This morning’s post focused mainly on prayer. I would like to repeat the entire archived poem this evening as it focuses a bit more on knowing we have received answers to our prayers. Refer to the earlier post for the relating scriptures, but I’ve added a couple of new ones here. For greater encouragement on PRAISE and the importance of our confession of faith in the Word of God and the blood of Jesus, be blessed to visit the on-line latest service of today, March 15, at http://www.EMIC.org by Mark Hankins, “Fill Up Your Praise Basket!”

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15 NKJV

Shut away where no one sees,
those who pray are down on their knees.
It’s a very high call, but only I know
of what they do since there’s nothing to show
until a later event or final outcome
shows “something” was done–that’s where it came from.

With confidence to the throne of grace they draw near,
to receive mercy and grace to help–they know I’ll hear.
At times it may seem like a lonely place,
but they’ve learned to love to seek My face.
My eyes are toward them, My ears hear their cry.
They know My promises–it’s impossible for Me to lie.

According to 1 John 5, verses fourteen and fifteen,
they pray and then know–there’s no in between.

P. A. Oltrogge

“And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14-15

“Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart.” Luke 18:1 AMP

“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10 NKJV

Someone has said, “Don’t worry that you’re not strong enough before you begin. It’s in the journey that God makes you strong.”

And in Isaiah 58:11, we read, “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

“…the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” (from James 5:13-18)

Poetic thoughts on prayer:

With confidence to the throne of grace we draw near,
to receive mercy and grace to help–we know You’ll hear.
At times it may seem like a lonely place,
but we’ve learned to love to seek Your face.
Your eyes are toward us, Your ears hear our cry.
We know Your promises–it’s impossible for You to lie.

“And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14, 15

“Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19

“…it is impossible for God to lie…” (from Hebrews 6:18)

“…in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago.” Titus 1:2

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret, will repay you.” Matthew 6:6

Conservatory photo by Porch of the Lord

Words of Jesus:

“I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:9-17 NLT