A spiritual thought
archie
God always comes to us when we search for Him.
God always honors sincerity even when we make mistakes.
DO WE REALLY MEAN WHAT WE PRAY?
Examine how well you live what you pray as you meditate on the following:
I cannot say our if I keep my faith only to myself and never share it with others.
I cannot say FATHER if I do not trust in His loving and complete concern for me, forgetting that He always answers prayers how and when He knows is best.
I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if I am so attached to the ways of this world that I neglect to seek God first in everything.
I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I am unwilling to let His holiness penetrate my life and help me grow in my own holiness.
I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am not using my life to bring His love into the world.
I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I live by my own ideas of morality or choose to follow the world’s standards.
I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I am not devoting my life to serving Him here on earth.
I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if I am not willing to be generous with whatever God gives me.
I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES if I don’t want to put forth enough effort to change.
I cannot say AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US if I still hold a grudge, if I’m still angry, or if I still insist that other people change.
I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately or knowingly place myself in a position to be tempted.
I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I’m not actively fighting against evil through deeds of love and service for everyone in my life, especially those who cause problems.
Source unknown
Always Say A Prayer
archie
God always keeps His word.
God always provides what is good for us whether it is painful or pleasurable, whether we like it or not, whether we know it or not.
LORD’S PRAYER
OUR
The first word gives us ownership by uniting all people, making no distinction between Baptist and Buddhist.
FATHER
This word gives a lot of people trouble. Maybe because it makes God “gender specific” or perhaps the word “father” brings some ugly memories of abusive homes. The word is better translated in the loving tone of a small child asking his daddy’s help. God is seen as the giver of all good things.
WHO ARE IN HEAVEN
The God of our “thanks giving” is the God who holds our world together. God is not an entity above and detached from the world. God contains the world.
HALLOWED BE THY NAME
The name of God should give us pause. It causes us to reflect something outside of our own name. As Christian scripture says “the name which is above all names.”
THY KINGDOM COME
Does this mean we’re sitting around waiting for Jesus’ return? No, even Jesus would tell us that the Kingdom of God is within us. This means people must invite the presence of God into our lives.
THY WILL BE DONE
That’s a controversial statement. Wars are being fought for “God’s will.” This is a major stumbling block to people considering faith. But the next phrase,
ON EARTH AS IT IS HEAVEN
Illuminates the meaning.
The prayer is seeking to establish on earth what is transparent in heaven. It is seeking things like goodwill, justice and the re-establishment of creation’s purpose, namely that people have a relationships with their Creator.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Long before the recovering addict or alcoholic discovered, “one day at a time,” The Lord’s Prayer caused us to proclaim gratitude for the bread we have today, in this moment.
FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE
FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US
Fortunately this does not limit God’s forgiveness to the same haphazard way we forgive others. It’s a reminder of the power we carry to forgive one another.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL
This phrase reminds us that we are powerless before our addictions, and we can do only it with God’s help.
If you’re reading the Catholic version, you say “Amen.” Protestants conclude with “For Thine Is the Kingdom, the power, the glory, forever.
“Amen,” in both versions means, “Let all of this be so!”
Source unknown
archie
God always was, God always is, God always will be.
God and love cannot be separated.
WHAT IS THE LORD’S PRAYER AND SHOULD WE PRAY IT?
The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer that Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. Matthew 6:9-13 reads, This, then, is how you should pray; Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Many people mistakenly understand the Lord’s Prayer to be a prayer we are supposed to pray word for word. Some people treat the Lord’s Prayer as almost a magic formula, as if the words themselves have some specific power or influence with God. The Bible teaches us the opposite. God is far more interested in our hearts when we pray than He is in our words. Matthew 6:6 teaches us, But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:7 goes on to say, And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. In prayer, we are to pour out our hearts to God Philippians 4:6,7, not simply recite memorized words to God.
Instead, the Lord’s Prayer should be understood as an example, a pattern of how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to pray. It gives us the ingredients that should go into prayer. Here is how it breaks down. Our Father in heaven is teaching us who to address our prayers to, the Father. Hallowed be Your name is telling us to worship God, and to praise Him for who He is. The phrase Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven is a reminder to us that we are to pray for God’s plan in our lives and the world, not our own plan. We are to pray for God’s will to be done, not for our desires. We are encouraged to ask God for the things we need, to give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" remind us to confess our sins to God and to turn from them--and then also to forgive others as God has forgiven us. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one is a plea for help in achieving victory over sin and a request for protection from the attacks of the devil.
Source unknown
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archie
God appears in our world when we move aside, and allow Him to step in.
God blesses us so we may be a blessing to others.
LORD’S PRAYER
The Lord’s Prayer is not a prayer we are to memorize and recite back to God. It is only an example of how we should be praying. Is there anything wrong with memorizing the Lord’s Prayer? Of course not! Is there anything wrong with praying the Lord’s Prayer back to God? Not if your heart is in it and you truly mean the words you say. Remember, in prayer, God is far more interested in us communing with Him and speaking from our hearts than He is in the specific words we use. Philippians 4:6,7 declares, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
archie
God brings good out of bad circumstances.
God can and does work on us even when we are not aware of it.
I CANNOT PRAY AND ___
I cannot pray the Lord's Prayer
and even once say "I."
I cannot pray the Lord's Prayer
and even once say "my."
Nor can I pray the Lord's Prayer
and not pray for another,
And when I ask for daily bread,
I must include my brother.
For others are included in each
and every plea,
From the beginning to the end of it, it does not once say "me."
Source unknown
archie
God can and will change our circumstances but first He is going to use them to change us.
God can be trusted even when we can’t predict the outcome.
Father,
Reveal who You are.
Set the world right.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with You and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil.
archie
God can be trusted forever to remain just how He is today.
God can bring good out of troubles because our afflictions strengthen our faith.
Paul Harvey says:
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a thirty second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking Him to grant safety to the players on the field and to the fans going home from the game.
But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches out-number all others better than two hundred to one. So what would you expect somebody chanting Hare Krishna? If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome...
But what about the atheists?...is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for thirty seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek, while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, and to pray before we go to sleep Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now, a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two individuals who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rule. It's time we tell them: 'You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!' God bless us, one and all...especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
Let's make this the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.
Keep looking up.
And that’s the rest of the story.
archie
God can create something beautiful out of the ruined past.
God can do more then we could ever imagine.
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE OF STORMS
Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.
Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.
Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
MORAL OF THE STORY
When you’re prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God.
We don’t need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.
Source unknown
archie
God can do things we can’t--but won’t do things for us that we can do for ourselves.
God can make a way when we don’t think there is a way.
PRAY FIRST
There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner. As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree. As he went further, he saw a large wild Tom turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining. A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high and stay focused." However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake. Still, the voice said again to him, "I said ‘Pray, aim high and stay focused." So, the man decided to listen to God’s voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond. When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family. The snake (satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God. Moral of the story: Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.
Author unknown