Matthew 6:7-8 “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” In the sixth chapter of Matthew Jesus gives us good advice about prayer, what it should and should not be. I’ve always looked at prayer as being a conversation with God, and I know for me personally I try to get to the point of the conversation quickly. That may be due to the fact that if someone is telling me something and they go into a long story I lose interest and begin to tune them out until they get to the point. It’s a bad habit, but it’s true. I remember at my last church I had two very dear friends who had totally different styles of prayer. One was short, sweet and to the point, the other would go on and on and on, often saying the same thing three or four times. There were times you could tell she was searching for words because she would repeat “thank you” or “praise God” several times until she thought of something to say. I loved both of these ladies dearly, but when the second one would start praying, I would be praying “Please Lord, help her not repeat herself”. And there were several people who were uncomfortable praying out loud around her because their prayers were very short. She was taught that prayers should be long in order to be meaningful, and that repetition was good. And there are times when our prayers will be long because we have countless things on our list to thank Him for, or a multitude of people whom we have prayer request for. Sometimes we repeat ourselves once or twice for emphasis (although I don’t know why we do that because God heard us the first time), but as this verse in Matthew says we shouldn’t use vain repetitions. Are we repeating ourselves because we like the sound of our own voice or because what we are praying for is so deep in our hearts that we are having difficulty putting it into words? When Jesus gave us the model prayer it was short, sweet and to the point, why use a thousand words to say what you need to say when you could do it in twenty words. God hears your words, and even if what you are saying doesn’t come out the way you want it to – God understands because He knows what you want to say before you even say it. And if you have come to the point where you are searching for something to say, it may be time to say AMEN. If you are asked to pray out loud, just ask God to give you the words, if it is only three or four sentences don’t let that stop you. God would rather have three or four heartfelt sentences than a book full of words. Until next time may God bless you and bring peace to your heart.

2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” From Genesis to Revelation the author, the source of information is God, this fact alone makes the Bible unique. But this is not the only reason it is unique. Did you know that the Bible was the first book to be printed by movable type? It has outsold every other book ever written. God used more than 40 different people in over 1500 years to write His words. It was written in three different languages across three continents. There was about a 400-year gap between the completion of the Old Testament and the writings of the New Testament; these are known as the silent years. The shortest verse is John 11:35 “Jesus wept”. The Bible in its entirety has been translated into 704 languages and partial translations have been done in over 3,000 languages. The Bible also supports several scientific facts that were not widely believed at the time of its writing. For example: the earth is round Isaiah 40:22; the earth is free-floating in space Job 26:7; that blood is needed for life Leviticus 17:11. Its teachings and its impact on society is unique in itself. The Bible has survived for thousands of years despite the fact that some have attempted to destroy its credibility. There are many other factors that make the Bible unique, there has never been another book in the history of man that has had such an impact on how we live our lives. So why is all of this so important? Because scripture is God speaking to us, giving us counsel, instructing us, He ensured the survival of all these Bible books for a reason. And that reason is found in 2 Timothy 3:16. Every verse that is in the Bible is there for a reason, you cannot pick and choose what scriptures you wish to believe, it is all true and beneficial. Some verses may seem “old fashion” to us but that may be due to things that were once unacceptable in society have become acceptable (Isaiah 5:20). I admit there were things that I once thought was “outdated” but as I’ve gotten older, I can see the wise council in those verses. So, I encourage you to continue reading His word and pray for wisdom and understanding of the scriptures as well as how to apply them in your life. Until next time may God bless you and bring peace to your heart.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus spoke these words after the resurrection, and it is often called the Great Commission. This was not simply a suggestion; it was a command. Those who follow Jesus, those who believe, those who are disciples of Christ whether they lived in the first century or now, are commanded to share His powerful message with all. There are many churches and people who concentrate more on the gifts of the Holy Spirit rather than on the Great Commission. In 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 it tells us the Holy Spirit gives the gifts of healing, of miracles, of tongues and prophesy (to name a few) and He alone decides which gift each person should have. These gifts had a purpose then as they do today, they were used to build up, to strengthen, to encourage, to bring unity, to develop growth in order to serve the Kingdom work fully. They were not intended to be our primary focus. These gifts are to glorify God and for the benefit of the entire church, not just the individual. These gifts are wonderful, they are powerful, but they should not be our primary focus. Our primary focus is, and should always be, making disciples, sharing the Good News. Because how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? (Romans 10:14) And how will they hear about Him unless we tell them? I admit it is not always easy to share the Word, there are those who would like us to be silent and we will be hated by some just as Christ was. But did someone tell you about the Gospel? Maybe it was your parents, your grandparents, a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker or even a total stranger; point is if that person had not shared with you the knowledge and love that they have for the Father, you would not have had the opportunity for salvation. You would remain in darkness but now you are overcome with the Light. Our work does not end with simply telling them about Christ or in baptizing them, we must also teach them. You do not hand a child a book and say, “Read this, it will tell you all you need to know”. You must first teach them to read and help them to comprehend what they are reading. Only with teaching can we learn to understand, to grow and to develop our skills more fully. And as we are learning we begin to have a deeper understanding, a deeper love, and a deeper relationship with the Father. If you want a child to obey you, you must first expand their understanding, and this comes not only through teaching but also by setting a good example for them. And when you come across those who are resistant to hearing the Gospel, pray for them and take comfort in Jesus words, “And be sure of this; I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Until next time may God bless you and bring peace to your heart.