Wonderful Jesus!

- Called to Glory!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 29, 2021
  
  2 Peter 1:3-His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of H im who called us to his own glory and excellence” RSV
  
  Photo by Abdallah Maqboul on Pexels.com
  
  As believers, we want to experience, need to experience the glory of God. We talk about it, sing about, and preach about it, but for most of us it is as mystical as most things about God. In our text, Peter’s words, in the Revised Standard Version, conveys an important message that I would like to discuss with you.
  
  Years ago, I was studying on the glory of God. As I was studying, I was also fasting and praying about understanding the glory. I distinctly remember reading Billye Brim’s book “the Blood and the Glory”, and Creflo Dollar’s book, “the Anointing”. One night, I had a dream that I have never forgotten. I was standing in the midst of a thick cloud. I began turning around slowly within this cloud. Then a voice from the midst of the cloud spoke, “I have anointed you.” I woke from the dream and I just sensed the presence of God in our bedroom. Not wanting to disturb my husband, but wanting to commune with God, I went into our living room and bowed before the Father. I still sensed His presence as I had when I woke up. I stayed there in His presence until I could no longer stay awake.
  
  Glory, according to the Vine’s dictionary is rendered in this way:
  
  of the nature and acts of God in self-manifestation, i.e., what He essentially is and does, as exhibited in whatever way He reveals Himself in these respects, and particularly in the person of Christ, in whom essentially His “glory” has ever shone forth and ever will do.
  Vine’s Dictionary
  
  And virtue is rendered as:
  
  intrinsic eminence, moral goodness, virtue,” of God; the manifestation of His Divine power
  Vine’s Dictionary
  
  When I think of being called by God, I think of a special assignment that God may have on an individual’s life. For example, God called Abraham out of Ur because He wanted to establish a people to Himself. He called Bezalel in the wilderness to be the designer of the Tabernacle, and gave him the ability to teach. Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to the nations. Peter was called to be the apostle to Jews. I think you get my point!
  
  Here, in this verse, Peter says that we were called to His own glory and virtue. The many different versions translate this verse using a variety of words, i.e. to, by, through; but for what I believe is the whole point of this mini-series on this verse, this rendition fits my thought the best.
  
  The writer of Hebrews make this point:
  
  For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.
  Hebrews 2:10 RSV
  
  Jesus, the captain of our salvation, is bringing many sons to glory. Since this principle is true, it is easy to understand how Peter could have been stating that we were called to His own glory and virtue. That’s quite a calling when you think about it. God, the Father, and Jesus, our Savior is calling us to experience or live in their glory.
  
  Consider what the psalmist wrote about God’s glory and man:
  
  What is man that You are mindful of him, and the so n of [earthborn] man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
  Psalm 8:4-5 AMP
  
  In the Young’s Literal Translation, it actually reads that man was made a little lower than the Godhead. For most, that’s hard to wrap our brain around, but it is scriptural, so it is truth. God’s original state of man, when He made Adam, was that He crowned mankind with His glory. With the fall of man, that state was lost. But through Jesus, He is bringing us back to glory, which was His original plan for us.
  
  That’s why Peter’s statement that He called us to His own glory makes perfect sense. Through the years, in a sense of humility, and because the enemy’s hand was in it, we have discounted the truth of what God’s real plan for our lives is. Yes, He wants to save us from hell’s eternal punishment, but that’s a small part of a much bigger picture. In the whole scheme of the gospel message, is a message of reconciling us to rightful place, where we are crowned with the glory of God.
  
  And His virtue, the manifestation of His divine power, is part of what we are being called to as believers. Remember when the woman with the issue of blood encountered Jesus? In the KJV, Jesus spoke these words:
  
  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned about in the press, and said, “Who touched my clothes?”‘
  Mark 5:30
  
  But in the NKJV, the word virtue is translated power:
  
  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him…
  Mark 5:30
  
  As we can see, God’s virtue, is His power. Can you see this? God is calling us to experience His glory and His power! That’s a mind-blowing thought! It doesn’t it seem possible.
  
  Sin is the reason we fall short of the glory of God.
  
  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
  Romans 3:23
  
  But once we have been cleansed of our sin and reconciled to God, we are called to His glory and virtue, or power. Isn’t that what Peter is saying in 2 Peter 1:3? I think so! I think we are a work in progress and we may be in need of more transformation, but it starts with the realization that God’s glory and power is available to us.
  
  I also believe, that scripture backs this truth up. I don’t expect you to take my word for it, that’s why I gave you several scriptures to share my thinking. I’m still studying this, and that is why I didn’t blog on last Friday. I’m gaining some insight into this verse I never really took time to understand.
  
  If you are struggling with the principle, join the club. But as I continue to study, I am finding irrefutable truths in God’s word of His plan and desire for us to accept the call to enter into His glory and virtue. If I was the first and only one to come to this conclusion, I would really hesitate to share it. It’s huge! But I am not! Check out Billye Brim’s book that I mentioned earlier. It’ll bless you and whet your appetite for understanding the glory of God. Wonderful Jesus!
  
  Posted in 2 Peter 1:3-4, Divine Nature, glory, Jesus, power | 0 Comments | Tagged Adam, angels, Divine Nature, divine power, fall of man, glory, glory of God, lower than Godhead, Peter, Sin, virtue
- Knowledge is Power!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 25, 2021
  
  2 Peter 1:3- “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. NKJV
  
  We can all mark significant times in our lives. I know I can! My high school years were a turning point in my life. I was hungry to know God. As just a casual reader of the Bible I saw many inconsistencies in the lives of those around me, and what the Bible said. As a matter of fact, I asked a pastor about these inconsistencies and he told me that the Bible wasn’t to be understood. I was so sad that day to hear a minister of the gospel say such a thing! But I walked into my Sunday School class of 6 and 7 years old students and declared to them: I believe the God of the Bible can be known, in spite of what others may say!
  
  I know now that I spoke by the Spirit of God! On the inside of me was a desire to know God, and He quickened my spirit and confirmed that truth to my heart. My desire, even today, is to know my God!
  
  Peter wrote about us having a knowledge of God.
  
  For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 – AMP
  
  Knowing God, in a personal way, through Jesus, causes Him to bestow on us everything that we need for life and godliness. His power is released is in our life, in a concerted effort to assist us in knowing Him, life, and godliness.
  
  In Ephesians, Paul wrote:
  
  [I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son]. Ephesians 1:17 – AMP
  
  Paul reiterates that the knowledge we have about God, the deep and personal insight into who God is, is as a result of knowing His Son Jesus. Hear what Jesus said to His disciples about this matter:
  
  Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ John 14:8-9 – AMP
  
  To truly know God, you must know Jesus! To know Jesus is to know the Father!
  
  God revealed Himself in the Old Testament, but only to a few. David knew God in a personal way, for God’s Spirit never left him. But it wasn’t until Jesus came that we were given an opportunity to truly know God. He made God alive to common people. He uprooted spiritual hypocrisy and pretentiousness. He demonstrated God’s love for us, and allowed us to see His nature in a way that had never been demonstrated before. Then He reconciled us to God through His blood, satisfying, once and for all, God’s requirement for sin.
  
  Paul prayed that we would grow in the knowledge of God. It’s not just enough to know that God loves us and will save us, but it’s important to know as much about Him as we can learn:
  
  Colossians 1:10 – that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…NKJV
  
  Paul knew that his ability to accomplish so much for God, was done because of his knowledge of God. These epistles that he wrote, helps us to understand God and the life we can have in Him. That knowledge gives us the power to live a life fully pleasing to Him. It enables us to walk worthy of our Lord. We must know our God!
  
  Peter echoed these words of growing in the knowledge of God, when he wrote:
  
  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 – NKJV
  
  Why? Because knowledge is power! When our adversary lies to us about our God, the more we know about God, the more we can refute his lies! When people knock on your door to share a different gospel with you, you can silence their heresy with your knowledge of God. When the circumstances of life try to overwhelm you, your knowledge of God will keep you grounded and sane.
  
  Some Christians are content to be ignorant. Paul said that he wrote his epistles so that we wouldn’t be ignorant concerning things pertaining to God. (We know these and many other writings are called the word of God; written so that we wouldn’t be ignorant!). Hosea wrote that we perish (go to hell?) because of a lack of knowledge. Don’t allow laziness to keep you from pursuing more knowledge of God. The enemy knows that the more you know about God, the easier it is to recognize and stop him! This alone is a great reason to know God.
  
  But a greater, more important reason to know God, is because He is God. Haven’t you heard it said: It’s not what you know, but who you know? Well, that’s even more true in relationship to God. When we know Him, we know all that we need to know, because knowledge of Him, is power! Wonderful Jesus!
  
  Posted in God, Jesus, Knowing God, power | 3 Comments | Tagged God, increasing in God, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Knowing God, knowledge, Paul, Peter, the word, word of God
- New Life! His Life!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 23, 2021
  2 Peter 1:3-4 -As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. NKJV
  
  prayer-for-salvation
  
  There are times when reading and studying the word, I feel like, this isn’t that complicated, why do people have such a hard time with it. And then there are other times when I feel like, Lord, I need help understanding this. Partaking of God’s divinity is a really tough truth to wrap our brains around. At least it is for some!
  
  Peter wrote in his epistle that God’s divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. It’s scriptural, so it’s truth. But not a new truth for it was first mentioned by John, when he wrote:
  
  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12 – NKJV
  
  The take aways from these powerful verses are these:
  1. That when we are born again we are the sons of God
  2. His divine power brings this relationship into existence
  3. It’s as supernatural as the birth of Jesus to Mary
  Interesting to note that Nicodemus asked Jesus a similar question that Mary asked of Gabriel:
  
  How can these things be?
  
  Jesus had just finished explaining to Nicodemus the supernatural experience of the new birth. He told Nicodemus that when a person is born again, he is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus wanted to know if a man was supposed to climb back into the womb and be born again. Jesus patiently explained that He was speaking of a new birth, a birth brought about by the Spirit of God.
  
  As we enter into the season of the Passover, the Easter season, it is important to remember the significance of our born again experience. For many, they never experience the supernatural because their approach to God is so casual; but something supernatural takes place, just as it did when God’s Spirit planted the Seed in Mary’s womb.
  
  2 Corinthians 5:17-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God…NKJV
  
  If you are in Christ:
  - You are a new creation
  - Old things are passed away
  - All things are made new
  - All things are of God
  There was, and is, nothing natural about our becoming sons of God. This amazing new birth into the family of God is a result of the gospel. The same gospel that Paul writes this about:
  
  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16 -NKJV
  
  His divine power, the power of God, is activated when the gospel is shared and received. That power is sufficient to give us salvation, or new life. This was hard for Mary to understand, and it is even harder for us to wrap our brains around. The gospel message is God’s power released upon our lives to bring about the new birth! That’s beautiful! A birth that makes us a new creature in Christ called sons of God!
  
  Another point that Peter makes is that this power that gives us new life, also gives us all things that pertains to life and godliness. Here’s an even bigger mystery. The power of the old man is destroyed, giving way to the new man and all things that pertain to life and godliness.
  
  Things that pertain to life. When we are new creatures in Christ Jesus, we have eternal life, just as Jesus explained to Nicodemus. This new life is eternal. Paul explained it like this:
  
  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 – NKJV
  
  The life that we now live, we live by faith in the Son of God. His life overtakes our life, giving us the power to live this new life. A life that is pleasing to the Father. A life that’s in Him. A life of sacrifice, peace, love, joy…His life!
  
  Things that pertain to godliness. A life lived in godliness. One that allows His divine nature to be seen in our being. A godliness that chooses His way, His thoughts, His word, His actions, His attitude over our own. A godliness that turns it back on a life of sin, which is no life, to live a life of righteousness.
  
  All of this was obtained, by the divine power of God, when we became born again believers. Many still glory in their old nature, their sin nature. But if you are in Christ, your DNA has changed! You are a new creature! The old is gone, and the new has taken front and center. Begin enjoying the truth that you have really been changed. Wonderful Jesus!
  Posted in 2 Peter 1:3-4, Divine Nature, Jesus, power | 0 Comments | Tagged crucified with Christ, Divine Nature, divine power, Galatians 2:20, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John, life and godliness, miraculous, Paul, Peter, righteousness, Salvation, supernatural
- That’s All We Can Do
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 19, 2021
  Acts 16:25 – But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. NKJV
  
  As I was thinking about prayer, and how I could conclude this topic, I had a sudden flash in my mind. I was inquiring of the health of a certain individual when I was told, “All we can do is pray”. Now, if you have ever been in a situation when you heard these words, you know that these were not faith filled words; but words that were saying, “Things are looking really bad and everything has been exhausted, and we’re at the point where all we can do is pray and see if God will do something!” Does anybody know what I’m talking about?
  
  Paul and Silas were on their way to a prayer meeting. In route, a girl possessed with a spirit of divination met them crying out, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Luke wrote that she did this for many days until Paul became greatly annoyed with her. Paul then turned to her and rebuked that spirit of divination out of her. He and Silas were dragged into the marketplace to the authorities, beaten, and thrown into jail. This is at the point where some religious people would say, “All we can do is pray”! However, for Paul and Silas, it was more of a, “Let’s take some time to pray and give God glory!”
  
  Hardships come to us all. We all experience terrible times in our lives. Those times may look differently, but the sense of hopelessness, or desperation that accompany the hard times are felt the world over. It is during these difficult times that we may find ourselves in a place where we may feel that all we can do is pray. I can tell you from experience that is exactly what you should do! Pray!
  
  Luke wrote that at midnight they were still awake, and they weren’t complaining or blaming God, or feeling rejected by Him. Just the opposite is true! They were in the midst of a prayer meeting which involved a time a praise and worship to the God whom they loved and served. And they were not quietly praying, for scripture let’s us know that they were heard by the other prisoners who were listening to them!
  
  James, the brother of John, one of the Sons of Thunder, was murdered by Herod.
  
  Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. Acts 12:1-2 -NKJV
  
  When Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter. We don’t know that the Church wasn’t praying when James was murdered, but we do know that when Peter was arrested, the saints were praying. Unlike Paul and Silas who were up praying themselves, Peter was fast asleep. As a matter of fact, the angel had to shake him to wake him up.
  
  Both situations involved prominent, well-known men of God who found themselves in jail with the likely outcome of death being a reality. Paul and Silas were praying, and Peter was asleep. But the saints were praying for him.
  
  Both situations caused an angel to be sent on their behalf to bring deliverance. Peter was guided out of the jail, stopped by the prayer meeting, and then went on his way. It could have been a regular time of meeting for them, and that’s why Peter knew where to go. It could also explain why he fell asleep, because he trusted that they were praying. Or Peter could have prayed and then went to sleep because he wasn’t concerned. Whatever the case, Peter was delivered.
  
  Paul and Silas were also delivered, and in the process, so were all of the other prisoners. The keeper was so shocked to see the door open that he prepared to kill himself, for he knew that Herod would surely have him put to death. But no one had left the prison, although they had all been made free. This had such an impact on the jailer that he and his household were saved.
  
  Prayer should never be done from a standpoint of “all we can do is pray” because that isn’t faith, that sounds like you’ve given up. Prayer works, and prayer changes things. The Bible recorded many instances when prayer was offered and things happened. Not because prayer was the least that they could do, but because the person or group of people praying knew the power of prayer!
  
  The early Church believers were known to pray. In the upper room after Jesus ascended, they were praying together. Not because that was all they could do, but because they knew it was what they should be doing! And they were obviously not just going through the motions, because things were happening! As people prayed in the New Testament:
  - The power of God descended from on High and filled them with His Holy Spirit and they spake in tongues for the first time in history!
  - Thousands were getting saved and coming into the kingdom at one time!
  - They received the dead back to life!
  - Wisdom was given to them to do the work of the ministry and to know who to work with in ministry
  - Signs and wonders followed them as they preached the gospel.
  - Doors of opportunity were open to them to share the gospel!
  In both the Old and New Testament we have example upon example of what happens when people pray. As I have grown in Christ, when someone say that all they can do is pray, I remind them that is the best thing they can do, pray!
  
  Prayer is always the one area that I feel I can improve in and don’t do it enough. I never ever really feel that I have spent enough time with the Lord in prayer. I have prayed all night, I have prayed faithfully for years at our prayer meetings, and I have my private time of prayer. And I still feel I can pray some more. Sometimes I don’t feel like praying, but I know that the devil always feel like creating problems! Sometime I don’t want to pray, but I understand that the devil loves it when I am not praying. I’m not praying out of compulsion, I pray because I know the importance of prayer!
  
  Prayer brings peace into your heart and mind about the things going on in life. Prayer allows you to give your problems to Someone more capable of handling them. Prayer brings you into the Presence of God. Prayer stops the enemy in his tracks. Prayer releases the Spirit of God into your situation. And most importantly, God hears and answers our prayers!
  
  Thank you for going on this journey with me about prayer. Again, I have not exhausted it, but I am being led in another direction. I trust you’ll continue to see the necessity to pray, and enjoy the benefits of developing a prayer life centered around the word of God! Stay safe and be encouraged! Wonderful Jesus!
  Posted in Deliverance, hard times, Prayer | 3 Comments | Tagged attacks, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, household salvation, Paul and Silas, Peter, Prayer, protection, supernatural, the devil, the jailer
- The Power of a Petition!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 17, 2021
  
  1 John 5:14-15 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. NKJV
  
  In honor of Women’s History Month, and in keeping with my theme on prayer, I want to blog today about the power of a petition.
  
  In 1891, the women of Victoria went door to door and collected close to 30,000 signatures on a petition for women to have the right to vote. These signatures, collected from women in every station of life, were written in a variety of colors of ink, and even in pencil. It took the women about 6-10 weeks (depending on the source) to collect the many signatures. This petition played an important role in the history of Australia. In 1901, 10 years later, Australia was the first nation to give women both the right to vote and to be a part of government.
  
  In America, the women’s suffrage movement was equally as powerful in getting things done. While watching a documentary tonight on Lincoln, it was fascinating to note that the women’s suffrage movement played a significant role in getting him to abolish slavery in America! They marched and petitioned for decades, resulting in the 19th Amendment and winning the right to vote in 1920.
  
  In the case of the women suffrage’s movement in Victoria, the petition was a formal request from almost 30,000 people to its government in Victoria, Australia to recognized their right to vote and to have a say in the laws and taxes that governed their lives. In the sense of prayer, a petition is a request, where one asks of God to grant favor, a right, or mercy. Also, the prayer of petition is used for having our needs met by God. It’s a powerful prayer.
  
  In 1 Samuel, we find Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, and she is barren. Her greatest desire is to have a child. After much heartache and many years of disappointment, Hannah petitioned the God who hears. Her petition was so important to her that she poured all of her energy into it, much as the women in our above example of the suffrage movement. The high priest, at that time was Eli, and he thought her praying looked like the actions of a drunkard. When she told him that she had poured her heart out to God, he replied:
  
  Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” 1 Samuel 1:17 -NKJV
  
  And it was! Hannah had a son, and she named him Samuel. The same Samuel who later became a mighty prophet in the land of Israel!
  
  Then there was Daniel. At this time, he was serving under king Darius. It was Daniel’s custom to petition God, three times a day. When his enemies saw this, they set a trap for Daniel, requesting (petitioning) the king to sign a decree that no one could petition a god or man, except the king, for thirty days. When Daniel heard about it, he continued with his practice of petitioning God. Not in private! Not only once! But for the same amount of time that he had always petitioned God!
  
  So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” Daniel 6:13 -NKJV
  
  Daniel ignored the decree and was thrown in the lion’s den. But we know God delivered him. I’m pretty sure that while Daniel was praying, he petitioned God to deal with his enemies, for they were all fed to the lions!
  
  And now, to our text for this blog.
  
  1 John 5:14-15 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. NKJV
  
  The prayer of petition is a prayer of confidence and power, because when we petition God, we do so on the basis of His word. Even in the petition of the suffrage movement, they petitioned the government based on the laws that were already in place: all people are created equal, the government was for the people and by the people… And when we petition God, it has to be in line with that which is already in His word. No need to say, “If it be your will” because you have already established that it is His will because it’s His word.
  
  Jeremiah wrote:
  
  Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.”Jeremiah 1:12 – NKJV
  
  Another point to remember is that when we petition the Father, we must believe that He hears us. Again, when the women in this suffrage movement took their petition to Parliament, it was rigged. The man in charge, James Munro, was married to the woman leading the pack, Jane Munro. When we go to God, it’s a rigged court session. Our Father is the Judge, our elder brother and Savior, is our defense attorney, and His beloved Son. We can count on Him hearing our case because the “cards” are stacked in our favor!!
  
  Even if the answer tarries, we must believe that God heard us, the thing that we asked is in line with His will, and therefore we have the petitions that we have asked of Him!
  
  Sometimes I pray for things that I don’t really care if I get them or not, but if I do get them, it would be nice. Do you know what? Most times I don’t get them at all. But there are other times when I petition God for a need, and I see Him come through. I can share many testimonies when He has answered petitions for healing, for provision, for protection, and for forgiveness. I always, always base my petitions on the word of God. I don’t always get an immediate answer, and it doesn’t always take a long time. I am learning how to trust Him when I see nothing. That’s what faith is all about!
  
  Some believe that we have to write a formal prayer petition and sign it. If that’s how God leads you to petition Him, I encourage you to do so expeditiously. However, you can simply petition God, as Hannah and Daniel did, from your heart; and trust that He will hear you and He will answer you! Wonderful Jesus!
  
  Posted in God, Prayer, Women’s History Month | 0 Comments | Tagged 19th Amendment, abolishing slavery, Australia, Daniel, Faith, favor, Forgiveness, Hannah, Lincoln, Prayer, testimony, the Word of God, trust in God, Victoria, women’s sufferage
- When You Pray!-Repost & Revised!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 15, 2021
  Luke 11:2 -So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven…”
  
  when-you-pray_-r-_-r.mp3
  
  I think it is noteworthy, that Jesus said, “When you pray” and not “if” you pray. Unfortunately, statics show (I’ve often wondered who were the people they surveyed) that most Christians spend very little time in prayer. So I thought that I would repost this blog, since I’m in the midst of blogging about prayer.
  
  What happens when you pray? Are your prayers being answered? Are they seemingly not being heard? Does nothing happen? Does something happen every now and again?
  
  This scripture resonateds with me and I couldn’t help but ask myself, “What happens when you pray?” What happened when Jesus prayed?
  
  So let’s take a look at what I discovered about what happened when Jesus prayed:
  - Luke 3:21- the heavens opened up while He prayed
  - Luke 5:16-He prayed often in the wilderness and the paralyzed and many others were healed
  - Luke 6:12-After praying all night, He chose the 12 disciples
  - Luke 9:29-As He prayed, He was transfigured (His appearance and His clothing changed; and Moses and Elijah appeared with Him)
  - Luke 11:1-As He prayed, His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray
  - Matthew 14:23-30- After He prayed, He walked on water and so did Peter
  - Matthew 26-He prayed and then He went to the cross
  - Mark 1:35-He prayed in a solitary place and cast out demons and cleansed the lepers
  - John 14:16- He prayed and the Father sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper
  This is just a quick list of the things that happened when Jesus prayed. In other words, when Jesus prayed, something was always happening!
  
  Charles Finney, considered the Father of Modern Revival, was not brought up in a Christian home. It wasn’t until he was pursuing the law that he was even near a church that he could attend regularly. Charles began to attend the weekly prayer meetings that were held near the law offices that he worked in. It was his study of the law that got him interested in religion, because much of the law was based on Scriptures.
  
  Finney began to notice that even though he went to prayer meetings weekly, no prayers that were prayed were ever answered. This troubled him so deeply he almost walked away from the Bible and Christianity. When the prayer group offered to pray for him, he said no thanks! How sad is that? To have someone say to you that they don’t want your prayers because they have not seen your prayers answered is insulting!
  
  I am convinced that when we pray, something should be happening all the time. The Bible mentions in detail, less than 40 miracles that Jesus performed, but then multitudes were often healed when He was around. I believe He made such an impact, because He prayed often, He prayed effectively, and He left the evidence to support this!
  
  I believe in prayer! I’ve seen some wonderful things happen as a result of prayer! Private prayer, prayer groups, and corporate prayer! God answers prayer! Charles Finney did eventually figure out the power of prayer and God used him mightily during the Second Great Awakening in America. Maybe you haven’t seen your prayers answered, or feel inadequate in your prayer life. I can understand the frustration that will produce. But I encourage you to be like Finney! Don’t sit around feeling sorry for yourself; learn to pray and to pray effectively. One of the first things he did was to study what the Bible has to say about pray and how God delights in giving His children the kingdom! Then he began to pray knowing that God heard him and wanted to answer him. I can assure you that he saw many of his prayers answered.
  
  As I was thinking about my blog for today, I just had a desire to read some of my past blogs on prayer, and found this one. As I reread it, I decided it would be my post. As I began looking at, I had to add some new thoughts to it. Prayer is such an important part of the life of the believer. Not an exercise, but a time spent communing with the Father, and Him with you. A time of asking and receiving. A time of gaining strength and wisdom. A time of power! Jesus prayed often, and if we want to be anything like Him, and do anything He did, we are going to have to pray, also. More to come! Wonderful Jesus!
  Posted in encouragement, Jesus, Prayer | 0 Comments | Tagged answered prayer, Charles Finney, Christian, encouragement, God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer
- Watch Duty
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 12, 2021
  
  Ephesians 6:18 – Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—NKJV
  
  When I was in the military, in training, I was assigned several different duties that I was responsible for carrying out. Inevitably, I would be assigned watch duty. This required me standing at a gate on the base, for many hours, making sure that only “authorized” people were coming on the base. As each car pulled up to the gate, we checked for military identification and made sure that a military sticker was on the vehicle. Those without the proper credentials who needed or wanted to access the base were asked to pull over while we checked their credentials, or to turn their cars around. I am grateful that I had no incidents involving someone who wanted illegal access!
  
  The whole purpose for watch duty was to make sure that those wanting access had a need to be on the base, resulting in providing protection for those on the base. Some people enjoyed this duty, while I considered it a mundane waste of time. And yet there was no denying that it was an important duty. Lives were at stake, and we were the first line of defense for keeping them safe. It was important that we were alert during watch to insure that nothing and no one got past us while we were at our post.
  
  As I read the verse in Ephesians, the phrase, “being watchful” jumped out at me. Immediately following was a reminder of my time on watch duty. When I served watch duty, I served no matter the weather, the time of day or night, or how I felt. Watch duty was expected and necessary. When I think of watchfulness in the word, and its connection to prayer, I know that it requires an even greater sense of urgency and dedication in the life of the believer.
  
  Typically when we teach on prayer or even think about prayer, we think of fasting and prayer. But scripture lets us know that watching and praying also go hand in hand. The word “watch” means, “being awake or alert”. Naturally and spiritually, being on watch requires alertness as we guard our lives against our enemies.
  
  Remember in my previous post that I mentioned Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane? Tonight, I return to that scene where Jesus spoke to His disciples:
  
  Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41 – NKJV
  
  Jesus mentions an important reasons for watching and praying: that we enter not into temptation. And this particular statement was made to Peter. My husband and I was just having a “what if” conversation about Peter. What would have happened if Peter would have watched and prayed? Would he have still denied Jesus? I don’t think so! What would have happened to Jesus’ prophecy? There would have been no need to warn Peter because He would have known that Peter would have spent that time on watch duty! How many things would we avoid, would be kept away from us if we took watch duty more seriously?
  
  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. Mark 13:33 – NKJV
  
  Hear the words of Jesus: watch and pray about the day of His return. Be alert, aware, on guard! Don’t live life as if He isn’t coming back any time soon, for no one knows the day or the hour. He was so insistent that we remain watchful, that He said it three times in this passage alone. Watch! Don’t fall asleep! Wake up so that you are not caught unawares!
  
  Peter finally got what Jesus was trying to tell him, so maybe that’s the real reason he had to experience it:
  
  But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7 – NKJV
  
  Prayer is serious business, and it requires watchfulness. Most people pray after something serious happens, but a watchful person prays before a thing happens. That’s the real message in watchfulness and prayer. Everything won’t be stopped at the door, but there is something to knowing the enemy is on the attack and being prepared for that attack. Watch duty keeps us alert to our surroundings and potential dangers. Each of us must be on alert!
  
  When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He said “pray that you are not led into temptation”. Isn’t that something? When you are watchful, you can avoid temptation and even sin! When you are watchful you can avoid or sidestep the attacks of the enemy! Just like in the military. Surely our bases are prepared for being breached, but it is much easier to keep the enemy out, than it is to have to deal with him once he gets access! That’s the power of watch duty! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have Jesus show us all the things that didn’t happen because we were watchful and we prayed? I think so!
  
  As we were raising our children, we would never allow anyone to speak negative things over them. If someone did, I would just say something like, “I bind that in Jesus Name!” My husband and I were extremely watchful over our girls! If we saw something in our children that we didn’t think would lead to wise and godly choices, we prayed about it before it could come to fruition. One of our daughters was particularly stubborn as a toddler. I was told she would give me a hard time in her teen years. We didn’t wait for her teen years to pray or to deal with her stubbornness , we jumped right on that mess! We knew it wouldn’t be cute at 13, so it wasn’t cute at three!
  
  One final word. Watchfulness requires honesty and a willingness to respond to what you see. When God showed me something about my children, I wouldn’t get worried, I would just say something like, “Ok, Lord! Show me how to pray!” And then I would pray! Or vice versa, when my husband would see something. We didn’t fall apart, we didn’t accept it as the way it would be, and we certainly didn’t enlighten our children to the future the devil had for them! No way! We canceled his assignments and his attacks in prayer! But we had to stay honest about what we saw and heard, and then get in line with God to change undesired behavior. Were we perfect parents? Not even! But we were and are watchful and prayerful!
  
  You have been assigned to watch duty! No one can do it better! There will be times when it may even seem mundane, but it is most important! Your watchfulness can make the difference in your life, your family, and even your church. Get started today and still the hand of the enemy! I know you can do it! Wonderful Jesus!
  
  Posted in Family, Jesus, Prayer | 4 Comments | Tagged attacks, Believer, children, duty, encouragement, Family, garden of Gethsemane, God, Jesus, military, Peter, Prayer, protection, raising godly children, Spiritual warfare, the enemy, watch and pray, watchfulness
- Once, May Not Be Enough!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 10, 2021
  
  Isaiah 62:1 -For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. NKJV
  
  once_-may-not-be-enough_.mp3
  
  Today, instead of blogging about another type of prayer, I want to discuss prayer itself. As most of us know, prayer is simply talking to God. In our desire to understand prayer, and how to pray effectively, we have studied prayer and found many different types of prayer. In our quest to understand prayer, we have found that there are certain “times” of prayer. We have even found that there are patterns to prayer. With all of this in mind, we have even had teachings on how often to pray.
  
  Some highly respected teachers of the word, at least respected by me, have done a phenomenal job at dissecting these areas of prayer, to the point one might ask, “What else can be said?” I don’t pretend to be amongst that group, but as I was praying tonight, I felt this scripture rise in my spirit, and I heard the words, “once may not be enough”. Hence, my topic for this blog!
  
  The journeys of life are quite interesting. Years ago, as I was praying to the Lord about a situation that was not changing, I asked Him how long was I supposed to pray about this thing? Amazingly, He responded immediately with our key text. Although I have known this scripture for decades, it never really dawned on me as a prayer scripture. (That just goes to show that we can know something without understanding it). But if the Holy Spirit showed it to me in regards to praying, then I’m not going to argue with Him.
  
  For Zion’s sake I won’t hold my peace! Are there some situations in your life or the lives of others that you can’t hold your peace about? You just can’t be silent? You have to talk to God about it? And for some reason, it seems like you have hurt your knees, drained your tear ducts, and used every scripture imaginable on the subject with no change? Do you feel faithless, because you just keep praying about it? Have others tried to make you feel like you just need to give it up? Well, if so, this blog is for you!!
  
  Isaiah wrote that for Zion’s sake he wouldn’t hold his peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake he wouldn’t rest. That meant that he intended to cry out to God for as long as he felt he needed to because he was greatly concerned about the Church and his beloved city, Jerusalem! As a matter of fact, he even told us how long he intended to keep this prayer vigil going-until he got results! Some people believe and teach that when you pray in faith, you only have to pray one time. I can tell you for a truth that in many cases, this is absolutely true. Sometimes, you just know, that you know, when you finish praying, the thing is done!
  
  But there are some other times, the Spirit of God whispered to my heart, when once is not enough! Let’s look at Jesus, because we can all agree that He knew how to get a prayer through!
  
  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” – Luke 22:41-42 – NKJV
  
  This prayer was on the night that He was betrayed. He went to the garden to pray, as was His custom. Jesus had spent the day encouraging His disciples, praying for them, and even giving them last minute instructions. And now He is going to spend time in prayer. He even told His disciples how deeply grieved in His soul He was, and asked them to pray with Him. While He was crying out to the Father, they were sleeping!
  
  For this blog, I’m not concerned so much with the topic of His prayer, but there are a couple things to note. First, according to Matthew, He prayed hours about this situation. During the course of His hours of praying, He actually stopped praying and went to check on His disciples. They were falling asleep. Not once, nor twice, but three times. After He checked on them, He went back and prayed twice more for a total of three times. And another thing, He prayed the same thing! For those who feel that praying about something over and over is a lack of faith, I give you Jesus!
  
  Now, let’s look at Paul!
  
  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. – 2 Corinthians 12:8 – NKJV
  
  Paul writes that he had been under attack by the messenger of Satan himself. He was so sick and tired of this messenger who kept coming at him, again and again that Paul called him a thorn in his flesh. I guess after some time Paul got tired of this foolishness and he prayed asking the Lord to allow it to depart from him. As a matter of fact, Paul said that he prayed this same prayer on three different occasions. He didn’t get the answer he sought, but it wasn’t because he prayed more than once. It wasn’t because Jesus liked watching him get attacked over and over again. Jesus simply responded to him that His grace was sufficient for Paul, for His strength was made perfect in weakness. A truth that we all need to understand. Sometimes we will be delivered from the attacks of the enemy, and sometimes He will walk with us in the fire!
  
  Final point about praying more than once about something:
  
  Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to His people who plead with Him day and night? Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying*?” -Luke 18:6-8 – TLB
  
  The very first thing Jesus says in this chapter is that men ought always to pray and not faint. Then He shares this situation with us about the woman who wearied the unjust judge in her continuous coming. The point I want to look at is what Jesus said in the end: But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying*?” This woman, going to judge over and over again, was symbolic of us going to the Father in prayer over and over again. Jesus didn’t call this a lack of faith, He actually called it faith! She was so convinced that if she kept asking, that she would receive! This reminds me of one of my husband’s favorite sayings: “The squeaky wheel gets the oil!”
  
  Okay! I absolutely have to add this point, so forgive the length of this blog:
  
  Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. Daniel 10:12 – NKJV
  
  For three full weeks, Daniel fasted and prayed about the same situation. Then one day, an angel appeared to him and told him that he was heard on the first day! God hears you the first time. It doesn’t take Him 21 days to hear, but sometimes, it takes “earthly” time because the devil is fighting on every hand. And your continuous praying will bring angelic help, if needed, to get the job done!
  
  It’s not a lack of faith that keeps you going back to the Father for a concern on your heart, it’s your desire to see your prayer answered that keeps you going back. You are saying, “I need some oil!” Or, “I need some justice!” Or, “I need some help!” Don’t give up on your confidence in God’s willingness and His ability to answer your prayer! Pray until you get what you want, because once may not be enough! Wonderful Jesus!
  
  prayer-for-salvation-2.mp3
  
  Posted in Faith, Jesus, Prayer | 0 Comments | Tagged angels, attacks, Daniel, Deliverance, encouragement, Faith, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Paul, Prayer, Satan, Spiritual warfare, supernatural, the enemy
- Getting in Agreement!
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 8, 2021
  
  Matthew 18:19 – “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven…” NKJV
  
  I recall a time at church when we were told to join with another believer and pray for one another. A woman in the church gave me her request and I prayed earnestly. She asked me to pray for her husband. After church, I discovered that she had no husband. I felt like the biggest fool because I had prayed with everything in me for her husband, only to find out that she didn’t have one!
  
  Even though I had that weird and negative experience of praying with someone about a fantasy situation, I couldn’t be more confident in saying, I believe wholeheartedly in the prayer of agreement.
  
  Let’s start by zeroing in on the concept of agreement. The Greek word for agreement is “symphoneo” and gives us a picture of a symphony in perfect harmony. I’ve gone to many concerts over the years, and have heard many different instruments playing together. The harmony and timing of the concert leaves you in awe, as you listen to the majestic sounds emanating from the strings, the percussions, the brass, and the woodwinds. Each playing their part, combining to make one sound! Harmonious! That’s a picture of agreement.
  
  The prophet Amos, asked this question:
  
  Amos 3:3 -Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? NKJV
  
  I ask, “Can two pray together effectively, if they don’t agree?” And I’ll answer this question. They cannot!
  
  Agreement should be in the request. One person praying can’t be praying for a miraculous healing, while the other person is praying for everything to go well in the surgery. That’s not agreement! Agreement is when you are all praying for the same thing. It may be said differently, it may cover a different aspect of the request, but it has to be for the same result. So if someone asks you to pray for a speedy recovery, get in agreement with them and pray for a speedy recovery! If while you are praying, you believe God is leading you to pray in another direction, let it be known. If they still can’t get in agreement with you, you need to get in agreement with them. After that sad situation I mentioned in the beginning, I have learned to say that I don’t have the faith for that, or I can’t get in agreement with that. It is what it is!
  
  Agreement should be in the bond of association. I can’t come in agreement in prayer with a non-believer, for there is no agreement. Light and darkness don’t agree. It’s called being unequally yoked:
  
  Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 – NKJV
  
  You can pray for unbelievers. You can also pray for those in another religion, or those who are lawless, but it can’t be the prayer of agreement. Because, what will you be agreeing on?
  
  Agreement works well when you are praying for the same thing, believe in the same God, believe the same truth about what you are praying, and are kindred spirits in prayer. In other words, you can’t just hear this scripture and grab just anybody to pray with you and be in agreement. However, in a church setting, when you are asked to pray with someone next to you, the prayer of agreement can be effective, as long as they person is a believer and you are in agreement with what is being prayed.
  
  Agreement must be in the Name of Jesus! Can you pray a prayer of agreement with a Buddhist, if you are a Christian? Not hardly, since only one of you can pray in His Name. I have to admit that as I watched the inauguration in January, I experienced disappointment, as I heard the pastor ended his prayer in “the strong name of our collective faith”! What is that? I’m still baffled at that one! We are not all collectively in relationship with the same God! And if we were, then ending in the name of Jesus would have been acceptable!
  
  The situation that I mentioned at the beginning when the woman had me praying for her husband? The beautiful thing is that it taught me about just jumping in and praying. As a minister, I have prayed with many people at the altar. Not a lot of time for an interview. However, I have learned to ask clarifying questions because of that situation. And you should to. In doing so, you will find out if you are in agreement or not. With my prayer warriors, I don’t have to ask clarifying questions, the years have solidified what we believe and how we believe. But with new people, I need to understand what you are asking me to agree with you about. And you need to know also!
  
  I remember many times when I prayed in agreement with someone and God answered. I’ll share a couple:
  
  Our firstborn was diagnosed with abnormal seizure disorder at the age of 2 weeks old. Of course, this was pretty hard to hear. We alerted the family and everyone we knew, to please pray. She was placed on medication and given a life sentence of seizure activity. We knew we were moving to Chicago and wanted to establish a connection to a pediatric neurologist in Chicago, and we made an appointment there around her sixth month. She was looking and acting very normal at this time, and was free of seizures. (Prayer changes things). But her pediatrician didn’t want to take her off of the medicine or to say that she was fine. My husband and I prayed that the doctor in Chicago would give us a different report and take her off of the medication. Sure enough, he told us how to wean her properly from the medicine and said that all tests had come back normal! God is a good God!!
  
  Another time, someone asked me to pray with her about her job. A trap was being laid out against her by someone at her job. We prayed together that the trap being set for her would trap that individual. Sure enough, that person ended up losing her job as a result of her own actions! We were specific, we were in agreement, and we saw God shut that person down.
  
  Over the years, I have had a tremendous amount of prayer support within my circle of friends. We have learned to trust each others’ hearts and have built our relationships in the God of our Lord and Savior, Jesus! As a result we have seen mountains moved, diagnoses turned around, debts paid, and relationships restored. We have become so adept in our ability to pray with and for one another that now we can simply say, “pray”! When we pray, we are like a symphony orchestra that has played together for years. Even if improvisation is needed, we pray well together. One of us might pray for the situation, another may pray against satanic forces, then it will get picked up again by a third who can pray about another facet of the same situation. When we are done, it has been well covered and it is as if one person did the praying, when it was easily two or three, or four of us!
  
  Jesus said that the prayer of agreement will work concerning anything that we ask. We’ve probably prayed about some of everything, and seen God answer. What do we do when we don’t get the results we want? Because it has happened over the years. And here’s what we do, we continue to pray in faith, because we have found Him to be faithful. Some results are better than what we ask, some are point on, and some we have had to continue to trust God with, but nothing could turn us from our conviction that the prayer of agreement is a powerful way to get results.
  
  What do you have going on in your life that you need to see God move in? Whatever it is, you may just need some prayer support. Your spouse, your child, your sibling, your friend…the list is endless. Just make sure that it is someone who can get in agreement with you. The last thing you want when you are praying, is someone praying against what you are believing God for! So never ask someone to pray with you about something when they have already expressed their doubts. They can’t pray above those doubts. No one can!
  
  If you have seen success with the prayer of agreement, keep it up! I know you have testimonies of your own. If you haven’t used it before, you may want to start using it now. It’s a powerful way to pray that gets results! And that type of prayer is a symphony before heaven! Wonderful Jesus!
  
  Posted in Jesus, Prayer, the Name of Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, God, Healing, Jesus, Prayer, prayer of agreement, prayer partners, protection, relationships, trust in God
- Who is Like You, O Lord?
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 5, 2021
  
  Exodus 15:11 – “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? NKJV
  
  I was in New York at a conference when I heard Chris Tomlin’s song, “Our God”. I couldn’t get enough of that song! We sang it in every meeting, and when I came home, the first thing I wanted to know was, who wrote that song and how could I get it! Here are the words to the chorus:
  
  Our God is greater, our God is stronger
  God You are higher, than any other
  Our God is Healer, awesome in power
  Our God, Our God!
  
  The prayer of praise and worship is another prayer that focuses solely on God! Even greater than the prayer of thanksgiving is this time of pouring our love and affection on the Master.
  
  Some of the things that we can worship Him for are His holiness, His glory, His greatness, His majesty, His power, His creation and His faithfulness, to name a few!
  
  Our text is a verse that focuses on His greatness. After God delivered the children of Israel from Pharaoh, Moses sang this in a song:
  
  Exodus 15:11 – “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? NKJV
  
  Is that the echo of your heart? Who is like our God? Who can do the wonders He does? Who is more glorious? There is no other! No, not one!
  
  Nehemiah uttered these words of worship to God:
  
  You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. Nehemiah 9:6 – NKJV
  
  It’s appropriate that at some point in our life we worship Him for the angels spend time worshipping Him, and He hasn’t saved them! Sooner rather than later! More often, than not! He’s worthy!
  
  Jonah, while in the belly of the great fish spoke these words to the Father:
  
  “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. Jonah 2:7-8 – NKJV
  
  Jonah worshipped the merciful God when His soul was faint! Anytime, is a good time to stop and worship the Lord or give Him praise. When you do so, it’s praying, conversing with God, on another level! Here are some scriptures to get you started:
  
  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Psalm 48:1 – NKJV
  
  He is so great! He is awesome! Worthy to be praised! Worthy of honor!
  
  Psalm 77:13- Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?
  
  No one! Our God is the only true God! You’ll not find another! He’s greater! He’s stronger! He’s wiser! Our God!
  
  A personal favorite of my brother-in-law, Pastor Eric and one that comes to mind is:
  
  Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 – NKJV
  
  Can’t you hear yourself worshipping Him and saying: You, O Lord, are the only One who can keep me from stumbling, and only You can present me before the Father, faultless! I worship You God my Savior, who alone is wise… and then throw some of this in there:
  
  O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens! Psalm 8:1 – NKJV
  
  Go ahead and worship Him for His excellent Name! The Name that is above every name!
  
  For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. Psalm 95:3-5 -NKJV
  
  If I had to stop and worship Him right now, I couldn’t do it without telling Him how good He is. I couldn’t go far with my words without saying how great is His love towards me. I would have to mention His faithfulness throughout my life!
  
  Sometimes in thinking about prayer, we can over complicate the manner. We can accomplish so much in prayer when we spend time in worship, adoring Him, offering Him praise, throwing in some gratefulness, and basically focusing on Him. Is He insecure and needs words of affirmation to get through His day? Not hardly! But He is God, Creator of the Universe! The Living God, Who was, and Is, and Is to Come! He is worthy! He deserves to be worshipped and honored. And as I blog, I realize I haven’t done it enough! Who is like our God? No one, that’s who? No one is greater, no one is stronger, no one is higher. I am overwhelmed with His love! I am awed by His creation! I am touched by His heart towards us! Wonderful Jesus!
  
  Posted in God, praise, Prayer, worship | 0 Comments | Tagged adoration, Attitude, faithfulness, God, holiness, Honor, Jonah, love, Moses, praise, Prayer, the Exodus, worship, worthy
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