“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith.” ~Author Unknown

“Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Jesus

The formula Jesus gave us for prayer seems simple enough. I have seen a good many answers to prayers so when I ask for something and don’t get what I ask for, I sometimes wonder what I did or didn’t do to mess up things up. Well, there is any number of considerations and none of them has anything to do with the way we hold our mouth when we ask. I think the problem is that I am trying to hard, wondering if my faith is strong enough instead of simply trusting God. Most of the answers I have seen in prayer come when I am confident that God will answer not wondering if He will. Confident prayers are almost a passing thought, sort of like asking God to pass the mash potatoes. Why wouldn’t He? Of course, it helps to know that Jesus would happily stand with your request. 7/29/2010 Conversations Within ts

“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith.” ~Author Unknown

“Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Jesus

The formula Jesus gave us for prayer seems simple enough. I have seen a good many answers to prayers so when I ask for something and don’t get what I ask for, I sometimes wonder what I did or didn’t do to mess up things up. Well, there is any number of considerations and none of them has anything to do with the way we hold our mouth when we ask. I think the problem is that I am trying to hard, wondering if my faith is strong enough instead of simply trusting God. Most of the answers I have seen in prayer come when I am confident that God will answer not wondering if He will. Confident prayers are almost a passing thought, sort of like asking God to pass the mash potatoes. Why wouldn’t He? Of course, it helps to know that Jesus would happily stand with your request. 7/29/2010 Conversations Within ts

“He who moves not forward, goes backward” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith…Phil.1 ESV

What is our progress and joy in the faith if it isn’t to broaden and deepen our experiences of God? And, there are many opportunities for that each day. We look to Him for purpose in life, for daily bread, for forgiveness, to keep us from evil and, to seek these things not only for ourselves but also for others. This is the reason Father gave us the gift of faith. The purpose of faith is to grow it in. I would think that joy is one measure of the progress we are making. Sadly, my prayers often express more of my doubts than my faith. When this happens I experience little joy. If anything is worth asking from God, it is worth asking for in confident faith. I know I am expressing confident faith when joy is rising in my heart. 7/28/2010 Conversations Within ts

“He who moves not forward, goes backward” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith…Phil.1 ESV

What is our progress and joy in the faith if it isn’t to broaden and deepen our experiences of God? And, there are many opportunities for that each day. We look to Him for purpose in life, for daily bread, for forgiveness, to keep us from evil and, to seek these things not only for ourselves but also for others. This is the reason Father gave us the gift of faith. The purpose of faith is to grow it in. I would think that joy is one measure of the progress we are making. Sadly, my prayers often express more of my doubts than my faith. When this happens I experience little joy. If anything is worth asking from God, it is worth asking for in confident faith. I know I am expressing confident faith when joy is rising in my heart. 7/28/2010 Conversations Within ts

The way some people follow Christ you would think that being a Christian it is always Winter but never Spring.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Ro.6 ESV

For years, my Christian life focused almost entirely on the dying side--saying no to myself side of following Jesus. In recent years, He is leading me to the absolute joy of living on the resurrected side--saying yes to Him. What I mean is that as a young Christian all I could see was everything Christ was calling me from, every thing He was asking me to surrender, the losing of my life. These days I still see the need to die to self, see it every day in fact, but I see with greater clarity all that Jesus is calling me to, the gaining of my life. He is slowly shifting my focus to rise from the dead and run and play in the garden of His resurrection. 7/27/2010 Conversations Within ts