Confident Prayer

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..." (Matthew 6:7-10)

What a great promise we have in the words of Jesus that our Father knows what we need before we ask Him! We are tempted to think that our prayers fail because we do not know how or what to ask, but the reality is that our prayers only fail when we don’t ask. As Paul wrote, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26) If God fails to give us what we ask, we can conclude that He knows we really need something else right now, and we can pray as Jesus did, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

“Heavenly Father, thank You for inviting us to pray with confidence, knowing that You can be trusted to give us what we really need. Give us devotion and discernment to pray every day “not as I will, but as You will,” in Jesus’ name, amen.” 

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CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR…

Two priests die at the same time and meet St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. 

St. Peter says, "I'd like to get you guys in now but our computers are down.” 

“You'll have to go back to Earth for a week, but can't go as humans. What'll it be?"

The first priest says, "I'd love to be an eagle, soaring above the Rocky Mountains."

"So be it," says St. Peter, and off flies the first priest.

The second priest thinks a moment and asks, "Will you be keeping track of us?"

"No, with the computer down there's no way we can track what you are doing."

"In that case," says the second priest with a smile, "I'd like to be a stud."

"So be it," says St. Peter, and the second priest disappears.

 After a week, the computer is fixed and the Lord tells Peter to recall the two priests.

"Will you have trouble locating them?" He asks.

"The first should be easy," says Peter. "He's over the Rockies, flying with eagles.”

“But the second one could prove to be more difficult."

"Why?" asks the Lord.

"Because he's on a snow tire somewhere in Alaska."

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The Holy Spirit guide your prayers this week!

Pastor Kirk