Prayer - Thy Kingdom Come

Prayer - just the word itself has a negative effect on many of us. Why? I think because humans have complicated it!

God intended prayer to be simple.


Ask - it will be given
Seek - you will find
Knock - the door will be opened to you


Direct asking, direct receiving
Earnest seeking, abundant finding
Persistent knocking - Doors open



God hears our prayers.
This fact alone is something we all struggle with - we believe we have to be some kind of special perfect in order for God to even hear our prayers. Why do we think that? I want to suggest that we can only think that when do not KNOW our God well enough.


A parent hears their children requests - all of them - yet it is not always good or right or timely to grant the request. We do not give a 6 year old keys to our car. That does not mean we do not love the 6 year old!


God wants to communicate with us - which you can see in my earlier posts. He wants us to hear Him and He wants to hear us.


Notice again in the sample prayer Jesus gave His disciples:

"Our Father, in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Up to this point notice not one word about ME or MY or GIVE ME!

This is where our prayers need to start also. My Father, You are holy and to be reverenced. I come before you humbly seeking YOUR answers in my life/world. Your kingdom come! This is key! God has answers! Answers that we have not yet even thought of. If we just make up our mind what God needs to / ought to/ should have alredy done and stamp our feet and holler at Him that we are surprised He has not already granted our request we are missing the mark. We need to bring ourselves, our lives, our concerns humbly before Him and invite HIM to answer the needs according to HIS riches in glory through Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord.

God answers prayer!

Another fact that is hard for us to believe! Why? As children coming to parents we understand the answer process. Sometimes immediate, sometimes delayed, but always answered somehow!
Jesus told us that God the Father is anxious to give the answer. We must remember God sees the BIG picture the long haul - He is working - we are believing - the answer is on the way - we keep trusting - sometimes God's answers are different that what we envisioned. Sometimes the answer is exactly the opposite of what we thought the answer should be. That is where again we need to remind ourselves who is God. We are not God! We do not always understand why He answers as He does and so we need to choose to trust His Love. Granted this is not easy.


Jesus said to his disciples: John 16:23-24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."


Our prayers ascend as sweet incense before God's throne - don't be afraid to pray - PRAY MORE! Submit your life and family and problems and all that concerns you to OUR FATHER and invite HIS Kingdom to come and HIS will to be done and see the answers HE sends.


Prayer is our secret weapon against Satan and his kingdom, there's on old rhyme, that says:

Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon their knees. Let's pray more!

Joyfully yours,
Ruth Joy
http://www.joy-bringer-ministries.org/

Prayer - Thy Kingdom Come

Prayer - just the word itself has a negative effect on many of us. Why? I think because humans have complicated it!

God intended prayer to be simple.


Ask - it will be given
Seek - you will find
Knock - the door will be opened to you


Direct asking, direct receiving
Earnest seeking, abundant finding
Persistent knocking - Doors open



God hears our prayers.
This fact alone is something we all struggle with - we believe we have to be some kind of special perfect in order for God to even hear our prayers. Why do we think that? I want to suggest that we can only think that when do not KNOW our God well enough.


A parent hears their children requests - all of them - yet it is not always good or right or timely to grant the request. We do not give a 6 year old keys to our car. That does not mean we do not love the 6 year old!


God wants to communicate with us - which you can see in my earlier posts. He wants us to hear Him and He wants to hear us.


Notice again in the sample prayer Jesus gave His disciples:

"Our Father, in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Up to this point notice not one word about ME or MY or GIVE ME!

This is where our prayers need to start also. My Father, You are holy and to be reverenced. I come before you humbly seeking YOUR answers in my life/world. Your kingdom come! This is key! God has answers! Answers that we have not yet even thought of. If we just make up our mind what God needs to / ought to/ should have alredy done and stamp our feet and holler at Him that we are surprised He has not already granted our request we are missing the mark. We need to bring ourselves, our lives, our concerns humbly before Him and invite HIM to answer the needs according to HIS riches in glory through Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord.

God answers prayer!

Another fact that is hard for us to believe! Why? As children coming to parents we understand the answer process. Sometimes immediate, sometimes delayed, but always answered somehow!
Jesus told us that God the Father is anxious to give the answer. We must remember God sees the BIG picture the long haul - He is working - we are believing - the answer is on the way - we keep trusting - sometimes God's answers are different that what we envisioned. Sometimes the answer is exactly the opposite of what we thought the answer should be. That is where again we need to remind ourselves who is God. We are not God! We do not always understand why He answers as He does and so we need to choose to trust His Love. Granted this is not easy.


Jesus said to his disciples: John 16:23-24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."


Our prayers ascend as sweet incense before God's throne - don't be afraid to pray - PRAY MORE! Submit your life and family and problems and all that concerns you to OUR FATHER and invite HIS Kingdom to come and HIS will to be done and see the answers HE sends.


Prayer is our secret weapon against Satan and his kingdom, there's on old rhyme, that says:

Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon their knees. Let's pray more!

Joyfully yours,
Ruth Joy
http://www.joy-bringer-ministries.org/

When You Pray II

Overheard in an Orchard

Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
"I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so?"

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
"Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me." ~~Elizabeth Cheney

This poem was one my Grandfather quoted frequently. It reminds us that we have a Heavenly Father. I want to pick up my thought from a previous blog about prayer. Jesus told His disciples to start by praying "OUR FATHER".... Now I know for many the thought of FATHER does not conjur up good memories or positive images - but I was blessed with a good Father - I knew he loved me and that he would provide whatever he possibly could for me. When he died I felt forlorn. One of the things I missed sorely was being able to go back home and sit at his table and talk with him. I think I still miss that to this day. Now Jesus called God "OUR FATHER" so that we could understand His heart. A good father is looking for ways to provide for his family and does not expect them to be all worried and concerned about day to day necessities. Another Bible verse tells us to "take NO thought," about where our next meal is coming from or how our clothes will be provided for, because our Heavenly Father knows we need these things. I wish I could say I have always lived like that, but I have not. There have been times when I have been extremely concerned about how those needs would be met. Yet this is the place where prayer BEGINS - !

OUR FATHER who is in heaven - not merely on earth - but one who has resources beyond our wildest imaginations! Once we belong in His family (and He is not wililng that any should perish but that ALL should be family members!) well He takes on the responsibility of caring for us on a daily basis!

Now it is my job to make sure I'm living like I believe that. I don't know if that helps you or not - but I know it sure has quieted my own heart many a time.

May thoughts of OUR FATHER quiet and comfort your heart too.
Joyfully,
Ruth Joy
www.joy-bringer-ministries.org

When You Pray II

Overheard in an Orchard

Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
"I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so?"

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
"Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me." ~~Elizabeth Cheney

This poem was one my Grandfather quoted frequently. It reminds us that we have a Heavenly Father. I want to pick up my thought from a previous blog about prayer. Jesus told His disciples to start by praying "OUR FATHER".... Now I know for many the thought of FATHER does not conjur up good memories or positive images - but I was blessed with a good Father - I knew he loved me and that he would provide whatever he possibly could for me. When he died I felt forlorn. One of the things I missed sorely was being able to go back home and sit at his table and talk with him. I think I still miss that to this day. Now Jesus called God "OUR FATHER" so that we could understand His heart. A good father is looking for ways to provide for his family and does not expect them to be all worried and concerned about day to day necessities. Another Bible verse tells us to "take NO thought," about where our next meal is coming from or how our clothes will be provided for, because our Heavenly Father knows we need these things. I wish I could say I have always lived like that, but I have not. There have been times when I have been extremely concerned about how those needs would be met. Yet this is the place where prayer BEGINS - !

OUR FATHER who is in heaven - not merely on earth - but one who has resources beyond our wildest imaginations! Once we belong in His family (and He is not wililng that any should perish but that ALL should be family members!) well He takes on the responsibility of caring for us on a daily basis!

Now it is my job to make sure I'm living like I believe that. I don't know if that helps you or not - but I know it sure has quieted my own heart many a time.

May thoughts of OUR FATHER quiet and comfort your heart too.
Joyfully,
Ruth Joy
www.joy-bringer-ministries.org

When You Pray

Jesus' disciples saw that when Jesus spent time in prayer He received heaven's answers. They saw the importance He placed on getting alone with His Father and so one day they asked Him, Lord teach us to pray.

Jesus said, when you pray.... and then He gave them a pattern to follow which most of us know as "The Lord's Prayer". Sadly The Lord's prayer has been used as a nursery rhyme to soothe us into a religious feeling.

Jesus said, when you pray say, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Notice where Jesus wanted them/us to start. OUR FATHER who is in heaven. Our heavenly Father who is holy, separate, awesome to be reverenced and honored and adored. Have you listened to yourself pray recently? Now I know prayer is simply conversation with God - but God is not a God of random disorder - anything kind of goes kind of God. Just look at the excruciating lengths of order and precision that the Israelites went through to set up worship to God in the wilderness tabernacle. God cared about the tiniest details down to the spoons, garments to be worn, how many pegs in the boards, etc. etc. - Clearly we see there a God that is VERY attentive to details. So when Jesus teaches His disciples about prayer He instructs them to begin with focus on the Heavenly Father. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be THY name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is done in heaven. Notice up to this point not one thing is mentioned about our needs.

When I listen to people pray, I am astounded! If I did not know better I would think they were writing a letter to Santa Claus or maybe a "to do list for Superman. God is neither one of those - He is not just waiting for our "wish list" and then one morning magically going to deliver it all in our living room with bows and shiny paper because we wanted it. Nor is God going to jump when we say jump to zap all the people in our lives into line as we perceive that to be. God is interested in relationship with us. He loves us extravagantly and has already given us the most lavish gift imaginable - the life of His only begotten Son. When we approach Him, He does expect reverence and our focus is to be on Him and His Kingdom. God needs us on this earth to accomplish HIS will and His purpose and that only can happen by our having the heartbeat we see here in this prayer ... THY KINGDOM COME - THY WILL BE DONE... here in my life, in our world, in my community, in my family, in the lives of all those He has placed around us, those hurting and grieving and suffering. That is where our praying needs to START.

I'll continue this thought tomorrow.

My fortune cookie tonight said I was to write my life events in a journal :-) I'm not sure I've added any life events but I am at least journaling.

Joyfully,
Ruth Joy
www.joy-bringer-ministries.org

When You Pray

Jesus' disciples saw that when Jesus spent time in prayer He received heaven's answers. They saw the importance He placed on getting alone with His Father and so one day they asked Him, Lord teach us to pray.

Jesus said, when you pray.... and then He gave them a pattern to follow which most of us know as "The Lord's Prayer". Sadly The Lord's prayer has been used as a nursery rhyme to soothe us into a religious feeling.

Jesus said, when you pray say, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Notice where Jesus wanted them/us to start. OUR FATHER who is in heaven. Our heavenly Father who is holy, separate, awesome to be reverenced and honored and adored. Have you listened to yourself pray recently? Now I know prayer is simply conversation with God - but God is not a God of random disorder - anything kind of goes kind of God. Just look at the excruciating lengths of order and precision that the Israelites went through to set up worship to God in the wilderness tabernacle. God cared about the tiniest details down to the spoons, garments to be worn, how many pegs in the boards, etc. etc. - Clearly we see there a God that is VERY attentive to details. So when Jesus teaches His disciples about prayer He instructs them to begin with focus on the Heavenly Father. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be THY name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is done in heaven. Notice up to this point not one thing is mentioned about our needs.

When I listen to people pray, I am astounded! If I did not know better I would think they were writing a letter to Santa Claus or maybe a "to do list for Superman. God is neither one of those - He is not just waiting for our "wish list" and then one morning magically going to deliver it all in our living room with bows and shiny paper because we wanted it. Nor is God going to jump when we say jump to zap all the people in our lives into line as we perceive that to be. God is interested in relationship with us. He loves us extravagantly and has already given us the most lavish gift imaginable - the life of His only begotten Son. When we approach Him, He does expect reverence and our focus is to be on Him and His Kingdom. God needs us on this earth to accomplish HIS will and His purpose and that only can happen by our having the heartbeat we see here in this prayer ... THY KINGDOM COME - THY WILL BE DONE... here in my life, in our world, in my community, in my family, in the lives of all those He has placed around us, those hurting and grieving and suffering. That is where our praying needs to START.

I'll continue this thought tomorrow.

My fortune cookie tonight said I was to write my life events in a journal :-) I'm not sure I've added any life events but I am at least journaling.

Joyfully,
Ruth Joy
www.joy-bringer-ministries.org