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(Psalm 145:7) "Our hearts bubble over as we celebrate the fame of your marvellous beauty, bringing bliss to our hearts. We shout with ecstatic joy over your breakthrough for us.”
In this series, we're delving deeper into the teachings that Jesus left us to follow. The ninth commandment leads us to our next focus: PRAYER AND FASTING ...
While researching my next book in the KARP series, I delved into the fascinating world of early Egyptian culture, and I discovered a rather intriguing aspect of their religious practices. As we all know, the Egyptians were known for their devotion to a pantheon of gods, each overseeing different aspects of life and nature. What truly captivated me, though, was their incredibly transactional mindset toward prayer.
Imagine a bustling temple, incense wafting through the air, and priests performing elaborate rituals. The Egyptians believed that their prayers and offerings were like currencies exchanged for divine favour. But here's the twist: if life became bad and things didn't go as they hoped, they didn't hesitate to hold their gods accountable - and dump them!
Isn't it intriguing how the Egyptians' mindset seems almost whimsically fickle to us now? They expected an unending flow of blessings, and the moment life threw a challenge their way, they would stop praying to their gods and turn their backs on them without hesitation.
But let's pause for a moment—what about us—how do we approach the Living GOD? Jesus himself reminded us in John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!" When we face trials, do we immediately pray that we may find profound solace in our GOD - He who understands all of life's complexities? This is the GOD that, rather than just promising a smooth and effortless journey, tells us up front that we will have trials and tribulations, BUT, if we trust in His Divine plan for our lives, He will help us through them!
Several Scriptures highlight the notion that our faith is intended to mature through adversity, strengthening our bond with GOD: (James 1:2) "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." These verses emphasise that trials are growth opportunities, helping us to pray to and then rely on a steadfast GOD, and encouraging us to develop resilience and strength through His promises.
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Let's pray, "Heavenly Father, help me to grow up and embrace challenges with joy, knowing they strengthen my faith and perseverance. Whenever I lack understanding, grant me wisdom generously, as You have promised. Guide me to maturity and completeness in You, trusting in Your perfect plan." Amen!
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URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS (Please keep checking as more are being added almost daily)