How Can You Experience the Power of Prayer?

What do you hope will be different in the New Year? If you were to present this hope to God in the form of a prayer, what would it include? Most everyone has a relationship that needs to be strengthened or repaired. Perhaps you need more calmness and peace in your heart and soul.

Is there something about you that keeps you on edge, preventing you from receiving proper sleep and rest? There are many conditions that cause a heart to be troubled. One is anxiety, another is a worried mind, and then there is fear for your future.

Holidays tend to bring out our best or worse character traits. Too much stress weakens our impulse control, so our emotions may get overwhelmed. 

Here is where the power of prayer can give you courage to make amends and apologize. Pray for strength to be honest and sincere. Do that now. The Lord God is waiting.         

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.

~Philippians 4:6-7 The Living Bible

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When Is It Appropriate to Say "No" to Someone?

Have you ever said “yes” to someone but would have preferred to say “no”? I realize there are individuals who take delight in responding negatively to whatever is asked of them. God created us, however, with the desire to please others, but can this need be inappropriate?

Trying to please to the point of losing the respect of others can be detrimental to relationships

Yet, saying “no” is not a license for acting arrogant or refusing to show respect for the feelings, needs, and thoughts of others.

It’s important to be alert to when it’s appropriate to say “no.” Keep in mind, God does not always respond with a resounding “yes” to each of your prayers. Remember, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” Believe God’s word.

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Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy….ready for every good work.

~2 Timothy 2:21 English Standard Version

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Is It Possible to Interrupt a Vicious Circle?

Getting stuck in traffic is the norm in cities like Houston. This situation is similar to vicious circles, when we get stuck in behavior or unproductive thoughts. Everyone is sometimes guilty of losing focus and failing to complete a task.

I’m sure you’ve experienced the pattern of good intentions by getting distracted and forgetting to do what you intended. A vicious circle, also called a vicious cycle, is finalized when regret follows failure to do a task when it was convenient and now the opportunity is lost forever.

The intentions of King Saul, God’s anointed king, may have been to follow God’s plan, but he failed to follow through, which resulted in tragedy and regret. Intervening in a vicious circle requires you to accept and follow sequential steps for completing God’s purpose, but first you must completely yield to what God is directing you to do. He gives you power and strength to make changes for your life that cannot be accomplished any other way.                          

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

~Philippians 4:6-7 New International Version

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Is It Okay to Ask God to Help You Stop Unhealthy Thoughts?

Have you ever been troubled with a particular thinking or behavior problem that had such a tenacious grasp that you had to ask God to take it away? This kind of problem becomes wearisome and a distraction from what should be devoted to healthier endeavors.

Think of trying to solve one problem; other problems are created which make the original problem worse; and if this situation is allowed to continue, a crisis will erupt. This is analogous to a bad habit that’s apparently unhealthy and emotionally upsetting.

The first step in stopping a disruptive thinking or behavioral pattern is to admit it exists and that you are willing to spend the time and energy to break its power. Then ask God for insight, wisdom, and guidance. Psalm 20:7 declares, “The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart will trust in him.” Seek to love God with all of your heart. 

He will provide you with the strength and the desire to do what seems impossible.       

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7 New International Version

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Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Finding Peace within Conflict

Thomas 'a Kempis advised in his book, Imitations of Christ, that if you are to "keep peace within yourself, then first bring peace to others." Generating peace is challenging when conflict seems endless. What drives conflict are anxiety, fear, anger and bitterness, which suggests that conflict with others derives from unresolved personal issues.

Emotional turmoil is felt when personal objectives are obstructed, and failure is blamed on others. It takes courage to face oneself. Thomas 'a Kempis gives us another reality check when seeking to resolve interpersonal conflicts. "Be not angry if you cannot make others be as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself be as you wish to be."



The Apostle Paul's solution is, "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  As you give the Lord Jesus Christ permission to renew your mind, an inner peace that passes all understanding will be given to you. 

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation

Be God's Character Witness

When bad things happen to good people, it tends to generate frustration and sadness. Anger tells us to fight back to regain control. While it’s acceptable to be angry, it’s necessary to keep it in check to prevent overreacting.

 

While Joseph was far from being perfect, he didn't deserve being taken to Egypt and sold as slave. He had choices regarding how he would react. He responded by taking advantage of opportunities to prove he was a responsible person regardless of his situation.

When Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, was sent to a Nazi concentration camp, he knew survival depended on finding meaning and purpose in this death camp. He did survive while the rest of his family perished. After the war he published The Diary of Anne Frank, which become a classic book and movie. When your heart and mind are set on doing your best even in the worst possible situation, God provides the will and strength for you to be a character witness to his grace and mercy.  

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful that the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your hearts and your minds quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7 The Living Bible

Waiting to Compete

Humans were designed to compete and struggle to make their mark on the world. When we can't be a viable competitor, we choose heroes from all areas of life to compete for us. Sports figures become heroes, so we compete through them. Siblings often compete for recognition, acceptance and dominance.

The simultaneous marriages of Jacob to sisters Rachel and Leah created a situation that was a perfect setup for rivalry. Jacob loved Rachel, but Leah could have children while Rachel remained barren. It wasn't enough that Jacob loved Rachel. She felt unfulfilled as a woman compared to Leah, who gave Jacob four sons.

My aunt was unable to have children and half-jokingly asked my mother to give her my sister. My aunt was intelligent, attractive, had a loving husband and a career, but that was not enough. It takes faith and patience to wait, to endure, to persist. God’s desire is to give these attributes to you as you open your heart to receive him.

Challenges that Come with Change - Part 2

Predictability is desirable for life to feel secure. Predictability equates to constancy, which encourages hope for an ever-changing world. While constancy and change seem to be polar-opposites, human beings need variation and change to stave off boredom. Most individuals develop a healthy tolerance for constancy and change.

We flourish where constancy exists because mastery of life’s tasks requires it. Still there must be flexibility for change and adjustment. When Jesus sent his disciples out to preach the Good News of his coming, their message was to be constant, but their response was to be flexible, depending on how the message was received.

Change should be anticipated, but the uncertainty associated with change can create anxiety. Imagine going out to preach, teach, and heal others, without knowing how you will be received. You will be anxious and afraid, but equipped with the Holy Spirit, you will have power to enjoy God’s purpose for your life. May God bless you.