Trust for the Lord is Good

As I thought about what I have written yesterday , this song as I was listening to it really boiled it down to the issue. Doubt , despair ,questions and hard times can try and strangle out the fact  , God is good. Perhaps it is a matter of trusting and resting in the Lord .
Beautiful song by Matt Hammitt who has know a thing or two about trusting the Lord amid struggles and heartbreak .


Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
(Psalm 37:5 ESV)

To Pray or Not to Pray , I Have a Problem

Paul tells us , "pray without ceasing,(1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV) . Jesus instructs the disciples in Matthew 6: 9-13 , commonly known as the Lord's prayer . Jesus also declared ,  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:14 ESV)  One could go to the Old Testament and read many prayers , so many through out the whole Bible it would take  a long time to list the commands to pray and the prayers of God's people . It has been said the the whole of the Psalms is a prayer book. So God's people are to be a people of prayer . It really is not an option . In real simple terms prayer is communication to God . We are to declare God's holiness, His glory and want to see His kingdom break into this world with the gospel of Jesus . We are also told to ask for forgiveness, to forgive others , for daily food , to not be lead into temptation . There are also prayers to made for the sick (James 5:14) 

But I have a confession to make . I have and do really struggle with personal prayer . I can pray for the gospel to to be preached , ask for forgiveness of sins , for God's kingdom to come but for situations like healing , those who are in need , and numerous other real personal situations I have truly struggled. Perhaps I doubt that God will answer these prayers or maybe I have yet to come to grips with a solid answer to satisfy my question that have come up over time. 

In the on going debate with atheist , for me the question that would get the most traction is how many prayers seem to go to deaf ears. I'm just being completely honest here . I have heard Christopher Hitchens challenge someone in a debate about the mother in Africa who is praying for her dying child to be healed or to just have enough food to eat or the parents of a dying child with cancer , crying out and what happens , nothing.  The answers given go like this . Well we don't know why , but God in His wisdom knows more than we . I have also heard this one , perhaps its not no but wait or this classic , we perhaps don't have enough faith or as James says , the prayer of the righteous man has great power and guess what , you just weren't righteous enough . We need to wrestle with these questions and I still hold answers that are biblical can be given. 

In many cases the answers given puts the emphasis on the person praying . The prayer is not effective because of sin in ones life , remember you have to be righteous ( who is that apart from the imputed righteousness of Christ) . Now it is true we can grieve and hinder our prayers with sin , but that still is a very poor answer. 

I'm going to be very blunt . I have prayed for healing for those who have been sick , including my Mom ( perhaps this is where my struggle began ) , and no physical healing happened . She is not the only case. I have prayed for opportunities in work , in education and no doors have opened . I could go on . Now some will say , it was not in God's will and how we can only see just to the horizon , but God can see the bigger picture . Yes He can and that's is why I struggle . If God is going to do what He will , and doesn't  change His decree's , then  He knows my desires before I even utter them . He knew I truly wanted my Mom healed , and the others I prayed for . He knows I need work that my body can do . He knows I want my son's to be saved and persevere in the faith . He knew I wanted my wife healed from cancer . 

Some will tell me well your wife was healed , and yes she has been healthy and cancer free for over 4 years (I'm very thankful)  but there was no supernatural healing ( perhaps there was and I cannot see it)' the doctors and science performed the healing. True I believe under God's providence but my point is , no instant healing. I'm not trying to be a doubter here and maybe I'm , or I'm so convinced of His sovereignty that I struggle and have a very fatalistic view of prayer. In other words , I can petition the Lord but He will do what He wills . 

It has been a  ongoing struggle for me for years . One that is truly difficult . I long and hunger for intimate communion with the Lord . I desire to see my prayer life awaken  and fear that my attitude is a clear barrier in seeing that take root. So as ironic as this is to say , pray for me . Pray that God would take away my cold doubting  heart , and awaken my heart to commune with my Lord .  

What I have decided to do is go to a group known for their passionate , Godly prayers , the Puritans , and read their prayers . Really I have no excuse , those old preachers and writers that I love ,  where men of prayer and ultimately Jesus prayed . That should settle it . Nuff said. 

Format and Its Go Time

So here we are over a week from my last post . That is not acceptable , I know that my thousands of readers are severely distraught. OK, that was a funny . I enjoy writing my thoughts out but have really been trying to come up with a more structured format for this blog over this year. Over the next couple of days I will commit to writing again on a regular basis

As to the format , I think it will feature a few set in stone features that will be posted on certain days . The rest I will just write about things that have really struck me , moved me or I feel need to be said. Should be fun as I really want too put the hammer down and kick up the blog . Now to dust off my mind and get thinking about the next entry .

Time For a Jump Start

OK its  January , 2012 and this is the first entry . Sad . I had planned to write numerous times but as I set down in front of the computer , I really felt like a cold engine. You know the one that when it gets too cold it makes the chug,chug , whine sound . Just could not get my mind and heart set to say or write anything . I had plenty of thoughts but really just didn't feel up to writing.

However sometimes one has to just jump in and tap away at the letters on the keyboard and hope you can come up with something . So here goes.

The house has been de- Christmased ( OK that is my word ) . Its always a bit sad for me to take down the decorations and throw out the tree. I know many relish getting stuff back to normal ( as if there is any real normal in this crazy world) but that is not me . I truly love the Christmas season and even more so because of Jesus Christ.  So instead of feeling sad this year , I have been trying to think of creative ways leading up to Easter when we remember and proclaim , Jesus death and Resurrection, to decorate to point to what Jesus did for a sinner like me. Don't know what yet , but I'm sure something will be thought of .

So that's all for now and I truly hope to post at a steady rate again this year . I think it will be along  the same lines as the past but will cover a few more topics and will try to come up with regular features . So lets begin in earnest and say hello again . Hope something I write or link to will make you think , laugh or mad . Well mad in a good way .