revking88

Hezekiah is a righteous man. God promised an heir and long life for those who live a righteous life. God is open to those who are obedient to Him. Walking righteously with the Lord by your side is a good thing. It doesn't mean that He will answer every prayer the way that you want it to be answered. It also doesn't mean that you won't stumble and fall. If that happens you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and God will answer your prayers in the manner that He thinks is best for you. First off I think this is a reward and not punishment kind of thing. God promised to answer the prayers of the righteous man. If you are praying with your heart and not your head you are praying a righteous prayer. Generally speaking, if you are praying for from your head you are praying for material kinds of things. You can pray for deliverance from a situation but what is the motivation. I am not saying that God does not sometimes answer the prayers of the unrighteous but He answers them in the way that he thinks is best. This is not necessarily the way that the person praying wanted things to go. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

Hezekiah did not have anyone in the Davidic line to replace him as King. There were so many things going on at this time and things needed to run smoothly during the trasition. I think that if Hezekiah had died at this time the nation would have crumbled with no successor. God had promised an unbroken line of David. Without a successor that line would have been broken. God's promise would have been a lie. By allowing Hezekiah to live for fifteen more years he would be able to raise a son and the Davidic line would continue. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOU HEART!

They both lift God up to the place of honor where He belongs. They both recognize that God is all powerful and the One True God. Praising God for who He is and what he can and what He has done for us. We need to know that God is all Powerful. Praises to God are important in our faith. We recognize Him as bigger than we are and both prayers remind us of this. I don't want to say that is is like we are praying, jumping up and down saying "Hey God, I'm down here and I'm giving you praise, listen to me. Now I have this little problem with the Assyrians and could use your help." Really though, we have to know way down, deep in our "knower" that God is devine, all powerful, maker of heaven and earth in order to have faith that He will deliver us in our time of need. He will answer the earnest, honest prayers. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

Hezekiah knew that he had done all that he could to prepare for battle and now was the time to bring the problem to the Lord. He handed it over to God because he knew that God was bigger than any king of Assyria. This also showed God's people that Hezekiah had every belief that they would be delivered. I think that the underlying principle is to show us that we can take God at His word and that He will deliver us. Not to be afraid, be prepared for what is to come, but be not afraid. Well, we need to be prepared and ready to do battle with whatever is thrown our way but at the same time we have to be able to give that battle to the Lord and let Him fight it for us. This doesn't mean that we won't have to go into battle but I think that it is good to know that we have the Almighty God on your side. We get discouraged and give up because we are trying to do it on our own. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOU HEART!

God loves a cheerful giver. If we give begrudgingly it means nothing to God. We are tempted to withhold our blessing to God and we can get into trouble with God. It blocks us from God's blessing. We must remember that all things are from God, not ourselves. He gives us the ability to produce weath (which comes in many different forms.) It was God who gave me the ability to do the things that I can do and have the things that I have. If God gave it to me, it still belongs to Him. We praise Him and bless Him and lift up the possessions to Him and give Him thanks. We are only stewards of what God has given us. To know the we are only temporary stewards of the things that God has given to us. God can take away what we have been given so we must remember to give what He asks of us and be cheerful about it. We also must remember that God will not give us anything more than we can handle. That does not just imply trials and tribulations. Well, it reminds me that I need to be a cheerful giver and that I need to work on my praise and pray moments. I have become lax in this. As a preacher, I should set the example of proper giving. Not only will this re-energize me but it will re-energize my congregation as well. God owns everything and when I receive something from Him I must give thanks, glory honor and praise to Him. I must light a fire under my butt. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

Holy, wonderful, blessed One Heavenly, the list goes on and on and on. At the beginning, in the middle and at the end. At the beginning we see the holiness and might of God. In the middle we call on His name for forgiveness, his abundance and protection. At the end, in many beliefs,"for Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever and ever" Just As I Am, Breathe, Imagine, Amazing Grace, Worthy Is the Lamb, He Is, Footprints of God. I can go on. All I listen to is Christian Radio and I love it al. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

God is exalted above any ruler or celebrity. Praising God shows Him that he is #1 in our lives. We acknowledge His greatness, thus exalting Him. He is the one true God. He created us to worship and have fellowship with Him. Our praise and blessing encourages and witnesses to others so that they may see God. Not only does it raise God up in our hearts but it also lifts us up in our spirit and strengthens our own faith. You can feel God's presence in the room and in your heart. God exalts us in return. He lifts us up. We cannot be His equal but he can give us the energy to carry on. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

Because we are praising Him with our hands, our hearts and our voices. That we praise and bless freely, whole-heartedly, willingly. Showing our ability to to give, our generosity and integrity. I think that our prayers are somewhat empty if we don't include our blessings to God. Giving praise and glory and blessing to God shows God our commitment and in turn God will show His commitment to us. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

That we are ready for forgiveness. We recognize our sin against God and can pour our broken heart out to God. This prayer gets down to the brass tacks. No more trying to blame sin on outside influences. Your heart is totall open to the foregiveness of God and we can live in rigteousness, a true ambassador of God's love and forgiveness. You sacrifice yourself to God, not just surreneder but sacrifice the person that you once were to become the person that God wants you to be. Who wants to give up total control? Who wants to sacrifice all that they are. Once we take that step we can see the true nature of God. It is in our nature to want total control until we realize the love that God has for us when we give it all up to him. We tend to resist because we just can't wrap our minds around God's tremendous love and the forgiveness that He has for us. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

Yes, but I believe that it is an onging prayer. Because by nature or by willingness we are sinners and we need to ask God to create in us a clean/pure heart to help us to not sin again. We have to believe that God hears our prayer and will forgive us and give us a pure heart and renewal of our spirit so we can get up and fight the good fight. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

No, he acknowledges his sin using several different synonyms. He is apologetic and wants to make things right between himself and God. Yes, he is admitting all of his sin. He doesn't try to blame his sinning on anyone or anything, no outside reasons. He owns up to all that he has done. Because it helps the person realize the gravity of the sin. In this type of prayer you are pouring your true heart to God. You are being honest with yourself and with God and you are accepting responsibility for your own sin and your own actions. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART!

We need to have faith that God is going to pardon us. He knows our transgressions but He is a merciful and a forgiving God and if we truly believe that and have faith in that, He will grant us pardon. Knowing that God is merciful, forgiving, compassionate, abounding in love for us. He is faithful to us and He won't let us down. Knowing that all of the things David is praying, the goodness, the greatness of God is true. We need to be bold and belive that God is who He says He is. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YU HEART

Abraham doesn't stop at 50, he continues down to 10 people and he knew that God would answer his prayer. Abraham didn't give up and settle, he continued until he knew he had gone far enough. Persistence is necessary because it shows God where our hearts lie. (He already knows but then we need to know also.) Persistence in the right things will make Gad take action and give you an answers. Yes, it was really cool to see. Our church needed a major overhaul. As a congregation we prayed for one thing at a time. When that prayer was totally answered to completion we would start to pray for the next thing that was needed. God provided everything. Then we prayed, thanked God for all that He had provided from the roof to the ground. Completion because we prayed though the need believing that God would meet each need as it arose. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEARTS!

Yes I do because with each "bargain" God said "Yes". He was pleased with Abrahams faith. Our belief and faith in Him that He will answer our prayers. We can be bold in our prayers and be humble in our asking and in our thanksgiving. We can believe that God will answer our prayers and God will be delighted in us. TRUST THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART

Abraham knows his place, that he is just ashes and dust. He asks that the Lord not be angry but is bold in continuing his plea for any righteous people that may be in the cities that Gad is going to destroy. Abraham shows respect, humbly, for God. Boldness is knowing that you can petition God for things but we must be humble in the asking and we also must know our place in our relationship to God. You have to step up to the plate with confidence and boldness that you will get a hit but you also have to realize that you are totally vulnerable to what is going to be thrown in your direction. You don't want to go to God thinking that you know everything because this is disrespectful. We must be humble but not afraid to be bold. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART

Abraham's arguement is based on the fact that there may be righteous people in the Sodom and Gommorah. He does not believe that God would destroy the cities if there are even 10 people that are righteous there. This shows that God is a righteous God, that He is merciful. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOU HEART

We need continually ask for forgiveness because we are continually sinning whether we know it or not. If you think otherwise you need to ask for forgiveness. Jesus is the only man to walk this earth that was sinless. Sin is in our nature. A bad word, a bad thought, all of these things we should ask for forgiveness. We, many times don't even realize that we have sinned. When we pray we should ask God, "Lord, please forgive me of my sins, both knowingly and unknowingly committed." We can't remember each and everyone of them so this kind of covers all of the bases. Why should God give us His blessing if we don't forgive those who have done wrong to us? Do we deserve His blessing, have we earned His blessing? You can't "forgive and forget". That is impossible, but we can forgive and let it go. God doesn't say that we have to continue to hang around the person that has wronged us but He makes it very clear that we are to forgive them and move on with our lives. If we do not forgive the wrongs that have been done to us, why should God forgive us for the things that we have done. "Forgive our trespasses AS we forgive...". No exceptions to this. It goes along with the "Judge not, lest ye be judged." If we don't forgive, we are judging that the person's worthiness of forgiveness. God will measure us up in the same way. If we choose not to forgive then God has no obligation to forgive us. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOU HEART

It is important for others to see that we are capable of doing things, handle difficult situations on our own, be all that we can be with out any help from anyone. Many people in general don't want to ask for help because they feel it is a sign of weakness and/or failure. We don't want to be seen in this manner. After all, who wants to be known as a loser. Others think that we are equal to God therefore we don't need anybody else's help. If we can do all that God can do, why should we ask others for help. In many cases being independent form God is not intentional. We want to care for our families and plan for the future and instead of relying on God to take care of the details we work and build our castles in the sand. We want it all when we should want what God wants for us. It comes down to being patient and waiting for God's will. We think that we know better than He does. In other cases we try to be independent from God because we think that we know more than He does. Boy are we in for a surprise. "Our daily bread" goes beyond our realm of thinking. It means "that He gives us this day all of the tools that we need to have to make it though the day, or the moment." We can earn a living but it is God that gives us the ability to do the job. He provides for our every need we just have to believe it and have faith that He will do as He says He will. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART

I think that we are asking for Him to come and deliver us from this world. He has promised us that He will return and we are asking Him to hurry up. There is so much work for the Father to do here on this earth, salvation, reconciliation etc. We are asking that His work be done in His time, in His will. The problem is that "we want it NOW!" His will should be our first priority. We are asking that His will to be done here on earth as it is in Heaven so that we may meet Him in Heaven as soon as we can. Everything will be done in His time and we need to be patient. This part of the prayer teaches us that we need to ba a more patient people. "Thy will be done" is giving it up to God and letting Him take care of all the details, even though inside we are dying for Him to finish it now. We should not be selfish. Not only are we asking for Him to do His will but we are to start doing His will in our own lives. If we don't do the things that He asking for us to do, why should He do anything in our lives? TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART

How we live our life, is it uplifting God or tearing Him down? When we pray so we exalt the Father or just pray in repitition. Do our lives and our words reflect the holiness of God the Father? Is God truly your "Abba, Father"? Do you truly believe it? Desecrate and besmirches? Beginning to think that God is our "buddy". Use of the Fathers name in profane ways. We are to control out tongue, though it is the hardest thing to control. We should pray with all reverance, honor and glory to our God. Total respect, honesty and worshipful.

We must be willing to give our resources to God and His work and BELIEVE that God will follow through with His end. God will meet all of our needs according to Hiw riches. He will open the flood gates of heaven and rain His blessing down on us. Our cups will runneth over. This promise means that if I am faithful in my giving, God will be faithful in His giving back to me. We are to think BIG. Believing that God will give back to you ten-fold is not a bad idea. I believe in seed-faith giving. If I plant my seed to a ministry God will multiply that seed back to me. If I plant my seed to a missionary headed to Africa to spread the Word of God and two people get saved then I am being blessed and don't even know it. God's promise is to bless us. "And MY God Shall Supply ALL My Needs, According to HIS Riches In Glory". Praise God, Hallellujah and all that. I could have everything in the world but without His blessings and His constant supply of what I need I truly would have nothing. JESUS LOVES YOU, HE ABSOLUTELY, PASSIONATELY LOVES YOU!!!

God loves a cheerful giver. As we give our tithes, time and talents to further His work, He multiplies and gives it back to us. There is also the reward in heaven that is waiting for us. While it is there, it gains interest. Well, first I believe that (many cases) when we give we are giving things of this world. God also blesses us with things of this world. Also, God blesses us in the now, not just in the eternal. He meets our needs on this earth. We also bless others as we give of our temporal gifts. JESUS LOVES YOU, HE ABSOLUTELY, PASSIONATELY LOVES YOU!!!

Paul's contentment comes from the knowledge "I can do all things through Christ." He knew that God would supply everything that he needed in every situation. No, I think that it refreshes and encourages one to continue on with the message. I believe that it is necessary for us to give it all up to God and let Him work His miracles in our lives. It is most difficult to give everything to God because we tend to not want to give up all control. We feel that we need to hold onto some for ourselves. We also must believe that Christ will give you the strenght and the courage and the knowledge to get through whatever situation that you may face. JESUS LOVES YOU, HE ABSOLUTELY, PASSIONATELY LOVES YOU!!!

Properity doctrine can undermine all that the church is trying to do. Giving for the wrong reason will keep the blessings from flowing down. God promises to open the floodgates of heaven if we give but I believe that we must give with the proper motivaiton. Prosperity giving focus' on getting, giving selfishly. Our motivaiton should be to please God,not ourselves. What the Lord blesses us with after we give is gravy on top of our heavenly reward. Greed! People think that the more they give, the more they will get back. The Lord will always bless you with what you need which is not always what or how much we want. Seed-faith giving is not a bad thing. Plant the seed and just watch the blessings come They are not always in a monetary fashion. Plant the seed. God promises that if you give He will bless you. Plant the seed and expect that God will follow through with His promise and will give you exactly what you need. Some people are rich, some people live in poverty. That is the way that it is but no matter what our lot in life is we are to PRAISE THE LORD and believe He will give us what we need. JESUS LOVES YOU, HE ABSOLUTELY, PASSIONATELY LOVES YOU!!!

"The mind is a terrible thing to waste." If all you focus on are the bad things in life, all the bad things in life are going to focus on you. They tear you down. Cleansing your mind each day will help you begin the day with positive thoughts. Some of us have to clean it more than once a day, some every moment of every day. The old adage "garbage in, garbage out" comes to mind. If you think positive things, positive things will happen. At times you can be so far in the dumps because the world has beaten a hole in you. When I feel that way I go to "Fake It Til' You Make It." There are so many people out in the world that are teaching 'the power of positive thinking'. You don't have to pay people to teach you how to think positively if it is all right here in v. 8. These are the positive thinkers rules. Focus on these. Life can be so unbearable but you don't have to handle it all on your own. God's Little Instruction Book has all of the answers and can help you with all of the positive thing that you need. Everybody has different anxieties. It is kind of funny because my anxieties are also what I consider to be 'something really worthwhile' for me to focus on. This is the case in most all aspects of my life. As a minister with my church, as a counselor with my clients and as a spouse with my partner. I tend to pour my all into everything so finding a distraction can prove to be difficult. I try to keep focused on the positive things and I try to turn the negative into positive but it is exceptionally hard to do at times. I always try to consider everything as learning experience and if I learn something from the negative then I will be able to handle them better if they ever pop up again. I have also learned that many of my anxieties come different people or different situations. I try to change what I can n the situation. (being a perfectionist it is hard to remember I can't fix everything or everybody.) When it comes to people I can only change myself. I cannot control or change anyone else (however I could if I would). I try to remember the question, "What Would Jesus Do?) and try to follow His example. How is this working for me?...depends on the situation. I have started this bible study which has been helpful. Giving it up to Jesus is probably the hardest thing I have ever done because that means I have to give up control. I am quite the control freak, ask anyone, they will tell you. I am trying to make the changes in my life that I need to make but it is not easy. I do find that as I change my outlook on life, I am becoming a happier, less anxiety filled person. 25 years and I am still working on it, with many more years to go. JESUS LOVES YOU, HE ABSOLUTELY, PASSIONATELY LOVES YOU!!!