Written by Michael J. Martinez
Guiding Light Praying Ministry.
www.glprayingministry.com

?We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers? ( 1 Thess 1:2 ).

In my prayers, I need always to thank God for His wonderful works in my life, because if it were not for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit I would not be here today writing these writings. I write as the Lord wills through me, for others who do not know Christ so they might know Him better and as well, for believers, to be renewed and learn, including learning myself, when I read the finished article. Therefore, faith, belief, and strength will be part of our everyday life, love and joy will abound in us towards others, even when times are rough, we will rejoice and boast in what the Lord has done with our life.

?I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day?? ( 2 Tim 1:3 ). The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, as he desires to see Timothy, and recalls Timothy?s faith. Paul reminds Timothy as he writes, ??I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind? ( 2 Tim.1:6, 7 ). I must not just read but also remember and be reminded of the Lords words, all who follow and believe in Jesus Christ, who are born again will have the spirit of power, of love, and a sound mind. Listen and meditate on what will be within you, you will be able to overcome all the worlds? onslaught.

In my prayers and in my walk I need to remember what the Lord has given me, to dwell with me all my earthly days. The Holy Spirit, who helps me, convicts me when I need to be straightened out, when I am doing wrong (John 16:13). Thank God for that because if the Spirit were not doing this for me I would still be doing the corrupt things of my past.

Its good that we are reminded and we should pray that we do not become offended by it or distasteful towards brothers and sisters in Christ when they are reminding us of sinful ways. Paul says, ?Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves (believers) were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another? ( Titus 3:1-3 ).

Paul tells us a faithful saying, that if we died with Him, turned from our wicked ways, and endure we will reign with Jesus Christ. However, if we deny Jesus then Jesus will deny us, and the world is full of people denying Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And if we are faithless in our walk as born again Christians, God still remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself ( 2 Tim 2:11-13 ). Paul tells the Christian not to strive about words that will not profit us nothing, when we are arguing, fighting, and hurting, because then the hearer who is not a believer may be ruined by this kind of testimony ( 2 Tim 2:14-15). Therefore, in our prayers as Christians we need to be asking Jesus to bless us with His attributes of patience, and longsuffering with others. A calm spirit that will not waiver or shake but rely on scripture to defend our talk. We must importantly walk the walk and talk the talk without pretending or faking, God knows.
In our prayers we need to believe, and be of God, the gospel of John, chapter 8 verses 45 through 47 tells us, ?But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears God?s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God? ( John 8:45-47 ). I know by scripture that if we do not believe then we will not know the truth and the truth will not be in us. We will not be heard in our prayers and can you imagine not being heard by Jesus, thinking that you are.

?For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe? (Jude 1:4,5). We must be reminded of this truth and take this to heart in our prayers and ask the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to help us overcome our fears so that we might reach out to the lost. We were once this way and everyday many go to hell because we forget what God gave us. I am included in this and I pray daily for this attribute of Love that can only be given by Jesus Christ. We cannot buy it, find it in the world, posses it with works, but we must ask for it and learn it. Love will help us overcome any fear, worry, depression, anxiety or pain because we will be filled and abound with God?s love.
I remind you to ask, seek, remind, be reminded and pray hard for the times grow closer to a finish and we must be found ready.

May God Bless you and give you of His peace, Amen.

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Published on: 2005-08-26 (1905 reads)