PRAYER... what if?

If MILK does a BODY good, then. PRAYER does a BODY & SOUL good. 

​Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

President Harry S. Truman proclaimed a National Day of Prayer to be observed on July 4, 1952. Since that date, Americans have observed the day in their own way. 

President Ronald Reagan moved the observance to the first Thursday in May and has proclaimed it each year since. 
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But, IF we believe prayer is powerful, and IF we prayed for our nation.. then why is our nation such a mess? 

Today, where there are wars, rumors of wars, race conflicts, gender confusion, abortion, a border crisis, and a rising cost of living, all while partisan politics are all the rage (literally).

But...
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What if... we prayed for our nation? 2 Chronicles 7:14
What if... we prayed boldly Joshua 1:9
What if... we prayed expectantly? Psalms 4:1
What if... we prayed specifically James 5:16
What if... Prayed without ceasing? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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Think about it, Prayer is access to God. If you believe this, then this is the time we should pray with humility and HOPE. 

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

We should not reduce prayer to a hocus-pocus moment, or making wishes to a Genie in a Lamp, or rote words spoken quickly before an evening meal or only spoken when the roof caves in on our lives. 
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Are you too busy to pray? I sometimes think I am, as my busy mind in this 24/7 stimulating society overwhelms my thoughts.

But how long does it take to say the Lord's Prayer, which perfectly outlines everything we need to pray for daily? 

Let's follow Jesus' instructions on how to pray.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,  (GREAT IS OUR GOD)
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (YOUR WILL NOT MINE)
Give us today our daily bread. (PLEASE MEET OUR NEEDS) 
And forgive us our debts, (FORGIVE ME)
as we also have forgiven our debtors. (FORGIVE OTHERS) 
And lead us not into temptation (STAY FROM TEMPTATION) 
but deliver us from the evil one.’ (PROTECTION)
Matthew 6:5-15

Then, I can close my prayer with AMEN.

Peace be still.. Mark 4:39 are the words Jesus used to calm the sea, and PEACE BE STILL is the promise for all of us in this life that at times rages like a stormy sea.

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What if we prayed the Lord's Prayer Daily (not as a rote process) and dwelled​ on each part?

​I believe it would CHANGE THE WORLD.

I have featured a cartoon of your typical business meeting in Hell, where there is great concern regarding Hell's lack of influence when Christians pray. This is a 'ScrewTape letters' sort of moment capturing prayer's true (too often untapped) power.

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Every one of us has personal challenges of stress, loneliness, depression, tragedy, debt, sickness, and/or death greeting us daily.

Psalms 23 comes to mind as we walk through the valley of the shadow of Death.

This is a fallen world, and I make this worse when like Peter, I take my eyes off Jesus and become tossed and turned by a me-centric raging sea of my own making.

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One last reminder.. let’s be as the Bible teaches in an attitude of prayer. Pray without ceasing, which means we communicate with God throughout our day. 

Flowery, lofty words are not needed. Instead, honest, ongoing communication about life with our loving Heavenly Father.  

​Today, let PRAYER become a cornerstone part of our lives as we experience a deeper relationship with God. 

Blessings (PRAYING in the Back Pew), Larson

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