It's Worth It

IT IS WORTH IT!!!

 All that you are going through, the long days, the sleepless nights, the endless prayers, and the pressing.  It's all going to pay off.  Even the disappointments are designed for your good in the end. Just because things don't work out as you would like, does not mean it won't work out.  But according to God's Will it shall be so. Wherever you may find yourself, be encouraged, God is on your side!

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

Job 8:7 (KJV)

  I just want to encourage you all today and everyday that the hardships in life that you go through, the test and trials that come, and anything that you have to work for is worth it.  God wants what is best for you, He's not going to deny you unless it's for your own good, and He will bring you into the fullness of His blessings. 

Just hold on a little longer, be like Jacob, and don't let go until your blessing comes.  I can tell you from experience that when it does you won't have room enough to receive it.  That it will be better than you ever imagined.  And I'll tell you something else, He's not done yet!  He can, will, and always does exceedingly above anything we can expect or fathom.  So my prayer for you today is that you hold on, stand strong, and that the blessings of the Lord overtake you!

~God Bless U

In the Paths of God

Good morning!  I pray all is going well with you today and if it's not I pray God's grace and mercy upon you right now.  (Agree with me in Jesus Name, Amen.)  I was praying this morning and I want to share with you one of the last parts of my prayer.  My words to God was "let me walk safely in your paths".  Right then and there I received a revelation that God has a path He has set out just for us.  we all know that we have individual walks, but did you ever think God has some avenues He has set up just for us to walk down.  For instance, we may be believing God for the better job. But what if you get the job offer and God tells you to stay where you are?  It seems you should take the "better job", but what if God is saying He has a work for you to do right where you are and the real "better: is coming later!  Or perhaps you think you should do a certain thing, but God nudges you in a different direction.  Because He knows what's best for us, and how our tomorrows will work out while we are still dealing with our yesterdays, we have to trust Him and the paths He has for us. Your path is not mine, and mine isn't yours. We may cross each other's paths from time to time, they may even run parallel for a season or even a lifetime, but these paths are just for you and the Father. The bible has much to say about our paths.  One scripture says,

 "Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established."  Proverbs 4:26

another says,

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" Psalms 119:105

There are many roads that lead to a lot of places, but the safest and most prosperous one is the one God Himself puts you on.  I encourage all of you to stop and say a quick prayer right now, and simply ask God to direct you in HIS paths.

God Bless U

Wise Words from CS Lewis

Don't ask God to remove the hard parts, they are for your making. Ask God to help you through them, to mold you along the way, and to reveal His heart in the process.
-Christina

Tonight's Prayer

The Lord is my Sheppard
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in still  waters
He restores my soul.
He leads me in the path of righteousness
for His name sake.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I shall fear no evil.
For You are with me
Your rod and Your staff,  they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever,
Amen.

*23 Psalms was on my heart tonight. It is a timely prayer, no matter the situation or circumstance. Pray it in heart felt sincerity and experience what God has set aside especially for you.

God Bless U

Keep Believing

Hey everyone!  I just want to quickly encourage you to keep beleiving!!!  All of us have something we are hoping and believing God for. And often times if it doesn' t happen how we want it to, or when we think it should, we loose hope and our belief diminishes. 

Don't do it!!! Instead when you feel like it's near hopeless, that's the time to step it up and increase your faith.  I can't say it enough Keep Believing!!!

There are many scriptures regarding belief. But today I leave you with this one:

" For the Lord God is a sun and shield: theLord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."  Psalms 84:11

God Bless U

Count it All Joy

I attended a funeral today and found I had a few things on my mind.  I didn't know the deceased very well, but some members of her family are very near and dear to me.  I found myself sitting among those grieving and asking God to just help them. Help them get through this day, help them get through their grief, and to help them heal in every part of their lives.  In asking God to help them it made me take account of just how helpless I was feeling in the situation.  I was among these hurting people and there was nothing I could do to take their pain away, after all there is no real humanly comfort in death.  That kind of comfort is spiritual and it comes from God. I really started to pray and ask God to reveal His Word to me in this and it wasn't until I sat down to share with you all that I caught it real good.  The scripture of James 1:5 keeps coming to my mind, "Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."  The part that really resonates with me is the count it ALL joy.  In other words not just the good times, or happy times, but all times. 

 

As I started to meditate on this I began to ask God how can I find joy in a funeral and people's grief?  Then He began to show me that many things take place during these sad occasions.  Often times funerals and births have a way of healing rifts in the family. They bring people closer.  They also remind us of our humanness.  If we have distorted our focus to the world these occasions serve to put our focus back where it belongs. On GOD.  People rededicate themselves to God , so that they are found ready when their departure comes and some just come to realize that death is not something to fear, but to learn that it too is part of the plan in God's will.    Grief certainly has it's place, but God wants us to lean on Him for strength and healing.  Also lend your ear to what He may be speaking in these types of seasons.  Remember that all things work for the good of those that love God and that are the called to His purpose. 

 

God Bless U

1st Sunday 2016

Happy New Year All!!!

With the arrival of the New Year we have an opportunity.   We can decide to do it better this time.  What is "it"?   Whatever you feel can be done better than you did it before.   In my case, "it" to me is everything!   I plan to do a lot of things better. I endeavor to be a better wife, mother, friend, sister, laborer, minister, etc. 

There is no need for new years resolutions,  when God gives you a new mercy every morning.  What the new year brings is an opportunity to mark a reference point on your progress chart.   You have the opportunity to look back on 2015 and  assess where you've been, what you've done, how you've grown, and the areas that could use more growth.  The important thing,  is that you are continually growing in Jesus. 

A great scripture to meditate on is Luke 22:42.
"Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

In this passage Jesus is praying to God about the gigantic task before Him... the Cross. Though He is completely divine, His human nature doesn't want to have to go through the devastation, pain, and turmoil He's about to endure on humanity's behalf.  He prays about it,  asking to be relieved, but in the end He boldy and bravely proclaims (*one of my favorite references and mantras of scripture) Nevertheless!!!  Not my will but your will be done! 

How awesome, how glorious, and what an example! Jesus, knew that He was the only One that was fit for the job.  So, though He, like any other person, would have rather not had to go through the unthinkable, He was so devoted to God that He
forsook what He most wanted and desired for what God wanted.  This is the same kind of devotion we should be pressing toward!

And then comes the reward...
When you reevaluate and start to pinpoint the areas to grow in, God is pleased. The Word of God says He's a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).  When we try harder in God, He helps us and rewards us for our diligence.  Looking back on my own list,  I've found that the greatest reward is realizing that I'm not the person I used to be.  It signifies that I'm getting closer to the person God has called me to be.

May 2016 bring you closer to who God had called you to be,  to who and what He has called you to, and from what He had called you from!

~GOD Bless U

Everyday Opportunities

I often struggle with what is profitable to blog. I never want to just write for the sake of publishing a post, or throw something together. I always look to be found downloading from heaven. Not my will, but God's will be done. 

Just this morning I realized God's not going to say write this especially for All things by Prayer! When He told me to start this blog he made it real clear that this would be a journey for those that come across it and for me. It would be my experiences, steeped in scripture that would provide the context for this blog. Thank you Jesus, for insight, for settling me down to receive and be reminded of your purpose. I thank you for the opportunity to share your Word and spread the Truth!  Amen.

Be encouraged man, woman, or child that has come to read this. The lesson:  God's not always going to show you the grand purpose of things. Some things He calls you to do may even seem small and useless against this great big world.  But be encouraged to just play your part! He knows better, and has better than what we can ever imagine.  Just ask Naaman (2 Kings 5)!

Do it, not because it makes you happy, or brings you glory, nor because it's popular, nor easy.  Do as God has instructed because He said so. There is no better reward, nor is there a better place to be than in God's Will.  I look forward to sharing the small, everyday things with you for both of our growths.  After all this is "ALL Things"! 

~God Bless

Quotes to Ponder

Prayer changes you, not God. You tap into His goodness and His Will for you.  You began to glimpse the plan He has for you instead of seeking self!  Awesome... Thanks C.S. Lewis

Pray about Everything, All the time!

Prayer is always right. Some people look at prayer like some big colossal thing that people who are religious do. That's not true. Prayer on its most basic level is communication with God. So in essence communicating with God is always right!

The Word says through prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God. The Word also says we should always pray. I believe that's because God wants us to stay in constant communication with him. No matter what we do, no matter what we try, even when we miss the mark, as long as we communicate with God we can't go wrong.

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."
    ~Luke 18:1

Jesus is always and forever will be our greatest example. He told the disciples we should always pray. We also see that He stayed in constant prayer (communication) with God. I know everyone is probably familiar with WWJD, What Would Jesus Do. I know it sounds corny, but really and truly if you just ask yourself, you'll probably come up with the answer... Jesus would most likely pray before doing anything else. 

So I encourage you to be like Jesus,  Pray Always!

~God Bless

It's Okay...

God if You say it then it is so.  Say what? Say anything.  This is how I feel and hope you feel too. My heart like many of us, overflows with cares and circumstances.  So much so that my mind doesn't get to process one single thought. No, one thought leads to another thought, to another thought, which leads to an overwhelming feeling and heartache.  Not necessarily because something is gravely bad, but just that it's a lot to bear.

I know better than to think I can sort out everything myself.  I'm not that great. But God!  God can tell me if everything is okay. He can tell me that my husband is doing fine, that my son is just experiencing growing pains, that this is just a sensitive day for my oldest daughter, that it's okay to feel worn out by my youngest two children, that my family will survive this hard time that has befallen us, and that my granddad is flourishing.  Yes, He makes all of that and then some okay.

It's not okay because God has promised this great miracle or that I know some inside secret.  That's not at all the case, but what I know is this.  With God anything is possible. As long as God is with me everything is okay.  So, with all that is on my heart and mind, I lay it at the altar with one simple note... Whatever You decide on each of my situations - if You say it, then it is so.

I truly believe that. It's what makes unbearable things, bearable.  Please remember God is there.  Let Him guide you through.  If you do, I guarantee you'll come out alright.

May God Bless U & Keep U

Are You Living an Acceptable Life?

Are you living an acceptable life? I ask this question because I was reading Romans the 12th chapter and started to think about me. I asked myself; do you fit the bill?  Romans 12:1-2 says:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  ~NKJV

I said to myself, are you performing your reasonable service?  After thinking for just a moment, I realized there is room for improvement.  I want to be sure I am acceptable unto God.  The life we live today can be so contrary to what God wants for us.  It is so easy for the cares of this world to overtake us and weigh us down that we no longer consider what God has to say about our daily performance.  The Apostle Paul never lost sight that everyday belonged to God, and as he wrote to the Roman people and encouraged them to see themselves the way God did and still does.

A bit further in chapter 12, Paul gives what I like to call "life bites".  Little pieces of words to live by that can help you live a better life.  In verse 9 he admonishes us to live in love, and in verse 17 he says not to repay evil for evil.  Those two things alone can help many of us in a multitude of situations.  But will we take his advice?  No matter what your answer to that question, the truth is...you should!  Why, because it is acceptable to God.  These life bites are what brings us closer to Him. 

We are accountable for the way we live and the choices we make.  If you have decided to live for Jesus, or want to make that decision today, read the book of Romans and be sure that your life reflects your belief.  Most times the only view of God people get is when they look upon the life of a believer.

May God Bless U and Keep U

Run on...

I have been battling with myself about continuing this blog. Like all things that God has entrusted to us, it's important that we keep His vision and not our own.  I want so badly not to mess up the things of God. I want people to be encouraged and I want everybody to come to this blog and receive the information they are searching for.

After taking some time off I feel not only compelled to continue, but encouraged to run on with the vision God gave me.  

I pray my own strength and ask that you continually make mention of me in your prayers that I stay and WORK in my calling.

God Bless U & Keep U in All Things

I Love The Lord...

I just want to give a testimony today, and it is:  I love the Lord! I am so very thankful for what God has done in my life and I just want Him to know how much I appreciate it.

So many times we don't stop to tell God thank you and that we love Him. Yes, He does know all things, but part of the christian way is confession.  Not just your sins, but your feelings, hopes, dreams, and emotions.  Positive confessions are essential to the health of your spirit.  The psalm says "I love the Lord, He heard  my cry".  That scripture was a confession, a testimony about God and the way the writer feels about Him.  I hope to make those same declarations and give God the glory too.

So, I encourage you to make your positive confessions to God. Give your testimonies, share with Him how you feel and give Him the glory!

God Bless U

Communicating with God

Did you know that communicating with God  is the most important thing in the life of a believer?

It is important that we constantly communicate with God and that He in turn speaks back. Our basic form of communication is prayer.  Prayer is how we build our relationship, it's how we give the matters of the heart over to Him, and how we enter into His presence. The relationship with God is much like the relationship of a husband and wife.  I' ve been married for almost fourteen years and by far what makes it successful is communication.

Prayer; constant communication between you and God, is the foundation to your spiritual life. It's intimate time with Him, a one on one experience that leaves you strengthened and encouraged to go a little further assured that He is right by your side.

There are many instances in the bible that shows just how important prayer is. King David was a praying man. He knew how to come before the Lord in prayer. David inquired of the Lord many times and God answered him. 

In the book of Daniel we see that Daniel diligently inquired of God and prayed to Him earnestly. God moved mightily during that time for Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, so much so that they found favor during their captivity in Babylon.

And finally we see that even Jesus, the Son of God, that though He was fully God and fully man still took the time to pray to the Father. Anything that we know Jesus did, we should be found doing the same.

It is so important that we pray.  The bible declares we should "pray without ceasing", so this means all of the time, about everything so that God can give us direction.

Prayer is not hard! You don't have to have big words or grand gestures. You just have to have an open and willing heart.  Sit quietly in a room, in your car, get on your knees, kneal down, or even lay prostrate on the floor. However you need to do it, just do it.

Begin to tell Him how greatful you are, How worthy He is, just begin to praise Him. The word says "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise". That is a model for prayer and as you begin to open up the Holy Spirit will take over and usher you into worship before God. And the more you pray, God will mold your prayer life to His will and pleasure.  Don't get discouraged, just keep communicating, keep praying.

I want to pray with you now: 

Father God of heaven, in the name and precious blood of Jesus, I come before your throne to give you honor and glory and to bless your Holy Name. Lord I pray that whoever you have led here finds exactly what they are looking for and that it strengthens and encourages them to keep pressing on in your name. Let their heart be content with the place you have put them in and let them be renewed by Your glory. I ask these things in Jesus Name from now and forever more ~Amen.

Keep praying, start praying! It' never to late to get in line and get it right. Communicate with God, he's waiting for you.  He wants nothing more than relationship with us and prayer is the very foundation.

~ God bless you real good!

Welcome...

I would like to welcome you to All Things by Prayer!  I look forward to sharing the Word of God with you, helping to bring you into the full knowledge of Christ, and all out lifting up the Name of Jesus! 

I believe the Word of God is a Word of simplicity meant to help and not hinder our lives. The key to a healthy life is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  As I share with you the Gospel of Christ I want to ensure you that your spiritual life will not only flourish but grow.  I believe God inspired me to name this blog All Things by Prayer because prayer is the foundation of a great relationship with God.  It's how we intimately communicate with Him and one of the ways He communicates with us. 

I will share my experiences, family, revelations, and thoughts with you.  I pray you will do the same.  I believe there is something for everyone here. The believer, the nonbeliever, one that is searching, the saint, the sanctified, the sinner, those that are in leadership, and the lay persons. 

God has a Word for all of us, and most times it's not by what comes out of our mouths, but by experiences and being examples to others.   Join me as I work out my own soul salvation with fear and trembling, as I praise God, as I lift up my hands in worship, and as I myself grow in the Lord.

I have put my hand to the plow.  I won't let go and I"m not looking back!
 (see Luke 9:62)



~God Bless You