Day 14-"Keep on praying!" 1 Thes. 5:17

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thes. 5:17 (kjv)

Well, there's not much to this verse but I've come to believe that no word is insignificant in the Bible...none should be taken lightly. I asked myself,"Why would I be told to pray without stopping?" There must be some reason....reading throughout the suggested vereses in the topical index of my Bible under "prayer", I see just how much power we are given in prayer. I'm only selling myself short if I don't pray.

"Ask, & it shall be given you; seek, & ye shall find; knock, & it shall be opened unto you." Mt. 7:7
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask, & ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Jn 16:24

Wow, don't I need some joy?! Here I'm told that prayer brings about fullness of joy. On day 11 I learned that joy comes with faith. So I must pray with faith! Of course, there is a confirming verse: "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, WITHOUT wrath & DOUBTING."-1 Timothy 2:3

I'm remembering Treaty. He prayed all the time. Sometimes he fell asleep in the closet praying. I remember that there were times he would pray that God would help his unbelief. He prayed for faith. I believe that maybe if I prayed more, God would move more which would increase my faith. I use to have a faith that blew my mind! I use to think I was strange because I was't moved by anything! But this was a time when I prayed all the time. God has done some amazing things. I'm remembering when we lived in our town home. There were these two guys who left their window open all day long. They smoked and it drove me nuts cuz I had to walk by their window to get to my car. So I asked God to do something about that. I told him I didn't like the smoke nor did I want my kids to have to breath it every time we had to go somewhere. It was 4th of July weekend when I asked. So when the window was shut all weekend I figured the guys had just gone out of town. Well, it stayed shut. I never noticed the window open again after that. The guys always had their blinds open so I could seeone of them at the computer smoking sometimes...the window stayed shut. I'm only mad I didn't ask God sooner. All I did was complain about the smoke to Treaty for months instead of just praying. I finally did pray and God shut the window. Now I see I need to stop complaining and having pitty parties and just PRAY!!! Could it be that I am where I am mentally because I stopped praying? If Jn 16:24 is true, then I know the answer to that. Time to pray!

My Prayer-"Dear Lord, thank you for hearing & answering prayer. Forgive me for shutting my mouth to you. Remind me to pray always & let my prayers not be a long list of desires but also praises. Put on my heart the needs of others so my prayers are not selfish. Remind me not to do all the talking but help to listen for you when I pray. Help me to be patient in my waiting for your answer. Extinguish any doubt that may be in me. Enjoin my faith & prayers that I may have joy once again. Keep me praying in faith. In Jesus' name, amen.