Faith always moves us forward. Even when Peter failed, the Lord prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. The Bible even records failures and restoration.
Deschutes River, Sunriver, Oregon
Faith is Positive and Moves Forward
Category Archives: How to Pray
Prayer Can Be Simple
Prayer can just be simple, not complex and not formal. God is real, He is a living person and can be talked to with short simple words any time and in any place. He is not limited by His schedule, but He is limited by our schedule. Just talk to Him and make your concerns and requests known in any words you feel to use. We sometimes wait for a good time to pray, but anytime is always great.
Little Spokane River and Reflections
Prayer as Branches with the Vine
Prayer as Branches with the Vine – Jesus’ Instructions on Prayer in John 15
Grape Vines in Washington State
Wow, look at prayer, with Jesus as the vine, and we as the branches in John 15, chapters 14, 15, 16, and 17. In these four chapters, Jesus was trying to comfort His disciples and at the same time get them to just abide in Him. So right in the middle of that, in chapter 15, Jesus was talking about abiding. He was talking about how we need to be like branches on a vine. He was the true vine. Some people say this describes kind of an organic, living and real relationship between Jesus and us, or between us and the Father. Without getting into the rest of the context, there, John 15:7 says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” That seems kind of like a blank check where you can expect God to do anything you ask of Him. Some people look at that verse and they wonder why God doesn’t answer when they pray for something. There is a condition in this verse, though. It says, “If you abide in Me and My words aide in you”. The “asking” is prayer.
Grape Vines in Eastern Washington
Well, the first condition, there, is, “If you abide in Me… “ Without getting into the context,there, one way to abide is to stay in the Lord, to rest in the Lord, or to remain in the Lord. So how does one abide in the Lord, it simply means to trust and rely on Him. I would even say it means to do the things God wants you to do, to obey the Lord. He says, “If you abide in Me”. Then He says, “And if My words abide in you”. This passage in the book of John says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you”, you can ask whatever you will and I will do it. What words is He talking about when Jesus says, “And My words abide in you”? I believe He is specifically talking about the word He is speaking. Oh, and by the way, what ever Jesus says is the Word of God. I believe it also has to include the words of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Grape Vines in Eastern Washington
The video this text is taken from is on Drew’s YouTube channel. This portion is at YouTube.
Following Jesus
Luke 5:5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
Luke 4:36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”
The theme is simple “Following Jesus”, He, that is Jesus, has the power and He knows where the fish are. So don’t follow someone or something else, just follow Jesus.
Reflection on the Spokane River
God Loves to Hear Prayer
God loves to hear prayer. He is a God who listens. Look at these verses on prayer in the Bible, God listens to every prayer. Have this confidence that in every pray, whether it be small or large, whether it be well phrased, or just a bunch of broken words, God listens. Sometimes what we think are the worst prayers, God just loves, since we are expressing our real feelings.
Psalms 66:19 But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psalms 66:20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!
Reflection during Idaho Sunset
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly…
This last verse in James eventually refers to Elijah who in a very unique situation needed a prayer to bring God in to vindicate Himself. Elijah did pray and God did come in.
So never feel that God does not hear, He does hear and answer. p.s. answers do not always come how and when we expect them.
Prayer Needs the Spirit
The Spirit helps us pray. Without the feelings and words from the Spirit it is really hard to pray. Where is an easy place to get Spirit words? The Bible is in-spirited by God. So the words in the Bible turned into prayer are wonderful prayer words. And those words from the Bible are full of Spirit.
Someone once said that Prayer is an impossible task without the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Idaho Sunset
Coming To The Lord
One way to come to the Lord in prayer is by calling on the lord. Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and I will shew thee great and hidden things, which thou knowest not. Also look at this verse in Romans 10:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” So come to The Lord.
Idaho Sunset
Ok, I Am Human
Spokane Sunset
Spokane Sunset
Spokane Sunset