Monday 2/1/16 The Big Trip (33)

Dear Father in Heaven: I love You and I really appreciate that You have covered my sins with the Blood of Your Son Jesus who died on the Cross for me. Father, thank You for waking us this morning and thanks for watching over us throughout the night. Please, Father, help Jimmy Swaggart raise the Bibles they need to hand out in Your Name this month. Please, Lord, help our son Matthew turn back to You again. As for the election this year, Thy will be done. Lord, please be with all those who are working to keep this country safe. Lord, please help me concentrate, as it seems my mind hops all over the place lately. Please, Lord, help me with the daily message and then to get it dispatched. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, last week I wrote on The Lord's Prayer. I also mentioned that our son Matthew needs prayer, and he also told us "he cannot pray anymore." If you have ever been to the point you for one reason or another can't seem to pray, here is a suggestion that was sent to me from one of our long-time readers, "Big John Henry," as I respectfully call him. As we know, there is Power in the Name of Jesus, and John suggests that you just keep on repeating the name of Jesus. What a great suggestion. So if you are struggling to pray, your prayer might go like this. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." I also have done this when Satan seems to be hitting on me. I pray these four words. "I love You, Jesus, I love You, Jesus, I love You, Jesus." One thing for sure, brothers an sisters, when you call out the the name of Jesus, old Satan will run and hide. Amen. (Thanks again, John.)

Let us look at prayer for another day or so.

Monday: February 1, 2016: The Big Trip (Day Thirty-three)

Prayer Two

Brothers and sisters, what is prayer? It is just talking to Jesus and while He knows all that you need, please still remember to ask. Oh, and when you hear back, please remember to say thanks.

Psalm 5:1 - Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. 3 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (NIV)

Here we can get some great advice from David on a way to talk to God. If we follow this example we will nicely ask God to hear our words and consider our pain or problem. Again nicely we ask God to listen to our cries for help and we are telling God we are reaching out to Him, no one else. Also, and here is a great suggestion, start your day with prayer, start your day by talking with God, and then go throughout the day just knowing He will be of help to you along the way. And if while doing those daily things you need more help, ask Him some more. Amen.

Psalm 122:6 - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; May those who love you be secure. (NIV)

Yes, brothers and sisters, when praying remember to pray for peace, worldwide peace and "peace in the Holy Lands," or Jerusalem. Please also remember as Christians we need to be praying for everyone, including our Jewish brothers and sisters.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 - Be joyful always. 17 Pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

There are things in the Bible that we are to do that seem very hard. One is this. "Be joyful always." I love it. My mamma would tell me you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Pray continually, or maybe it could be said like this. Pray until something happens. Then give thanks. And then we are to give thanks in all circumstances. I can remember years ago, Mr. Phillip Neff (now with the Lord) came to the altar of Hope Church and thanked God for his wife who just had a major stroke. He was praying and giving thanks that his wife had a stroke and also because she lived. That, at the time was hard for me to understand; however, by my friend Phil doing this, he not only obeyed God but in doing so witnessed to me.

What I am saying here, brothers and sisters, is just this. Pray, talk to God, and have faith for we know this, or at least I know this. GOD IS ON THE THRONE, His Son Jesus died for me. And the Holy Ghost now lives in me. I want to get it right. Amen.

One prayer I use a lot now is this. "Help me, Jesus, Help me, Jesus. Please help me, Jesus." I do this if I am putting a part on my car, or lifting something that is now a tad more than I can lift and most often when I am trying to get my tired old body up out of the chair.

Brothers and sisters, when the weak need help they have no place to turn, but when the saved, the tough need help, the tough call out for Jesus. Amen. It does not matter how you slice it, without Jesus you are weak.

Jesus, I Love You (Otis Skillings)

Jesus, I love You, love You, love You.
Jesus, I love You; Jesus, my Lord.
Jesus, I serve You, serve You, serve You.
Jesus, I serve You; Jesus, my Lord.
Jesus, I praise You, praise You, praise You.
Jesus, I praise You; Jesus, my Lord.

Those words you might sing as a prayer. Now please go forth serving Jesus and giving thanks and praying all the time. Love ya.

Pastor Dan

Jesus, I love You, love You, love You.
Jesus, I love You; Jesus, my Lord.
Jesus, I serve You, serve You, serve You.
Jesus, I serve You; Jesus, my Lord.
Jesus, I praise You, praise You, praise You.
Jesus, I praise You; Jesus, my Lord.