Week Forty-Seven, 2025
“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)
Sincere prayer is an incredible spiritual tool. It is a vital practice of communicating with God, marked by continuous devotion, thankful hearts, and sincere belief in His will. Key aspects include praying with faith and the confidence that God hears our requests, but also praying for others, confession of sins, and praying through a personal room rather than for show.
Have you stopped to think about what you pray for? All too often, we pray for what we want: “Give me this” or “Give me that.” There’s nothing wrong with that, and there is nothing wrong with praying for the needs of others.
But here is a unique way to view prayer: not as a way to gain, but as a way to give up. Once a man was asked, “What did you gain by regularly praying to God?” The man replied, “Nothing… but let me tell you what I lost: anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and fear of death.” Sometimes, the answer to our prayers is not gaining but losing, which ultimately is the gain.
Prayer can be a sincere cleansing, like spring cleaning. Too often, I pray for what I want rather than the attitudes I want to get rid of. I can pray for security, but I need to first ask God to rid me of insecurity. The list goes on.
Prayer is a two-way communication that encompasses talking to God (through petition, praise, and confession) and listening to Him, as well as strengthening our relationship with Him. It is a continuous act, described as “praying without ceasing,” and involves aligning one’s will with God’s will. Prayer is not limited to requests but includes worship, thanksgiving, and confession of sin, ultimately bringing peace and a deeper connection with Him.
While physical health is valuable, spiritual wellness and avoiding sin are paramount to prevent worse consequences, potentially including spiritual and eternal separation from God.
So, the next time you pray, ask God to take away those things and attitudes that hold you back before you pray for what you need. The results will be miraculous, and ultimately, you will gain.
Sometimes True Stories
“You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:14, 16)
Darkness cannot overcome light. We know this when we stand in a pitch-black room and turn on just one small light. Also, evil cannot overcome the truth of good. Without the standard of good, evil cannot exist. When Jesus was in the world, He said He was the light of the world. In other words, He spoke the light of Truth, and evil was defeated.
In our world today, the world may seem as evil has the upper hand. But evil will never be the ultimate victor. When we place our trust in Christ Jesus and Him alone, we reflect His light and His Truth. We have nothing to fear when we proclaim the Truth of who Jesus is—not persecution, not death.
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV).
Shine on! —Rich Jensen
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And now for a little humor… 😃😃😃
Only in America… do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions, while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Only in America… do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a Diet Coke.
Only in America… do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
Only in America… do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
Only in America… do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Only in America… do they have drive-up ATMs with Braille lettering.
EVER WONDER….
Why the sun lightens our hair but darkens our skin?
Why women can’t put on mascara with their mouths closed?
Why you never see the headline “Psychic Wins Lottery”?
Why “abbreviated” is such a long word?
Why doctors call what they do “practice”?
Why lemon juice is made with artificial flavor, while dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons?
Why the man who invests all your money is called a broker?
Why the time of day with the slowest traffic is called rush hour?
Why there isn’t mouse-flavored cat food?
Why Noah didn’t swat those two mosquitoes?
Why they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box used on airplanes? Why don’t they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
Why sheep don’t shrink when it rains?
Why they are called apartments when they are all stuck together?
If “con” is the opposite of “pro,” is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
Hope this made you smile a little bit 😃 As I edited this, I smiled a lot… Beverley
Quotes You Can Use
In our day, however, partisan politics have taken the place of foreign enemies. More than three-fourths of voters now believe that Americans who strongly support the other side are a “clear and present danger” to our nation. —Jim Denison
Christ’s church is unstoppable and secure. Though opposition may rise, those who stand against Jesus will ultimately fall. Pray and trust in our sovereign Lord. Pray and entrust yourself to our caring Lord. Rejoice with the church and give God the glory. —Edgar Aponte
Diversity is not America’s strength. Unity is. —Michael Smith
A pastor is not called to entertain the goats, but to feed the sheep.
America has always been a nation that believes in the power of prayer, and we will never apologize for our faith. —Donald Trump
There is only one gospel. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works.
The further a society shifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it. —Selwyn Duke
Don’t let your circumstances control your heart, because today is a day God has made for each of us. —Tony Ferguson
It is sad when people do something permanently stupid because they were temporarily upset. —Tony Ferguson
Satan wants to win people over or disrupt their witness. One thing we know from Christ being tempted while in the wilderness: Satan has no defense for the Truth of God’s Word. —Rich Jensen
Anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone; unfortunately, most times the holder is the one who gets burned.
We must be more concerned with what we can do for others than what others can do for us. You’ll be surprised at the results! —John Wooden
The riches Jesus desires to share with you are eternal riches, which cannot be measured by temporal things like gold or silver. —Dan Shock
Secular society would have us believe that what we think is good is often bad. Artificial Intelligence will never be more than the name implies—”artificial.” —Tony Ferguson
The devil is not fighting religion, as he is too smart for that. He is producing counterfeit Christianity so much like the real one that good Christians are afraid to speak out against it. —Vance Havner
The reason people speak out against the Bible is because the Bible speaks out against their lifestyle.
To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society. —Theodore Roosevelt
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. —Alan Dundes
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. —Alvin Toffler
No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot. —Mark Twain
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