Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture: Exodus chapter 40 The Tabernacle Completed
(Read the whole chapter, it's not that long.)

v9. Take the anointing oil and sprinkle it on the Tabernacle
and on all its furnishings to make them holy. v10. Sprinkle
the anointing oil on the alter of burnt offering and its utensils,
sanctifying them. Then the altar will become most holy. v11.
Next anoint the large washbasin and its pedestal to make
them holy.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."
Matthew 18:20

Reflection:

You know a lot of people read this chapter, and end up
saying, Who cares? This chapter tells us about the
planning, and makeup and building of the Tabernacle
(the church). You may read this and think it's boring,
but there is some real meaning here for us. You see
this chapter is about worship, and how it should really
matter. Some how we take this beautiful concept that
God is everywhere, and use it as an excuse not to go to
church. We say I can worship God in my own way,
or I am worshiping God in nature, or I can worship
God at home listening to the football game. The truth is
it is important to go to church. You see we are not
a club, we are not a group, we are not even a charity.
We are members of a family! And the glue that holds
our family together is the Holy Spirit. We as a church
are the family of God. We as a family who gathers together
and worships our God. We commune, (have in common),
with each other and our God. What I recognize, is how
wonderful it is to have the honor to share in this divine
fellowship. Through church I never have to be alone, that
at any given time I can turn to Him and my church family
for direction.
" Your Christian community is essential to your
spiritual growth. It's members guide, correct, comfort,
and forgive you. God designed it that way. Think
about your "immediate family" in Christ, those you
worship and fellowship with. Thank God for the
ministry that each individual has in you life."
(Closer Walk).
THANK GOD FOR CHURCH!

Prayer:

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
all" (2 Corinthians 13: 14)
­

We can be confident that he will listen to us whenever
we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we
know he is listening when we make our requests,
we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
1 John 5:14-15

I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers.
Because he bends down and listens, I will pray
as long as I have breath!
Psalm 116:1-2

I love this quote from C.S. Lewis

Seize any time

And talking of sleepiness, I entirely agree with you
that no one in his senses, if he has any power of
ordering his own day, would reserve his chief prayers
for bedtime—obviously the worst possible hour for
any action which needs concentration. The trouble
is that thousands of unfortunate people can hardly
find any other. Even for us, who are the lucky ones,
it is not always easy. My own plan, when hard-pressed,
is to seize any time and place, however unsuitable,
in preference to the last waking moment. On a day
of traveling—with, perhaps, some ghastly meeting
at the end of it—I'd rather pray sitting in a crowded
train than put it off till midnight when one reaches
a hotel bedroom with aching head and dry throat
and one's mind partly in a stupor and partly in a
whirl. On other, and slightly less crowded, days
a bench in a park or a back street where one can
pace up and down will do.
C. S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm
Quoted in The Quotable Lewis edited by Wayne
Martindale and Jerry Root (Tyndale House) p 493)

Reflection:

Do you really believe that God listens to you?
Do you really believe that He bends down and
listens? I believe it! That is a very important part
of my faith.....to believe God listens to me. Why
would I have any faith in any kind of God that does
not listen to me. Because of my belief that my
Lord is listening to me, I pray often to God. One
thing that I do is anytime there is an accomplishment
made in my work, I thank God. Because I believe
God is listening I often ask him for help. When I am
faced with a problem I actually ask God "What
do you want me to do". And the most amazing thing is,
one way or another, He answers me. God makes
His presence known to me, my God is there for me
and always is listening. I try to never put off prayer,
I don't say God I'll talk to You later. No matter
what I'm doing or where I'm at, I'm mindful of Gods
presence. I've learned, in my Christian walk, that
the best time to talk with God IS NOW!

Prayer:

Lord I want to praise You and thank You for always
being there for me. You are a wonderful God. You
are compassionate, loving, and merciful, and I thank
You for loving me. Lord I don't need to prove that you
exist, because I know you exist because you are
always there for me. I just wanted to take time to
say......THANK YOU GOD........
I pray this Lord in the name
of Jesus Christ, Your Son, the Savior of the world.
Amen