P P P… of PRAYER!

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PRESENCE 

 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, 

I am there in the midst of them."

Matthew 18:20

PLACE

 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place!

 This is none other than the house of God, 

and this is the gate of heaven!"

Genesis 28:17

Although Jacob thought that GOD was in a particular place, it is the person and the people that GOD is interested in. He comes, not to live in a place or a building, but in the hearts of individuals and among His people!

PEOPLE

Do you not know that you are the temple of God 

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

 For the Lord's portion is His people; 

Jacob is the place of His inheritance.

Deuteronomy 32:9

PRESENT

 pray without ceasing,

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Therefore, we can pray anywhere, anytime, because we can enter into His presence with thanksgiving. He is ‘Jehovah Shammah’ -  He is there. He is ever present. He is not in a particular religious place, but in our heart. He is in our midst when we gather in His name. If two are gathered, He is the third Person. If three are gathered, He is the fourth person.

That is a powerful gathering!!

 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, 

saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 

"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; 

and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

Daniel 3:24-25

 

PROGRESSING IN PROGRESS IN PRAYER!

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PRAISE

The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble!

He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name-- He is holy. The King's strength also loves justice; You have established equity;

You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His footstool-- He is holy. Moses and Aaron were among His priests,

And Samuel was among those who called upon His name;

They called upon the Lord, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar;

They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives,

Though You took vengeance on their deeds. Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His holy hill;

For the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 99:1-9 

We enter into the Presence of GOD when we praise Him.

It is wise for us to acknowledge the greatness of GOD and Who He is, before we begin to speak anything to Him! 

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 

Serve the Lord with gladness; 

Come before His presence with singing. 

Know that the Lord, He is God; 

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; 

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, 

And into His courts with praise. 

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 

For the Lord is good; 

His mercy is everlasting, 

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100:1-5

 

PROGRESSING IN PROGRESS IN PRAYER!

 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, 

and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer is our communication with the Almighty Living GOD, Who not only hears, but also answers. Therefore when we call on GOD, let us make sure to listen to His answer! Then He will show us great and mighty things we don’t know! Our mindset will change and our eyes will open to see His ways that are higher than ours!

 "Ask, and it will be given to you; 

seek, and you will find; 

knock, and it will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, 

and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

Or what man is there among you who, 

if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, 

how much more will your Father who is in heaven 

give good things to those who ask Him! 

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, 

for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:7-12

Whether a petition or a question that you are coming with, GOD will respond to you. If you are asking for something good, He will give it to you. If you are seeking answers, He will speak to you. If you are knocking on the door of Heaven to know Him, He will begin to reveal Himself, His will and His glory to you!

When we walk in obedience to the Golden Rule, we position ourselves to receive those good things our Heavenly Father has to give us!

As we progress in our relationship with GOD, we will progress in our prayer life, from asking for things, to asking what the LORD requires of us, and then, to asking Him to reveal Himself to us. Then, as we grow in the knowledge of GOD, we will draw close to Him and hear His heartbeat. Then we will seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, we will seek the lost and we will surrender to His will in our lives.

 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 

Yet indeed I also count all things loss 

for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, 

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish,

that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, 

which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, 

the righteousness which is from God by faith; 

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, 

and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 

if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:7-11

When our knocking leads us to ‘Knowing’ GOD.

 Then our seeking will lead to seeing Him.

   Our asking will become ‘Receiving in faith’ with thanksgiving, because it is aligned to GOD’S will and has already been released in Heaven! 

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 

that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 

And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, 

we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

1 John 5:14-15

 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, 

that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, 

holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

And do not be conformed to this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, 

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

May we progress in our prayer life from selfish and soulish to spirit-led prayers. We may be selfish like kids and ask for good things mostly for ourselves. We may be soulishly doing good to others, desiring the same good from others. Although this may be acceptable to GOD, let us progress further to a spiritual mind to overcome evil with good which is the perfect will of GOD!

MOTHER

 Once a teacher asked a student, “How old is your mother?”

The child promptly answered, “My Mum is as old as I am!”

You only become a Mum when you have a child, so you are a 'Mum' as old as your oldest child!

‘Mother’ is a name, description or title given to a woman who has a child or children. In fact from the moment she conceives and carries a child in her womb, she is preparing for motherhood.

 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; …

Genesis 1:27-28

So conception and childbearing is a blessing from GOD.

 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Psalm 127:3

‘Mother’ is also the designation for the task of ‘Mothering’. Mothering is a responsibility given to the mother.

A precious gift is entrusted to your care, to nurture and bring up in the ways of the LORD.

You are made for that purpose. The mother is created so suitably to feed and nourish her baby from her own body. With this responsibility, you are also given the strength and grace to do this task with joy. 

A few days ago, a young mother, while lovingly cuddling her baby, said to me, “I never imagined I had the ability to love someone so much!”

 He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 113:9

As Christian mothers, we carry the responsibility to constantly point our children to the LORD through our example of devotion to the LORD and also by teaching them the word of GOD.

 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

We should be grateful to the LORD for each of our children and pray for them. 

Hannah who was barren, prayed earnestly to GOD and received a son. After little Samuel was weaned, Elkanah and Hannah brought him to the temple and released him for the service of GOD! It wouldn’t have been easy for Hannah to do this. She said to Eli the priest,

 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord." So they worshiped the Lord there. 1 Sam 1:27-28

Even the very precious gifts GOD gives us, He expects us to surrender to Him.

That is true worship. Abraham worshipped GOD when he laid his precious son Isaac on the altar in obedience to Him. Genesis 22

Although we love our children very much, the LORD has to take first place in our lives and in theirs.

When our daughter had her babies, I was very burdened that I couldn’t be of much help to her as my husband and I were involved with ministry and also travelled frequently. Therefore I worried about her and became very preoccupied in my thoughts about her having to cope without my help. This affected even my relationship with the LORD. One Sunday as I was in Church and my anxious thoughts on our daughter, I heard a sudden clear sharp rebuke in my heart that shook me!

 

"He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."

 (He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.
And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:37)

We need much wisdom from the LORD in planning our children’s activities at varying stages of their lives. When we begin to stress our children with many activities and place high expectations on them, going with the trend of the world, we should ask ourselves, “Why do I want my child to do this or learn that?” Is it to bring glory to themselves or to myself?

Our goal and motive should be to see the LORD’s name glorified through our children. 

Our desire and prayer should be to see our daughters arise as effective intercessors and our sons as Godly men who will preach and teach the word of GOD accurately.

What is Intercession? One who has experienced GOD’s grace and mercy and forgiveness through the blood of JESUS, going before the LORD in humility and compassion to plead the same for someone.

The fall of man has brought a curse on the world because of the broken relationship with GOD and with each other. The LORD JESUS came as the Mediator between GOD and man. GOD is now looking for men and women who will stand in the gap to bring reconciliation and restoration of these relationships.

The old Testament finishes with the word curse.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

Malachi 4:5-6

Who is able to stand in the gap between fathers and children? It is the wife and the mother who is able to play this crucial role and intercede, to break the curse and release blessings on the family.

So dear mothers, we have been given an honourable designation and a very important and specific task. Let us be diligent with that which GOD has entrusted to us.

One important cause of broken lives, disfunctional homes, issues with mental health and such, is the absence of a 'Mother' in her home, who is playing her GOD-given role well. If mothers joyously take on their rightful responsibilities, the world would definitely be a better place!

 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:

CROWNS

 CROWNS 

In the spiritual sense, crowns depict mindsets.

A golden crown means spiritual mind.

Silver is to do with the soul.

 For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; 

You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

Psalm 21:3

 For to be carnally minded is death, 

but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:6

His enemies I will clothe with shame, 

But upon Himself His crown shall flourish."

Psalm 132:18

 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, 

and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2:52

The crown of the wise is their riches, 

But the foolishness of fools is folly.

Proverbs 14:24

 Oh, the depth of the riches 

both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable are His judgments 

and His ways past finding out!

Romans 11:33

The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, 

If it is found in the way of righteousness.

Proverbs 16:31

 Therefore we do not lose heart.

 Even though our outward man is perishing, 

yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 

is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 

while we do not look at the things which are seen, 

but at the things which are not seen. 

For the things which are seen are temporary, 

but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, 

Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower 

Which is at the head of the verdant valleys, 

To those who are overcome with wine!
Isaiah 28:1

 And do not be drunk with wine, 

in which is dissipation; 

but be filled with the Spirit,
Ephesians 5:18

 In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory 

and a diadem of beauty 

To the remnant of His people,

Isaiah 28:5

 But you are a chosen generation, 

a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 

His own special people, 

that you may proclaim the praises of Him 

who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1 Peter 2:9

 You shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the Lord, 

And a royal diadem In the hand of your God.
Isaiah 62:3

 Let your light so shine before men, 

that they may see your good works 

and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

 If then you were raised with Christ, 

seek those things which are above, 

where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 

  Set your mind on things above, 

not on things on the earth. 

  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

  When Christ who is our life appears, 

then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 3:1-4

 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man 

was great in the earth, 

and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart 

was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5

The crown has fallen from our head. 

Woe to us, for we have sinned!

Lamentations 5:16

 Therefore we also, 

since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, 

and the sin which so easily ensnares us, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, 

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, 

despising the shame, 

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. 

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, 

For He shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:11

When they had twisted a crown of thorns, 

they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. 

And they bowed the knee before Him 

and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

Matthew 27:29

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. 

Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, 

but we for an imperishable crown.

1 Corinthians 9:25

 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, 

and rest your hope fully upon the grace 

that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 1:13

 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; 

All these gather together and come to you. 

As I live," says the Lord, 

"You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, 

And bind them on you as a bride does.
Isaiah 49:18

Children's children are the crown of old men, 

And the glory of children is their father.
Proverbs 17:6

 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, 

my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Philippians 4:1

 And he believed in the Lord, 

and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:6

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; 

A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 

  You love righteousness and hate wickedness; 

Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You 

With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
Psalm 45:6-7

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, 

which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, 

and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; 

for when he has been approved, 

he will receive the crown of life 

which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12

Behold, I am coming quickly! 

Hold fast what you have, 

that no one may take your crown. 

Revelation 3:11

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, 

and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, 

having on His head a golden crown, 

and in His hand a sharp sickle.

Revelation 14:14

 Then I looked, and behold, 

a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, 

and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, 

having His Father's name written on their foreheads.
Revelation 14:1

 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 

"Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; 

have dominion over the fish of the sea, 

over the birds of the air, 

and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 1:28

You have made him a little lower than the angels; 

You have crowned him with glory and honor, 

And set him over the works of Your hands.

Hebrews 2:7

The simple inherit folly, 

But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

Proverbs 14:18

 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, 

do not cease to pray for you, 

and to ask that you may be filled 

with the knowledge of His will 

in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Colossians 1:9

And also if anyone competes in athletics, 

he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

2 Timothy 2:5

 He who has My commandments and keeps them, 

it is he who loves Me. 

And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, 

and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
John 14:21

 Therefore we also, 

since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, 

and the sin which so easily ensnares us, 

and let us run with endurance 

the race that is set before us, 

looking unto Jesus, 

the author and finisher of our faith, 

who for the joy that was set before Him 

endured the cross, despising the shame, 

and has sat down 

at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, 

and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, 

clothed in white robes; 

and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

Revelation 4:4

 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne 

and worship Him who lives forever and ever, 

and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 

  "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; 

For You created all things, 

And by Your will they exist and were created."

Revelation 4:10-11

 I beseech you therefore, brethren, 

by the mercies of God, 

that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, 

holy, acceptable to God, 

which is your reasonable service. 

And do not be conformed to this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, 

that you may prove what is that good 

and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; 

But the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 2:4

Then I stood on the sand of the sea. 

And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, 

having seven heads and ten horns, 

and on his horns ten crowns, 

and on his heads a blasphemous name.

Revelation 13:1

His eyes were like a flame of fire, 

and on His head were many crowns. 

He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

Revelation 19:12

 and from Jesus Christ, 

the faithful witness, 

the firstborn from the dead, 

and the ruler over the kings of the earth. 

To Him who loved us 

and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 

 and has made us kings and priests 

to His God and Father, 

to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:5-6

And another sign appeared in heaven: 

behold, a great, fiery red dragon

having seven heads and ten horns, 

and seven diadems on his heads.

Revelation 12:3

 For though we walk in the flesh, 

we do not war according to the flesh. 

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal 

but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 

casting down arguments 

and every high thing 

that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, 

bringing every thought into captivity 

to the obedience of Christ, 

and being ready to punish all disobedience 

when your obedience is fulfilled.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6

The king loved Esther more than all the other women, 

and she obtained grace and favor in his sight 

more than all the virgins; 

so he set the royal crown upon her head 

and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Esther 2:17

 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 

For the husband is head of the wife, 

as also Christ is head of the church; 

and He is the Savior of the body. 

 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, 

so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 

 Husbands, love your wives, 

just as Christ also loved the church 

and gave Himself for her, 

 that He might sanctify and cleanse her 

with the washing of water by the word, 

 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, 

not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, 

but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:22-27

 Then one of the seven angels 

who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues 

came to me and talked with me, saying, 

"Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, 

and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, 

descending out of heaven from God, 

having the glory of God. 

Her light was like a most precious stone, 

like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Revelation 21:9-11