Recentered Prayer...

I'm linking with Ginger and Charlotte's Spiritual Sundays. It's such a refreshing place to visit. If you don't have time to visit all participants today, it's a great place to visit any day of the week!

Today's message at our church was entitled, Recentered Prayer...Lord, Teach Us to Pray.  Based on several verses, Luke 11:1, Matthew 6:7-13 to name a few, the Bible assures us Jesus listens. One of my favorites, Matthew 6:8 states, "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." I'm afraid that I'm guilty of trying to tell God want I need from Him and then tell Him my timeline! How ridiculous is that? Like I'm in charge of anything, really? Being a Type A personality, I need to just slow down and listen!

I'm a worrier too. I tend to worry about things way before I should and then I just worry more...It's a terrible cycle. It's something that I work on constantly. Matthew 14:27 states, "Take courage! It is I, don't be afraid!" If I would only slow down and listen!

During life's ups and downs, my prayer time is not consistant. When things are good, I send prayers in thanksgiving but when things are not good I tend to pray more. John 16:33 states, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." If I would only slow down and listen!

Jesus taught us how to pray with the Lord's Prayer. It's a type of formula {for us Type A people}! It's written in Matthew 6:9-13.  It's a God~centered prayer not a self~centered prayer. God invites us to take our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and recenter on Him. He's already our Heavenly Father who is with us and already helping us!

Prayer is a way to recenter every situation, every question, every need on God. God in the middle. God as the source. God as God. In prayer we don't need to direct God. We need to involve God. We need to receive from God. We need to receive God.

What is going on in your life?What are you facing? What are you hoping for?What are you afraid of? Now recenter all that on God. Introduce God into that equation.

Visit Psalm 121:1-2, "I lift up my eyes to the hills ~ where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth."

And finally, there's Psalm 46:1-2,7,10, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way. The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. Be still, and know that I am God."

I need to slow down and listen!

Today I'd like to end my post with a few things: First of all, I hope that by visiting Ginger and Charlotte's site as well as all the others who contribute, that someone out there in blogland will be spoken too, helped, inspired, made to feel better, or become more interested in learning about God. Secondly, my posts are recaps of our Sunday's message, simply restated and with, perhaps a little of my two cents. Please understand that I am not a minister, only a simple sinner, one that wants to share the good news of Jesus and to hopefully help someone along the way.


My church, Gloria Dei Lutheran,  is Missouri Synod and located in Nassau Bay, Texas  ~ near Houston.If you're ever in the area and want to visit, please know that you'd be welcomed with open arms! If you are unable to travel and would like to listen to messages on line, those are available as well. There are even videos you might like to view too. The website is http://www.gdlc.org/.

Enjoy your Sunday...and the rest of your week!