Prayer Tip #7-A Father Not a Genie

I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If in my name you ask for anything, I will do it.
John 14:13-14

There is so much danger in partially reading scriptures, but I don't think many of us realize it.  But as I have stated before, we must be aware of the context, background and punctuation that is within the scripture.  These things will tell us a lot more about what we are reading, but it takes time.  In a generation where people want things quickly so that they can experience instant gratification, using the aforementioned tools may be a foreign concept.  We want what we want and we want it now!  That is part of the reason why many of us in the body of Christ treat God like a genie rather then our Heavenly Father.  We want a father that will give us exactly what we want.  We don't want to have to wait for it and half the time we don't want to have to work for it.  We want a father that is quick to do what we ask and is seldom to tell us no.

The problem with that is when you give a "child" everything that they want, they develop a false sense of how the world truly works.  What would really happen if God gave you everything that you asked for?  How would it affect your life? Your family? Future spouse? Your destiny/purpose?  No parent that wanted the best for their child would give them everything that they ask for so why do we expect God to do anything different.  When we become mature in our faith and stop acting like children, then we learn to thank God for the things that he didn't give us.  We learn that God will give us what we ask when it glorifies the Son.  We learn to not get upset with God when He doesn't give us something that we asked for, but to check the reasons we wanted it in the first place.  God wants to do so much for us and through our prayer life we have the ability to connect with Him to get those things, but they may not always be the things that we want.  They are essentially what we need.

Key point: If you don't think Jesus Christ can be glorified by what you're thinking about asking Him for then ask Him to remove the desire then ask Him to give you His desires for your life.

Peace and Blessings,

Prayer Tip #6-Check Your Motives

So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:24 NRSV

In my opinion this has to be one verse of scripture that is often misinterpreted.  This verse of scripture is about having faith.  One of the mistakes that we make as believers is reading verses of scripture in isolation.  I was always taught that you should read the verse before and the verse after to understand the context of the what you're reading, but for many of us that does not happen.  We sometimes pick and choose the things that we like most in the Bible or parts of the scripture that make us feel good.  

This verse is not about asking for things that you know God would not agree with.  If you know that you are not good with money, then you should not be asking God to bless you with millions.  Instead you should be asking God to help you find the proper financial guidance to maintain what you currently have.  If you have trust issues then you should not be asking God to send you a husband.  Instead you should be praying that God would heal your heart of past wounds so that you are a whole and complete person; not a partially fulfilled person looking to man for healing.  

We should always check our motives before going into prayer.  If you are going into prayer just to simply ask for things that you probably don't need or that you wouldn't be able to handle then you might want to rethink your prayer.  As stated before, prayer is an intimate relationship that involves two-way communication.  You wouldn't want to date someone that only asked for things and never was willing to do anything for you would you??? Well that's how our Father feels.

2 Chronicles 7:14 gives a better understanding of what our approach should be.  It states, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and their land." 

Key points when reading scriptures:

1. Pay attention to punctuation.

2. Pay attention to word order

3. Pay attention to context


Peace and Blessings,

Great Shift Testimony:Jackson Family

Hopefully this letter will inspire someone to never quit on GOD, no matter how bleak the situation may seem, just hold on a SHIFT is coming.  In the month of November our pastor preached a series on SHIFT happens. This sermon seemed to resonate in my spirit after the first Sunday it was preached because pastor spoke about the word provision. He stated that God always gives provision before we can see the vision. Now let us try and grasp the meaning behind this word. Most of us never really get to see our vision come to past because we are stuck in a gear that has nothing to do with us moving forward in our lives. Now it’s ironic that a month later my daughter (Shineka Karim) had started the same series about SHIFT.

 Let me just pull up my brakes a moment to give you guys the full mesmerizing picture of how we have gotten to this particular point. Exactly 2 years ago, I was released from my job of 12 years. My unemployment checks ran out and the financial strain of running our family was placed squarely on my wife’s shoulders. As a man I felt terrible for I was unable to stand upright as the bread winner that I was for so many years. There were days when I did not know where our next meal would come from. We had exhausted every resource that could be possibly done before asking the church family for assistance with any bills.

Prayer Tip #5-Write it Down!

I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
Habakkuk 2:1-2

As we are learning to hear God's voice in prayer, another vital step to take is to write it down! I honestly did not learn this until last year, but starting a prayer journal is so beneficial to your prayer life. It can even be seen as a checks and balance system for my more practical thinkers out there. It gives you the ability to write your prayers, thoughts and concerns as well as the response that begins to flow to you. You can then go back and reflect on how God answered those prayers. A prayer journal can consist of words as well as pictures or descriptions. Regardless of what you put in your journal, what's important is the communication you're having with the Father.

Key points:

1. Journal your prayers daily

2. Write your declarations, decrees, and visions

3. Be specific

4. Meditate on those things that have been written

5. Reflect on answered prayers, regardless of the result, and give thanks.

Don't delay! Today is a great day to start your journal!!!

Peace and Blessings,

Prayer Tip #4-Know His Voice

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
"How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." 
Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; 
but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:24-27 NRSV 

How can we hear God in prayer if we are not familiar with His voice? If we are not familiar with the way He speaks, then we can easily confuse our stream of thought with His words. The best way for us to know His voice is by studying His word. When we know what God wants for our lives, it is a bit easier to discern between our thoughts/wants and His voice. Trust is also a vital part in knowing His voice. We have to trust that He will speak to us and has been speaking to us. Our hearts and minds must be given to the Father sot hat we can be tuned into the proper frequency. When you are in prayer and you feel that you hear something from God, test it against His word and then you will gain confidence in your ability to hear. 

Key points: 

1. God's voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings or impressions.

2. Remember to still yourself

3. Try to picture yourself sitting with Jesus as you pray

4. Don't get frustrated and keep pursuing Him in prayer!

Peace and Blessings,

Prayer Tip #3-An Ear to Hear

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:22 NIV

One of the number one questions that many seem to have when developing a prayer life is, "Will I hear from God?"  The answer to that question is YES!  A prayer life is communication with our Heavenly Father.  He speaks to us and we speak to Him.  It is definitely two-way communication even though there may be some days where you only need to listen.  God has made Himself available to each and everyone of us by way of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit dwells within us and if we submit ourselves to quiet time with our Father, we will be able to hear what He has to say regarding every area of our lives.  Don't make the mistake of thinking that God only speaks to your pastor or certain people.  He has a desire to speak with you as well, but we have to have an ear for His voice.

Now developing an ear may take a little time and a little patience, but it is well worth the effort.  Pray that God would speak to you in a way that is clear for your understanding.  Pray that He would still your mind and silence the voice of the enemy so that you can hear Him and Him alone.  Pray that you would be tuned into the proper frequency of the spirit.  Tell Him that you desire to hear from Him in order to develop a more intimate relationship with Him.  Remember that whatever you ask in His name shall be given so don't be afraid to tell the Father that you want to know Him better by being able to hear Him more clearly.  Your prayer life changes drastically once you can hear what your Father has to say because He gives insight on all areas of your life.  Go to Him today and don't stop until you receive the desired result which is an ear to hear!

Peace and Blessings,

Prayer Tip #2-Place of Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
John 14:27

Prayer is a time for you to leave everything behind that has been bothering you, distracting you, or weighing you down.  That includes the job, the spouse, the kids, etc.  Prayer is a special moment between you and God.  We often find ourselves trying to rush through prayer so that we can check it off of our "to do" list for the day, but it should be something we desire that gives us relief from everything else in the world.  Jesus said that He leaves us with peace and gives us peace.  You will never leave prayer the same way you entered it if you truly allow your mind and body to be at peace.  Let the Father wrap His arms around you and calm your spirit.

Let's try not to rush through prayer like we rush through life. It may take a little discipline to seek Him early, but if you do it enough it becomes a part of your day.  You may have to find a secret place to pray (that's what the old saints meant about prayer closet) so that you can completely be free to pray aloud, walk and pray, or just sit and pray in the spirit.  Whatever you decide to do find a place of peace so that God can bring peace to your heart.

Peace and Blessings,