Thoughts on Prayer

What is prayer? At the most basic level, prayer is communication with God. So the question is, do you talk to God? Not just during set prayer times at church. Not just running down a list of requests you have as if you are putting in a grocery order. But really talking to God because He is and He cares about you. If you don't think that you pray very regularly, why not? Do you feel like you need to couch what you are saying to Him in special phrases and words? Why? He already knows what you are thinking. You might as well be honest with Him.

Does God talk to you? I don't mean this in a mystical sense; however, God has given us His word because He wants to communicate with us. You might wish that God would speak to you through other means, but His word is something concrete. And, we can go back to it over and over again.

As you consider these things, I challenge you to take one step forward in your relationship with God. Pick something actionable and tangible. Maybe it's setting aside time for prayer at a certain time of day. Or even while doing a certain activity. I personally find myself frequently talking to God while I'm driving. If you struggle to pick something or to follow through with it, ask God for help. He wants you to grow in your relationship with Him. Ask Him to help you. Don't do this because you feel guilted into it or because you want to be proud of yourself or because you think you will gain favor with God by this. None of those things are true or will help you grow well. Seek to grow your relationship with God because the God of the universe cares about you. Yes, you. God loves you.

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More Love to Thee

More love to thee, O Christ,
more love to thee!
Hear thou the prayer I make
on bended knee;
this is my earnest plea:
more love, O Christ, to thee,
more love to thee,
more love to thee!

Once earthly joy I craved,
sought peace and rest;
now thee alone I seek,
give what is best;
this all my prayer shall be:
more love, O Christ, to thee,
more love to thee,
more love to thee!

Let sorrow do its work,
send grief and pain;
sweet are thy messengers,
sweet their refrain,
when they can sing with me:
more love, O Christ, to thee,
more love to thee,
more love to thee!

Then shall my latest breath
whisper thy praise;
this be the parting cry
my heart shall raise;
this still its prayer shall be:
more love, O Christ, to thee,
more love to thee,
more love to thee!

- by Elizabeth Prentiss

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Spine Labels - Set 49

spine labels
noun (plural) - a collection of odds and ends that are as random as reading spine labels in a bookstore

Coffee Fridge Magnet

Liberty fabric bow barrettes

Lavender necklace

Happy Scrappy hearts

Woodland Storytime print

Apple Blossom hair clip

Cobalt and Cream lace tray

Wool Felt and Flower Embroidered makeup bag

Compass Enamel Pin

Ice Cream Sundae bowls


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Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller

I recently finished reading Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller.
While I really enjoyed the entire book, this one quote in particular stood out to me.

"Idolatry functions widely inside religious communities when doctrinal truth is elevated to the position of a false god. This occurs when people rely on the rightness of their doctrine for their standing with God rather than on God himself and his grace. It is a subtle but deadly mistake. The sign that you have slipped into this form of self-justification is that you become what the book of Proverbs calls a 'scoffer.' Scoffers always show contempt and disdain for opponents rather than graciousness. This is a sign that they do not see themselves as sinners saved by grace. Instead, their trust in the rightness of their views makes them feel superior."
(Kindle edition, page 131)


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Grow in Knowledge

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."
(2 Peter 3:18 NKJV)

Not only does Peter tell his fellow followers of Jesus that they need to grow in grace, he also tells them to grow in knowledge. So, what should this growth look like? We should grow to look more and more like Jesus. We know Him by knowing God's word. We need to be saturated by it. Drenched in it. Just as preparing food to eat takes time, so does feeding ourselves spiritually. We need to spend time reading God's word. We need to spend time in prayer. We need to spend time encouraging and being encouraged by other believers. Do you feel spiritually anemic? Check and see what you are putting into your spiritual life.

The goal of this is not to just check a box. We need to grow in intimacy with Jesus. We need to grow in love with Him. As we know Him, then we will love Him more, and then we can serve Him. These need to happen in this order. If we serve Him without knowing Him and loving Him, our service will be driven out of duty and self-righteousness. If we love Him, but don't know Him and don't serve Him, then we will be given to sentimentality and selfishness. If we know Him, but don't love Him, and don't serve Him, then we will be prone to arrogance and pride. We need all three actions if we want to grow spiritually.

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I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus

I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
Trusting only Thee;
Trusting Thee for full salvation,
Great and free.

I am trusting Thee for pardon;
At Thy feet I bow,
For Thy grace and tender mercy
Trusting now.

I am trusting Thee for cleansing
In the crimson flood;
Trusting Thee to make me holy
By Thy blood.

I am trusting Thee to guide me;
Thou alone shalt lead,
Ev'ry day and hour supplying
All my need.
I am trusting Thee for power;
Thine can never fail.
Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me
Must prevail.

I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus;
Never let me fall.
I am trusting Thee forever
And for all.

- by Frances Ridley Havergal

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