7 Prayers That Work

Look at this cool story in Matthew 9:2-8-- Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,  lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,  he said to the man,  “Take heart,  son; your sins are forgiven."  At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”  Knowing their thoughts,  Jesus said,  “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?   Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?   But I want you to know that the Son of Man  has authority on earth to forgive sins.”  So he said to the paralyzed man,  “Get up, take your mat and go home.”   Then the man got up and went home.   When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,  who had given such authority to man. Some things to notice about this story (and why it applies to you!): Jesus saw the faith of the whole group and said to the paralytic, "Take...

Hello,  It's me again, Lord. I feel stuck. There's so much to talk about, to ask you for, and to ask you about: The Coronavirus ,  the quarantine, the Chinese, the economy, the jobless, the sick, the first responders, the doctors and nurses, my work, my home, my family, my church, my community, my country, the world. There is so much. I know you're not worried. I know you have a plan. Of course, your p lan is always to glorify your Son, Jesus. Your plan is always to redeem us, your children. Somehow, you do both. It's hard to understand. Your ways are higher than mine. Your perspective is broader than mine. Your purpose is holy, while mine is selfish. You are working, and I want to join you, but I feel stuck in this crisis. Develop courage in me because I am afraid . Develop grace in me because I am judgmental. Develop patience in me because I am impatient. Develop compassion in me because I am selfish. I ask you to ans...

Have you noticed that you struggle with the same bad habits, over and over? Maybe it's your temper, your insecurity, your selfishness, or your critical tongue . Deep down, you know they're not even habits. They're sins. This happens to me. I make this happen, by my own choices. Every time I try to pray, I feel this weight. At first, I can't tell why I feel this way or why my prayers seems to bounce right back. Then I realize I'm sinning again. I'm doing the same things I always do when my soul isn't full of righteousness. Of course, I want to confess it and stop doing it. But I feel ashamed that I'm about to pray the same prayer again, confess the same sin, and enter the same battle. I have a decision to make: I can humble myself and confess my sin, and start working to change, or I can give up. I can say "This is me. This is just the way I am." I can pretend that change isn't possible, even though I know it ...

A paraphrase of Psalm 34 I won't stop bragging about God and what He's doing all the time. Praising him will be my normal conversation. I will boast about God's goodness, even to people who are suffering because it will encourage them. Join me in singing about God's goodness-- He always designs the right futures for us! When I am afraid, I pray to God-- specifically asking Him what His will is and what He wants to do in my life right now. When I am afraid, and there are no answers. My fear always vanishes. I can move forward with courage and purpose, even though I don't know what will happen next. Anyone who depends on God can face hardship and crises without feeling ashamed or depressed. Their faces will be joyful and radiant. I am safe in God's hands. I have called on God many times. He always hears me. He always saves me. He always changes my troubles into blessings. Like an army, God camps out all around me, guarding me from ...