A Prayer For My Readers



(photo: C. Dennis)

 "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; That ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."

-Philippians 1:9-11

Sweet Baby Boy

Little baby boy, so new and sweet and cuddly, love from your family surrounds you like a fence...protecting, caring, desiring God's best for you. "Whom having not seen, you love...". I know that verse is referring to Christ but, for the occasion, I'm pulling it out of context and letting it express how I feel about you and me. We haven't seen each other and you know nothing about me, but even though I haven't seen you, I do love you...for you are my grandson.

I have a promise from God just for you, I want you to take it with you wherever you go:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

(Jeremiah 29:11)

Happy one-week birthday! God bless you, precious little grandson.
(baby photo: M. Thorp)

God Hears Our Desires

God hears our verbal prayers, our spoken-in-the-heart prayers and our thoughts. But he also knows and, yes, hears our desires-those feelings in us that sometimes can't be expressed in words and that sometimes we're even hesitant to express in our hearts and minds.

I am convinced of this because I had a "desire answered" several years ago. I did not have the courage to ask the Lord for it because I thought that maybe I would be asking too much, that maybe it was too much of a luxury. But obviously the Lord didn't think so, as I suddenly found myself flying a couple thousand miles to see the birth of our first grandchild! It was only after I returned home that I found the wonderful verse in Psalm 10:17 that says "Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." And then I knew why I had been granted my desire. He heard it as clearly as if I had shouted it from the housetop!

Don't be afraid to express the desires of your heart to Him. He already knows and hears them anyway.