PRAYERS for these TIMES

JESUS declared:

 John 15:16

King James Version

16 Ye have not chosen me, 

but I have chosen you, 

and ordained you, 

that ye should go and bring forth fruit, 

and that your fruit should remain: 

that whatsoever ye shall ask 

of the Father in my name, 

he may give it you.

What could be the best prayer, or prayers, in these chaotic times?

Would our prayers be answered?

What makes prayers get answered?

Here's where the HOLY SPIRIT led me today.

On the THREE best prayers for these times.

First, the prayer JESUS taught us:

Matthew 6:9-13

King James Version

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: 

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, 

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil: 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, 

and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Second, a call so we may know what to do:

Psalm 143:8

King James Version

8 Cause me to hear 

thy lovingkindness in the morning; 

for in thee do I trust: 

cause me to know the way 

wherein I should walk; 

for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Third, the prayer GOD delights in:

Psalm 143:10

King James Version

10 Teach me to do thy will; 

for thou art my God: 

thy spirit is good; lead me 

into the land of uprightness.

NOTE the THREE important calls from our hearts.

This is how we must live, work, and pray, in these times:

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:"

"cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;"

"Teach me to do thy will;"

That's what perfect obedience is.

JESUS was the BEST example of that.

Philippians 2:8

King James Version

8 And being found in fashion as a man, 

he humbled himself, 

and became obedient unto death, 

even the death of the cross.

He taught us all we need to be.

Remember, He is the Way:

John 14:6

King James Version

6 Jesus saith unto him, 

I am the way, the truth, and the life: 

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

And His Way is the narrow way.

Matthew 7:13-14

King James Version

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: 

for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, 

that leadeth to destruction, 

and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, 

which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

It's how we become disciples of CHRIST.

John 13:35

King James Version

35 By this shall all men know 

that ye are my disciples, 

if ye have love one to another.

Matthew 16:24

King James Version

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, 

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, 

and take up his cross, and follow me.

Why does these matter?

Matthew 16:25-26

King James Version

25 For whosoever will save his life 

shall lose it: 

and whosoever will lose his life for my sake 

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited, 

if he shall gain the whole world, 

and lose his own soul? 

or what shall a man give 

in exchange for his soul?

And with the LORD, is SURE victory.

Matthew 16:27

King James Version

27 For the Son of man shall come 

in the glory of his Father with his angels; 

and then he shall reward every man 

according to his works.

Pray to know GOD's will.

Have PURE adoration of heart.

Exodus 3:4-5

King James Version

4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, 

God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, 

and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: 

put off thy shoes from off thy feet, 

for the place whereon thou standest 

is holy ground.

It's the most important foundation of all.

Man's will, and desires, are strong.

But GOD's WORD, and WILL, remain.

Psalm 33:11

King James Version

11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, 

the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

Related material:

What happens when we Love and Obey God?

WHAT makes GOD answer a PRAYER?

GOD's WORD stands

On LOVING GOD

GOD's DELIGHT

GOD is STEADY

BEST prayer

HOLINESS

GOD's GLORY blogs

BORN AGAIN classics

Image: Clipart Library

Merchandising MADNESS

 

2 Timothy 2:4

King James Version

4 No man that warreth 

entangleth himself 

with the affairs of this life; 

that he may please him 

who hath chosen him 

to be a soldier.

Which color?

For whom?

Would the price be right?

Why so many colors?

Why so many styles?

Why so many weaves?

Why so much to choose from?

Would this match their bathroom?

Would this match their kitchen?

And that's just towels, mind you.

We haven't gotten to many other items we use on a daily basis.

Whether for self, or gifts.

As you can imagine, we are drowning in choices.

The marketing and merchandising world has made sure of that.

They've kept us mighty busy making choices.

Our malls, and supermarket aisles, are flooded with goods of every kind, every color, every size, every purpose, every price.

Where Mom and Pop stores, and neighborhood groceries once stood, now, we are faced with a plethora of choices.

Which all keep growing more by the day.

They've even invented apps on our cellphones so we can shop even more.

For that's the idea, really.

That you spend your hard-earned money.

Willfully, even carelessly, and unthinkingly.

And buy stuff that are trending, probably useful, or useless, just so you buy, and someone gets that money.

Most everyone get caught up in merch madness.

What is "merchandising" but this:

"Merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products ("merch" colloquially) to a retail consumer. At a retail in-store level, merchandising refers to displaying products that are for sale in a creative way that entices customers to purchase more items or products."

-- Wikipedia

That "creative", and "crafty" way for the merchandiser, can be a "confusing", and "crazy" way for the consumer.

"So much to choose from!" is the initial reaction.

So, they invent online stores, for convenience.

Now, there's less to view, or is it really?

Still, the fact remains stores want your money.

And they can deliver, too!

That makes people buy stuff they don't really use, or need, or the colors and sizes are wrong.

Surely you've heard many of that each day.

But what can an online stores really present?

It's all visual, this thing about "merchandising".

For this born again workman, I'd rather shop on site.

Meaning, I can see the goods for real.

I can touch it, "weigh" it, even smell it.

So I know what I'm getting.

And yes, I can even walk away from it.

This is the age of excess.

Too much to choose from.

It's as if the merch people have gone overboard.

Bombarding us with choices, and selections, covering our every "whim".

But it can turn off "purists".

The kind that wants a few, good things only.

That wants sturdy, and reliable stuff.

"Value for money", they say.

Or the kind that abhors store traps.

And knows the game for what it is.

You've got to be an entrepreneur, consumer, and born again watchman to realize all that.

Well, we've been, and are, all three.

We know the game.

And the bottomline is this:

Anything that keeps your eyes off GOD, 

has got to be the enemy's work.

When you keep your eye off GOD, you honor the little gods.

Which GOD abhors so much.

But warriors of the SPIRIT don't get distracted.

We focus on CHRIST alone.

We are guided by SPIRIT.

So, we buy what we need.

We don't get confused by all the choices.

We don't get caught up in "trappy" trends.

We don't compare our lives with the Joneses.

We live simple lives dedicated to GOD, and to you.

We're like cops.

Here to "protect, and serve" you.

Scripturally.

Spiritually.

Thus, we share GOD's WORD with you:

1 John 2:15-17

King James Version

15 Love not the world, 

neither the things that are in the world. 

If any man love the world, 

the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, 

the lust of the flesh, 

and the lust of the eyes, 

and the pride of life, 

is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: 

but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Be not confused.

Be saved.

Be not covetous.

Be simple.

Be not envious.

Be content.

Be not of the enemy.

Be of CHRIST.

That ought to veer you away from the creature and clamor, the glitter and glamor, of litter and clutter, and sin and Satan.

Galatians 5:16-26

King James Version

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, 

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, 

and the Spirit against the flesh: 

and these are contrary the one to the other: 

so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, 

ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, 

which are these; 

Adultery, fornication, 

uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, 

emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, 

revellings, and such like: 

of the which I tell you before, 

as I have also told you in time past, 

that they which do such things 

shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit 

is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 

gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: 

against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's 

have crucified the flesh 

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, 

let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, 

provoking one another, 

envying one another.

NOTE: This article was on our mind last night.

But as with everything important, there was so much material.

So, we slept it off, confident SPIRIT will sort it all out in the morning.

Sure enough, He always does.

The "towel" image appealed to us right away.

In all its significance, and simplicity.

The verses were there last night.

But this morning, all came to form.

Easily, crucially, clearly.

There was no "clutter", or confusion.

Only CHRIST.

It's a lovely thing.

When GOD makes you "born again".

All become clear.

Related material:

WALKING with JESUS

WALK in the SPIRIT

LOOK to GOD

On LOVING GOD

The devil's DEVICES

GOD's GLORY blogs

BORN AGAIN classics

Image: Clipart Library