Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"And how from infancy your have know the Holy
Scriptures, which are able to make you wise
for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."
(2 Timothy 3:15)

Walk With C. S. Lewis

"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is
to hand over your whole self--all your wishes and
precautions-- in Christ.
"But it is far easier than what ware all trying to do
instead. For what we are trying to do is to remain
what we call 'ourselves.' to keep personal happiness
as our great aim in life, and yet at the same time be
'good'. We are all trying to let our mind and our heart
go there own way----centered on money or pleasure or
ambition--- and hoping, in spite of this, to behave honestly
and humbly."And that is exactly what Christ warned that
we could not do. As He said, a thistle cannot produce figs.
If I am a field that contains nothing but grass seed, I
cannot produce wheat. Cutting the grass may keep it
short, but I shall still produce grass and no wheat. If I
want produce wheat, the change must go deeper that
the surface. I must be plowed up and resown.

Walk Closer to God

"Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears
bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree
cannot produce good fruit." (Matthew 7: 17,18). All good
works in the world cannot make a Christian, any more than
wishful thinking and hard work can make carrots in cabbages.
But onece Christ is planted in the heart, you need never wonder
again what harvest will spring up.
(Walk Through The Bible)

I guess the question here is: Are you a good tree bearing good
fruit? or A bad tree bearing bad fruit?

On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be,
"Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid! For the Lord your God
has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior.
He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love,
he will calm all our fears. He will exult over you by singing
a happy song."
Zephaniah 3:16-17 NLT

I know the Lord is always with me, I will not be shaken,
for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled
with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises!
Psalm 16:8-9 NLT

Reflection:

Can you really say this: I know the Lord is always
with me, I will not be shaken, for he is right beside
me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my
mouth shouts his praises!
I don't know where you are in your life. But lately I've
been feeling lonely and a little depressed. When I
feel this way, I think about how my life has been.
I begin to think of all the negative things in my life.
Boy, have I been a sinner and still am. I have not
been the kind of Christian, that I wanted to be. I
have not attained many of the goals I set out to
achieve. I have had many relationships fail in my
life. And I realize that it is only my faith that keeps
me going. I was feeling like this the other day,
and I happened to see this verse. I was reminded
that my God is always with me, no matter where
I am at in my life. I must not be shaken because
my God is right there beside me. Then my heart
is honestly and most truthfully filled with joy, and
I begin praising my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
My God is your God and He is always there for
you!

Prayer:

Lord I lift your name on high
And I come to sing your praises
You came from heaven to earth, to show the way
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky,
Lord I lift your name on high.

Quote
Anne Frank
Diarist, Holocaust Victim (1929-1945)

"I still believe that people are really good at heart.
I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation
consisting of confusion, misery and death....If I l
look up to the heavens, I think it will all come right,
that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and
tranquility will return again."

Prayer When Your Are Depressed
By: Dr. Walter L. Weston

God, life seems so bleak and useless right now.
I don't have any energy. I have no ambition to do
much of anything. I am really feeling down.
I feel "down on" myself and "down on" everyone
around me. Even as I pray, I don't sense your
presence. I am going through the motions,
knowing that you are still with me.

I know that I am sacred and precious but they
are just words right now. I know that my life has
been worthwhile, full of many wonderful people
and experiences, much happiness and joy.
I feel little of this right now. God, all I can do is
affirm the goodness of life and try to hold on until
the darkness is replaced by your light and love.

Help me to spot the lies that my depressed emotions
are telling me. Life is good. I am good. You are good.
Grant me hope. My loved ones love me. Life will be
beautiful again. Soon, I will see the beauty around
me again. Soon, I will again know vitality and
purpose, happiness and love. Until then, give me
the strength and hope to survive this day.

Help me to smile and laugh, even if just for a
moment. Be my strength and salvation. I ask
you to restore me and make me whole. Fill
me with the Word and the Spirit that I might
be recreated anew. I praise and thank you. Amen.