A CHRISTMAS PRAYER WITH GOLD, FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH

The Knot Prayer

“WISDOM” – THIS WEEK’S WORD & PRAYER

 “Wisdom”

“In the first chapter of the book of James, James instructs us to go to God for help.  In the struggles of life we oftentimes lack the wisdom to get through the trial of our circumstances.  James says If we don’t know what we’re doing, we should pray to the Father.  He loves to help.  We’ll get his help, and we won’t be judged as unworthy when we ask for it.

This Week’s Word

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

This Week’ Prayer

Dear Father, we confess today that we lack the wisdom necessary to solve our problems or meet our needs. We need Your wisdom now. By Wisdom You made the heavens and founded the earth. Therefore, We are confident that You are able and that You will give us the wisdom necessary to resolve all of our issues and meet all of our needs. We want to know what to do and how to do it according to Your wisdom that our joy may be full and the desires of our hearts fulfilled. Empower us right now O Lord! Please impart to us the wisdom we so fervently desire that we might experience success in all of our endeavors. We thank You for not finding fault in us and we thank You for liberally giving us the wisdom we are asking for. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

“What’s In You Will Come Out Of You.”

Today’s Word
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ~ Luke 6:45 (NIV)

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What is really inside of us will come spilling out  of us when life puts the squeeze on us.  Crisis will usually reveal what is really in our hearts.  It is easy to do and say the right things when life is calm and everything is going right, but what we say and do when chaos hits and the pressure is on tends to paint a more accurate picture of who we really are.  It is kind of like a sponge. 

Suppose you have five sponges lying on your kitchen counter.  Each member of your family has been cleaning different areas of your home, but the sponges all look the same.  You are curious about what was cleaned but you can’t tell just by looking at the sponges since they all look the same.  So what do you do? 

You squeeze each sponge to see what happens.  As you squeeze the first sponge, brown cola comes pouring out.  Someone must have cleaned the kitchen with that sponge.  Upon squeezing the second sponge, you see blue tub and tile cleaner oozing out of the sponge which leads you to believe someone used that particular sponge to clean the bathroom.  In the third sponge, you find cooking oil and conclude that someone spilled some oil and cleaned it with the sponge.  The fourth sponge produces a puff of baby powder when it is squeezed.  The baby’s nursery was obviously cleaned with that sponge.  Finally, the last sponge is dripping with floor wax which tells you someone used that particular sponge to clean the floor.  As you lay the last sponge down, you look again at their similarity.  They all look the same — until they are squeezed.

We are a lot like sponges when it comes to our Faith in God.  We look and act as if God is Lord of our lives.  We say all the right things to all the right people and do right things in order to prove we are right.  But what is really inside?  What do our hearts really look like? 

When a crisis comes and the pressures of life squeeze us mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, what comes out?  Do we respond to that difficult person in anger or with patience and love?  Does revenge spill out in ugly words to that person who has hurt us more times than we can count or do we take a breath and remember that God loves them and that hurt people tend to hurt other people?  Does the pain of unresolved sin flood our hearts and minds as guilt spills out of our heart with a vengeance?
Just like the sponge, we can only squeeze out what is put in.  Fill your heart with the things of God.  Stay in the Word each day. Spend time with faith builders who will encourage you in your faith.  Seek God and His plan for your life.  Pray about everything so that when life puts the squeeze on you the very nature of God will come pouring out.
Today’s Prayer

Father, I pray to You today in the name of—*YeHoWsHua HaMashiach – Jesus the Christ.  Father, I want my faith to be more than just talk.  I want my religion to be more than just window-dressing.  I want to be real and authentic.  I want to be a genuine, baptized in Jesus’ name, Holy Spirit filled, tongue talking, obedient  child of God.  Please forgive me when I played religious games and pretended to be someone I was not.  I confess that I am a sinner.  I want to be saved.  I repent of my old sinful nature and take hold of Your grace in Christ Jesus through baptism in His name.  Anoint me O Lord.  Empower me to walk in Your grace so that when hard times press heavy upon me only Your Word will come pouring out of me.  This is my prayer today in the name of the LORD YeHoWsHua* (Jesus) the Christ, Amen.

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Footnote:
The Hebrew spelling of the name of Christ is used in this prayer for educational purposes. Yehowshua is often shorten to Yeshua but out of respect for my Lord I chose to use the spelling of His proper name to demonstrate that His name s above every name and that even the spelling of His name is relative to the spelling of The Father’s name – remembering that there were not any vowels in the Hebrew alphabets. Thus, YHWH (Yahweh) and YeHoWsHua (Yahweh is salvation) are grammatically and uniquely related.
For more information of the authentic name of God, please follow the link below:
http://www.therockofmontgomery.org/Yahweh.html
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COPYRIGHT DISCLOSURE:
Bishop O.W. Prince and The O.W. Prince Ministries authorizes that this work along with all works posted on this blog and related blogs may be copied, redistributed and retransmitted in part or in whole for non-commercial purposes only and without change or alteration to its contents or materials  with the stipulation that the author and source be clearly acknowledged.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Today's Word & Prayer for Today's Christian

“Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are.” ~ 1 John 3:1 (GW)

Have you ever noticed that you are never a grown-up to the ones who birthed you? They completely disregard the gray hairs, crowfeet, and bulging waistlines of your adult life. No matter how many children call you “Dad” or “Mom,” to your parents you are still just a child yourself. 


They seem to think you have slipped into the closet to put on grown-up clothes and are really just playing a game. They must believe that somewhere beneath the receding hairline there is still a child, hiding in the shadows of adulthood. The worst part about it is (keep this quiet) I think they are right! 

And like our parents, the Lord looks beyond our façade and sees the trem­bling places in our lives. He knows our innermost needs. No matter how spiritually mature we try to appear, He is still aware that lurking in the shadows is an insecure little girls who needs her Father to tell her that he loves her and he is going to make everything alright. He is aware that beneath the façade of brawny masculinity is a little boy who needs his Father to reassure him of his manhood and tell him that he is the image and glory of his daddy. God is aware of the hidden issues of His “all grown-up” little children. 

The Father understands the hidden fears, insecurities, anxieties, hurts, anger and feeling of revenge that lurks in each of us from time to time. He is aware of the worst in us, yet still thinks the best of us.

He understands the child in us, and He speaks to our blanket-clutching, thumb­-sucking, infantile needs. In spite of our maturity, income, edu­cation, or notoriety, He still speaks to the childhood issues of our aging hearts. 

The Father’s Love Never Fails.

Today’s Prayer
Father, I pray to You today in the name of—*YeHoWsHua HaMashiach – Jesus the Christ.  I thank you for adopting me into Your family and for calling me Your child. I am grateful for the privilege to be called a child of God. And like a child I am still growing and learning. I need Your guidance and instruction to help me navigate this tedious life. I am unsure of my myself and I need Your reassurance. I have strayed from the path You’ve chosen for me and I need You to lead me back to the path of righteousness. I have even been rebellious at times and now I repent and I need You to forgive me O God. Have mercy on me. No one knows me like You do. Speak to the issues of my heart and heal all of my hurts and pains. Daddy, I need You and I need You now! Help me to become more and more like You—to look and sound like You and to walk in the knowledge and power of my birthright. This is my prayer today in the name of the LORD YeHoWsHua* (Jesus) the Christ, Amen.

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Footnote:
The Hebrew spelling of the name of Christ is used in this prayer for educational purposes. Yehowshua is often shorten to Yeshua but out of respect for my Lord I chose to use the spelling of His proper name to demonstrate that His name s above every name and that even the spelling of His name is relative to the spelling of The Father’s name – remembering that there were not any vowels in the Hebrew alphabets. Thus, YHWH (Yahweh) and YeHoWsHua (Yahweh is salvation) are grammatically and uniquely related.

For more information of the authentic name of God, please follow the link below:
http://www.therockofmontgomery.org/Yahweh.html

____________________________________________________________

COPYRIGHT DISCLOSURE:
Bishop O.W. Prince and The O.W. Prince Ministries authorizes that this work along with all works posted on this blog and related blogs may be copied, redistributed and retransmitted in part or in whole for non-commercial purposes only and without change or alteration to its contents or materials  with the stipulation that the author and source be clearly acknowledged.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

A Word & Prayer For Today's Christian

God’s love is strong, unconditional – a love that we cannot understand or explain in human terms.  It is absolutely and utterly beyond measure.  The life of the Old Testament prophet, Hosea, powerfully illustrates this kind of love.  Hosea was married to Gomer but Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, betraying the covenant of marriage.  Hosea had every right to walk away from Gomer and divorce her but supernatural love caused him to make supernatural choices that demanded supernatural action and sacrifice.

Hosea 3:2 says, “So I bought her for six ounces of silver and ten bushels of barley” (Twice the price of an average slave).

Think about it.  Hosea was the one who had been wronged and humiliated.  Yes, he was the one faithfully following the moral Commandments of God.  He was the righteous one but he was also the one called to sacrifice.  We oftentimes misunderstand the full meaning of sacrifice, thinking that it is only a decision to “give up” our self-centered rights, or give up our surplus of resources or give up a few of our nonessential freedoms.  But true sacrifice is much more than these things.   Sacrifice causes us to lay down all sense of human justice or fairness in order for God to work in and through us on behave of those who are sometimes unlovable and deserving of condemnation.

Gomer broke the covenant of marriage.  Biblically, Hosea had every justification to divorce her.  He could have tossed her out and turned her children against her, stripping her life of any discernible value.  Hosea could have destroyed Gomer, and no one would have blamed him.  Instead, God instructed Hosea to rise to a higher place and lay down his anger, hurt and his right to retaliate or seek revenge.  God instructed Hosea to take the initiative and go to her and love her again.

Hosea had to swallow his pride and go to her in love and forgiveness.  Now let me just tell you that if I had been the one going to find Gomer, I would have been more likely to snatch her up by the hair and drag her home in front of as many people as possible to prove she could not get away with what she was doing.  Better yet, I would have said, “Good riddance.  You can keep her!  I don’t want her any more.”  I am certain I could find many who would agree with my plan of punishment and revenge.  It seems to me that Hosea stood to gain very little but lose a great deal by choosing to respond as he did.  However, Hosea was called on by God to sacrifice everything to redeem a woman who did not deserve sacrifice or redemption.  Jesus did the same thing for us when He died on the cross.  He now calls us to respond with that same God-like heart and attitude of redemption.

God always seeks restoration and reconciliation and commands us to look for it as well.  We are to look past what seems logical and seek the sublime. 

Today’s Word

¹Then the Lord told me, “Love your wife again, even though she is loved by others and has committed adultery.  Love her as I, the Lord, love the Israelites, even though they have turned to other gods and love to eat raisin cakes.”  ²So I bought her for 23 ounces of silver and 10 bushels of barley. ~ Hosea 3:1-2 (GW)

 

Today’s Prayer

Father, I pray to You in the only name that is above every name—YeHoWsHua HaMashiach* - The Anointed One From God – Jesus the Christ.  Father, I am so tired of holding on to the pain in my life.  I want to forgive those who have hurt me and learn how to let go of the pain and move on.  Today, I lay down my pride and my rights.  I will not seek revenge or retaliation.  Instead, I choose to take the initiative and love my enemies and bless those who have harmed me.  Please give me the strength and power to reflect Your love for me in my love toward others.  Anoint me with thy Holy Spirit O God so that I may honor You as I step out in obedience to Your will and Your way.  This is my prayer in the name of the LORD YeHoWsHua* (Jesus) the Christ, Amen

The Uzzah Syndrome

 In the Book of 2^nd Samuel there is a story of a man named Uzzah who was in the employment of David.  He and his brother were entrusted with the task of guiding an ox drawn cart upon which the ark of the LORD had been laid.  However, there was a divine order in which the ark of God was to be transported and handled. (Exodus 25:10-22, Numbers 4:1-20, 1 Chronicles 15:13-15)  This divine order was not observed by David or Uzzah.  They ignored God’s instructions and prerequisites regarding the handling of the ark, for only Levites were suppose to transport the ark of God in a divinely prescribed manner.  And when the oxen stumbled, Uzzah reached out His hands to steady the ark of God so that it would not fall and God struck him dead.

A life was lost because a pair of human hands was laid upon the ark of God in irreverence (disrespect) to God’s divine orders.  Uzzah placed his hands upon the ark with the best of intentions, to steady it and keep it from falling, but they touched God's work presumptuously, and he fell dead. 

In today’s contemporary Christian churches, there are many systems of religions that espouse various forms of gospels that offer various means of salvation.  They have presumed to change God’s divine order of things and do it their way.  They have, in a real sense, shown irreverence to God’s divine will and instructions.  And regardless of their motives or of their good intentions, they are inviting the wrath of God and the destruction of themselves. 

God is a just God.  All of His actions are right and fair.  He does not show partiality for He is no respecter of men.  Deuteronomy 32:4 says, ^“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”  

If God killed Uzzah for touching the ark and disregarding His divine order, what will happen to those who mishandle His Holy Word-Jesus the Christ- disregarding His divine order and establishing their own way?

Disobedience to God equals disrespect for God and this will always end in death.

Our challenge today is simply to Trust and Obey.

Today’s Word

⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷ The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.  ~ 2 Samuel 6:6-7

 Today’s Prayer

Father, it is in the name of the LORD YeHoWsHua* (Jesus) the Christ that I pray to You today.  I confess that I have sinned against You.  I have shown irreverence and disrespect for Your way and Your will.  I have not followed Your instructions or kept Your Holy Commandments as I should.  I realize that I am in danger of eternal damnation.  Please forgive me O God.  I am sorely sorry for my sins.  I REPENT!  I realize that Your way is always right and just.  I desire to obey Your Word, for in Your Word is life—life everlasting.  Please forgive me O God.  Help me to never disregard Your living Word or disrespect Your divine order.  Your divine instructions are a delight and a joy to obey.  Empower me to keep all of Your commandments.  Help me to obey Your divine instructions regarding repentance, water baptism in Your name and the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit.  Protect me from false religions and counterfeit faith.  Please keep me away from perverse doctrines of demons and religions of men.  I want to be found in Your perfect will.  I want to be saved according to Your divine way.  This is my prayer in the name of the LORD YeHoWsHua* (Jesus) the Christ, Amen. 

For a Bible lesson on God’s ordained instructions regarding the salvation process, please visit the following link:  http://owprince.wordpress.com/you-must-be-born-again-introduction/