Stuck in Traffic? (Tip 5 )

 

Hebrews 13:15-16 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.  

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell Stanley
• Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
• 5. Pray while you wait.

Most of us waste a lot of time while we wait for our daily grande nonfat mochas—or whatever. A quick online search reports that we each average two years of our lives waiting in line, and the average commuter spends 38 hours a year in traffic. Turn your car into a prayer closet, or let your mind take you someplace else while the person in line ahead of you buys her drink using four nearly-empty gift cards and then empties her coin purse of pennies. 

Transform that “wasted” time into something meaningful—pray for the people you expect to encounter that day or the tasks you need to accomplish. Give thanks for your day, for the job paying for your favorite caffeinated beverage, for the young man working as a cashier to pay his college tuition, for the extravagant blessing of a giant store stocked with more products than we need. Count your blessings—because they’re everywhere—and make those minutes count.

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If you have ever been stuck in Atlanta (or any place else, for that matter) during rush hour, you know how time consuming it is, and how bored you can be. This too, can be a time of spending time with  God, instead of playing games on your phone perhaps. And it always is time well spent because God knows you could well be doing other things instead, and he will honor that.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. Have a lovely and blessed Saturday.

Really Connect with God (Tip 4)

 We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Write

4. Tell Him what He already knows.

When my first child was in kindergarten, I realized that although I had a pretty good idea what she did at school, I didn’t need to know the details. But when she told me about how she and Jacob played at recess or laughed as she tried to tell me the story her teacher read that day, it deepened my connection with my daughter. I got to see her life through her eyes, and I reveled in her unique perspective. Of course, God already knows what’s in our hearts—but when we offer our thoughts to him, it turns what might be a solitary life into a richer, more meaningful relationship. And I think God delights in this.

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God wants a relationship with us.

But to have that, we need to really connect with him.

Even though he knows everything there is to know about us, he wants us to talk to him as if he were sitting with us in the flesh listening to us as if he were our very best friend.

Because he is. Our very best friend. 

And what does a best friend do?

He listens to us.

And he loves us.

Why?

Because he first loved us.

So friend to friend, talk to him. Thank him. Tell him your problems. Tell him about your day. 

Ask him for his help.

And tell him how much you love him.

Because he is there. Waiting and listening for your voice.

Wanting that one-on-One relationship with you.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. God bless!

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Rember to...(prayer tip 3}

  ...pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer

3. Incorporate prayer into everyday chores.

Let your everyday tasks become acts of worship by turning them into times of prayer. As you fold laundry, pray for each family member—and then if your laundry piles are as high as mine, and you’re done praying but not done folding, branch out from there. Pray for your child’s soccer teammates, for the teachers standing in front of your children’s classrooms, for the partner who works hard to pay the bills, for health to stay active, for the workplaces where the clothes are worn. Or simply give thanks for the warmth of the home where you relax in those pajamas.

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This is a great suggestion and one that I use myself. And one benefit is for those that dislike doing chores, is that when you center your thoughts on God, and pray for those things that concern you, time goes faster and soon the chores are done and you have accomplished more than you would have otherwise.

God doesn't mind if you aren't on your knees every time you call on him. The time and place do not matter to him. He is there for you, no matter your circumstance.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. God bless you

Short Prayers (Tip Two)

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer

If prayer had to be a stiff, formal language—“our most holy and mighty God, we beseech ye…”—first of all, we’d be bored and feel out of our element most of the time. And secondly, we would find it hard to keep that up for an extended period of time. But prayer is simply a conversation. Talk to Him the way you would talk to a friend. Sit down with a cup of coffee and just let the words pour out, casually, simply. Just be real.

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Our lives are so busy these days.  And so, this tip is so easy to do as we go through our day. It does not require many words but just a few to let God in on what you want to say to him. Save the longer prayers for bedtime or even in the morning when you begin your day. By talking to him this way, you can stay connected to him until you take more time to get on your knees.

 

Hello Friends. Thanks for stopping by today. God Bless!

Prayer Can Be Said Anytime (Tip one)

 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)

 

Have you ever known anyone that only prays when they get into some trouble, or suddenly needs something from God? Or gets sick?  God's word tells us to '"pray without ceasing" and to many, that may seem like an impossible task from him. But prayer doesn't always have to be a formal 'get on your knees' or 'wait until you are in church and go to the alter' type thing to do. No, prayer can be done anywhere at any time, no matter what you happen to be doing.

So maybe you are wondering, where do I start to learn how to pray without ceasing?

Well, I am glad you asked. Because I found an excellent resource that helps with that by giving us some short easy tips on how to pray. And for the next few days, I am going to copy them for you here, one at a time. Starting today. So, get ready. This can be so beneficial to your prayer life and how you can make it better.

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer 
• crosswalk.com
• 1. Begin with gratitude.

Psalm 100:4 says “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” 

In other words, start by telling God what you’re thankful for. Prayer doesn’t have to be asking for something; it can simply be thanking Him from your heart for what He has already done.

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Well, that seems easy enough, right?  These kinds of prayers can be said at any time during our day even if we don't speak them out loud to God. Thank God for what he has done for you in the past or present or even what he is going to do for you in the future. Acknowledging him in all things brings his ear close to your voice. Be it in secret or not. He waits for you to praise him. 

Thanks for coming by Friends. Come back tomorrow for tip no.2. God bless your day!

No Way but His

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

When we are going through a dark day-a day that filled with pain or suffering of any kind: it is good to be reminded that Jesus is our way. He is the only way. He is the very best way.

We don't know what each day will bring. And we are not promised every day will be wonderful just because we are Christians. What we can count on is that if we are going His way, we are on the right path. Because His way is the right way. The only way. Any other way...well it is a sure path to where we do not want to end up. Thank God for giving us Jesus...

to show us His way!

May your day be filled with blessing!

 

Don't Let Go!

 “Even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength!”  ~Habakkuk 3:17-1

Sometimes it's easy. Easy to forget that no matter what we are going through, that God is with us and will get us through those hard times. Habakuk of old knew that. If his fields did not produce. If his flocks died. I am sure it mattered but his strength was not in what was going on around him. His strength was in in God.

And ours should be as well.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:2

You would think that after 70 years of life, and seeing all that God has done for me, I would have no fear for the things in my life that looks like my fields are empty or my flocks lying dead. And yet, I have to admit that for a few days I did forget that my strength is in God and not in my fields. 

To be honest, we had a wonderful week in our home state of Ohio. Things went very well for us even though what we had actually gone there for, was sad. My husband's brother had passed away early in the year and the family had planned a "Celebration of Life" for him, in July.

For us, while we went to that, we also took the time to visit friends because we don't know if we will ever get back there or not.

And we visited the church that we had gone to several years ago and that was a really good part of the time we were there.

It was after we got back that it seemed like things began falling apart. And yet, I know that the reason I have felt that way it is because I have been so busy that I have not been in God's Word enough to remember to rely on his strength and not my own.

Praise God that even when we aren't tuned into him, he does not let us go. And sometimes he even allows us to go through things that are hard, to remind us that he is waiting for us to remember.

And thank God, he forgives us and 'his mercies endure forever."

Not just for a day or a year.

They endure forever.

And he doesn't let go even when we do.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. God bless!