Prayer

Waiting on God

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. Psalm 31:24 ESV

All throughout the Bible God promises to answer prayer, but don’t you sometimes just wish that He would do it right now? Today, I am still desperately praying for a grandson who is not only lost in sin but who is choosing to no longer speak with us. But as I brought my request rather angrily this morning to God, He reminded me that having faith means I must trust He is listening and that He is working in ways I may never understand to answer because He is good.

Waiting on God is not just waiting around till He does something. For example, on July 4th, 1776, 56 people including, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and George Washington signed the Declaration of Independence, but just signing a piece of paper was not enough to make the United States a free and sovereign land. That accomplishment did not come about until, September 3, 1783 – seven long years later. In between the Declaration and true independence, we passed through a waiting period called The Revolutionary War.

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The same is true when we wait on the Lord. Our declaration of independence from sin was signed in blood on the cross of Calvary. But the whole of our Christian life is a series of Revolutionary Wars as by God’s help we win the battles one by one. Maybe you have been praying for years over a broken relationship, salvation for a loved one or a longing to serve God in a greater way. Don’t give up, stand down or walk away from God in anger. He is working on us just as much as He is working on our prayers. He is calling us to be strong and courageous, because waiting on God is more than just waiting around and is not for the faint of heart. There is a war going on and God is calling us to the battlefield of prayer trusting that He knows what He is doing, and that victory is already ours in Jesus Christ our Savior and our great Commander in Chief!

He Remembers Prayers

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments 
Prayer is not an idle wish
And more than wondering
If God might be too busy with
Some more important things

It puts down its deepest roots
In the garden of our cares
Knowing God has scheduled us
In His appointment book of prayer

And bends low to listen for
Each child of His who seeks
For He well remembers when
At Calvary He was weak

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 ESV


He Remembers Prayers by Peter Caligiuri copyright 2022 all rights reserved

He is Near

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

…The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:5‭b-‬6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/php.4.5-6.ESV

Just a brief encouragement today for those who like me are seeking God’s direction yet feeling as if we are at a dead end. Thankfully Jesus specialized in showing up for his disciples at times just like that! In storms, in locked rooms or at gravesides Jesus came near. And when He came, he always began with same message. “It is I. Don’t be afraid! In today’s passage Paul begins by reminding us that our reason for confidence and peace in our prayers begins with one fact. Jesus is at hand. He is so close that we can reach out and touch Him just as Thomas did. So as we go about our journey we can put anxiety to rest with three simple truths. He is near, He is listening and He promises to answer. May God bless us this weekend as we rest secure in knowing that He is within our hand’s reach, He listens to our prayers and calms every fear with His message. “Do not be afraid!”