I'm realizing that I don't know as much about the Bible as I thought. Mostly Old Testament. I am very familiar with the concepts and especially with the New Testament, but I only know a handful of the stories. My goal from here on out is to start reading an Old Testament Bible story straight from the Bible each day. Today I read the story of Samson. I was already familiar with it, but it's been so long and it happened to be he first one I turned to.
Also, I've been thinking about how effective prayer is. People do not pray enough. We worship, we may read our Bibles and go to Bible studies and talk about God, but so many people forget to pray. It's another thing that's really sad. Worship can be very emotional, and we may lift our hands up and feel moved, but how often do we stop and pray? A relationship with God is not based on emotions. Worship is awesome, but it can be emotional. It's not enough to just worship God. Having a relationship with God means to study his word, spend time with him, pray, spread the word, along with worship. Just something to think about.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16).
"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:9-14).
Carrie have you ever read any of (a 20th century monk)Thomas Merton's readings/books? They are absolutely wonderful... I just love how he expresses himself so clearly and for me it clicks together. Here is a small excerpt from a book published from his reflections "No Man is An Island":
ReplyDelete"Prayer is inspired by God in the depth of our own nothingness. It is the movement of trust, gratitude, of adoration, or of sorrow that places us before God, seeing both Him and ourselves in the light of His infinite truth, and moves us to ask Him for mercy, the spiritual strength, the material help that we all need. The man whose prayer is so pure that he never asks God for anything does not know who God is, and does not know who he is himself: for he does not know his own need of God. All true prayer somehow confess our absolute dependence on the Lord of life and death. It is, therefore, a deep vital contact with Him Whom we know not only as Lord but as Father...."
Thanks Sofia!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read those, but thanks for sharing that with me. I really do like that quote. Very interesting way to put it. Our dependency on God, that's so true.
thanks for reading! :)