SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7]
As a Jesus follower, I can be confident that God is in control, and that Jesus has everything covered for me.
My hope is that Jesus has defeated the enemy, that He has secured my forgiveness, my freedom and my forever life with God.
Prayer is not trying to pressure God to give me what I want, but the humble expression of my heart before God – my fears, my hopes, my needs, my struggles, my joys, etc.
Prayer is placing myself – and my needs and concerns – into His hands, and discovering the peace of knowing that God is God, that God is good, and that I am secure in Him, no matter what happens.
Worry is also a form of prayer, but not prayer to God; worry is prayer to the problems, a giving over of the heart to the problems as if they were ultimate, as if they were in control.
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! [Matthew 6:6-8]
Babbling is another form of prayer, an attempt to sway God with the form and pressure of ‘prayer’.
Jesus urges us to relax, to step away from the pressures and problems of life, and just empty our hearts to God.
He knows, He cares, He is God, He is good.
As we surrender ourselves to our Father in heaven (rather than trying to pressure Him with words), He rewards us with peace, with hope.
All people pray, but not all prayers are helpful.
Worry prayer only elevates the problem; babbling prayer only demeans God.
The prayer of surrender places me, my problems, my needs, etc. into His hands, the best place to be.
As Jesus taught us in His prayer, God is our Father (He is loving, good) and He is in heaven (the highest authority, in charge of everything).
This is what gives us peace, and guards our hearts and minds as we navigate our way through this life.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to practice this kind of prayer, one that finds contentment, peace and joy in knowing You, and knowing God as God, and God as good!
Don’t rush ahead, trust God’s plan instead.
Please pray for me, so I can pray like this. There was a time for me, not long ago at all, that I was able to pray a surrendering prayer. That is not the case now that I am in the middle of this storm. Is not easy to admit this, but is my reality; nevertheless I want to find this peace from God again.
‘The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ God is good and He certainly met our needs after the Quake. He still continues to meet my needs today when I place all at His feet. Then He gives me rest – the rest I need. He also continues to open my eyes and shows me- ‘See I am here and near. I am with you always.’
He has met all my needs and still continue to do so. I always need to take all things to God in prayer and not let my thoughts and worries and desires take first place. God is always first and He will take care of the rest, even this day with my presentation which was not coming together. He is in control. I am not. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
‘I can do all things through Him Who gives me strength.’
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Refrain
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
Refrain
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.