“—You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:2b-3
“It was called ‘The Bible’. I imagined God to be in heaven with a great supermarket with its shelves stacked high with spiritual goodies! With Him was someone I imagined to fulfil the role of an ‘errand boy; and who was called the Holy Spirit. How all this operated was very simple. I was to read the ‘catalogue’ and discover all the things that were available to me from God, and then through prayer to put in my order, and it would be the task of the Holy Spirit to bring these various commodities to me.”*
We don’t just ask for ‘spiritual goodies’, we ask for all sorts of things of God. We use a lack of stuff as a complaint against God too. Most of all, we want it now – our impatience for stuff – spiritual and real – seems sometimes driven by the world around us or people we know. Yet, the Father holds to His plan for us – each individual -- to bring us to His throne of Grace and then as we walk away, changed and renewed, into a world dying for Him. Perhaps it is a matter of priorities.
Take care with love, especially His! Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene
PS: ANY PRAYER UPDATES TODAY?
For any of you who wonder if prayer is worth taking time for, just page back through previous entries and see the hand of our loving Father in action!
NEW PRAYER REQUESTS: Pray for an angel of mercy to come and help Adrian as those who were to be there to help him when he arrived home are gone on holiday. The church he depended upon is focused on budget cuts; the pastor on a new post. He is frightened, alone, barely able to care for himself with no energy, in a cumbersome brace and struggling for every little thing. Yet, his last text to me ended by him saying how thankful he was to God that he had the mental resources and energy to communicate what is going on now. (Adrian, by the way, lives as far away from me as Atlanta to NYC, so I cannot be there.)
PRAISE & THANKSGIVING: Reg for his ministry and patience. For God’s support during difficult times through unexpected friends.
PRAY FOR THOSE WITH HEALTH CONCERNS: Michael recovering from deep vein thrombosis – a new life change for him. For Carlton’s recovery from surgery. Gwen (13 year old) and her headaches and attitude toward her mom. Deb, special friend with multiple Myeloma (please see her blog at this LINK. (http://debdarley.blogspot.com/) Wisdom for doctors caring for Tim, Doris, David, Poetry and Gary, Annette’s friend Sue.
ONGOING PRAYER REQUESTS: That Tim secures a disability pension with his coronary pulmonary artery disease. For Jen as she copes with her friend’s passing & for the hope of her future. For Susan in Bulgaria, struggling to provide for her husband and two children.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD: For those affected by Hurricane Irene. The world-wide economy and that people will remain calm and hopeful. Those putting their lives together after the many natural disasters this last year, especially for the volunteers and governments in: Japan, USA and New Zealand. For Middle Eastern nations dealing with unprecedented internal conflicts. For the rest of the world to stay calm with regard to war, the economy and most of all for those who are believers, to pray and help others have peace during this time.
OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS: For Carla to have good health, satisfying work and life balance. Help for Cris. Isaias (family safety and his mission work in Philippines); God’s grace on USA & REVIVAL for His children. For Kevin (Godly wisdom with his son), Michael.
ONGOING JOB RELATED: Paul needs work. That Tim might find satisfying work. Randy needs a new job in Canada or Australia. I need a new project to tackle for my work. Working on a new book and pursuing a new publisher in the UK for my other book!
*Christ For Real by Charles Price
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