonnabe good when it happens :-) BUT none of it will happen unless you ASK!!

Ok, I've got more :-) here's the next part of the passage!

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matt 7:9-11

HOW TRUE IS THAT?!?!

Ok, all you parents out there, just like me, that only want better for their kids than they had... right?

My kids are spoiled. I'm not afraid to say it, they pretty much get everything they want... because they ask for it! And I am so in love with them, and their grandparents and aunts and uncle and friends... we all love them and love to make them happy, so we give them what they ask for! So we have this amazing heavenly Father who adores and loves us, and He wants to make us happy and give us the desires of our heart, but we don't ask for whatever reason.

I don't know about you, but this last part put it all in a new perspective for me.

Now, when are in a constant relationship and conversation with our Father, it is going to bring to our minds and hearts the kinds of things we should be asking for. The things that will be pleasing to Him and He would love to bless us with. We know that everything we are given, we are supposed to give back to Him, use it to glorify Him and try to live in His will for you.

So tonight, when you say your bedtime prayers.... praise your amazing Father, tell Him how much you love Him and are amazed by His wisdom and power and ask him the desires for your HEART... don't be scared, He's waiting :-)

On a different note:

DAY ELEVEN: A picture of something that you hate

*shudders*

Shrimp, so gross.

~Candi