God's timing?

(02-09–22 – Unanswered Prayer!-–Colossians 4:2)

May I ask you a question? When it comes to prayer, is the result the same when you and I decide that if it didn't work once, it doesn't work at all?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

I don't like Sweet Potatoes; I haven't since I was a kid and had that steaming bowl of orange mush passed to me and I reluctantly spooned a small portion on my plate to be polite. I pushed it around my plate for most of the meal and then took a small bit of it on the end of my spoon. Honestly, it made me gag. For decades I passed on the mushy stuff. When offered I'd say: "I tried that once and didn't like it. So, I guess I've always shied away from eating them." That sufficed for years and I was honestly convinced there was no way I would ever like Sweet Potatoes; that is until recently when Holly convinced me to try a Sweet Potato simply baked in a potato glove. I cautiously took a bite and, to my delight, it not only tasted good, it was quite delicious. It seems that what I really didn't care for was Sweet Potatoes prepared in a sugar glaze. All these years I missed out on something good simply because I hadn't been persistent in trying them again.

When it comes to prayer, the result is the same when you and I decide that if it didn't work once, it doesn't work at all.

Here's a story: Cable television mogul Ted Turner criticized fundamentalist Christianity and said Jesus probably would "be sick at his stomach" over the way his ideas have been "twisted," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Turner made his remarks at a banquet in Orlando, Fla., where he was given an award by the American Humanist Association for his work on behalf of the environment and world peace. Turner said he had a strict Christian upbringing and at one time considered becoming a missionary. "I was saved seven or eight times," the newspaper quoted him as saying. But he said he became disenchanted with Christianity after his sister died, despite his prayer. Turner said God didn't hear his prayer; so he quit praying and believing all together." (Spokesman-Review, May 1, 1990.)

The Bible tells us that we should "devote ourselves to prayer" (Colossians 4:2). Devotion is a process not an act; it presumes repetition, endurance and commitment. Devotion is about persistence; while persistence implies work, not instant results. Prayer teaches us faith but it is no guarantor of getting what we want. When you and I are persistent in prayer God gives us an assurance that He is in control and that all of our needs and hopes are in his hands. Persistent prayer teaches us to trust in God's timing and not our own. Quitting on God by throwing up a prayer and expecting He will instantly respond is pretty sad. We deny ourselves the joy of feeling God's control in our lives. When God dishes out disappointment in your life, don't turn up your nose. Take a small bit of it, acquire a taste for it and, perhaps, like me, you'll learn not only to like it, but even love it.

We pray. Heavenly Father, You have taught us that prayer teaches us faith but it is no guarantor of getting what we want. When we are persistent in prayer You give us an assurance that You are in control and that all of our needs and hopes are in Your hands. Persistent prayer teaches us to trust in Your timing and not our own. Quitting on You by throwing up a prayer and expecting You will instantly respond is pretty sad. We deny ourselves the joy of feeling Your control in our lives. When God dishes out disappointment in our life, we ought not turn up our nose. Take a small bit of it, acquire a taste for it and, perhaps we'll learn not only to like it, but even love it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

God's timing?

(02-09–22 – Unanswered Prayer!-–Colossians 4:2)

May I ask you a question? When it comes to prayer, is the result the same when you and I decide that if it didn't work once, it doesn't work at all?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

I don't like Sweet Potatoes; I haven't since I was a kid and had that steaming bowl of orange mush passed to me and I reluctantly spooned a small portion on my plate to be polite. I pushed it around my plate for most of the meal and then took a small bit of it on the end of my spoon. Honestly, it made me gag. For decades I passed on the mushy stuff. When offered I'd say: "I tried that once and didn't like it. So, I guess I've always shied away from eating them." That sufficed for years and I was honestly convinced there was no way I would ever like Sweet Potatoes; that is until recently when Holly convinced me to try a Sweet Potato simply baked in a potato glove. I cautiously took a bite and, to my delight, it not only tasted good, it was quite delicious. It seems that what I really didn't care for was Sweet Potatoes prepared in a sugar glaze. All these years I missed out on something good simply because I hadn't been persistent in trying them again.

When it comes to prayer, the result is the same when you and I decide that if it didn't work once, it doesn't work at all.

Here's a story: Cable television mogul Ted Turner criticized fundamentalist Christianity and said Jesus probably would "be sick at his stomach" over the way his ideas have been "twisted," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Turner made his remarks at a banquet in Orlando, Fla., where he was given an award by the American Humanist Association for his work on behalf of the environment and world peace. Turner said he had a strict Christian upbringing and at one time considered becoming a missionary. "I was saved seven or eight times," the newspaper quoted him as saying. But he said he became disenchanted with Christianity after his sister died, despite his prayer. Turner said God didn't hear his prayer; so he quit praying and believing all together." (Spokesman-Review, May 1, 1990.)

The Bible tells us that we should "devote ourselves to prayer" (Colossians 4:2). Devotion is a process not an act; it presumes repetition, endurance and commitment. Devotion is about persistence; while persistence implies work, not instant results. Prayer teaches us faith but it is no guarantor of getting what we want. When you and I are persistent in prayer God gives us an assurance that He is in control and that all of our needs and hopes are in his hands. Persistent prayer teaches us to trust in God's timing and not our own. Quitting on God by throwing up a prayer and expecting He will instantly respond is pretty sad. We deny ourselves the joy of feeling God's control in our lives. When God dishes out disappointment in your life, don't turn up your nose. Take a small bit of it, acquire a taste for it and, perhaps, like me, you'll learn not only to like it, but even love it.

We pray. Heavenly Father, You have taught us that prayer teaches us faith but it is no guarantor of getting what we want. When we are persistent in prayer You give us an assurance that You are in control and that all of our needs and hopes are in Your hands. Persistent prayer teaches us to trust in Your timing and not our own. Quitting on You by throwing up a prayer and expecting You will instantly respond is pretty sad. We deny ourselves the joy of feeling Your control in our lives. When God dishes out disappointment in our life, we ought not turn up our nose. Take a small bit of it, acquire a taste for it and, perhaps we'll learn not only to like it, but even love it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.