May 15, 2011 … The Necessity of Grateful Prayer

Passage of the Day: Philippians 4: 6 - 7 … 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

My Journal for Today: If any Christian is looking for a scripture to “hang your hat” upon in this unpredictable and threatening world in which we live, go no further than this exhortation from the Apostle Paul as he wrote to believers who were being buffeted by some dangerous heresies and teachings (such as Judaism and Gnosticism) as well as persecution from Rome. There was much over which Christians could be anxious in Paul’s day; and there is even more today. And so, Paul’s admonition and prescription for handling the worries of life couldn’t be more pertinent for you and me today.

I truly believe, as Paul posits above in today’s highlight passage, that only Christians can find God’s peace to guard their hearts in the midst of the storms and tribulations of life. Paul exhorts that the Christian need not fret, worry, or be anxious about “ANYTHING.” That’s a tall claim; but it’s either true or not; and the more mature my faith in Christ has become, the more truth I’ve found in what Paul claims about God’s peace in today’s text. In fact, I maintain that our belief in and use of the truth of today’s passage, as well as that in Romans 8: 28, provides a measure of the maturity of the Christian. [And hopefully you have this latter verse memorized as well as today’s passage; if not, let me provide it here!]

SCRIPTURE: Romans 8: 28 … And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

If you can find peace trough prayer and know that a trying situation is for your ultimate well being as a believer, your faith is mature. However, to the degree we wallow in self-pity and anxiety, rather than looking for God’s will from prayer in the midst of trials, we need to grow in our faith. Right now, I think of the promise in Peter’s prayer of 1st Peter 5: 10 …

SCRIPTURE: 1st Peter 5: 10 … And the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

When we’re in the midst of life’s trials and tribulations, knowing and believing the truths of God’s word and His promises [see those above], … we Christians truly can find God’s peace, no matter what life may throw at us.

I’ve still got some growing to do; … how about you?

My Prayer Today: Lord, I so want to find your peace in the midst of the storms of life. Amen