Pray Without Ceasing

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving , present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

Have you ever thought of being anxious as sinning? If you should do something and you don’t do it, it is sin. God has told us to pray always. If we don’t ask then we don’t get. We should trust that if we ask he hears us and will answer. Not always exactly what we want, but what is best. I find myself lately asking a lot of things that I used to never think of asking. But if I’m thinking about it or upset about it I need to address it. From wisdom to healing to help for someone I care about. It doesn’t matter what but why. God is the only one who can help and I know he is willing so why not ask. As a child we never hesitated to ask our parents what we wanted. So many things were not really good or necessary but we wanted them so we asked. God is the perfect Father and will always take care of us. His are always the best answers even if it may not seem like it. Our thinking is not perfect and we shouldn’t rely upon ourselves. He is right on time with the best answers even though sometimes they are delayed. Life is hard and not always easy but in the end we can see Gods wisdom. I’ve gotten things that I didn’t know I needed when I just trusted in his Devine wisdom. He will always answer prayers that aren’t spoken when we can’t pray or don’t know how to pray or are resting in his peace. He does know our needs all the time. Then we have to be thankful. Someone said that we aren’t thankful because we think we are entitled to things. No matter how simple or even if you don’t need it or want it, you should be thankful that your needs, not always your wants, are met. This time of year spend more time thinking about what you have and a little more time being grateful and then let that become a habit.

Impossible?

“For with God nothing (is or ever) shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37

I had a stroke in 2005 and I have never been the same. Now 20 years later as I’m getting older I find myself falling apart. I used to think, what can I do to make a difference in the world? I’m in a wheelchair and I only have my right hand that works somewhat. But God has helped me to stay pretty independent. I don’t need much after I am in my chair and am still able to help others. I keep my mind sharp and love to read. I have written 5 books over the last 20 years. I also write a blog of Christian encouragement to help others. My first book was about my life and stroke and all I was learning about the disabled as I learned my new normal. My stroke saved my life. I didn’t know I was destroying my life and also those around me until I looked back. I met a chaplain when I moved here and she loved the Lord so much. I wanted to know more. As I watched her I realized that I knew of the Lord but I didn’t really know the Lord. So I read everything I could about God as well as the Bible. Slowly my faith and love for God grew. I began memorizing scriptures so I could do all God told me to do in his words. I am able to share all God is teaching me with my friends and family as well as my blog. I try to stay organized so I can have everything ready for those who take care of me. God assures me that he doesn’t expect any more from me than he knows I can do. Just be available and ready to help. He does the rest. I used to go to a special needs camp every summer for a week and I learned that I am good at encouraging others. I don’t have to have all the answers because God gives me what I need to say when the time comes. What he gives me to say oftentimes lifts me up more than others. So don’t short change yourself you were created for a special purpose designed just for you and you can make a difference.

Jesus

“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” John 1:1

Jesus was always with God and working with God to do everything that was ever done. The trinity is a tightly woven bond that has always been there and always will be. Nothing happens without them. This should bring you so much comfort and peace to know that such wisdom, strength, and power are always available to you. God the architect of this perfect world designed the perfect plans with his omnipotent abilities. But Jesus just spoke a word and that perfect plan came into being. They were always working together in harmony so it still amazes me that God would let Jesus give all that up to become a human being like you and me. A poor simple human that we could relate to. Then to give his life willingly as a sacrifice for our sins, to a selfish, prideful, bunch of sinners. I know if one of my children was facing death even after just some years, not forever, it would be devastating. It was the perfect plan they hatched and even Satan couldn’t see it coming. He thought he had finally gotten the upper hand. But when Christ rose from the grave early that morning they proved him wrong again. That will never stop him from trying to take as many as he can to hell himself. If he can cause the least little bit of doubt he knows our feeble minds get to worrying a little, and over thinking, and then feeling sorry for ourselves and he can cause us to make a rash decision and he wins again. That is why you need to keep reminding yourself of all God is always so faithfully been doing for you and always will be. Be your own cheering section. Praising God can also confuse the enemy and it is building our resolve. Then doubts don’t come so easily. The enemy is a liar but he gets you to think that maybe you just don’t know God as well as you think you do and questioning things you know are true, but. He never comes right out and lies because you would see it coming. We are warned to flee from evil for a reason. Don’t give the enemy a foothold. He will never stop trying and he has many helpers. The more you stay away from sin and just keep doing the next right thing. Standing strong and persevering the better. Remember many will give up before they see heaven so don’t be one of them.