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Pray Like This

Pray Like This

Prayer is simply an honest, ongoing conversation with God.  

Jesus tells us that God knows what we need (Matthew 6:8), but He still wants us to come to Him and share what’s on our minds. He’s a good Father who cares for us (Matthew 7:11). He wants to speak into our circumstances, comfort our hearts, and shape our perspectives.  

He loves to give good gifts to His children—gifts they want, long for, and ask for. But sometimes, what we want isn’t good for us. What we want isn’t what we need.

When Jesus says in Matthew 7:8, “For everyone who asks, receives…” He isn’t saying that we will get everything we ask for. God cannot—and will not—give us anything that contradicts His character.

God wants to bless us with what is good, and sometimes a “no” from God is the loving response we actually need. But He still wants us to bring Him all our wants, needs, and desires. And when we ask for anything that aligns with His will, we can be sure that He hears us (1 John 5:14).

So how do we discover God’s will? We spend time with Him. 

The more we get to know God, the more we will understand His character. And it’s only when we understand His character that we will ask for things that align with His will. 

Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 are a promise that when we ask for God, He gives us Himself. When we humbly seek God, He finds us. And when we come to Him as we are, He welcomes us with open arms.

When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. And when He draws near, He transforms the way we think, renews our minds, restores our souls, and leads us down paths that are for our good and His glory.

Sacrificial Love

Sacrificial Love

Jesus, all powerful and completely perfect, chose to give up His life for us. He willingly went to the cross to be crucified, the most painful death imaginable, because He loved us so much.

And He invites us to do the same. 

1 John 3:16 tells us, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 

How can we demonstrate this kind of sacrificial love in our own lives? How can we give our time, attention, or resources to help someone in need? Are we intentional to listen and be present for others, even when it’s not easy or comfortable? Are we willing, if it comes down to it, to give up our lives for the sake of God and others?

This kind of love is challenging. It asks us to look beyond our own needs and to see the needs of others. It calls us to be selfless. The good news is, Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything for someone else that He wasn’t willing to do for us first. He knows how hard it is and yet, He still gave everything for us.

Today, let’s keep this scripture in mind and look for opportunities to show love through our actions. Whether it’s helping a neighbor, spending time with a friend who’s struggling, or showing kindness to a stranger, each act of love brings us closer to living like Jesus.