Reach for the Prize

As I reflect on this past year I must confess that I have discovered a wonderful truth. God is great! I have read and am re reading a book written by Andrew Murry on the subject of prayer. I discovered the truth that believing prayer is answered by our Father God even as we pray. I found my self in circumstances that I could not control yet God gave me a passage of scripture that jumped off the page to me. It was Phillipians 4:6-7 which says: 'Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.'
Wow! I re read those verses then picked them apart. Be anxious for nothing? How is that possible for there are times when fear rushes in to make our minds twist with anxious thoughts. But in everything by prayer and supplication w/thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Ok, I began with thanksgiving? How? Oh yes, to trust God with my requests. Trust God. Thank God for being trustworthy! As we trust God with thanksgiving laying every prayer and supplication at His throne He gives us a wonderful promise. Trusting will lead to peace, God's peace that surpasses all understanding. That is wonderful! Peace! Blessed Peace. Yet He goes even further to tell us that as we trust Him with the unknown answers of our deepest fears and greatest desires He will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. There is the price! Christ Jesus. For it is in the peace of God that we can rest while Christ Jesus guards our minds and our hearts. Praise God for His greatness that He so desires for each of us to experience.

Something to think about

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13
This is an amsome thought. If we receive Christ and believe on His name we have the right to become children of God. Not of blood, meaning we can't be born into God's family just because our parents were Christians. Nor of the will of flesh meaning not by our own works or our own wants. Nor of the will of men meaning just because someone cares for you and desires for you to become God's child they can not make it happen. But of God meaning it is only by the power of God drawing you to His Son by the pwer of the Holy Spirit that you may become a child of God. This should put to rest anyone's fear of losing salvation as it is by God's power that we become His child and not anything we can do or not do to have it. And once we have it by God's power we can not lose it by anything we might do. Praise God for His indescrible love for you and me.