P.R.A.Y.

Here's a simple way to pray if you're having trouble with what to say to the Father. This is taken loosely from the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. I hope it helps. Here it is:

Praise

Father I thank you for...

Repent

Father, I'm sorry for...

Ask

Father, I ask You for...

Yield

Father, I give You control of...

 Let me know what you think. What are some ways that help you pray? 

"U got to pray."

In 1990 MC Hammer released the song, "Pray" I still remember the lyrics, "You've got to pray just to make it today." Wow, that was a blast from the past. The message, however, still applies as much today as it did when I first heard it.

The Apostle Paul definitely knew what he was talking about when he told Christian brothers and sisters in Philippi, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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." (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).

Let's break it down. Paul told the believers not to be anxious or worried about anything. Instead of being anxious and worried, he told them to present their requests to God. Now, not only did he tell them what to do... "present your request to God"... but he told them how to do it. He said they were to present their requests by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. In their prayers (think the Lord's prayer) they would petition (ask God while they were praying) God and give thanks to Him for who He is and what He has done.

When they would bring their requests to God, as they were praying, asking, and thanking God, His peace would guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead can deliver us in any and every situation we encounter. When we pray, ask, and thank God in EVERY situation, we have a peace that goes beyond all understanding and God guards our hearts from worry and anxiety.

Today, are you praying and trusting God about any and every situation you encounter or are you trusting in yourself, other people, and worldly wisdom for your source of strength, life, and hope?

In my next post I'll share an easy way to pray to God. Many of you will be familiar with it, but it may serve as a reminder and help jump start your prayer life in this new year. See you soon.

The Father's heart

Hi everyone it's me again. Anyway... You'll have to excuse me today. I'm feeling a little sappy. I'm just sitting here at the computer thinking about the Father's love. God is so good, so patient, so loving. I'm so thankful for His presence in my life. I don't understand why He continued to chase after me all those years I strayed from Him. And when I finally came to my senses, He didn't tell me, "I told you so," or "Oh, so now you want to come back." He welcomed me, with arms wide open. He embraced me and I've never been the same. His love, His unfailing, unchanging love...

My heart's desire is to reflect Father's heart to those around me. When I think about people who have never felt the Father's embrace... those who never sensed the Father's love, I can't image it. My heart breaks when I picture Jesus looking over Jerusalem, weeping and crying out, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!" (Matthew 23:37 GNB). My prayer today, "Oh Father, give me your heart and love for those around me. Help me to show them how much you love them... how much You long to take them in Your embrace. Help them to come to their senses and accept the love you've shown through Your Son. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Where's MY heart?

Preparing for this blog has been an interesting process. It's forced me to ask the question, "Where is MY heart?" That's a scary question. Most of my life I've struggled with depression, insecurity and doubt. Sometimes the depression was so bad I could hardly get out of bed. Thank God, I haven't experienced that level of depression in a number of years, but I still have days it leaves me quite battered and worn. In those times I have a decision to make. In reality, it's a decision I MUST make every single day. It comes from the Bible, "Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.  (Psalms 42:5 GNB).

It's a choice. I WILL put my hope in God, and praise Him, my Savior and my God. Instead of sinking down into depression and the mental torment that comes with it, I choose, by the power of the Holy Spirit to put my hope in God. The same God that raised Jesus from the dead is the same God and Father who will carry me through the dark times, when hope is hard to see and the will to carry on is lost. It's like the old hymn, "Because He (Jesus Christ) lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone..." He is my Savior and my God. He is my hope when hope looks dead and darkness closes in like a raging storm.

I can trust Him no matter what happens in my life. Like Peter my my heart cries out, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:68-69 NKJV). Where's my heart? It's found in God the Father, through Jesus Christ. It's a hope and a peace that not even depression, insecurity, and doubt can take away from me. I'm firmly held in His unwavering hand. "Bless the Lord oh my soul. Oh my soul... worship His holy name."

Romans chapters 1-8

For those of you in Sr. and Jr. High BodyBuilder, you know that for the last couple weeks I have been challenging you to read through Romans, chapters 1-8. If you didn't do it yet, what are you waiting for?

There are so many great verses from these chapters, some which I have shared in my last post. Read through it, pick out a couple verses you would like to memorize and put them to memory. One of my favorite verses is Romans 5:8. I shared this verse in my last post. I'll share it again. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8 NASB). So, what's your favorite verse? Feel free to post it in the comments below.

U Turn to God!

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9 NKJV)

Maybe today, you feel like a failure. Take heart... you are. Yep, you read correctly, I just called you a failure. I know, it's not PC (politically correct), but it is B-I-B-L-E. The Bible is clear, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"  (Romans 3:23 NKJV). We have ALL missed the mark; we have all failed. 

Now if the story would stop there, it would be a sad ending for all of us. Remember, "For the wages of sin is death..." However, Paul goes on to say, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (Romans 6:23 NASB). The Bible also says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8 NIV).

You see, the reason Jesus came and died on the cross was to redeem us from our failure to keep God's law (a.k.a. sin). But it doesn't stop there. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. That means He not only forgives us of our sin but He changes our heart's motives and gives us His Holy Spirit who helps us live a life that looks like His... holy and pure. Now that's good news! So, where's your heart?

Welcome!

Hi everyone! Welcome to Where's your heart?. For those of you that know me, I can see you smile already. That is one of my favorite questions... "Where's your heart?" Of course, some of you will be take the "cute route" and reply, "In my chest." Just for the record, I'm not talking about your literal heart... sigh. OK, now that we got that out of the way, what do I mean when I ask, "Where's your heart?"

Generally speaking, when I ask the average person that question it means, "How are doing? What are you thinking about? Where are you in life's journey?" When talking to my Christian brothers and sisters, it means, "Where are you in your relationship with God?" So... there you go. Now you know what I mean when I ask, "Where's your heart?" In fact, Jesus said, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  (Luke 12:34 NKJV).

In this blog I will mainly be posting for youth and specifically for students involved with Rock Solid Youth Ministry, which is Newport Assembly of God's youth ministry. My prayer is that as you read these posts, you would not only find salvation through Jesus Christ, but you would grow in His likeness and find real life in Him... a meaningful life filled with His love, joy, and peace which only He gives and no one or no thing can take away.

So with that in mind... Where's YOUR heart?