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Praying

The “How To’s” Day 6

by TerryLema 
(I apologize for missing yesterday, the hard drive on my computer died and I needed to get a new one.)

I am working my way through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Today and tomorrow I am in Chapter 6. The first half of that chapter in my Bible is titled, “How to Give,” “How to Pray,” (which includes “The Model Prayer”), and “How to Fast.” [5:1-18]

That pretty well covers three of the Spiritual Disciplines Christians are to exercise. As I read through these passages, I noticed one pertinent item in each.

Giving: Don’t practice it in front of people to be seen by them.

Praying: Don’t practice it to be seen by people.

Fasting: Don’t show your fasting to people.

We are not to practice these spiritual disciples so that others will pat us on the back and remind us what good Christians we are. We are not to practice these to gain a good reputation or to earn points in our churches. Jesus is quite clear where the rewards will come from if we do these the way God intends.

“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” for giving. [vs 4]

“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” for praying. [vs6b]

“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” for fasting. [vs18b]

I guess my “Am I?” question today is “Why am I giving, praying and fasting?”

Where does my heart’s motivation spring from? I pray from a heart focused solely on the One who loves me so much.

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Praying For You

by TerryLema

October 4

Praying for You!

Sometime Labor Day week I contracted COVID. I do not know where or from whom. I had been very careful, wearing masks in stores, getting vaccinated and trying to do all the right things.  Still, I came down with COVID, verified by a positive test on September 11 in the ER.

I had a difficult time, struggled (and am still struggling) with various symptoms, coughing, lower oxygen levels than normal and of course the biggie—fatigue.

The hardest, and the one I want to see gone first is the COVID brain fog. I have been trying to think about devotions.  I sit and stare at the blank screen and nothing seems to come. But I need to start somewhere, so I will start with what has meant the most to me during this month-long COVID fight.

 “Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord.  The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health….” [James 5-14-15a HCSB]

I did not call for the elders of the church. I am ashamed to say I was so sick, I failed to think about it,  but the elders of the church circled around me even without my call.

I am so thankful to those who have prayed for me (and are continuing to pray for my complete recovery). Every time I looked at my Facebook page and saw the posts, or got a text that said, “praying for you!” I was comforted. I felt too weak to pray for myself, but the assurance that others were carrying me in their prayers lifted my soul and spirit.

Thank you! THANK YOU! God has been gracious to me and because of your prayers I am on the road to recovery. And it is now my turn to pray for others. I do so with far greater determination knowing just how much “praying for you” can mean to those in need.

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“What do you want?”

by TerryLema

I woke up last Monday morning with those four words recycling through my mind over and over. “What do you want?”

I do not know if they were the end of a dream, or if it was the LORD asking me, “What do you want?”

I decided to go ahead and answer that question. I had spent a restless night with pain in my shoulders, arms, neck, and hips, so my immediate thought was, “I want this disease in remission, the pain and fatigue gone, so I can walk a couple miles a day again.”

Then I thought about what else I wanted. It came down to two things. First, I want a meaningful ministry to the LORD once I retire from The Way.

The second thing I want is simple, I want my children and grandchildren and their spouses to know and serve the LORD.

“Jesus replied to them, ‘Have faith in God.  I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for—believe that you have received them, and you will have them.’”  [Mark 11:22-24 HCSB]

If I truly want these things, I need to be praying and asking for them.  And if I am praying for them, I better “believe that [I] have received” healing, ministry, and salvations. Hallelujah!

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