Prayer: Successful
We must make sure that we do not decide that we shall succeed. If we decide to succeed then we may succeed without succeeding in God's way. But if we go on from day to day seeking to do his will, then we shall be prepared to receive success from him if he wills it; and if he does not, then humbly say --It is God's decision that David shall not build the temple, but he will raise up Solomon. W.A. Visser't Hooft as quoted in That They May Have Life by Daniel T. Niles
Too often prayer has no such importance in our lives that everything else fades away to give it room. Prayer is additional to a great many things; we wish God to be present, not because there is no life without him, not because he is the supreme value, but because it would be so nice, in addition to all the great benefits of God, to have also his presence. He is additional to our needs, and when we seek him in that spirit we do not meet him. Yet notwithstanding all that has just been said, prayer, dangerous as it appears, is the best way to go ahead towards the fulfillment of our calling, to become fully human, which means in full communion with God and, ultimately, what Peter calls partakers of the divine nature. From The Approach to Preaching by W.E. Sangster
Scripture Study
Jonah 2:1-10
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Matthew 26:36-39, 42, 44
Acts 4: 24-30
These troubles and distresses that you go through in these Waters are no sign that God hath forsaken you, but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that whi9ch heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses. Then I saw in my Dream that Christian was as in a muse a while. To whom also Hopeful added this word, Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole; and with that Christian brake out with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again, and he tells me, When thou passest through the Waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee. Then they both took courage, and the Enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. Christian, therefore, presently found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the River was but shall0w. Thus they got over. From The Pilgrim's Progress by John BunyanJonah 2:1-10
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Matthew 26:36-39, 42, 44
Acts 4: 24-30
"Write thy blessed name, O Lord, upon my heart, there to remain so indelibly engraven, that no prosperity, no adversity shall ever move me from thy love. Be thou to me a strong tower of defence, a comforter in tribulation, a deliverer in distress, a very present help in trouble, and a guide to heaven through the many temptations and dangers of this life. Amen" Thomas a Kempis
3 comments:
I especially like the first thought--that OUR idea of success is not necessarily God's idea of success. Bryan and I have been learning that lesson over the past few years and it has been a good lesson. Not one that we have fully mastered, of course, but a good lesson to be learning. I like seeing it from another perspective.
Thanks for all your work in doing this, Mom! :D
Notice what Jonah said from the belly of the whale "Yet, I will look again toward Your Holy Temple" and what Habakkah said "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord" and Jesus said "nevertheless, not what I will but as You will and desire" and in Acts the "believers lifted their voices together with one united mind to God." All were asking according to their desires but with acceptance beforehand of God's will.
When I first started reading the study I was taken back by the first quote. I have always thought if you think it you can do it. What I got from this quote was just let things happen and that will be God's will. Well.... if we do that how do we know the path God wants us to take to get to where he is sending us? And if we wait for his will to be done then do we give up our gift of free will?
In the Pilgrams Progress Christian was traveling down a path and he looked down the hill and saw a much better path, one that was very well trimed and had wonderful flowers. He stared thinking he must be on the wrong path and went down to get on the new one he found. Soon after he was on that path he ran into a great big monster. His free will allowed him to go to the other path but he found himself trying to get back on the right path to heaven.
I have been reading Run with the Horses by Eugene H. Peterson. He is the man that translated "The Message". I've just started reading the book but it is a good one. There is a quote from Cardinal L. J. Suenens, "hope is not a dream but a way of making dreams become reality" and another one form Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, " My self is given to me far more than it is formed by me."
I feel God wants us to enjoy life. We pray, give God the glory, and thank him for all he has given us. We know that all is his and we are just taking care of it for him. From time to time he will have some things for us to do for him. We may not ever know were just a few kind words may lead. Sometimes we are blessed to be able to see. I was just so blessed this past week. I received the news letter from Weaverville. In the news letter it said the church was voting to decided weather to give the intrim youth minister job to Jeremy Rice. I remember the first day he came to our Church he sat near me. we were getting ready to have our Lay Ministry Weekend the following week. At the end of the sermon I asked him for his address and invited him to the activities the following weekend. It has been wonderful watching him grow in a church were there is no one else his age.
I think I got off the subject. In Habakkuk we read " The Sovereign Lod is my strenght." That is so right. That is what we have to keep in mind as we pray and go through life. In Matthew Jesus talks about his cup. Is his cup his life? Is that where we get the saying, "I have a full cup"? Meaning, I have a lot going on in my life.
Marie, Thanks for your work. Keep it up, Please. Hope you are feeling better.
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