If anyone knows Melissa…

It’s 4:30 am and I have been up since 3 am. Have to be up at 5 am anyway. I am up fighting a battle in the spirit. I am warring against things that I knew were real but never encountered much before. Never been sadder or angrier or more tired or felt so intensely. Voices say give up, run away, hide….but what good would any of that do? So I stand and fight. If you see me cry or hear me or feel my distance it is not because I want you to join me here. No need unless the Lord bids you come. Sometimes these just flow out.

“… for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him..” ~ Matthew 6:8b 

God doesn’t need our suggestions. But we are eager to make them to Him! I’m guilty of making my prayer life all about figuring out my situations and then asking God to bless my plans. “Lord, bless this. Just bless all that I’ve arranged. And give me all I’ve suggested.” But can I admit to you what I have had to admit to God a lot over the years? My plans are never, ever the best plans.

Like today’s verse states, God already knows what we need before we ask Him. Not what we think we need. He knows what we really need according to His perfect plans.

So, why pray then?

Because prayer is God’s appointed way to have our needs met.

Because we don’t truly know what we need. We pray because He sees everything while we see only a little of the bigger picture. We pray because we have limited perspectives, limited thoughts, limited views. We pray because we need so much more than quick fixes and help for our troubles.  

Because we need Him.

Because we need what He gives us through prayer.

Here are some things God can give us through prayer:

• He will give revelations and a powerful sense of peace we can not get any other way. If we will hush the voices and stop hurry of our lives, and humble our hearts in prayer before the Lord,

• He can not only hush the worries, but ONLY HE can empty the world’s worries from our minds and hearts.

Nothing on earth has any authority over God. His will is accomplished even when it doesn’t look that way from our point of view. And best of all He is operating from victory not working for victory.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ” Matthew 6:9-10

“Thy will be done.” His will is going to be done so with Him; there is no need for us to worry. Because of Him, we have every reason to worship!

• He will fill us with His perfect provision for this day.

“Give us this day our daily bread” ~ Matthew 6:11

God knows what we need and will give us today’s portion of meeting that need. It may not look like what we want, but it will be what He knows we need and in the exact portion we can handle.

• He will purify us so that what we spill over onto others through our words and actions is life giving.

A heart tainted by sin, tempted to be too prideful to forgive, or tortured by temptation will not thrive or be the blessing to others we’re called to be. So, Jesus teaches us how to stay free of the deceiver’s grip.

“and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” ~ Matthew 6:12-13

As I read this I realize He doesn’t need our lists of desires; he wants our willing humility. 

I also realize that there are no singular pronouns in this prayer. They are all plural. It begins with “Our Father.” When we pray, we must remember that we are part of God’s worldwide family of believers. We have no right to ask for ourselves anything that would harm another member of the family. If we are praying in the will of God, the answer will be a blessing to all of God’s people in one way or another. We may not understand it now, but one day we will.

So in humility, we lift up His name, we receive His provision, we listen for His direction, we accept His correction, we walk in protection in Him that prayer can give and we can declare to ALL the world.

“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” ~ Matt 6:13b

God bless you today!

Matthew 20:1-16 –

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.