Category: Prayer

I changed my mind about Jesus

October 4, 2024
The tract and prayer I prayed to receive Jesus

What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?

As a teenager and in to my early twenties I did not believe in Jesus or the salvation He offers. I believed He was a historical person that some people believed in.

I can look back at times when people would talk to me about Jesus and I would reject them and their message. Some I even ridiculed and told them they were crazy.

At the age of 22 I came to believe in Jesus as more than a historical person. A friend gave me tract explaining that Jesus loved me and He died on the cross for my sin. This got my attention.

The more I read, the more I realised this was true. I realised I was a sinner, Jesus died on the cross for me, and I needed to repent and accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I realised what people told previously me was true.

Accepting Jesus as my Lord and Saviour was the best thing I have ever done. It truly turned my life around. Without Jesus I had no hope, no purpose or no meaning. With Jesus that all changed.

In the image above is a copy of the tract my friend gave me back in 1989. It contains the prayer I prayed to receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians

August 23, 2024

For my devotions I am moving on to the Book of Philippians. This is one of the letters Paul wrote to the churches while he was in prison in Rome.

The first reading comes from Philippians 1:3-11. This section is titled, “Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer”. In this section two main things stood out for me.

Paul’s joy with the Philippians

Verses 3 says, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God”.

The Philippians give Paul special joy because they have been his partners in the Gospel. They have shared with him from the day they first heard about Christ until the day of writing.

Paul has a real love for the Philippians because they believed in the message of salvation and continued steadfastly in it. They took it so seriously that they partnered in his work – in prayer, encouragement and financially.

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians

In verse 9 Paul says, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding”.

Paul wanted them to continue to grow in their faith and be blessed by God. He prayed they would have full understanding of the things of God, be pure and blameless in their walk with the Lord and be filled with the fruit of salvation.

Paul really loved the Philippians. He was like a spiritual father to them as he planted the church at Philippi on his second missionary journey. This is why he experienced so much joy, prayed for them and wanted the best for them.

I am really looking forward to continuing through the book of Philippians and seeing what lessons I can learn afresh.

He will, we will

August 8, 2024

John 14:1-4 NLT – “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. [2] There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? [3] When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. [4] And you know the way to where I am going.”

In John 14 Jesus is speaking to the disciples about His going away. He gives them comfort and reassurance that in time they will be together again.

In verse 3 Jesus shares one of the great truths of the Bible. Jesus is preparing our eternal home and once it is ready and the time is right, He will come back for us.

I love the wording He uses – He will and we will. He WILL come back for us and we WILL be with Him forever.

This is the great hope we have in this life. That no matter what we see around us in the world, no matter how bad things seem to be, Jesus IS coming back for us.

With this hope in our hearts, we should not be troubled. We just need to trust in God and wait. He WILL come back at the appointed time, and we WILL be with Him forever.

Prayer

Thank You Jesus that You are preparing a place for us. Thank You that You will come back for us. Please help us to be resolute in our faith and trust in You. Help us to hold on to this great truth that we will spend eternity with You. Amen.

Go and act

August 1, 2024

I heard this saying today afresh. I know I have heard it before, but this time it struck a chord in my heart…

“The Books of Acts would not have been written if the Apostles did not go and act”.

Imagine if after Pentecost came and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers, that they decided to just stay home. Imagine how different our world would be?

We would not have a Book of Acts as an example and a teaching. We would not have heard about the amazing miracles. We would not have heard about the growth of the early church.

This simple saying emphasised to me afresh the importance of going and acting. Of taking the truth of the Gospel message out in to the world and sharing it with others.

When we go and act people are saved. When we go and act miracles happen and lives are changed. When we go and act eternal destinies are changed.

Prayer

Dear God, please help me to go and act. Your Word says the harvest fields are ripe. Send me to the people who need You today. Amen.

(Image: https://www.freebibleimages.org)