Praying Friends

A Friend texted me early this morning with a prayer request.  It was not an urgent prayer request, and some might not even consider it a situation in which to pray, but it was important enough to my friend to reach out to me, and so, I prayed.

When I finished with my prayer, I was reminded how often I had reached out to this very friend for prayer as well.  Some requests were urgent, and then some were not, but I always knew I could count on her to pray for me and for whatever situation I was going through.   I also knew that this request would not only be prayed for as soon I reached out to this friend, but that she would pray about this situation multiple times throughout the day.  And not only that, but after a few days, she would call or text me to see how this situation all worked out.

Praying friends.

I have a Heavenly Father whom I can go to for prayer too.  Big or small, urgent or not so urgent, I can reach out and ask God for whatever it is that I need to get me through a specific situation, or just strength to make it through the day.  I have the Holy Spirit who can form words from my heart when I cannot utter a sound.

Romans 8:26 and 27 says:  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:  for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:  but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

I have praying friends, and I also want to BE a praying friend,  but that's just me!

"The best kind of friend is a praying friend."  Unknown

 

Manners

 When I was a little girl, my Mother gave me The Little Golden Book of Manners.  Inside it's colorful pages were examples of Common Courtesies that we should show to one another.  Things like saying, "Please,"  "Thank you," or, "Excuse me."  Pictures that would show me that I should cover my mouth when I coughed or sneezed, letting someone else go before me while waiting in line.  I can still see Mr. Giraffe giving up his seat on the bus for Mrs. Cat.

I can sum up this picture book with one Bible Verse:  Matthew 7:12 says, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:  for this is the law and the prophets."

Somewhere along the way we have forgotten how to think of others before ourselves, but today I will purpose in my heart to extend kindness to someone who has known no kindness.  I will purpose in my heart to do something for someone without expecting anything in return.  I will love as Christ has loved.

But that's just me!

"Doing good does the doer good."  Unknown  

Ebenezer

When you hear the name Ebenezer, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?  Is it Ebenezer Scrooge, from the writings of Charles Dickens?  Or is it from the Scriptures written by God? 

1 Samuel Chapter 7 tells us of a time when the children of Israel were under attack from the Philistines.  They went to Samuel and asked him to pray to the LORD to save them.  Samuel interceded on behalf of the children of Israel, and verse 10 tells us that when the Philistines drew near to battle against them, the LORD thundered with a great thunder and they were discomfited and they were smitten before Israel.

God answered Samuel's prayer.

Then Samuel took a stone and set it in the place of victory and called the name of it, Ebenezer, because the LORD helped them.

Ebenezer:  Stone of help.

I have an Ebenezer stone.  It's an agate half the size of my hand and it sits on the ledge of my bay window in my kitchen.  It was placed there during a time when I didn't think I would even make it through the day.  Every day when I am washing my dishes, I am reminded that the LORD is my help.  I will never face anything alone, and when I pray and ask God to defeat my armies of sickness, fear, discouragement or you fill-in-the-blank,  I know He will.  

He is my Stone of Help and I will praise him for the victory!  But that's just me! 

Helping Hands

 We are in the first stages of remodeling our bathroom.  It was an unexpected decision based on the discovery of water damage.  So, the demo has begun, and if you have ever had a last minute DIY project, then you know it comes with it's share of snags.  Our first snag was removing an old 1930 cast iron bathtub.  It's not as easy as the YouTube videos you can watch on-line.  My husband and son both took a sledge hammer to the relic-beast that refused to give up it's space that it has occupied for the past 90 years, and refused to even crack!  So what to do?  Call a friend to help carry the monstrosity out!

Moses had friends to help keep his arms raised when he grew tired.  You will find this account in Exodus 17:12.  Aaron and Hur stayed by his side, and those helping hands defeated and army.

In Mark 2:1-12 you will find a paralyzed man, who with the help of his friends, brought him to Jesus for healing, and in doing so, found that they, too, had a DIY project!  They literally removed the roof to lower their friend down to see Jesus!  Their faith and determination, along with their helping hands, allowed this man to be healed by Jesus.

Helping hands come in all shapes and sizes, and always answers the S.O.S. Call.

I want to have Helping Hands.  But that's just me!

Hand-Me-Downs

Between my sisters and my cousins, there were five of us girls.  That meant when it came to clothes, we would all, eventually, get a chance to wear the same outfit.  I specifically remember a pair of maroon, corduroy, bibbed over-all shorts.  In the 1970's they were referred to as 'hot-pants.'   I'm not sure which one of the older girls got them first, but I knew that one day I would also get my turn to wear them and I couldn't wait!

Webster's Dictionary defines hand-me-downs as:  Something that is put in use by one person or group after being used, or handed down by another.

There is an example of a Hand-Me-Down in 2 Timothy 1:5.  It is the hand-me-down of unfeigned faith.  The verse says:  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also.

If you really think about it, a hand-me-down is a lot like a legacy.  We are passing down something from our lives to those around us, and it could be something really great, or something not-so-great.

I want to hand down a faith to follow!  But that's just me!

"Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful."  Steve Green 

Believe Big

 What if every answer to prayer depended on how much we believed God would answer?

The Bible tells us of a Centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant.  He was making a request to Jesus on behalf of someone else.

We do that too.  Every time we lift someone up in prayer, we are going to God on behalf of that person.

Matthew 8:13 says:  And Jesus said unto the Centurion, Go thy way; and as thou has believed, so be it done unto thee.  And his servant was healed the selfsame hour.

The Centurion believed his servant would be healed, and guess what?  He was!  But what if the Centurion hadn't believed that his servant would be fully healed?  Do you think he would have been fully healed?  Partially healed?  Made me think.  Am I praying for others believing  that God will answer my prayer to it's fullest?

Jesus said in Mark 11:24:  Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "If you believe in prayer at all, expect God to hear you.  If you do not expect, you will not have.  God will not hear you unless you believe He will hear you; but if you believe He will, He will be as good as your faith."

We have a Big God.....so Believe Big!

But that's just me!

Do the Right Thing

 Have you ever been wronged?  Silly question, isn't it?  We have all been wronged at one time or the other, but what do you usually do when that happens?  Do you wait for that person to come to you and apologize, or do you go to them?

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 tells us that there are times when we need to go to the one who offended us.  Why?  To keep them from being swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, to confirm your love towards them, and to keep Satan from getting an advantage over that situation.  Is it easy to do?  No, but it's the right thing to do.

"Those who can truly forgive, have truly been forgiven."  T.H.

Has someone wronged you?  Don't wait for them to come to you, go to them.  It's the right thing to do.

But that's just me!