Search Results for: blog take time to pray praise

A Time for Resolutions

New Year is a time for resolutions. Many are made but not so many are kept. So what is the point of resolutions? Resolutions are helpful if they focus our attention on areas that need to be changed. For example, last night, New year’s Eve here in Australia Mick and I resolved to get back into the habit of our regular bible study and prayer time together. When family is here or other things are happening, sadly it is all too easy for it to get pushed aside. So we’re looking at a study that focuses on different passages to … Continue reading →

Patterns of Prayer

My reservations regarding the 5 finger prayer pattern are it doesn’t incorporate two aspects that I consider essential. They are praise and confession. So I’d like to suggest another pattern for prayer – an ACTION prayer. This is: Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Intercession Outpouring Needs Adoration The first, and what to me should always be our starting point, is praise or adoration of God. We should praise God for who He is and for His unique qualities. Take time to really dwell on the fact that you are in the presence of Almighty God. Adore Him. We have only to think … Continue reading →

A Week Of Praise

It’s good to be reminded of the big and little ways God provides for us and the everyday blessings we can tend to take for granted. So often we forget to praise God for His goodness. So here is my week of praise and blessings. I praise God for: Safety when traveling. A special time together with family. My footy team, the Sydney Swans, won. God’s wisdom in solving a problem with a neighbor. Enabling leading singing on Sunday and a great selection of songs which fitted in perfectly with the sermon topic. Our minister’s support and encouragement for the … Continue reading →

Primary Time: Praising Children

As parents it is critical that we take the time to praise our children. Children in Primary are especially responsive to this type of praise. Children will begin to behave so that they can receive praise and hugs for their good behavior. A great deal of children’s behavior is focused on bringing attention to themselves. Children who misbehave constantly want the attention that this brings to them. By giving positive attention and praise you can help to limit negative behavior. Have you ever had a day where you step back and look at the things you have said to your … Continue reading →

Devotions of Prayer

Like many of the other topics I have written about in my “Devotions” series, doing a study over prayer is hardly something that can be done completely in one short setting. The Bible has a lot to say about prayer: how to pray, what to pray for, and examples of prayer. An in-depth study on prayer would likely take several hours, if not more, of intense look at the Bible and what it has to say about prayer. However, by saying that I do not intend to discourage you, but rather prepare you for what is available on the topic … Continue reading →

Take Time to Pray: Praise

Over the several months I have been writing for Families.com I have written three articles entitled “Take Time to Pray” detailing things for which a Christian can pray about to God. In this entry, I want to approach the topic from a little different perspective. In my prayer life I consistently ask God for different requests, and I am thankful to Him for things (although I need to be much more thankful than I am). However, very, very rarely do I praise God. I really struggle with the concept of praising the Lord, yet it should be something that is … Continue reading →

Take Time to Pray: Thanksgiving

Over the past few months I have written a couple different articles over taking time to pray. Both of the articles I wrote spoke specifically about things that Christians could ask God for in their prayers. However, today I want to look at a different side of prayer, a side I often neglect. Christians need to remember to thank the Lord in their prayers. I know I often get caught up in everyday things, and I forget to praise and thank the Lord like I should. Gratitude toward God should be a high priority in one’s prayer life. I thought … Continue reading →

Make Thanksgiving a Teachable Moment

Who says Thanksgiving is just a day set aside to expand your waistline? If you are a parent, consider using the holiday to broaden your kids’ minds. In many cases children are taught the history of Thanksgiving in class. They get generic lessons about the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, Pilgrims and Indians, but far less time is spent schooling youngsters about the true meaning of the day—-gratitude. Whereas the first Thanksgiving took place in 1621, when Governor Bradford of the Plymouth colony appointed a day for public praise and prayer after the first harvest, the first national observance didn’t come until … Continue reading →

Discipling Young Hearts: Femininity

Femininity is a divine gift. A mother ought to take great pleasure in teaching her daughters to glorify God through femininity. To glorify God through a characteristic one must agree with God on the definition of that characteristic. Therefore the first order of business is to define femininity from a biblical standpoint and shed the world’s view on the subject. A daughter may appear feminine in her ribbons and bows yet her tongue lashes at her father. We are to focus on having a heart to please the Lord and not superficial means of convincing the world. Let us explore … Continue reading →

Faith Books

All hail! Summer! A time for sun, sand, surf… and church picnics. Our church’s annual summer picnic takes place in just a couple of weeks, and this year along with the games, food and music, the planning committee is also crafting a scrapbook featuring several major events, including Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Christmas and Easter celebrations. Religious-themed scrapbooks are nothing new; however, each year it seems there are more and more faith-related embellishments to choose from to make your memory book stand out. Of course, you don’t have to wait for the annual church picnic to assemble a faith … Continue reading →