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WOODLAND PRAISE
Copyright 2014
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Woodland Praise
Thanksgiving is coming soon! It is a time for family and friends and remembering to be thankful. Indeed, we should be every day. I find the things I have committed to the Lord in prayer that have been answered need to be acknowledged and appreciated back to the Lord. I know it is his doing and so I must thank him for his provision and goodness to me. God loves with an everlasting love.
The one who said thanks...
Remember the story of Jesus healing ten men with leprosy but only one of them came back to him and said thank you?
Thanksgiving is coming soon! It is a time for family and friends and remembering to be thankful. Indeed, we should be every day. I find the things I have committed to the Lord in prayer that have been answered need to be acknowledged and appreciated back to the Lord. I know it is his doing and so I must thank him for his provision and goodness to me. God loves with an everlasting love.
The one who said thanks...
Remember the story of Jesus healing ten men with leprosy but only one of them came back to him and said thank you?
One of them, when he saw he was healed,
came back, praising God in a loud voice.
He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him-
and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:15-16
There are a lot of things to be thankful for: freedom, not being persecuted for your faith, the faithfulness to pray for those being persecuted for their faith, the opportunity to worship freely in this country, a warm house, good water, a job, family, friends, abilities, joys God gives on a beautiful silver platter, music, and the list goes on. What do you thank God for?
When Jesus was entering Jerusalem and people were yelling out 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!', the Pharisees in the crowd told Jesus to rebuke his disciples. And his reply was:
"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet,
the stones will cry out."
Luke 19:40
Here in the woods, nature whispers to me its thankfulness. The barren trees here seem to know God is in control as they wait quietly for winter snows to come showering down on them. The sun shines through the trees, reminding me of God's faithfulness. God knows who is thankful and it doesn't go unnoticed. Present your requests to the Lord, with thanksgiving, and live by faith.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
He said: "In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"
And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)
So, how's your prayer life?
The widow kept bothering....Are you bothering God? Are you praying day and night? Do you practice prayer? Do you set aside a time designated for prayer? Are you disciplined in it?
I have been encouraged by joining a small prayer group in my Church. We want to be faithful and true in attendance, commitment and dedication. I have found that when believers get together and pray earnestly, like Elijah, private prayer life gets better too. Be persistent in praying. Don't give up, even if you want to. Remember, 7 days without prayer makes one week (or weak)!
Well, here in our neck of the woods, the leaves have severely fallen. There are a few beech trees with colorful leaves clinging on them but the maples are stripped. The air is turning chilly and we hear coyotes frequently. (Of course, we hear them in summer too.) And the night of the blood moon a few weeks back, an owl was close and let out its nighttime call. Time marches on and the change of season is upon us. Face every change with prayer, thanksgiving and faith.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
He said: "In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"
And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)
So, how's your prayer life?
The widow kept bothering....Are you bothering God? Are you praying day and night? Do you practice prayer? Do you set aside a time designated for prayer? Are you disciplined in it?
I have been encouraged by joining a small prayer group in my Church. We want to be faithful and true in attendance, commitment and dedication. I have found that when believers get together and pray earnestly, like Elijah, private prayer life gets better too. Be persistent in praying. Don't give up, even if you want to. Remember, 7 days without prayer makes one week (or weak)!
Well, here in our neck of the woods, the leaves have severely fallen. There are a few beech trees with colorful leaves clinging on them but the maples are stripped. The air is turning chilly and we hear coyotes frequently. (Of course, we hear them in summer too.) And the night of the blood moon a few weeks back, an owl was close and let out its nighttime call. Time marches on and the change of season is upon us. Face every change with prayer, thanksgiving and faith.
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