I Am Not In Control

"I have learned that just because someone makes a bad decision, they are not a bad person -- and they need grace and mercy, rather than condemnation and judgment. Most of all I have learned that, despite what I sometimes think, I am not in control of my children's journey toward God -- but God is."

Praying for our children.

If you know anything about Israel's history, you know that the Philistines were a constant source of trouble. The Israelites had been battling them on and off for years before Samuel came on the scene, and then for years afterward -- they are the guys who produced Goliath, the defiant giant whose death catapulted David into the national spotlight. When Samuel set up his Ebenezer stone, he certainly had no illusions that the Philistines had been banished forever.

But did that stop him from thanking God, or from giving him public glory? Not at all! Samuel set up the stone as a marker -- a sign of remembrance -- so that in the years and generations to come, all of Israel would be able to look at it and say, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

As praying parents, this is the attitude that we need to take. Rather than cowering in worry or fear over the Philistines that lurk around our next corner, we need to stop and thank God for what he has already done in our teenagers' lives. When God works in answer to our prayers, we need to raise our own Ebenezers, giving him credit and honor for what he has done "thus far" --and knowing that he will be there for us in the future.

Praying the Scriptures for your Teenagers by Jodie Berndt

The Word of God and Prayer

When the apostles of the early church suddenly found themselves embroiled in a controversy that consumed both their time and energy, they had enough spiritual presence of mind to know that something had to be done. they were in danger of missing the priority of their calling --the Word of God and prayer! Thus they summoned "the congregation of the disciples and said, 'It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word'" (Acts 6:2-4). This is where each child of God should be the strongest: in the word of God and in prayer. Why the Word of God? Because according to Jesus, man lives by every word which comes out fo the mouth of God, and that's what the Word of God is (Matthew 4:4). It is God-breathed. The word inspiration in 2 Timothy 3:16 comes from the Greek word theopneustos which means "God-breathed." We exist in order to establish God's people in His Word as that which produces a life lived in reverence toward God. Lord Teach Me To Pray by Kay Arthur

Prayer Must Be Learned

At first nothing appears so simple; later on, nothing that is more difficult; and the confession is forced from us: We do not know how to pray as we ought. It is true we have God's Word, with its clear and sure promises; but sin has so darkened our mind that we do not know always how to apply the Word. In temperal things we are still less able to avail ourselves of the wonderful liberty our Father has given us to ask what we need. and even when we know what to ask, how much there is still needed to make prayer acceptable. It must be to the glory of God, in full surrender to His will, in full assurance of faith, in the name of Jesus, and with a perseverence that, if need be, refuses to be denied. All this must be learned. It can only be learned in the school of much prayer, for practice makes perfect. Amid the painful consciousness of ignorance and unworthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the heavenly art of effectual prayer is learned.

With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray

John 15:7 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." ---says that if we remain in Christ and His words remain in us, we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be given us. That's a beautiful promise, but it's only part of the story. In the very next verse, Jesus explains why this arrangement even matters: "This is to my Father's glory, he says, "that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

God be glorified!

Christianity Is Not a Religion, It is a Relationship

The Word of God is the foundation for everything else in our lives. When God speaks on any given issue, what He speaks is truth. What He commands is to be obeyed. God has spoken, and it stands. We are to believe and obey.

Yet Christianity is more than merely believing and obeying commands and promises. Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship. And a relationship requires communication. Therefore, prayer is essential, because it is through prayer that you and I communicate with our heavenly Father. There are countless decisions to be made, wisdom to be sought, resources that are needed, transgressions to be mended, love and appreciation to be communicated. Thus, we are told to pray without ceasing. The aspects of our daily living may be found int he Word of God in principle but not necessarily in practical detail. Therefore, we need to talk with and listen to our heavenly Father. This is prayer.

Lord Teach Me To Pray by Kay Arthur

Lord, Teach Us To Pray

And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray. Luke 11:1

The disciples had been with Christ, and had seen Him pray. They had learned to understand something of the connection between His wondrous life in public, and His secret life of prayer. they had learned to believe in Him as a Master in the art of prayer -- none could pray like Him. And so they came to Him with the request, "Lord, teach us to pray." And later they would have told us that there were few things more wonderful or blessed that He taughtthem than His lessons on prayer.

"Lord, teach us to pray." Yes, to pray. This is what we need to be taught. Though in its beginnings paryer is so simple that the feeble child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which we can rise. It is fellowship with the Unseen and the Most Holy One. It is to prayer that God has given the right to take hold of Him and His strength.

Jesus has opened a school in which He trains His redeemed ones, who especially desire it, to have power in prayer. Shall we not enter it with the petition, Lord! it is just this we need to be taught! O teach us to pray! To us too You have entrusted Your work, on our prayer too the coming of Your kingdom depends, in our prayer too You can glorify Your name; "Lord, teach us to pray." Yes, us, Lord: we offer ourselves as learners; we would indeed be taught of You.

With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray

Love- Motivated Prayer

Every day. Whenever we acknowledge that we need a fresh flow of God's power working in us and ask for God's Holy Spirt to flow through us as we pray, we will see His power move in our lives. But He wants us to recognize that His Spirit is love. And if we want demonstration of God's power, then God's love must be the motivating force behind everything we do and each prayer we pray.

In order to move into that kind of love-motivated praying, however, our first step must be to submit ourselves to God and wait at His feet in prayer. It's not that He is trying to keep His power from us, it's that He wants us to depend on Him for it.

The Power of Praying Together by Stormie Omartian

Gods Power for You

People often hesitate to pray because they do not understand the power of the Holy Spirit working through them when they do. Or they don't believe that God's power is there for them. Too ofthen we think the power in prayer is not attainable for the average person like us. But God says it is available to all who love Him with their whole being and love others as themselves.

The Power of Praying Together by Stormie Omartian