Three Requirements to Praying the Will of God

How do I know the will of God? Is my faith lacking? Am I praying for the wrong thing? How do I know if I'm praying God's desires and not my own? These questions have haunted me recently as I've wrestled over an "unspoken" prayer request. But God promises in His Word that "...He will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for." (1 John 5:14-15, NLT)

The Lord's prayer signifies the need to pray according to the will of God. "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven." The great mystery surrounding prayer is the bewildering fact that God not only hears my prayers but desires to answers them. But how do we discover God's will so we can pray according to that will? Through the stubbornness of my own will I am slow in discovering the answers to this question. I'd like to share with you three requirements that God has revealed to my own heart in attempts to spare you the unnecessary journey of a fruitless, self-centered prayer life.

The Great Significance of Praying "Thy Kingdom Come"

Defining the Kingdom

Thy kingdom come. What does that mean for you and I? These words hold so much depth and meaning that I've struggled even to begin writing this post. How do you explain the gravity of Jesus' words when he taught His disciples to pray, "thy kingdom come"? Not a kingdom that is built with bricks or by force (John 18:36) but by the supernatural reviving power of salvation in the lives of those who believe (John 3:3) and the daily sanctification of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).

I did a Greek study on the word "kingdom" and discovered that there are a few very important reasons why Jesus listed this as the third aspect of prayer in the Lord's prayer found in Matthew 6. We could do a whole series on the kingdom of God but for time sake I'm only going to briefly talk about two main points that stood out to me. I would encourage each of you to do your own study.

The Kingdom of God Gives Life

The Lord's prayer has revealed a lack of understanding and how little I know of prayer. To start my prayers with God's identity, God's holiness and God's kingdom agenda is a far cry from how I typically pray. Normally I begin with my problems, my struggles and my agenda.

Taking God's Name in Vain

"Hollowed Be Thy Name"
There is value in a name. Some names we hold in high regards while others have been tarnished by a bad reputation. When we think of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan or Barak Obama we remember these men for what they've done with their lives. The name Adolf Hitler conjures up a negative image of a horrific time in world history while the achievements of George Washington are remembered fondly. These are mere men but when it comes to God, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear His name? Do you value His position and who He is?

In this post we are continuing our series on the Lord's prayer. Jesus began the prayer with, "Our Father, who art in Heaven" and then continues, Hallowed be Thy Name. Unlike our typical prayer life today, the Lord's prayer didn't start with petitions or a prayer list. This prayer was meant to awaken our souls to the reality of God's character. I mean, Who in the world are we actually talking to when we bow our heads and close our eyes? Is it the God we imagine Him to be or the God He really is?

Keep Calm and Carry On: Five Secrets to Overcoming Depression

Coffee mugs, t-shirts and other decorative items have advertised this popular meme for a number of years. This phrasal fad extends to a wide variety of spin offs "Keep Calm and you-fill-in-the-blank". Originally produced by the British government in 1939, this slogan was intended to boost the spirit of the British people on the brink of the Second World War.

Why has it become so popular in today's culture? Is it just a clever quote with numerous spin offs or is this meme pointing to a deeper need in our messed up world? Last December I was going through a stressful time trying to juggle the normal holiday busyness while also preparing for our trip to Australia. I was busy, stressed, worried and sleep deprived.

A week before we left for Australia I received a Keep Calm mug as a gift. Late nights at my desk, my gaze would drift to the writing on that cup. "Keep Calm and Carry On!" but to tell you the truth, I was too exhausted to "carry on". 

Our culture has adopted a positive thinking attitude with the mindset that we are invincible. But research from the Anxiety and Depression Association of American shows otherwise: Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population).

Whether you and I admittedly label it a bad day or a difficult season of life, the fact of the matter is that we all struggle with depression at some point or another.