Bible Studies, Children, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Duck, it’s Pouring!

6-25- BLOG RAIN

 

It’s raining, it’s pouring”….

 

PAM CROPPED 2013

The children’s nursery rhyme has a catchy tune!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avurCRJiUj0

Residents of South Texas were singing songs of woe when experiencing a severe drought. It could mean devastation to crops and loss of life in livestock herds. We watched weather broadcasts, searched the horizon and prayed for rain.

Elijah prayed; the LORD God sent rain pouring down upon parched land.

“He bowed down to the ground and put his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, ‘Go up and look toward the sea.’ So he went up, looked, and said, ‘There’s nothing.’ Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ On the seventh time, he reported, ‘There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming from the sea.’ Then Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, Get [your chariot] ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’ In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour (1 Kings 18:42b-45a HCS).”

God also heard the prayer requests of Texans. It rained and we rejoiced!

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer, Uncategorized

Unspoken Prayer Requests

 

HANNAH PRAYER BLOGThe pastor asks the same question every time we PAM CROPPED 2013meet.

Any unspoken requests?

Hands and seeking hearts go up throughout the sanctuary. Some things are just too personal or painful to voice aloud. There may come a time when we feel led by God to share them publicly;  for the present, we label them unspoken prayer requests.

The LORD hears our hearts as well as our lips. Hannah’s prayer serves as an excellent example.

Making a vow, she pleaded, LORD of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut (1 Samuel 1:11 HCS).”

Hannah prayed in the temple area without voicing a word to anyone else.

“While she was praying in the LORD’S presence, Eli watched her lips. Hannah was speaking to herself, and although her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk and scolded her (1 Samuel 1:12-14a HCS).”

The Priest, Eli,  could not hear the prayer request of Hannah. He who answered her prayer with a gift of  a son heard every word.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Calls From His Kids

 

PAM CROPPED 2013

A PHONE

  My Dad believed in communication. When working second shift, as General Electric security guard, he faithfully called home. With four daughters and one son, he never knew who would answer the phone. He had difficulty in discerning which of the four daughters was on the other end of the line but we adjusted to his hit and miss hellos.

As he went through his options, he’d get around to the right daughter eventually. As he aged, and we settled in different areas, he looked forward to our spasmodic phone calls to him and Mom. He was hard of hearing and did not always get the gist of conversations but loved hearing our voices. He passed the phone back to Mom, waiting for her summary.

 God waits to hear calls from his kids too. Are you at the other end of the prayer line? The LORD who made the earth, the LORD who forms it to establish it, the LORD is His name, says this, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:2-3 HCS). You need never worry; he knows your voice and calls you by name.    

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Heart-to-Heart

 

CROPPED NOVEMBER 2012 PROFILE PICTURE

Prayer: Heart-to-heart talk with Father. Open your Bible to the Book of Psalms. The search is easy; Psalms is half way through the Bible. King David penned the majority of Psalms. His poetic passages are emotional and riveting. They speak to my heart, but first they were heart-to-heart communication with his creator. As a man after God’s own heart, (Acts 13:22) he opened his heart and cried out to his loving Father.

“Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:9-10 NIV).” In the deepest recesses of his heart, David recognized his sins and transgressions. Yet, he also firmly believed his Father could cleanse him and remove all traces of sin. Communing, heart-to-heart, he also asked for renewal of his spirit deep within. I hunger for heart-to-heart talks with Father.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Unending Praise

Pam Ford Davis

His name is wonderful; his blessings are without number and words cannot express our thankfulness and praise. Children love to share the latest news with their friends; as God’s children we can be just as eager to praise him in prayer and brag on him to others.

How can I find the right words? King David, writer of many of the Psalms had the gift of expressing what I feel. I share his emotional highs and lows, questions and confidence, desire his honesty and intimacy with the Father.

“Praise the Lord! Servants of the Lord, praise him! Praise the Lord’s name. May the Lord’s name be praised now and forever. May the Lord’s name be praised from where the sun rises to where it goes down (Psalm 113:1-3 ERV).”

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Christian Growth, GUEST AUTHOR, Poems, Prayer

LORD AT ALL TIMES Psalm 34

GUEST WRITER: PHOEBE CARTER


Lord, at all times –
May praise be on my lips.
I will boast in You:
May all hear and rejoice:
“Glorify the Lord and
Exalt His name”.

I sought the Lord, and
He took away my fears : ) .
“Look at Him and be radiant –
Never covered with shame!”
(The Lord heard the poor man
And took away his troubles).

“The Lord is good!
Come, taste, and see!
Take refuge in Him,
And blessed you’ll be!
Fear the Lord –
And lack nothing!

You, who seek Him,
Will lack no good thing –
And will be delivered!
Come! … Listen … Love life!
Do good … Seek peace …
And pursue it!”

HE SEES THE RIGHTEOUS,

AND LISTENS TO THEIR CRY.

HE’S CLOSE TO THE BROKEN HEARTED;

AND SAVES THE CRUSHED SPIRITS.

THE LORD REDEEMS THOSE –

WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM !

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I read this Psalm this morning, noted down the main lines (as I saw them). It has truth and advice, but most of all, it tells us that the Lord has a heart for us, cares for us, forgives us and makes many promises.

Take refuge in Him …….. TODAY !

Perhaps you can pray this prayer today:

Dear Lord
Thank You so much for loving me;
And letting me know that you can take away my fears,
And things from the past,
And I’ll never be covered with shame.
I give these to You, today.
Please forgive me.

Thank you that you will listen to my cry –
And lift me up;
Especially when I am hurting inside.

I pray that I will learn to trust in You,
More each day, and seek refuge in You.

I look forward to knowing and seeing
All Your promises and plans for me.

May I glorify You and boast in Your name;
And may praise be on my lips LORD, AT ALL TIMES.

I want to lack nothing,
Yet feel radiant and know Your joy.

I want to come to You and
Taste and see what is good.

I want to come to You and
Listen… and seek Your peace.

I pray that I will be righteous,
Do good things, and love my life.

I pray that I will always know Your peace
And feel You near me.

I give You my life in it’s entirety.

I glorify You Lord
And exalt Your name

Thank you for the gift of salvation –
Your gift to me, which I accept with love and thanks,
And the knowledge that I am saved from an eternal death,
And will spend the rest of my days with You.

Thank You Lord, so much.
I give You my hand;

AMEN
x

And when things have been tough,
I will look back and see …….
One set of footprints in the sand
where you have carried me.

N.B. If this is the first time you have said this kind of prayer, and you believe it in your heart to have meaning and truth, and you want to be forgiven for things in your past which you are probably not happy about or proud of, find someone to talk to, perhaps a Christian friend or go along to your local church. I pray that you will start a new life, believing in and knowing Jesus, trusting in Him to guide you for the rest of your days.

Perhaps you have said this kind of prayer once, or many times; it is good to affirm what you believe and have faith in.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU +

Phoebe Carter (5th September 2011)

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