[The Mayor]

March 4, 2005

Say "Mercy!"

Read:
Philippians 4:1-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer . . . let your requests be made known to God. -Philippians 4:6

Bible In One Year: Deuteronomy 13-16

You may have played the game when you were a child. You interlace your fingers with someone else's and try to bend the other's hands back until one or the other cries "Mercy!" The winner is the one who gets the other person to surrender.

Sometimes we try to play "Mercy" with God when we pray. We have a request that we desperately want answered in a certain way, so we try to "bend His fingers back" and get Him to give in. When it seems we aren't winning, we try a little harder to convince Him by begging or bargaining. We may even give up grudgingly and say, "Lord, You always win! That's not fair!"

God does want honesty of heart. But occasionally in our honesty a demanding spirit comes out. Deep down we know that prayer is not meant to be a contest with God that we try to win. In our wiser moments, we make our requests known to our Lord, surrender them to Him, rely on His grace, and wait for His answers (Philippians 4:6-7). Author Hannah Whitall Smith said, "Be glad and eager to throw yourself unreservedly into His loving arms, and to hand over the reins of government to Him."

Instead of praying with grudging resignation, "Lord, You always win," surrender to Him. Say "Mercy!" -Anne Cetas

In Jesus' name we voice our prayers-
The Bible tells us to;
But may we never use that name
To tell God what to do. -D. De Haan

Prayer isn't a time to give orders but to report for duty!

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Jesus' Blueprint For Prayer

[FreeTheHostages]

Andrew Murray wrote: "A man is no bigger than his prayer life. What a man is on his knees before God, that he is and nothing more. In that coming day when the hearts of men will be revealed, there will be some big men who will appear very small and those we thought to be small will turn out to be spiritual giants. I am speaking about breakthrough praying: the kind of praying where you know that you feel and touch and experience God on a regular basis."


Jeremiah 29: 12-13: "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

Prayer is the means by which we as people come into partnership with God in order to bring God's will to come to pass on earth. Prayer is declaring the will of God on earth.

Prayer is the means by which we deny and divorce ourselves from those parts of us which tend towards darkness.

Through prayer, we commit and recommit again and again the whole of ourselves to God, thus pulling ourselves away from the sinful and fallen tendencies towards fulfilling God's will and purposes.

It has been said that attendance at Sunday morning worship demonstrates the popularity of the preacher, but attendance at Wednesday night prayer meeting demonstrates the popularity of God.

Mother Teresa's modus operandi: Pray four hours a day, then go out and look for Jesus in disguise.

"Honesty is the language of our praying; will never learn how to pray until we learn how to weep." Bishop Gerald Kaufman.

"Prayer is political action. Prayer is social energy. Prayer is public good. Far more of our nation's life is shaped by prayer than is formed by legislation." Eugene Peterson, Earth and Altar.

"Prayer leads you to see new paths and to hear new melodies in the air. Prayer is the breath of your life which gives you freedom to go and stay where you wish and to find the many signs which point out the way to a new land." Henri Nouwen, With Open Hands.

[Dubya]

Irish Blessings

Wherever you go and
whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish
Be there with you!

May your glass be ever full
May the roof over your head
be always strong
And may you be in heaven
Half an hour before
The devil knows you're dead.

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrock
May your heart be as light as a song
May each day bring you bright happy hours
That stay with you all year long.

May the lilt of Irish laughter
Lighten every load
May the mist of Irish magic
Shorten every road
May you taste the sweetest pleasures
That fortune e're bestowed
And may all your friends remember
All the favors you are owed!

May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door!

May the Good Lord take a liking to you...

But not too soon!