Luke 11:9-10 ”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 

The Poem: “I asked God”

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for — but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among all people, most richly blessed.
                                                                                                   – Anonymous

We always seem to know what we want. However, God doesn’t deal in wants; he deals in “needs.” 

You may ask God today for something you want, but thank Him when you receive ALL that you need.

. . . the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28

A Poem (author unknown)

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease…..

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They’d laugh at me I’d fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God Held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
“Your name I cannot find
I once was going to write it down…
But never found the time.”

Kind of gives you a perspective doesn’t it?  Take time today for God . . .

“Now He can help those who are tempted, because He Himself was tempted and suffered.” – Hebrews 2:18

Now this Scripture alone may not be that comforting to us, because it doesn’t mention what Jesus had to endure. Well, let’s just step back for a second and see what He did endure:

“Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After spending forty (40) days and nights without food, Jesus was hungry. Then the devil came to Him and said, ‘If you are God’s Son, order these stones to turn into bread.’ ” – Matthew 4:1-3

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to miss  a meal. In fact, I get a little irritable when I’m hungry. Here, Jesus went 40 days and nights without food. Think He was a little hungry? Have you ever gone just one day without eating? It’s sooo hard! I believe that if I was in Jesus’ shoes, I would have made some food to eat . . . somehow.

But Jesus said NO! He would not allow Himself to be tempted. Why? He wanted to show us an example of NOT giving in to the devil. Not giving in to temptation. Yes, He suffered, He was tempted, but He did NOT give in to temptation. He was still obedient to God.

He served as an example for us. We can trust Him! We can rely on Him. We can truly ask Him to help us and He will. He may not answer our prayers the way we think they should be answered, but His plan is much more divine and perfect, where our ideas are limited and probably don’t consider the true problem we are having.

Allow God today to solve your problems. He is ready and listening.

“He hears us whenever we ask Him; and since we know this is true, we know also that He gives us what we ask from Him.” – 1 John 5:15

God is moving in our church. Last night’s youth service was filled with the Holy Spirit. Those who missed it, missed out on a very meaningful, heart-touching time with God; and I just wanted to share with you what the experience meant to me! Most of you know that last night wasn’t the first time God moved within the youth service; it was just the first time that I have been present when it happened. The only times I have felt The Holy Spirit in the past two plus years was when we went to “The Blaze” or to Pigeon Forge. In fact, several days ago, I was complaining to James that it seemed as though God was leaving me out, that I was being “left behind.” Every time I couldn’t be at church, (whatever the reason), would be the time James would come home and say, “You missed an awesome service! Everyone was talking about how The Spirit spoke to them tonight!” Those were bittersweet moments for me because I was happy for everyone else having that wonderful experience, but at the same time was jealous because they “got it” and I didn’t!
HOWEVER, no matter what my reason was for not going to church on those other nights, whether it was because Wesley was sick, because I wasn’t feeling well, or because I needed time alone at home to get something done – I WAS THE ONE WHO MADE THE CHOICE NOT TO GO TO CHURCH. God was NOT leaving me behind. I was leaving HIM.
My reasons for not attending on those nights were just excuses, some justifiable and others not so much. My point isn’t that we should never miss church NO MATTER WHAT, (although we should do our best to ALWAYS attend church.) My point is, DON’T BLAME GOD WHEN YOU ARE LEFT BEHIND! You see, I realized this morning that I was blaming God for “moving” and not allowing me to come along. I was envious of everyone who was “allowed” to go with Him. But this was Satan’s way of thinking – Satan was putting these thoughts into my head and telling me that God didn’t love me as much as he use to. Satan was using the time I missed church to his advantage. He knew I was tired and weak spiritually, hadn’t taken the time each day to re-fill my spiritual tank, and didn’t allow it to be filled at church because I didn’t go! Satan was watching me and waiting to strike just like a snake in the grass! He struck me. He bit. He made me fall.
But, by the Grace of God, I fell to my knees! See, Satan forgets that each time he knocks me down a little, I come back fighting hard! My heart, mind, spirit, and soul has and forever will belong to God. Satan may break my flesh at times, but God is always there to pick me up and heal me.
The Holy Spirit is moving people in our world today! God has never stopped using people to do His work. People have stopped ALLOWING God to use them!
We take God for granted! Even as Christians, maybe more so because we are Christians, we take God for granted. Just like we tend to take for granted our parents, grandparents, or siblings, we take for granted that no matter what we do, God will still love us. Yes, He will still love us, but the more sin we allow to separate us from God, the less He can BE WITH us and the less He can use us to help others. God and sin cannot co-exist within us. We chose one or the other every moment of every day. Every decision we make in our lives – yes, I emphasized EVERY – whether they are conscious or unconscious decisions, we chose God or we choose sin. There is no in between.
Did I choose sin just because I couldn’t go to church one night? Not deliberately; however, because I chose to “take a night off” and didn’t spend time with God during those times away from church, I opened up the opportunity for Satan to attack. Satan didn’t “make me do it.” I CHOSE not to go to church, not to spend time reading my bible, not to spend time in prayer, and to push God aside for the things I WANTED to do at that moment. I ALLOWED Satan in.
I’m writing this down for myself, just as much as I am for you all, as a reminder to make God Choices. This has been a learning experience for me and I hope if you are also having these feelings you have learned that God loves you – He didn’t leave you behind – He didn’t leave you out.
CHOOSE GOD! He’s waiting for you!

To confess our sins.
Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us…

So we will be blessed.
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Matthew 7:7-12 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

To praise God.
Matthew 6:9 Therefore pray like this: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

To ask for help.
John 14:13-14 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

There is power in prayer.
John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Pray to please God.
Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Jesus told us to pray.
Luke 18:1 And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Psalm 55:17
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and [God] shall hear my voice.

Luke 6:12
And it came to pass in those days, that he [Jesus] went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 21:36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.

Acts 6:4
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Romans 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Who to Pray for:

How to Pray
 1 Kings 8:54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
 Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
 Matthew 6:7-13 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ‘This, then, is how you should pray:

            “Our Father who art in heaven,
            hallowed be thy name,
            Thy kingdom come,
            Thy will be done
            on earth as it is in heaven.
            Give us today our daily bread.
            Forgive us our debts,
            as we also have forgiven our debtors.
            And lead us not into temptation,
            but deliver us from the evil one.”

 1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
 1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

⁹“This, then, is how you should pray: 

 ’Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.
 ¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
 ¹²Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 ¹³And lead us not into temptation, 
   but deliver us from the evil one.’

¹⁴For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matthew 6:9-15

Direct from Jesus, can’t get better instructions than that!