Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
1st Thessalonians 5:16-18
I used to be so intimidated to pray aloud. I was afraid of what people would think. I was afraid I would somehow misspeak. And then one day, Steve Fender, in San Antonio - a man who could pray the roof right off a building - preached the most liberating message about prayer. He said, "Stop worrying about what the person next to you thinks about your prayer...unless, of course, you're praying to them. And if you're not praying to them, what does it matter what they think?"
God judges our heart - the inside of us - not the outside.
There's a story about a preacher who was walking out of church one day and noticed a little boy kneeling down behind one of the bushes on the church property. Suspecting foul play, the preacher began to sneak up behind him. As he got closer, he heard the boy reciting, "A B C D... A B C D... A B C D... "
The preacher stood up and demanded with a booming voice, "Boy, what do you think you're doing?"
The little boy looked up from his kneeling position, then stammered, "I...I...I'm praying, sir."
With a snort of derision, the preacher declared, "That's not praying - all you're doing is reciting letters."
"Yes, sir, I know, but didn't you tell us that God knows everything?"
"Of course He does!" the preacher pontificated.
"Well," began the boy in his explanation, "If God knows everything, He knows what I need to say, but I don't. So, I figured I'd give Him the letters and He could put them together to make the right words."
If ever in your life you've had a conversation with anyone, then you have the necessary rudiments to prayer. Someone to talk to. Someone who will listen. Someone who will answer.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for establishing an open line of communication. Thank You that You hear our prayers. Thank You that there isn't anything...anything...that is taboo when it comes to talking with You. Keep us ever mindful to include You in all our conversation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
I used to be so intimidated to pray aloud. I was afraid of what people would think. I was afraid I would somehow misspeak. And then one day, Steve Fender, in San Antonio - a man who could pray the roof right off a building - preached the most liberating message about prayer. He said, "Stop worrying about what the person next to you thinks about your prayer...unless, of course, you're praying to them. And if you're not praying to them, what does it matter what they think?"
God judges our heart - the inside of us - not the outside.
There's a story about a preacher who was walking out of church one day and noticed a little boy kneeling down behind one of the bushes on the church property. Suspecting foul play, the preacher began to sneak up behind him. As he got closer, he heard the boy reciting, "A B C D... A B C D... A B C D... "
The preacher stood up and demanded with a booming voice, "Boy, what do you think you're doing?"
The little boy looked up from his kneeling position, then stammered, "I...I...I'm praying, sir."
With a snort of derision, the preacher declared, "That's not praying - all you're doing is reciting letters."
"Yes, sir, I know, but didn't you tell us that God knows everything?"
"Of course He does!" the preacher pontificated.
"Well," began the boy in his explanation, "If God knows everything, He knows what I need to say, but I don't. So, I figured I'd give Him the letters and He could put them together to make the right words."
If ever in your life you've had a conversation with anyone, then you have the necessary rudiments to prayer. Someone to talk to. Someone who will listen. Someone who will answer.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for establishing an open line of communication. Thank You that You hear our prayers. Thank You that there isn't anything...anything...that is taboo when it comes to talking with You. Keep us ever mindful to include You in all our conversation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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