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Changing Your Landscape? Start Anew With God’s Plan

Life sometimes requires us to start anew, as in the case of a divorce or a move. Other times, we just have a tug at our heart, knowing we need to wipe the slate clean and start afresh.

My husband and I recently made the decision to redo the landscaping at our home. It took a lot of prep work to make that decision. We needed to agree we wanted to stay in our home and not move. Next came researching landscaping companies, followed by contacting the finalists, settling on a plan and price, signing an agreement, and submitting a down-payment.

You see, our landscaping was over 25 years old. It looked aged and worn, and we wanted a new look—one that involved fewer straggly bushes and less maintenance. Basically, we were tired of the same old thing!

The laborious work began this week.

We watched the crew not just “prune” our yard, but remove every evidence of the last 25 years of growth.

It wasn’t sad to us, because we hoped “the future” look would be better. Okay, it might have been sad to our neighbors when they saw the landscapers demolish the beautiful crepe myrtle that adorned our neighborhood.

But then arose the destruction—as trenches were dug a water pipe burst, then our Internet cable was severed. An emergency call to the water district, a three-hour wait to connect to AT&T, and disruption of my husband’s work-related Zoom call seemed quite problematic. Why? Because we were not anticipating any dire consequences from our well-thought-out plans.

As a believer, we face many decisions in life. We decide what ministries to be involved in, what church to attend, who to marry, what job to take, where to live, and more.

Just as there were steps in deciding to redo our landscaping, there are steps and choices to make in our spiritual life.

While we have the personal liberty to choose God’s plan or not, our lives are best lived in the presence of God’s will and direction. He is our strength and support in this life and the life to come.

Why is it important to know God’s plan?

It is important to know God’s plan because the Lord is the best person capable of running our lives. The Bible tells us multiple times that God knows our future. When we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we are positioned to receive His blessings. When we are following His will by trusting and obeying Him, we can have confidence He hears our prayers and is working things out for our greatest benefit. God will not hide His will from us if we sincerely seek Him.

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. (Psalm 139:4)

Every good thing [is] given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:30-33

You shall walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess. Deuteronomy 5:33

Starting Over

My husband and I don’t like yard work. In starting over from square one, we are trying to simplify our life by eliminating trees, bushes, and foliage in our yard. By removing unwanted debris, there will be more room for light to shine into our home—along with a simpler austerity.

In our Christian walk, sometimes we need to make decisions to move on, clear out our clutter, and/or change our priorities. Hopefully, when we do, our walk with the Lord will deepen and mature us to become more Christlike.

The “method to our madness” in discovering His plans entail making decisions by seeking Him, looking at options, and developing a sense of His guidance.

What are the steps to discover His plan?

  1. Ask God for His wisdom and understanding (James 1:5-6);
  2. Desire to follow His will. [That comes when we are repentant and obedient to His already established will in the Bible] (Psalm 51:2-3);
  3. Pray and meditate. [Do not make any decisions that have not been prayed over] (Philippians 4:6-7);
  4. Look for providential circumstances. [But recognize that circumstances and/or feelings alone should not be the deciding factor] (James 1:17);
  5. Talk to godly friends, confidants, or elders at your church for guidance (Proverbs 15:22);
  6. Rest and wait patiently in God through the power of the Holy Spirit (Psalms 27:14);
  7. Ask yourself if you have peace about your decision (Psalms 29:11);
  8. Understand that God’s will might involve some suffering (Romans 8:18);
  9. Recognize that if you have done these steps and are still unsure of His will, but a decision must be made, go with the best choice you can make (Romans 8:28);
  10. If you find you have made a “mistake,” keep trusting in the Lord to work everything out (Proverbs 3:5-6).

As I write this, our landscaping feat is not complete. Actually, we are deep in the midst of a huge mess.

However, I hope our decision to bulldoze all our greenery turns out to be the right one. Our expectation is to have an attractive and easy-to-keep-up-with yard. But, if it doesn’t, we still have a God who loves us and wants the best in our lives.

If you feel the need to start over, seek Him first. Be obedient. Follow His lead. And trust that He always knows what is best for us. And, don’t be afraid of a change!

Praying the Scripture

Dear heavenly Father, 

If I lack wisdom, I am asking You who gives generously without reproach to all who ask for it, because You have said in Your Word that it will be given. I am asking in faith without any doubting because Your Word says, “one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.”

Wash thoroughly from me my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Help me not to be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, I am letting my requests, concerns, and upcoming decisions ascend to You. And Your peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.

I know that every good thing is given, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from You–the Father of lights. Give me wise counsel so my plans are not frustrated, because I know that with many counselors I will succeed. Give me the ability to wait on You for all plans and decisions that I need to make. Make me strong and let my heart take courage. Yes, let me wait for Your answers. I know You give strength to Your people, and that You will bless me with peace.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to me. And I know that You cause all things to work together for good to those who love You, to those who are called according to Your purpose, and that includes me. I want to trust in You, Lord with all my heart, and not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I want to acknowledge you. I know You will make my paths straight and my decisions honorable to You.

I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

Edited by E. Johnson

Bible verses come from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Books by Patti Greene – Order Below!

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

 

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The Fact Is: Chatting With God Is Awesome

I had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to spend a good part of my day in one of my favorite ways: chatting casually with my Heavenly Father. It was a beautiful time of fellowship, and I really felt myself the “daughter of the King”. In that conversation, I could express safely, with equal confidence, my joys, hopes, and fears.

We’ll get to that later. For now, let’s start at the beginning.

========================================

Lying in bed one cool fall day recently, I received a nudge around 6:17 a.m. The nudge was clear. It said, “Get up. Go pray.” I knew immediately from whom the nudge came.

I slipped out of bed, grabbed a cup of Folger’s Classic coffee, and went straight to my prayer chair. There was no time to question God. He made it very clear that He had something to say to me, and I was not about to keep Him waiting.

Behind the Scenes

Behind the scenes in my spiritual life, I have been dealing with a lot that I don’t understand this year. My meltdowns, my concerns, my unexpected thoughts, my perceived inability to hear God correctly, and the fear of hearing Him incorrectly all played into the fact that I knew God either had some profound admonitions for me or indispensable words of encouragement.

Creative Inspiration

Most times God speaks to me in a small quiet voice or through His Word. But occasionally He speaks to me in very creative ways.

An example of that was last weekend when I was driving to a Bible study. I was on the agenda to share a few words of wisdom with the group.

I was empty.

I had nothing in mind to share.

God is so good. He knew I had undergone a week filled with one urgent issue after another. As I drove on the freeway (I-10, for those who care), I passed a storage facility followed by a billboard that had the word journey on it. Through those everyday roadside fillers, God graciously gave me His words to share at the Bible study.

He impressed me to tell this group that, “As women, we store so much within ourselves without sharing it with anyone, either isolating ourselves from others or stressing us out. However, we must remember that we are all on our own individual journey, and how God works with you and what He might want you to share or not share may be different than how He deals with others.”

Now, I am not suggesting you give up your daily Bible reading or prayer time to look for these creative signs from God. Not at all, but what I am saying is that God can use any method He so chooses to share Himself with you and me.

Back to that cool fall day . . .

Praying for months for more intimate moments with God, I zealously awaited a deep one-on-one time with the Lord that morning.

Preparing to Hear from God

When I first sat down in my prayer chair, I reread one of my recent Dear God letters.* Then, I recalled multiple Bible verses to mind and recited them aloud. At that juncture, I began talking to the Lord about what was heaviest on my heart—my not understanding the “whys” of what I had gone through, and was still going through, this year.

You see, it’s been a rough season of pruning, spiritual warfare, and not understanding circumstances. Through it all, though, my desire was to be absolutely surrendered to Him.

In all humility, I must mention I have been in the Word constantly and been praying daily, so I knew it wasn’t a matter of God telling me to do these two things.

It was much deeper than that.

God had serious business to conduct with me. And, I loved His creativity with me, especially since I have been in such a serious mode lately.

A Pen and Paper Conversation

Then from nowhere, God and I were sharing like two good old friends, chit-chatting about everything from smoked sausage to the latest lipstick trends. [Yes, I am exaggerating here!]

Being the “pen and paper” woman I am, I began writing down our conversation as it was occurring. God titled our conversational diversion with the phrase “The fact is.” This phrase became the name of our personal tête-à-tête.

In a short amount of time, 120 lines of talking with my heavenly Father had taken place. I could have kept going, but I stopped when a text message from a friend came through.

With her permission, I share her 6:59 a.m. post.

Patti, John and family, the Joy of the Lord will give you strength and you will live the life of victory God has promised you! Father, bless this family with victory in their personal lives, in their relationships, in their church and in their community. Dear Lord, thank you for blessing, encouraging and empowering them no matter what they may be facing. I ask You to fill their hearts with supernatural joy, so they can stand strong in all things. I pray that God blesses you daily with good health, divine healing, peace, hope and guidance. I am praying that in His perfect time and in His gentle way, God’s caring touch will comfort, support and strengthen you. Love you. In Jesus name. Amen.

It’s just like God to send a confirmation that He is right by my side—only 43 minutes after my wakeup call. But it didn’t stop there. All day long, I took notice of God saying, “The fact is,” and I responded with the same identical phrase.

This non-verbal dialogue between God and me transpired as I traced my path through several stores, specifically Walgreens, Barnes & Noble, Macy’s and Hobby Lobby. He even confirmed it was Him in Barnes and Noble when I randomly ran across a book titled, And That’s a Fact! *

The bottom line of this post is that I thought I would share a sampling of the heart-to-heart chat I had with the Lord today. Maybe it will help you—maybe it won’t. But I think God is nudging me to share it! So, I am going to obey.

Me:        The fact is, I love You, Jesus.

God:      The fact is, I love you so much I died for you.

Me:        The fact is, You will help me overcome.

God:      The fact is, Yes, I will give you strength.

Me:        The fact is, You want me to rest upon Your shoulder.

God:      The fact is, I can calm and quiet your soul by doing that.

Me:        The fact is, people fail us and let us down.

God:      The fact is, I am always true to My Word

God:      The fact is, I am your confidence.

Me:        The fact is, I get hurt when I don’t remember that. In fact, I get hurt a lot.

God:      The fact is, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Me:        The fact is, I try to remember that one day is like a thousand years to You.

God:      The fact is, I know you were summoned into service for Me.

Me:        The fact is, then You know I don’t know what to do with that calling.

God:      The fact is, just trust that I know the plans I have for you.

Me:        The fact is, I know You don’t have to share those plans with me now.

Me:        But the fact is, I am getting older.

God:      The fact is, some things I hide in the spiritual realm until the right time.

Me:        The fact is, that sometimes I feel battered down and feel forgotten.

God:      The fact is, I give My power to the weak and I am able.

Me:        The fact is, I can’t make sense of it.

God:      The fact is, you just need to trust Me.

Me:        The fact is, I do trust You and I know You hold me in Your hands.

God:      The fact is, that My wisdom will guide you to understanding. With discernment, you will know My ways.

Me:        The fact is, spiritual warfare comes out of nowhere and it lasts so long, then leaves temporarily, then returns.

God:      The fact is, I have allowed it, so your faith can be proven.

God:      The fact is, I want You to experience the “coming out of it” victoriously. I can only do it that through the way I am working in your life.

Me:        The fact is, I am depending upon You to come out victoriously.

God:      The fact is, I am also pruning you.

Me:        The fact is, that’s an understatement. I know You are pruning me, Lord—It’s exciting, but it hurts so much.

God:      The fact is, I am carrying you.

Me:        The fact is, being a Christian is the best thing ever, but it can be so hard.

God:      The fact is, I know that. I sweat drops of blood because of that, but the ending was and is sweet.

God:      The fact is, I am preparing you for great and mighty things you do not know.

Me:        The fact is, that’s awesome. Thank You.

God:      The fact is, I know you are weary.

Me:        The fact is, I know to come to You. You said, “Come to Me, you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Me:        The fact is, I know I am growing through all this.

God:      The fact is, you must wait and then you will overcome it. When you see what I have in store for you, you won’t believe it.

Me:        The fact is, I’m having trouble waiting. I’m sort of anguished about it. But, thank You for me so much.  Furthermore, thank You for preparing a place for me in Heaven.

God:      The fact is, everything you have experienced and will experience has been experienced by Me.

Me:        The fact is, that’s comforting. I love You and need to be reminded of that.

God:      The fact is, I love you too. Go forth in My love. Trust Me. Put your faith in Me. Depend on Us—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God:      Make your requests be made known to Me. Then, believe that I know what I am doing. I know the details because I know the big picture of your life.

Me:        The fact is, I do believe that, but I may need more times of respite.

God:      The fact is, that the shepherd cares about his sheep. And you are one of my dearest sheep.

Me:        The fact is, I love You for that.

God:      The fact is, let’s chat more. Now, I’m nudging you to finish the book you are reading tonight! There’s something in it just for you. [There was.]

So… whether via roadside billboards or a text message from a Godly friend; whether I am in my lair’s “prayer chair”, waltzing through Walgreens or hobnobbing in Hobby Lobby, the Word of the Lord comes to me in many ways and places.

The fact is: whenever He is ready to talk, I, like Samuel of old, am always ready to hear and respond at any time.

But please, Lord, let me first get my morning cup of coffee.

Bible Verses:

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried – our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him – our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 MSG)

The fact is, that ADONAI sent me to you to speak all these words, so that you could hear them. (Jeremiah 26:15b CJB)

The fact is, that Christ did actually rise from the dead and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again someday. (1 Corinthians 15:20 LB)

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not take steps to receive Him by . . .

  1. Recognizing that God does love you. (John 3:16)
  2. Understanding and confessing that your sins are separating you from God. (Romans 3:23)
  3. Accepting that Jesus Christ is the only provision for your sins. (Romans 5:8)
  4. Individually receiving Jesus Christ through faith as your Lord. (John 1:12)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

What a joy to fellowship with You all day long! Thanks for giving me the freedom to talk to You. Thank You for the precious words You have given me. Thank You for the facts we have shared together—especially the banter we enjoyed just between ourselves. I know You are with me. I just want to feel Your presence more and more in my life. I want to live in the spiritual realm as much as possible. Let Your truths enlighten me and guide me. I love You, Jesus.

Amen.

God Bless. Until 2019.

* My Dear God letters consist of letters I have written to God—usually on notebook paper.  I started writing these letters decades ago and I have them saved. Usually they are written when I really have something serious on my mind. Many times, God impresses upon me what to do or what not do during these letter writing activities.

*And That’s a Fact by Harry Bright. I have not read this book or even browsed through it. It may be awesome, but I am not necessarily recommending it. I just saw the cover in Barnes and Noble.

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Edited by E. Johnson

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Pray and Speak Like Moses

As I write this blog, I am dealing with some annoyances—frustrating dental and ophthalmological annoyances! To ensure you that we can still speak for God amid provocations, like Moses, read on!

Dealing with a toothache the day before you go out-of-town is no fun. Then, when I called my dentist to try to remedy the situation, I was told she is on vacation until next week! Okay, I can deal with that. I might just need to see a dentist at my “respite” location!

Furthermore, I am dealing with a floater in my eye. To be specific, I feel like a mosquito or gnat is flying around my right eye all the time. I have even found myself slapping the right side of my face only to find it isn’t a bug flying around, but my floater. Fortunately, I was able to see an ophthalmologist and he said I have a vitreous detachment.

The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a vitreous detachment as, the “separation of the posterior part of the vitreous body from the retina due to contraction of the vitreous body that occurs as part of the process of aging and may occur sooner in serious cases of myopia, that is usually accompanied by the presence of floaters often seen as spots or structures resembling cobwebs, and that may result in a torn retina or in retinal detachment.”

The good news—it isn’t a retinal detachment, which may cause a permanent loss of vision. All I have is the separation of the posterior part of the vitreous from the retina.

“It’s caused by AGE”, the ophthalmologist said. GREAT, just another age-related thing to add to my list! He said, “Sometimes these floaters never go away; might go away, might become dull or you just get used to them.”

I found none of those scenarios acceptable! I wanted to hear, “take these drops and the floater will dissolve and disappear in a day or two.”

My eyes are totally important to me. I am a reader. I read all the time! I really mean it—I totally read all the time. I read church bulletins, I read the Bible, I read sermons, I read music lyrics, I read blogs, I read newspapers, I read Facebook, I read Twitter, I read books, I read tombstones, I read obituaries, I read pamphlets, and sometimes I even read instructions. Now when I try to read, I can’t concentrate because this “big black mosquito-like” floater is roaming around my right eye.

Now, on to the main topic—I wanted direction on how to pray for some upcoming speaking opportunities, so I went to my Bible, picked up where I left off, and the good Lord gave me directions on how to pray in the second and third verse I read—eliminating a vast period of “mosquito reading.” But as happens so often, God shared His wise and sound wisdom with me. I just love it when He shares His Word in such a personal way.

Deuteronomy 32:2-3 said,

Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
As the droplets on the fresh grass
And as the showers on the herb.
For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
Ascribe greatness to our God!

These verses are part of The Song of Moses. Moses worked hard and consistently for the Lord up until his dying moment. In Deuteronomy 31:23-30, Joshua is commissioned and was told that he should bring the sons of Israel into the land which God swore to them. Then in the assembly of Israel, Moses shared a song—some say a prayer—appealing to the heaven and earth concerning the important things he was about to say as he was closing his life and earthly ministry for the Lord. Moses did not want his final words to be his words. He wanted them to be God’s words—from the Holy Spirit of God. For that, he prayed.

Quite in contrast to previous speaking engagements, Moses’ brother Aaron was his spokesperson. This time around, Moses prepared this final talk fully aware that he will be speaking directly from his own mouth and not from Aaron’s. Moses’ sister Miriam and his brother Aaron had already passed away when this prayer was formalized and spoken by Moses.

Just as we speak for our Lord, let us pray that our words will be words from God. As we witness for Him, as we teach our Sunday School classes, as we preach our sermons, as we uplift our neighbors, and in whatever unique situation the Lord puts us, we must proclaim God’s greatness in all we speak.

Did I mention previously that I read commentaries too? I do!

From Deuteronomy 32:2-3

Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew.

Benson’s Commentary says, may “his words which were sent from heaven to them, sink into their hearts and soften them, as the rain doth the earth, and so make them fruitful in obedience.”

Moses wanted his “speech”; some versions call it “doctrine” to refresh like the rain. For that same reason, God wants our words to refresh others, so let’s pray for that.

As the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states, that the tender herb and grass, “may denote the multitude of persons to whom the Gospel would come, and be made useful . . .”

For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!

Moses wants the people to know that all the important things he wants to share with them before his death are spoken in order to give complete honor, glory, and prominence to the LORD.

From here Moses proceeds to speak God’s words by the power of the Holy Spirit. Moses absolutely wanted the people to know that the song/prayer he was about to say were God’s words spoken through Him.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if every time we spoke and/or represented Jesus Christ, we knew our words come from God’s spirit?

Main thoughts from John McGill’s Commentary: Deuteronomy 32:2-3

To whom was Moses speaking?

  1. Those needing salvation
  2. Sensible sinners
  3. Tender consciences / Newborn babes . . . little children; who are just springing up in the grass
  4. Righteous people
  5. Perverse and crooked people

When we speak to others about the Lord, let us remember to whom we are speaking to and guide our words to meet their needs.

Why did Moses compare his last speaking engagement to rain/dew?

Because . . .

  1. Rain comes from Heaven
  2. Rain is a gift from God
  3. Rain falls by divine direction
  4. Rain represents the Lord’s will and pleasure with a fulness of spiritual blessings and promises
  5. Rain moistens and softens a hard heart
  6. Rain refreshes and revives the drooping spirit, and
  7. Rain makes the barren souls fruitful

How humbling would it be, if when we are called to speak for the Lord, that our words would provoke peoples’ hearts to be refreshed, revived, and softened as if by rain or dew?

What attributes did Moses have when speaking to the people?

  1. He proclaimed the name of the Lord
  2. He ascribed greatness to God
  3. He shared openly and publicly
  4. He shared faithfully
  5. He wanted people to know that the words he was about to speak were coming from God, not himself

Let us claim boldness and confidence when we share God’s word with others. Cleanse yourself, commit yourself to the Lord, and ask Him to speak through you.

Conclusion

In this “speaking engagement,” Moses knew he was close to the end of his life as he spoke words of truth to the people. He knew only God’s words would do.

Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he, with Joshua the son of Nun. When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word, you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.” The Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:44-52)

The next time you are called on to speak for our Lord, pretend it is the last time you may have the opportunity for God to use you and pray to be filled to the brim with His Holy Spirit. Pray that your words will fall upon the congregation, class, friends, and family in such a powerful way that idle words will not proceed out of your mouth—only words that will lead the listeners to God’s truth, holiness, grace, mercy, and salvation.

I am praying this for my next speaking engagement. I want to renew my mind, use my spiritual gifts according to the grace given to me, love who I am speaking to, and as my pastor recently said, “Serve with excellence and passion.” (Read Romans 12)

Unfortunately, I will probably still have that annoying floater in my eye the next time I speak. My prayer for that is that if my annoying mosquito-like flash shows up, it will block out the person who might have fallen asleep during my talk!

Oh yes, that is quite probable. Have I mentioned I speak from 2:45-3:45 p.m. after a big lunch? Yikes!

Bible Verses:

And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8)

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me. (John 15:26)

Prayer:

Lord, I dedicate my life to You. Allow me to speak Your words and only Your words as I have opportunities to speak for You. Take away all pride and self-centeredness from my heart. Give me humility and sincerity. Thank you for providing each and every opportunity to speak and let me recognize them as privileges from You. Thank you, Lord. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

____________________

Works Cited

Biblegateway. Benson Commentary and Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. Biblegateway.com. Accessed 17 July 2018.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. Vitreous Detachment. m-w.com. Accessed 17 July 2018.

NASB unless otherwise noted.

Edited by E Johnson

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How to Pray: 10 Tips for a Better Prayer Life

How to Pray: 10 Tips for a Better Prayer Life / by Patti Greene

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Matthew 26:41 states, “Watch and pray, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

As believers, we are all given the privilege of praying, but why do we fail at it? Sometimes we don’t want to pray or we don’t know how to pray. Satan will do all he can to stop us from praying through apathy, distractions, laziness, or sin. In our flesh, we don’t have the strength to pray as we ought to. But, God’s Holy Spirit will empower us to pray and help us in with our prayer life.

10 Tips for a Better Prayer Life

  1. Understand there is a scriptural basis for prayer.

    God specifically tells us to pray. The principle of ‘calling on God’ is mentioned multiple times in Scripture. The Bible tells us to pray explicitly and the LORD will answer our prayers and tell us great and hidden things not known (Jer. 33:3).

  1. Use a framework when praying.

    Prayer consists of many aspects—praise, worship, thanksgiving, confession, and petition. People from both the Old Testament and New Testaments prayed. Prayer unleashes the Holy Spirit and ignites a change in us. God’s people and God’s church are empowered through prayer (Phil. 4:6-7).

  1. Understand we are called to pray.

    Believers are called to pray. God can do whatever he wants to do, but he delights in working through our prayers. Praying takes discipline. It is our responsibility to pray for ourselves and for the needs of others. Sometimes we hesitate to pray because we do not believe that there will be results (1 Sam. 12:23).

  1. Just ask.

    God wants us to ask for what we need. The Bible mentions numerous things we can pray about for ourselves or for others such as, good health, God’s will, wisdom, and strength. Matthew 7:11b states, “How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (2 Chron. 1:11-12a).

  1. Be bold.

    Be bold—do not be general or half-hearted in our requests to God. God wants us to be bold in our prayers. Ask the LORD for a verse to speak especially to us. Claim God’s promises in prayer. We can start with John 15:7, John 15:16, and John 16:23-24 (Acts 4:31).

  1. Pray the Scriptures.

    Many people have discovered the power of praying Scriptures in their communication with God; thus, developing confidence in their prayers. To “pray the Scriptures,” try substituting names, pronouns, places, and circumstances into the Word of God (Heb. 4:12).

  1. Agree in prayer.

    Sometimes we pray with no results. This might be a time to call for others to pray with us. Jesus promises to be with us when two or more are gathered in his name. When united in prayer, God’s power multiples as our prayers are uplifted and intertwined in the Holy Spirit (Matt. 18:19-20).

  1. Read the Bible in addition to praying.

    2 Tim. 2:15 says to, “Study to show thyself approved unto God.” Spending time in Bible study and prayer causes our spirits to become sensitive to his leading. Succumbing to today’s culture of liberalism is easy, but when the words of God dwell within his people, we are less likely to be led astray (James 1:5).

  1. Believe in his divine providence.

    The universe is not governed by fate. God is in control of every occurrence in the universe. All that happens is because it is either his will or he allowed it. Because God is involved in everything in the world, he able to answer our prayers because he sees the big picture unfolding in our lives. (Ps. 103:19).

  1. Pray for God’s will.

    While there is no set procedure for knowing God’s will, his will never contradicts what his Word says. With Biblical guidance, prayer, counsel of mature believers, faith, glimpses from the Holy Spirit, and sometimes miraculous intervention, revelation of his will is possible (Heb. 11:8).

When Jesus prayed, ‘Not my will but thine be done, he was trying to submit His will to that of the Father. Bisango
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God Bless. And if you have any tips for readers, please comment so we can all learn together. Thank you.

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Patti Greene, Member Inspirational Writers Alive

Bible Verse:

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, with thanksgiving, I call on your name. Teach me how to pray. Let me hear, understand, and feel your presence. Holy God, guard my steps, and let my requests be in line with your will. Let me do what is right in your sight, O Holy God.

Bisango, John. The Power of Positive Praying. Nashville: B&H, 1979.

Greene, Patti. Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer. Bloomington: WestBow, 2016.

Rogers, Adrian. “Prayer #2064”. www.youtube.com. 1 Jan 2017.

This blog is taken from the “How to Pray” section of Answer Me: Developing a heart for prayer.

For more articles on prayer, click here.

Bible text verses are taken from the English Standard Version Bible. Linked verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Books by Patti Greene:

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

Life Issues, Prayer

God Answers Our Prayers

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Have you ever read Christian articles about how you should pray, why you should pray, and to whom you should pray? I have. I’ve even written articles on some of those topics myself. But today I want to share a beautiful testimony that doesn’t just share the how, why, and who of praying. The following testimony is a reminder that prayer really works in our everyday lives and with our everyday problems IF WE LET HIM.

My niece recently shared about how God was recently at work in her life, how it came about, and how she eventually experienced the Lord’s presence and blessing.

“This is my ONE year anniversary with Company B!

I’d like to share a little about my Christian journey over the past few years. I am sharing because my relationship with the Lord has always been very private and personal, and I am working on sharing more about how God has been working in my life. Here it goes!!!

On January 2, 2015, after an excellent Christmas break filled with great food [cooked by my stepmother] and precious time with my sister, I was preparing to leave my parents central Texas home for Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since I had been living and working in New Mexico for the past 3 years, I was accustomed to the long drive. It has always been an extremely boring drive through the long stretch of highway through west Texas.

Weather reports indicated there was a massive snow storm headed for where I was headed! But, my stubborn personality reared its ugly head and I decided to push through and head back home to Albuquerque. My driving route included taking 1-10 to El Paso; then 1-25 straight up to Albuquerque. Little did I know that this trip would change my life forever! Once I passed El Paso and was heading home on I-25, it started snowing really BAD. I found myself skidding, swerving, and hanging on to my steering wheel for dear life. Many vehicles had already veered off the road and I was fearful I might soon be one of them. Then in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico*, I beheld a scene I never thought I would see. I witnessed an 18-wheeler flip over about 200 yards in front of me. Luckily, I was safe and pulled over to the side of the freeway. However I pulled out my phone and called 911 immediately. I gave the emergency dispatcher the mile marker of our location. When the ambulance and fire department showed up, I was free to go. I stayed around long enough to see that the driver of that 18-wheeler was safe and unharmed. I was shaking and sobbing though this entire ordeal.

I felt the devil’s presence on that West Texas road. I was crying and screaming for the Lord to get me home safely. I uttered everything a Christian says when they are scared and fearful.

“I will never defy you again.”

“I will never sin again.”

“I will do anything if YOU get me out of this dreadful weather and home again.”

Well, sixteen hours later I made it back to my small comfy apartment — a little shaken — but all in one piece. And all I could hear was God saying,

“Your time is over here in New Mexico!”

I immediately put in my request for a transfer with Company A. And guess what? I was denied a transfer not once, but twice!

After that in my quiet time, the Lord spoke again.

“This is not the company for you, and I want you to start a job search and pray about this for 60 days.”

The Lord came to speak to me through hints, Bible verses, glimpses, and a quiet revelation of His will.

Whenever I have something going on, I usually have a strict 60 day prayer time. During this time, ALL I do is pray on that one topic. Well about 30 days into the 60 days I had 3 job interviews lined up in my hometown! I interviewed with each company. And about 60 days after I started praying, I accepted an offer with Company B!

I packed up all my belongings and moved within a week.

You see, before my Christmas break, I had been crying every day in New Mexico. I was miserable and I needed relief. The desire of my heart was to stop being miserable. I wanted to move closer to my family and leave New Mexico. But, it took a snow storm and an 18-wheeler to get my attention. I started right then to seriously call out to God in a big way.

I truly believe it was the power of prayer that got me to where I am today. And, I am so grateful for all those who had been praying and supportive in my journey.”

Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

How God Answers Our Prayers

  • Recognize God may create a situation where we are “forced” to call upon Him;
  • Get right with God;
  • Make your requests known to God in prayer;
  • Commit to follow His path;
  • Meditate on His Word;
  • Act upon His leadings and prompts;
  • Get counseling if needed;
  • Keep listening;
  • Make a decision;
  • If you still don’t know what to do, start over with this list until the answer comes.
Recognize God may create situations where we are “forced” to call upon Him – Patti Greene
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What steps do you take when praying over a particular situation? Please comment!

Bible Verses:

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! Psalm 51:2

Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. Psalm 5:2

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. Jeremiah 29:12

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:33

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Prayer:

Mighty God, I thank you for giving me the privilege of calling upon your name. You know my many thoughts, desires, and problems. I bring them to you right now in faith. I trust that you know what is best for me in all situations. Give me you insight and confirmation that I am in your will. I love you and I am depending on you for my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

*Truth or Consequences” is a spa city and the county seat of Sierra County,New Mexico, United States. In 2012, the population was 6,411. It is commonly known within New Mexico as T or C. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. Wikipedia

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To order Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

To order Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

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How to Guides, Parenting and Family

How to Pray for your Children

In October 1985, I found myself at Cypress Christian School* in Cypress, Texas where my daughter attended a once-a-week Mother’s Day Out program. It was there I picked up a sheet of paper that changed my life and more importantly the life of my children. At the time, I had a 3-year old daughter, a 1-year old son, and I was pregnant with my third child. This mimeographed page became my guide for how to pray for my children. These guidelines have been written in my Bibles, copied for friends, stored in my computer, and more importantly prayed over.

This week I just feel led to share these with you. While I don’t know what your particular situation is or how old your children are, these guidelines may be the one thing that steers you to focus on praying for your newborn, preschooler, elementary age child, pre-teen, teenager and even older. When addressing the Lord over the years, some of the prayers below have been more important than others. For example, when my children were young, I would pray #1 mightily. When they were teenagers, I would pray #12 continually; and all through their life I would pray #9. Praying #3 is a little scary now that they are all adults, but hopefully by praying this when they were little, there is little chance of being in a precarious situation.

But, here is the deal. Praying God’s Word and protection for your children is essential in training them and fostering a healthy and God-centered life. When we become parents, we are in it for the long haul, so no matter what the age of your children, never stop praying for those whom God has given you care over whether they are your own children, your step-children, your God-children, or any child God has entrusted into your care. And remember, praying for your children does not stop once your children become adults. Parenting and praying is a lifetime commitment.

And, if you haven’t been praying for your children, it is not too late. I implore you to start now cultivating a Godly character in your children and their children through your prayers.

  1. That they will know Christ as Savior early in life. Psalm 63:1; 2 Timothy 3:15.
  2. That they will have a hatred for sin. Psalm 97:10.
  3. That they will be caught when guilty. Psalm 119:71.
  4. That they will be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and physical. John 17:15.
  5. That they will have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships. Daniel 6:3.
  6. That they will respect those in authority over them. Romans 13:1.
  7. That they will desire the right kinds of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. Proverbs 1:10, 11.
  8. That they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17.
  9. That they, as well as those they marry; will be kept pure until marriage. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.
  10. That they will learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. James 4:7.
  11. That they will be single-hearted – willing to be sold out to Jesus. Romans 12:12.
  12. That they will be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. Hosea 2:6

Bible Verses:

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18 ESV [Praying always]

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2 ESV [Continue in prayer]

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV [Pray without ceasing]

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12 ESV [Continue steadfastly in prayer]

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, let me always remember to pray for my children and those under my care. Give them protection, security, and love as they mature and grow into the person You want them to be. Nurture their character so they will be honest, good, and sensitive to your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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