Oftentimes we get caught up in praying for the things that we desire ourselves. Don't get me wrong… we all have needs and even desire; and I know that Scripture says that "Our God shall supply all of our needs according to his riches in Glory…" and that "He will give you the desires of your heart…," but we must understand that this happens WHEN we abide by the principles set forth in God's Word entirely. I say this because His Word also tells us "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness… (THEN) all these things shall be added unto you."

My entire premise here is that we DO have a right to ask God for the things we need, but the first prayer should always be yield to the Will of God. It is only after that yield that we are able to "justly" ask God for the things that "we" desire or need. A true Christian-approach always builds prayer on the foundation of yielding to God and His Will.

While these are NOT prayers to directly quote, here are some examples of seeking God's Will and praying to yield ourselves to Him would be things such as:

A simple surrender prayer:

"Heavenly Father, I come before you today, humbly submitting my life to your perfect will. I release all control and trust in your plan for me."

Understanding that God always desires what is best for us.• He never wants what is less than productive and blessed for His children.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, Thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. - Jeremiah 29:11

• A prayer for guidance in a difficult situation:
Sometimes we find ourselves in difficult situation, and we struggle to comfortably "trust God's Will" for fear that we are not ready for the outcome. There are times that we wonder what God will present us with in tough times.

How should I pray?

"Lord, I am facing a challenging decision. Please reveal your will to me and give me the strength to choose the path that aligns with your plans."


• A prayer for acceptance of God's timing:
Sometimes we are good with accepting "what" God has for us, but we struggle with the "wait" for it.

How should I pray?

"God, I ask for patience as I wait for your perfect timing. Help me to trust that your ways are better than my ways, even when I don't see the whole picture."

• A prayer for strength to follow God's path:
Ever find yourself where you KNOW GOD'S PATH IS RIGHT, but struggle to find the strength to walk the road you see before you?
We know to do right… but temptation is always present… Scripture says "I would do good, but evil is always present…" (paraphrased - Romans 7:21)

How should I pray?

"Lord, when my own wants and desires pull me away, when my temptations try to rule my decisions,  give me the strength to resist temptation and choose to walk in your ways."



ALWAYS when you pray… do the following:
• Acknowledge God's sovereignty: Recognize that God is in control and has a plan for your life.
• Submit your own will: Letting go of your own desires and agenda to embrace God's purposes
• Trust in God's goodness: Believing that God's plans are always for your good, even when you don't understand them
• Request for guidance: Asking God to reveal his will to you and direct your steps

We are approaching January 1 of a complete new year. It seems just "yesterday" we were entering 2023. I have spent my life listening to the debate about 'New Year's resolutions' and the arguments for and against. I am not sure that I buy in completely to the idea of a resolution at January 1; but I do accept the fact that it is a really great time to start fresh. It's a good feeling to start a new journal, open a new planner, begin again the journey through reading the Bible, and on and on.

We probably all have this fantasy or dream of the life we wish we had. The things we wish we had done differently, the things we wish we had accomplished, the milestones we wish we had reached, etc. I know that there are many things I wish I had done differently for sure!

As I survey humanity, it seems that we have a culture that wants to be a part of something that is already working-well! I remember years ago our church was starting a choir and several of the young adults did not want to be a part. Hold that thought... they did not want to be a part UNTIL the choir started doing a decent job... then those complainers and naysayers all wanted to join. It's not the performing they ran from; but rather the practice and the hard work.

I have some things that I wish my life enveloped, and this year I will not wait until I am suddenly healthy with a good diet and a perfect exercise regimen and money in the bank to embrace those things. Rather, I will begin with the hard things. Since I want to have a good cardio exercise program... It's time I set the alarm a little earlier and get those running shoes out (ok... walking shoes) and start the process. I may not be where I want to be straight out the gate but I can take the part I CAN do and do it now! I am not saying that I will be running a marathon; what I can say is that I will begin now putting the pieces in place to create the life I wish I had.

Why am I saying all of this? Well, it's simple! We are starting the year with 21 days of fasting and prayer. I have asked myself "What areas of life do I want God to be at work in during the days of 2024?." So... my fasting and prayer will encompass all of those areas! For example, I want the LORD to work in my finances; so this next month will include no unnecessary spending. I want Him to work in my health so this next month will include purposely eating healthier. I think you get the picture.

Old habits are broken by creating new habits. Let's move into 2024 with the right attitude! Let's think beyond the current circumstance and work backwards from the life we want to have. If you want to be a prayer warrior, start by simply praying a bit everyday! If you want to... well, I think you can come up with all of the examples you need for your walk to be at its best.

God Bless

While I sit here working on the new Church Software... it excites me catching a glimpse of all that we will be able to do with his new tool. As you know, we are right in the midst of the greatest updates to our church in 30+ years; and this proves to be the perfect time to launch this new software.

Please know that this is a process and there will be a lot of things that change over the next few weeks. Stay connected, stay plugged in, watch for new things to be loaded... and most importantly - share, share, share the app. Feel free to share with your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and let's take our church and our MESSAGE to the world!

Among the things that are coming are:
- Live-streaming
- Shared videos and sermons
- Communication options
- Weekly Bulletins
- Blog Posts
- Announcements
- and so much more!

Let's take the Church to the World... Let's be disciples and make disciples... Let's go to heaven and take someone with us!