I've posted about this before but it's very important when it comes to prayer. Why would you say something that you don't really mean to the Person that knows your innermost thoughts? Be sure that if you are not sincere you will not be answered. You can repeat a prayer that you memorised from your childhood one million times but it will have no effect whatsoever if it's not what you truly mean. Or you can say just one word and God will change the situation dramatically because you meant it with everything inside of you.
Whenever you open your mouth to pray make sure you mean what you say.
I know it's been a while but I have to share one of the most important lessons that I've learnt last week - the importance of prayer. It's a very powerful weapon, but like any other if you don't use it it will have no effect whatsoever and if you are not aware of how powerful it actually is then you will never truly see what it can do for you. So this week all the posts will be dedicated to the importance of prayer.
Just thought it may be useful to share what I have been thinking about recently...
How often do we hear the phrase 'Don't judge me!'?
Nobody likes to be judged purely based on the mistakes that they have or by just their physical appearance, but yet it is so easy, in fact too easy, for us to look at others and judge them by the same standards that we don’t want to be judged by. Is that fair? NO! If you don’t want to be judged by the way you look then stop looking for flaws in the appearance of others. I f you don’t want your mistakes to be the only reason as to why people notice you then stop searching for the mistakes in others. Look at other people how you long to be looked at. Think of other people how you want to be thought of. Value people in the same way that you want to be valued.
‘Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement.’ John 7:24
Why is it that people can be more sincere with a social networking site than they can be with God when in reality it’s only God that can help? I'm not saying that it’s wrong to post how you feel on Facebook; there is no problem with that because the status bar does ask what is on your mind. I'm just saying that it makes no sense expressing anything and everything that you truly feel on a website but not doing the same with God. When it’s time to pray you should tell Him how you really feel inside. I've noticed that when we go to a church service it’s ridiculously easy to go with the flow because it seems like the right way to do things. You hear people crying out, singing and praising God and it’s easy to do the same.If you want to cry, why not cry? If you've had a bad day, why not say so? Let out what you hold inside. Imagine you have an appointment with a councillor and you’re in tears. He asks you what is wrong and you say ‘nothing’s wrong. Today has been such a great day!' The councillor can clearly see that you are not okay because he can see your tears, but he won’t be able to help you.It’s the same with God; He can see all the pain that you hold inside and the burden that’s on your shoulders but what can He do if you don't open up? He wants to be the One that you can rely on and tell all your secrets to, just like you do with your best friend. He wants you to be sincere with Him. You don't need to be afraid, just think to yourself, would you rather just make a nice prayer and go home in the same way or be real, then ask for help, receive it and go home blessed?
If you lived at the top floor of a ten story flat and one day when you leave your house you find that the lift is not working what would you do? For many the only solution is to use the stairs, but for others I guess this is not so obvious. You may wonder why I say this but you will soon come to understand. Other than the stairs there is another way which is very quick but can prove to be quite dangerous and it's out of the window. You may read this and think I'm mad but its an option that many people resort to!
In life we face situations that require us to make choices. For example, we may be put in positions where we have to tell the truth and get in trouble or lie and get out the easy way. Times come when we have to either trust God or make things happen ourselves. I could give many examples but we can either do things in the wrong way or in the correct way and when we do things in the wrong way even when we know that we shouldn't thats us jumping out of the window. Okay we do get down quickly but there will be a consequence that could prove to be quite severe. Although 'taking the stairs' may take some effort and may cause some pain at least you get to the place where wanted to alive! So the next time you need to make that kind of choice and the easy way out looks appealing just take the stairs.
