Effective Prayer

God always answers our prayers. He may say "YES" (we love it, don't we?), "WAIT" (sometimes it's hard to wait... to be patient, isn't it?) or "NO" (it's so difficult to accept  "NO" as an answer!).

•James 5:16b (NIV) “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

-What is an “effective  prayer”? How can we pray effectively?

-THE EFFECTIVE PRAYER IS THE PRAYER THAT MEETS GOD’S WILL. // IT  MATCHES GOD’S PURPOSE. // IT IS ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD WANTS.

•1 John 5:14-15 (NIV) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

-Ephesians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

* So, to pray effectively, we must pray according to the will of God, not ours. At His time, He will grant us what we asked of Him.

-The Bible gives us some examples of prayers which didn't get a "YES" because God’s will  in that situation was different:

-II Samuel 12.13-23 = David prayed seven days for the child, but it was against God’s will and the child died.

-I Kings 19.1-9 = Elijah prayed that he might die, but God had other plans for his life.

-Luke 22.42 = Jesus prayed in deep agony to be set free from that “cup”, but He never gave up the Father’s will.

-II Corinthians 12.7-9 – Paul prayed three times to be free from a “thorn in his flesh” that was tormenting him, but God had a purpose in that (to keep

 him from becoming conceited, proud, because of the great revelations he had) and just said to him: "My grace is sufficient for you...".

Jesus prayed: “… yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22.42) - If you want your prayer to be EFFECTIVE, ….

-… believe, pray in faith, never doubt; repent and confess your sins; forgive everyone who sinned against you; pray in the name of Jesus; and be sure to

ADJUST YOUR PRAYER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD!

The Lord bless you!

Pr. Silvana

(Preach on 10/01/11)

Clay Pots

The Bible says that we are like clay pots in God's hands.  “This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.”  (Jeremiah 18:1-6). God wants to use us, to mold us, to fill us according to His perfect will. Read this story:

The Cracked Pot

 A man used to go out every day to fetch (take/bring) water from a well. To carry water, he used two clay pots. He carried the pots attached to a stake on his shoulders.

 Once, one of the pots cracked. And the cracked pot started leaking water.
 The entire (whole/perfect) pot began to make fun of the cracked pot that was leaking water and boasted of being able to carry more water without wasting anything.

 The cracked pot was hearing it, listening, listening…until one day it said to the man:
 - Look! I don’t want to carry water anymore. I’m sorry, but I am cracked… I am leaking…. Find another pot, a new pot… more efficient than me and put it in my place. I’m not useful anymore...

 The man replied:
 - No way! While the entire pot is filled and retains water, you leak and your leaking waters the dry path where I walk. Look at the way: see the flowers that were born in the way that you showered with your default (failure to perform a task), while you were serving me faithfully!

Spiritual Treasure in Clay Jars
2 Corinthians 4:7 – “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this  all- surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (NIV) //“We have this treasure from 
God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.” (New Century Version)

Although we are just clay pots, we carry inside us a great treasure: the Holy Spirit who lives in us... this river of living waters... God wants to fill us more and more and use us to take living waters to the thirsty ones... In spite of our failures, mistakes, even if we are cracked... He can fix, repair us or just make us again into a new pot. Let Him do with you as the potter does... Continue serving Him faithfully! God bless you!

Pr Silvana´s preaching on 07/23/11

Waiting for Jesus Second Coming

     Certainly we are living the last days aren´t we? Look around us:

• The conflict in many countries and the possibility of devastating wars in the near future,
• great partof humanity suffers,
• earthquakes, storms, floods and diseases overwhelming,
• Christians persecuted,
• false religions, false prophets arise all the time and attract crowds,
• at the same time apostasy never seen, an increasing departure from the Bible and the living God.

     Assured that we approach the end, how should we Christians behave? 

    In II Peter 3:10-12, Peter speaks of the spectacular events that will happen and is concerned about the conduct and character of God's people. He says that we must be holy and to hasten the return of Christ.And how can we hasten the coming of Christ?Looking to people who were expecting the first comingof Jesus, we find few features that can inspire us: 

• Who waited for the Lord was a minority.
• Like today, at that time Herod also had built a marvelous temple. People studied a lot the word, knowledge was great - the Sadducees and Pharisees- the same way that we see today, they fulfilled all the rituals. There was beauty, sophistication, but there wasn´t the glory of God manifested there. Sumptuous temples, books, blockbuster bands, studying a lot, a lot of research: all that can help. But is this what God is looking for?
• Or is it that God should not actually be looking for an intimate, personal relationship with us, as sought at that time?
• Gd didn´t talk to people for 400 years, but do not stop ... He acted because there was still a minority Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, Simeon and Anna in the temple, which awaited him. Today they are famous, but back then, they were ordinary people.
• All had the same characteristic: the fear of the Lord. They were faithful to the Lord in their daily lives and daily activities not prevented them from serving God. Did not be distracted, because sometimes our daily life distract us.. Served at home, at work, everywhere. And they heard the voice of God and were obedient.
• Another common characteristic is that they did nothing extraordinary. God works in our lives and use us where He has placed us. Many people think "- Oh if I could preach at the altar! Oh if I had more money! Oh if I were to Africa, or China! Then I would do this or that ... "Big mistake! The important thing is to let the Lord find us where we are. Because He puts us where He needs us.

    Looking at these figures we see that God chose them on purpose. They knew God, we can see the way they talked to God in their praise and their prayers. God is looking for that special loyalty. Not on doing anything special, but on responding in a special way to God's call.

    Have a blessed day!

Nice to hear!

If you have the oportunity to listen to music using the internet, a good radio to listen is Born Again Radio.
Enjoy it!
www.bornagainradio.com 

Luke 17:6

 “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” 

     It comes almost the thought: "this is not possible!"  Unfortunately, these Scriptures, in principle, always arouse doubt and unbelief.

     This verse is not about a great faith, but a great achievement!After all, what faith is this, which may have an effect as impressive as the displacement of a tree? Is it an immense faith, that does not see obstacles, and that is in a sovereign way beyond anything that crosses its path? A faith that moves trees of course could have such characteristics. But the Lord Jesus does not speak of a faith like that. This faith that can do great deeds, the Lord Jesus calls a faith as a mustard seed .

     What is a grain of mustard? In Mark 4:31, it is called "... the smallest of all seeds on earth."

      Why did Jesus takes just that little mustard seed as an example for a faith by which great things can happen? Maybe, because that little grain in one year becomes a large shrub, a small tree with branches of 2 to  3 meters. I understand that this “ faith as a mustard seed" points clearly to our faith, which is often weak and small…But this little faith, so small and insignificant, is the minimum requirement to do great things. So we must change the way we think! Because, in other words, our faith doesn’t need to be particularly great, but just to have faith is enough.

      If the mustard seed had the opportunity to look at itself and see if it could, it  would have everything to lose heart, because in itself it would have nothing to present. And so it is often in our lives: we look inside us and see a faith relatively small, limited, and then become discouraged. But the mustard seed does not. It  does not look at itself and then give up. No, it simply let be planted in the ground, there begins to rise, and finally becomes what it should be, a tree whose branches "nested in the birds of heaven" (Luke 13:19).

      At the same time, pay attention that the mustard seed does not become a tree because it has made great efforts, but simply because it becomes active and applies what it has! Oh, how it would be good if we understand that today, with all our weaknesses, difficulties and temptations every day, we can simply stand still with childlike faith in the hand of our Savior!

      Just think,  it's simple faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ who can take us forward and that each day brings us to a deeper communion with the Lamb of God, not the effort of our soul into believing enough.
       

     In our life as Christians we don’t need to look for new ways to extend our faith, but simply have and use faith by which we are saved, the simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That faith David says in Psalm 18:29: "With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” This verse testifies that although David was a man with weaknesses and mistakes like us, he caught with all simplicity to his God and through Him could do great deeds.

 

     Returning to the mustard seed… What we saw in the case of the mustard seed? It has almost nothing to offer, but offers everything it has, and thereby experiences great results! 

 

       Have a nice day! God bless you!

Taming the Tongue - James 3

"We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check."(James 3:2)

You decide how you use your tongue!

Be very careful with:

1. Gossip = according to a dictionary it means speculation. Proverbs 11:9,

2. Slander =  Proverbs: 17:14, 

3.Rumor = something said without base Pv17: 9,Ex 23:1, 

4.Lie = It's a prison: to justify a lie often you invent another lie. Sometimes the liar comes to believe the lie as if it were real. 

    - Who is the father of lies? John 8:44. 

    - Liars will not enter heaven: Corinthians 6:10. 

5. Filthy =  Ephesians 4:29, Eclesiastes10: 20. 

6.Murmurings: I Corinthians 10:6, I Corinthians 10:10, 

7.Curse words:

    a. against myself: Proverbs 18:7, 

    b. against others: James 3:9-10, 

    c. Against the authorities: I Timothy 2:1-3,

    d.against my children: Ephesians 6:4,

    e. Against my parents: Proverbs 20:20.

A sweet word, builds. A bitter word, saddens.

God bless you!

Always there

   The radio engineers who work at RBC Ministries were getting ready to broadcast a program via satellite.

   They had prepared everything, including the satellite link. But just as they were to begin uploading, the signal to the satellite was lost. Confused, the engineers labore to reconnect the link, but nothing worked. Then they got the word - the satellite was gone. Literally. The satellite had suddenly and surprisingly fallen from the sky. It was no longer there.

    I suspect that sometimes when we pray, we think something similar has happened to God - that for some reason He isn´t there. But the Bible offers us comfort with the assurance that God hasn´t "fallen from the sky". He is always available to us. He hears and He cares.

    In a time of desperation, David wrote, "Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry loud, and He shall hear my voice" (Ps 55:17). No matter, when we call on God, He hears the cries of His children. That should encourage our hearts. What was David´s response to having a God who hears prayer? "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you." (Ps 55:22) Although, God may not answer as we would like or when we would like, we know that at "evening and morning and at noon" He is always there. 

(Bill Crowder -  Our daily bread)