Have you ever had a time where God taught you something that was blatantly obvious? As if He were standing right in front of you telling you this?
I had one of those experiences yesterday.
In the world of modern technology, many people keep up with their friends and relatives via facebook, twitter, myspace (? does anyone actually use myspace anymore??)...etc.
So yesterday, I had conversations with several people and through these conversations we discovered many things that needed serious prayer, such as friends finding a relationship with Jesus, or a loved one to be relieved from stress, or prayers of thanks when God answered a family member's prayer. So, what did I do? I updated my Facebook status to say simply, "praying hard."
Here's the crazy part.
Within maybe 30 minutes of my posting this Facebook status, I had a few friends contact me asking if I was all right. Wondering if everything was okay with me. If something were wrong that they needed to be worried about.
Why is it that if someone's status says they are "praying hard" people automatically find that to be cause for concern? Like, do we only pray hard if something is really really wrong? I don't think God gave us prayer so that we could only use it when something goes badly, but He gave us prayer so we can have constant communication with our Father.
Here is what the Bible says about prayer:
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually;
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
The King James Version of the Bible words verse 17 as "pray without ceasing." God doesn't just want us to talk to Him when things are bad, He wants all of our talking, the good stuff too! What kind of Father would only want you to tell Him bad things? A good Father wants to share in our JOY too!
So, pray continually, pray without ceasing, about EVERYTHING! We should be praying hard ALL the time!
How great is it that our Heavenly Daddy WANTS to talk to us all the time? SO great! Be encouraged!
Until next time,
ST
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I prayed at a buddhist temple today. Am i going to hell?
ReplyDeleteJohn 3:16-21
ReplyDelete16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Ezekiel 18: 32
ReplyDelete32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
Hey Anonymous...not much courage in your convictions if you can't use a name...the bible says in Romans: For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
ReplyDeleteFor although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Should I go on? When you stand before God...you will have no excuse. You can not earn your way into heaven if you could that would be to say you were like God. The good news is that even though you can't work your way in or earn it...it is a free gift because God loves you...you only have to except it.
Larry
So, yes.
ReplyDeleteYou love to stand behind your book to give an emotionally driven answer. It's a one or a zero. Why can't you just say it -- "you are going to hell, where satan will torture you for all eternity, because you do not believe as I believe"? The Bible makes it sound pretty, but isn't that what you really intend to say?
Yes is all I was looking for, thanks for your time.
I am sorry you feel this way, anonymous. I am only sharing these things out of love. And yes, I stand behind my book because my words alone have no merit, but I stand behind my book because its God's word. Humans mess up time and time again, but God is faithful and His word never changes. I will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteHey Anonymous, I prayed in a Buddhist Church and I am not going to hell for it. When I was what I percieve to be your age I railed against God like crazy. I saw so much hypocracy in the people in the church I couldn't stand it. No one could answer my questions and many did not want me to question their beliefs, even my own mother and father. It took a long time before I got an answer and it was a painful path at best. If you think you are shocking me you are not...been there, done that. I pray you find the answers you are seeking...the journey will not be easy but it will be worth it....
ReplyDelete