The prayer of favor

Act 2:47

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

Many years ago, I started a personal prayer time praying for my wife and son. Both had things going on where they needed the good Lord's help.  My wife's had become stressed from her job and my son had many things going on his life educationally and socially.   For my son, being a young teenager at that time was stressful too.  My job wasn't the best situation, but doable.  We needed prayer, we needed God !!

 

So after my son and wife were gone for the day, I got alone with God and prayed.  Naturally, I had been talking to my Pastor, and he suggested that I pray for God's favor for my son.  And so, I did.   The prayer went something like this, one part was from the prayer of Jabez, I prayer "Oh that would bless Caleb indeed, enlarge his coast, may you hand be upon him and keep him from evil that he may not be grieved, then I added, give him FAVOR with his teachers, favor with his fellow students and lead the right friends into his life"   And did you KNOW that later, he had many friends and made STAR student.  Well PTL !!

In a similar way, the same happened with my wife.  I prayed," Oh that thou would best her indeed, enlarge her coast, may your hand be upon her  and keep her from evil that she may not be grieved. Give her FAVOR with her bosses, favor with her fellow workers and lead the right friends into her life,  well after the prayer many times, she got employee of the year. Praise His dear name !!

Now I am shy, in asking & receiving, sometimes the best person to pray for yourself is YOU.  Well, it worked for my son and my wife, so why not??  I PRAYED, "Lord, oh that thou would bless me indeed,enlarge my coast, may your hand be upon me, keep me from evil that I may not be grieved, Give me FAVOR with my bosses, favor with my fellow workers and lead the right friends into my life"  Well, I got employee of the month. Hallelujah, to his name !!

 

All I know is that it worked for us. Maybe it can work for you. Never under estimate the power of prayer !! 

Prayer changes things !!  It's an amazing thing but we often forget. God help us.

 

But dear friend with prayer, you must call upon HIM, He wants to hear the prayer of saving faith FIRST !!

For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved !!

May God Bless you, have a great day, just a great day !!

RevDanSam

 

A Father's day thought

This sermon thought came to my mind and heart while on my way to work in my Ford F150 pickup truck. (where God seems to speak to me a lot)


After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Our Father speaks of three thoughts or lessons:

1. It speaks of relationship to our Father.

Our Heavenly father and I like that statement. Jesus specifically aimed to whom it is.  Interesting, how all translation agree how to translate these words. Our Father which is heaven.    Well, father teaches us the father son and father child relationship. A father wants to give his children the very best. But disciple comes when he says yes, no and wait.
Matt 6:4 and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

2. Our Father speaks of resemblance as in  Jesus
Jesus is God in the flesh. And Jesus was always about the father's business.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost

 To be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, Rom 8:29  We should resemble Jesus in our walk, ways and words. 

3. Our Father speaks of respect as led by the spirit of God.
Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

We should  respect the Lord's set position, saving power and serving purpose.

These thoughts can be use in a sermon and / or lesson. 

God Bless your Christian friend and worker, use this for His honor and His glory, amen.

RevDanSam

Giving to HIM

The bible says in John chapter 3 in verse 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave . . . "  Being a pattern for us all we need to give as well. The Lord spoke to my heart this morning and gave me this three point thought .

#1 - we should give our talents to the Lord, Allow our God given talents to be use for the Divine Service.  Many talents are obvious, singing, speaking and sharing.  But a carpenter can build, a plumber can fix pipes and painter can paint. The computer guy can help in website and social media. A sales person can who sales a product, can present Jesus to a lost and dying world. And you will have an eternal record.

The Apostle Paul told the Colossians in chapter 3
²² Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
²³ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
²⁴ Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

 #2 - we should give our time to the Lord. And we should teach balance here. Faith and family. God first instituted the home, Husband, wife and  children.  Balance faith and family by giving your time to the Lord. Time spent praying is time well spent.  Time spent servicing Him is time well spend with eternal rewards. 

Colossians 4:4-6

⁴ That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.⁵ Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

#3 - we should give the Lord our treasures. Of course, I am talking about money. A hard subject for many but definitely taught in the bible.  


Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Promises, prayers and your pocket book / wallet / paycheck. All that I can tell you here is "Give and it shall be given unto you" and that God loves a cheerful giver, as that is hilarious about giving.  Do not grudge or be mad, just give of your treasures and it will definitely have eternal returns.


 God bless you friend, God loves you, but salvation comes before service. You call on the name of the Lord first, meaning call on God to save you from your sin and become a child of God. And you do this by calling on Him, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For with the heart man believes, but with mouth confession made.



   God bless you, RevDanSam
Trust in the Lord with all your heart !!

Our connection with Him

Our connection with Him

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

We all have our connections with people and things.  In sports, our connections could be the home team or a player on the team that we know may be even related too.  In business, we have work connections for sales and service.  And these connections could determine our involvement and interest.  It's all based on the connections that we have.
 

So what is your connection with Heaven. Does it involve Him. Some say I don't always live for Him, but if I do some good deeds and give to the poor, that will connect me to heaven. Yet the bible says "not of works" see Ephesians 2:8-9

 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

If anything, God has to work on us. For our standing with Him, as a child of God is eternal, we are already seated in heaven with Him.  But our state or spiritual condition is variable, and we need to allow God to work in our life to help us inwardly and outwardly to be conformed to the image of his dear son. Also, see the Rich young ruler mentioned in the gospels. He had all and knew all, yet The Lord Jesus said that he lack one thing.

The call of salvation will always come first and then will there will be a service to do.  And our connection with Him is through the Lord Jesus Christ. God in the flesh and God became man. But God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, as this was spoken of in Romans 5 & 6.

Dear friend what is your connection to Him and to heaven, it should be through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Call on Him today, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For with the heart, man believes and with mouth confession is made. Ye must be born again !!


God Bless you,

RevDanSam