Is It Hard To Understand Prayer?

Faith Filled Thoughts
May 10th 2010
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Is It Hard To Understand Prayer?


Scripture: I Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,
and His ears are open unto their prayers."

There are many things in life that I do not understand, but I am not going
to do without these things just because my understanding is limited. I
could not tell you how the engine and all of the parts of an automobile work
together, but I still plan to use my vehicle to get me to the places that I
need to go.
I can't explain the seasons and how the soil, water, and
sunlight can make things grow, but I will continue to pant and expect my
flowers to bloom. I don't understand computers, televisions, and radios,
but I will use them anyway. And don't expect me to sit around in the dark
just because I don't understand electricity. It's just not going to happen.
I am going to use every tool that is available to me to enrich my physical
life.
My thoughts about God and His words are the same. I can't explain God to
you and tell you how prayer and obedience to God's words work. There is no
reasonable explanation how Moses could stretch out his hand across the Red
Sea and cause the waters to divide and the sea to become dry land (Exodus
14:21). Neither can I tell you how Joshua could march around the walls of
Jericho for seven days and then give a shout that would make the walls come
tumbling down (Joshua 6:20). Their victories came because of their
obedience to God. There are many things about Jesus and the things that He
did that are unbelievable. He healed the sick, caused the lame to walk,
opened blinded eyes, raised the dead, walked on the water, calmed the seas
with His word, and fed thousands of people with a meager supply of bread and
fish. I can't explain any of these things to you, but I believe that they
really happened and are true.
So it is with communication with God. I can't explain how we can live here
on Earth and talk to God in Heaven any more than I can explain to you how I
can live in Indiana and talk on the telephone to someone on the other side
of the world. Both are beyond my own comprehension.
Indeed, there are
people who can explain the phone system and the other natural tools that we
use, but no one can explain prayer, for it is supernatural. It is spiritual
and simply cannot be explained in natural terms. All we know is that when
we talk to God, He has promised to hear us and answer our prayers. Don't
get me wrong; God is not some sort of cosmic bellhop that we can order
around. Neither does He grant our every petition in hopes of receiving a
financial tip by our tithes or offerings to the church. So why should we
pray? James 4:2-3 tells us, "You have not because you haven't asked for it
... You receive not when you ask amiss." Let us take these words to heart,
and even though we may not understand how prayer works, let us talk to God
and present our petitions to Him because we believe what the Apostle Peter
said,
"His ears are open to our prayers."

May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyXx6mjSCwU

“DON’T BE AFRAID!”

Faith Filled Thoughts
May 7th 2010
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“DON’T BE AFRAID!”

Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

One of the most frightening episodes of my life
I think was when I was on call as weekend manager.
This meant that if the alarm went off in the office building,
I was responsible to show up and meet with the alarm company.
As the alarm set off my telephone rang from the security company,
and I had to get up and dress to meet them at the office with the code.
As I waited in the parking lot for the officer, all kind of thoughts rushed through my head.
Who set it off?
Are they still in there?
Etc, etc.

When the officer arrived he needed entry to the building,
so I had to go with him and press the code number to open the door.
He told me to stay back in the foyer which I did.
Low and behold around the corner came his police dog which I did not see at all
when he came to the door with me, so I froze.
Isn’t it funny how fear can come at us so quickly
that we are not even aware of what’s around us?

As I waited for the officer with the dog looking and growling at me
the officer said stand still full of force with a loud voice.
That’s when I thought well I just swallowed my heart.,
I realized just how quickly we face life and death situations in our life.
Although everything was fine I still to this day remember that incident vividly.
That’s why each day is so precious to us,
however we cannot allow it to paralyze us and steal our Joy.

Facing the reality of our temporary existence makes us realize that we have a choice.
We can live our life in fear and panic
or in trusting the Lord to protect us in all situations.
I choose to place my trust in the God
who is the Blessed Controller of All Things!
Praise the Lord!




May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Pastor Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left for your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMy_oSeK5JE&feature=related

Do you need a worry book?

Faith Filled Thoughts
May 6th 2010
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Do you need a worry book?


Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Perhaps we are all tempted to worry from time to time,
but there are some folks who seem to take it on as their task in life.
They even go so far as to worry that they
are not worrying enough. (Just kidding ― I think).

One of the greatest illustrations I think I ever heard about worry
was given by one of my all- time favorite preachers,
Donald Grey Barnhouse, who was pastor
of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Barnhouse tells the story of his wife worrying about everything.
She would be after him about the most trivial matter she was worrying about.
He finally gave her a small notebook that he called her “worry book.”
He asked her to write all of her worries in the book
and each Saturday morning they would sit down
and she could go over all of her worries,
and only then would she mention them.

The first Saturday morning he asked her to open her worry book
and tell him what she was worrying about.
Every item she had written in the book had not been worth the worry,
so she had scratched them off.
He asked if there were not some legitimate issues
and she said there were, but she did not have time to worry
about them before they resolved themselves.

After a few weeks she agreed that all of her fruitless worry
was only trying to do what God alone can do.
He holds our future in His hand and knows what is best for us.
What are you worrying about?

Do you need a worry book?


May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Pastor Connie

The Choice is Always Ours
By Connie Ciccone
There are many circumstances in life
That are not pleasant, to say the least.
Many things we go through
Seem to drive us to our knees.
In all of life's storms and trials,
Which are sometimes not so few,
We must choose to trust in God.
He will always see us through.

We cannot afford to be angry
Or blame God when things go wrong.
Jesus is always with us and,
Even in sorrow, we find a song.


The choice is ours to make.
Which one will it be?
Will we become bitter or better?
What will others see?
The things which we go through
May, at times, leave hurts or scars.
Jesus is the 'Faithful One'
Who turns life's scars into stars.


If we shine for Jesus,
As we walk through this life,
He will see us through
As He forgives sin and strife.
So in all that may blind our hearts
Life's Frustrations seem so far
Remember that The Lord has said
The Choice Is Always Ours
Connie Ciccone © September 2005