Are Your Prayers Awkward?

Hello! Today is Simple Sincere Seeking Sunday! Have you taken any time to sing praises to Our Heavenly Father today? Perhaps you don't even realize He enjoys such devotion.  I never really thought of it as devotion when I was younger. God was my best friend. I would chat it up with Him like a girl would chat it up with her best friend. Today, often this is how I turn and pray to God. When I'm in a desperate place however, I find myself on my knees. Yes, literally on my knees. Praying one on one with God is one thing. Praying out loud for others to hear, well, that's another!

Somewhere along in life, I developed a fear of  speaking in front of others. As I began hanging out in groups where people asked for others to pray out loud, my fear expanded to prayers. I began silently praying that no one would ask me to pray out loud. I felt my prayers would be juvenile. I began searching for a good prayer book. For a moment I had one. 31 days of prayer. I only got to read 4 of those 31 days before my book vanished into thin air. Unlike my study bible, it has never been found. Mike thinks a drink got spilled on it and it was thrown away. He's not positive about this, but I'm thinking it was the case. I love Goodwill and one Sunday, while searching their book shelves, I found another great prayer book, entitled Intercessory Prayer by Doug Sheets. AWESOME book! I was reading it and I am telling you this book had me laughing and crying all in the same day! This book has too vanished. I was about half way through it when I realized I had not seen it for three days. I at least know it is available via E-Book format. I must get a kindle. The old kind. I need to consolidate. When I carry more than one devotional and my study bible, things have a way of disappearing.

Regardless, I recognized my fear of praying was an indicator that Satan sees me as someone he does not want praying. For he is the source of fear. When you are full of trepidation over something, I encourage you to turn that fear into awe and ask God, what is your plan for me where this pertains? How can I best serve you in this way. For if the Devil is frightened by what you are capable of doing through me, then I want some of that action!

Honestly, I was afraid of praying out loud enough so that I confessed it to my life coach. I knew she would push me. It's why I go to see her. She loves me and she wants to help me reach beyond my wildest dreams. Never in a million years did I expect her to have me pray for her right then and right there. I confessed to her that I had committed to fill in for another woman I admire at our monthly meeting. When I hung up after saying I would be honored to fill her shoes, I panicked realizing I would be in charge of at least one prayer. I confessed this to Cathy. She laughed and said, "Oh Wendy, that fear is not from God, you know where it comes from." I laughed with her for I do know where that comes from. Knowing and overcoming are two VERY different beings!

I was so nervous but Cathy calmed me down. By listening to her gentle direction, I soon found myself praying for her from my heart. Asking God to fill her with more boldness and give her clarity in how to best direct those she serves. I honestly don't remember what all I prayed for for her but I do know when I got done praying it was not viewed as a childish prayer. I know if I can do it once, then with God I can do it again and again.

I knew I was going to be blogging on prayers soon. It has flashed across my mind too many times to not be a repeating topic. I have heard this one song that I heard recently 3 times today and it is so perfect when it comes to the topic of prayers. I am going to find it and place it here. Before I do that though, as part of my "Renew Your Mind Challenge", I read a devotional every day. Yesterday's topic covered prayer a little bit. The gist in the closing made me grin so big I can't even tell you. It said something along the lines that while your prayers may be awkward, it is not the person praying or how they phrase the prayer that matters. The power of prayer is in the One who hears it. Not the one who says it. I love that because it takes so much weight off my shoulders. The only thing I have to do when it comes to prayer is speak from my heart and listen to the voice that reminds me of my righteousness.

I recently read the following passage in the book of James found in the New Testament portion of the Bible: Chapter 5, verse 13 and it says this about prayers and their power:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Anytime you see a word like "Therefore" it means some details of what is about to be said and why it is about to be said can be found prior to this verse. Chapter 5 is full of wisdom. As I often do, I am going to share it here in it's entirety using my study bible, beginning at verse 1:

verse 1:    Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

verse 2:    Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.

verse 3:    Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!

verse 4:    Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your field, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

verse 5:    You have lived luxuriously on earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

verse 6:    You have condemned and put to death the righteous man, he does not resist you. 

verse 7:    Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it unit it gets the early and late rains.

verse 8:    You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

verse 9:    Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

verse 10:  As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

verse 11:  We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. 

verse 12:  But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you many not fall under judgment.

verse 13:  Is anyone among you suffering Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

verse 14:  Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

verse 15:  and prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven.

verse 16:  Therefore, confess your sins to one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 

verse 17:  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

verse 18:  Then he prayed again and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

verse 19:  My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,

verse 20:  let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

 Because all of our prayers for healing are not answered the way we long for, many doubt the power of prayer. I would like to encourage you to search your heart when you pray and to always pray for others before your self. When praying for yourself seek the fruits of the spirit. There is no magical formula for getting your prayers answered.

I leave you with this song I was telling you about. Enjoy. I love when he sings, "Father, I'm in a desperate place." Been there. Talk about belting out a song with heart felt emotion! Without further delay, I introduce to you "Pray" by Sanctos Real:

Father, today I come before you asking for more courage. Let me not be kept silent by fear of speaking out loud. Fill me with your wisdom and your strength. Fill my heart with love for others. Strip me of impatience, fill me with a peace so deeply that the angry cannot penetrate causing me to stumble from talking through love. Father, lift those in dark places into the light and fill their hearts with your love. No matter how fleeting their minds may turn toward you for an answer, answer them father. Let them feel your presence in such a way they cannot deny you Love them right where they are. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.


Wendy,
Mom of Many


© Wendy Glidden 2013

Bad Things Happen to Good People!

Wild Wacky Wonderful Wednesday! Thank you Father for stations like K-Love and Moody Radio. Stations that cause my heart to leap with joy. Songs that hit home so close at times I find myself crying through my joy. Tears of Joy. I shed them more now than ever. I don't really know how I let the evil one trick me for so long. Me! I consider myself somewhat intelligent! How did I not recognize what was going on? I know the answer to that question now. I never got into The Word of God. I did not have a bible close by and I certainly did not go out of my way to pick one up. On the few occasions I did take a peak, I was checking out the last book. Revelations. Man was I ever missing out!

It's no wonder those that hear about Jesus and all He did for the first time get so excited. The gospels are awesome but the book of Acts, Romans and Hebrews are mind blowing. They are get up on your feet and get excited about life books. I am getting ready to find and go through "The Romans Study". If you want to know who you are in Christ, I've been told this is the study to do! Let me know if you are interested in doing this study as well. I think if you've been reading self help books this may just be the best one yet! What do you have to lose? Way less than you have to gain!

This week I have been under attack at every turn. My car broke down. I have not made it home before 9:30 either night. Does not leave much time to be still! Regardless last night I was trying to find the verse in the bible in Isaiah regarding honesty. I had heard a lesson on Moody Radio. It had to do with not destroying the city should God could find one honest man. Forgive me for I know not who was talking on Moody nor the program I was on. I think it was the financial one. The topic was honesty. This man said there were over 100 accounts in the bible where honesty is mentioned.  I did not find the one in Isaiah quickly, so I flipped to the back of my bible to see if there were verses listed under Honesty. I found only 3 listed in my bible and one of them happened to be in Job. I don't know why I get so drawn into Job but this is the second time I have gone to look something up in that particular book and have found myself reading chapters of it. I can almost hear Job. I have yelled out at the Heavens in such a manner and it makes me smile a little. Just knowing that I am not the first to get angry at God for my never ending trials. Particularly what I read last night. I brought my bible with me . . . let me find it.

I just have to type it out. It is so awesome. I am in my large print MacArthur Study Bible, Job, Chapter 6 & 7 in its entirety:


Job is a hard book for many. We struggle with the thought that God does not always leap in to rescue us from something. Prior to Chapter 6 and 7, Job's Friends suggest that the Innocent Do Not Suffer, therefore they assume that Job must have done something truly awful. Chapter 6 is Job speaking to his friends and chapter 7 he is directing his words to God!

With that being said, Let's Jump into the Book of Job, Chapter 6:

The Chapter Heading is: Job's Friends Are No Help!

Then Job answered, "Oh that my grief were actually weighted
and laid in the balances together with my calamity!
For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;
Therefore my words have been rash.
For The arrows of the Almighty are within me,
Their poison my spirit drinks;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.
Does the wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his fodder?
Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
My soul refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.

Oh that my request might come to pass
And that God would grant my longing!
Would that God were willing to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
But it is still my consolation,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain.
That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should endure?
Is my strength the strength of stones,
Or is my flesh bronze?
Is it that my help is not within me,
And that deliverance is driven from me?

For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty.
My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi,
Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,
Which are turbid because of ice
And into which the snow melts.
When they become waterless, they are silent,
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
The paths of their course wind along,
They go up into nothing and perish.
The caravans of Tema looked,
The travelers of Sheba hoped for them.
They were disappointed for they had trusted,
They came there and were confounded.
Indeed, you have now become such,
You see a terror and are afraid.
Have I said, 'Give me something',
Or 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'
Or 'Deliver me from the hand of the adversary',
Or 'Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants'?

Teach me, and I will be silent;
And show me how I have erred.
How painful are honest words!
But what does your argument prove?
Do you intend to reprove my words,
When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?
you would even cast lots for the orphans
And barter over your friend.
Now please look at me,
And see if I lie to your face.
Desist now, let there be no injustice;
Even desist, my righteousness is yet in it.
Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my palate discern calamities?

My study notes include this: Job rebuked his friends with sage words. Even if a man has forsaken God (which Job had not) should not his friends still show kindness to him? He described his friends as being about as useful with their counsel as a dry river bed in the summer.

The Chapter Heading for Chapter 7 is: Job's Life Seems Futile

** Remember this Chapter Job is speaking to God.

"Is not man forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of a hired man?
As a slave who pants for shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,
So am I allotted months of vanity and nights of trouble are appointed me.
When I lie down I say, 'When shall I  arise?'
But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until dawn.
My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt,
My skin hardens and runs.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle,
And come to an end without hope.

Remember that my life is but breath; My eye will not again see good.
The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer;
your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
When a cloud vanishes, it is gone,
So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.
He will not return again to his house, Nor will his place know him anymore.

Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Am I the sea, or the sea monster,
That You set a guard over me?
If I say, 'My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint',
then You frighten me with dreams
And terrify me by visions;
So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my pains.

I waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
What is man that You magnify him,
And that You are concerned about him,
That You examine him every morning
And try him every moment?
Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle? (another way of saying "catch my breath")
Have I sinned? What have I done to you,
O watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?

"Why then do You not pardon my transgression
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust;
And You will seek me, but I will not be."


My study bible paints the Background and Setting of Each Book. Within this information, I found this, "This book begins with a scene in heaven that explains everything to the reader. Job was suffering because God was contesting with Satan. Job never knew that, nor did any of his friends, so they all struggled to explain suffering from the perspective of their ignorance, until finally Job rested in nothing but faith in God's goodness and the hope of His redemption. That God vindicated his trust is the culminating message of the book. When there are no rational or, even, theological explanations for disaster and pain, trust God."

I love this. You see, I think many of us go through this. I find it comforting to know I have not walked this road alone. Let us not forget the true way to treat a friend when they are going through their own trial. Let us not judge. Let us be thankful the burden is not ours and let us love our friends through all that comes their way. Let us pray for one another. Showing true sisterly and brotherly love.

Bad things happen to good people all the time. Satan wants us to believe it is Karma. You get what you deserve. My question is, 'Who decides what we deserve!? and 'What harm has an innocent baby ever caused?'

I know one truth, God loves us. Plain and simple. I don't know what could be more comforting to hear. My God loves me! Me!!! It's not hard for me to fathom He loves those I see as more deserving. It dumbfounds me that He also loves me. It's why the song Redeemed causes me to cry. When he says the line "All my life I have been called unworthy. Named by the voice of shame and regret. But when I hear you whisper 'Child lift up your head' I remember Oh God you're not done with me yet! I am redeemed." I am filled with so much abundant Joy I want to shout from the mountain tops! It really is good news my friends!

Father I come before you today singing your praises. I too felt like Job more than once. Wondering what I might have done to deserve such torment, such overwhelming pain. When I came to the end of my own strength and was weeping to you on my knees and you spoke to me, I have no words to express my gratitude Father. I was dumbstruck. After all my trespasses, you would answer such a foolish girl as myself. Just thinking about your love has me tearing up with streams flowing from my eyes. Thank you for your Grace. Thank you for your overwhelming love. Thank you for finding me worth answering, worth comforting. I am so very grateful. I ask today that you also go to my brothers and sisters who are facing their own battles. Those who are on their knees praying for help. Answer them Father. Speak to them as clearly as you have spoken to me. Speak to me again! Speak to me daily. Life is not the same without your presence. I know you are with me always. It is nothing compared to Hearing your calming voice. I love you Father. May my fellow brothers and sisters find their way home. Won't you call out to them loudly Father. In such a way as they cannot deny. We all need to feel your presence Father. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy,
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013