Have you ever stopped and thought about that? We all have desires, all kinds of desires. For money, homes, cars, even animals, children, friends. It can go on and on. It seems there is always something more we want. Stuff... flowers if you are a gardener...collectibles..
If we are parents we want things for our children. We want things for our grandchildren. We want things for our parents.
We take these desires/wants to God in prayer. We ask Him for healing, we ask Him to repair relationships, for financial help. Anything we need/want we can take to Him. He is that kind of God. He loves us and cares about our lives on this earth. He answers our prayers. How awesome is that!!?? The God who created the universe, who knows every star in that huge night sky by name, answers our prayers!
I was thinking the other day about my own prayer life, the people I pray for, the things I ask God for. And He reminded me of:
Mat 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Mat 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Mat 7:8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
1Chronicles 28:9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
Am I seeking God first? When I pray for others am I praying for God's kingdom and God's righteousness in their lives? Or am I just praying for earthly things for them? Money and good family relationships for my children? Healing for the sick?
Now these are not bad things to pray for. God wants to hear us pray for the relationships of our children and healing for the sick. But it just seems to me sometimes those prayers are more important than the spiritual healing, or the spiritual relationship they need.
If God understands my every desire and every thought, just what is my heart's desire? The one desire that is most important to me. My Lord cares about my desires. He wants to answer my prayers. But are my prayers self centered? Are my prayers earth centered? Yes, unfortunately, if I am honest alot of them are.
So, I started thinking about my heart's desire. And how did it line up with God's kingdom and His righteousness? I had to really think and really search my heart to realize that in the midst of all these prayers, (again that are not bad) is a prayer that my heart longs for that does line up with His kingdom.
I will still pray for all the other needs. They are important, but this desire of my heart that lines up with God's will has become the one I will be in prayer about as often as I possibly can. Trusting God to answer in His time.
Are you wondering what kind of prayer this is? Or maybe you already know... This prayer is for someone close to my heart to have a renewed relationship with Jesus. This person has walked away and needs that relationship back, just doesn't realize it.
There are millions of people in our world today who need Jesus. We need to be in prayer for every one of them. Even when we don't know them. And I have to admit I fail in this area.
Why is it if the need is not right in front of me, I tend to forget it? Shame on me!
So, how do I change this? First, seek God's forgiveness. Ask for His help in making my prayer time be more meaningful and more consistent. That time that is supposed to be His every morning, and gets so easily sidetracked, needs to be set in stone. No more sidetracks, no more procrastinating!
I also will ask you to pray with me first for those who need Christ in their lives. Then for me to be consistent in my prayer time.
Thank you!
Love,
Barb
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