Prayer & Preparation Power

Faith in God is proactive. Faith nurtures drawing closer to Jesus in character, thoughts, and actions by pondering scriptures ahead of imminent need. Preparing for emerging adversities encompasses paying attention to yourself to strengthen your faith in God prior to life’s storms. Faith reaches out with prayers to God in advance to have spiritual power to patiently persevere through trials & temptations.

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Luke 21:34-36 (ESV):

³⁴ “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

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• Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you HAVE received it (achristian.wordpress.com)
• Pray Without Ceasing (bummyla.wordpress.com)

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Virtuous, Victorious, & Valuable

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Through intense trials Satan coordinated as permitted by God, Job clung to God’s ways, correctly perceiving by remaining faithful and virtuous he’d emerge victorious & valuable, reflecting good plans God has for all who follow him through life and its’ adversities.

Job 23:10

10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

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The Three Guides and The Centurion

The centurion exhibited the three guides of (1) faith, (2) love, and (3) wisdom in his request with Jesus. 

*  Wisdom: The centurion exhibited WISDOM by sending people Jesus would most likely listen to in the request to grant the healing.

*  Love: The centurion exhibited LOVE for his highly valued servant by seeking Jesus to heal his servant once he learned about Jesus.

*  Faith: Jesus marveling at the centurion’s great FAITH shows the centurion’s request was deeply rooted in faith.

Luke 7:1-5 (ESV):

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”

Luke 7:6-9 (ESV):

6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

Next Steps:

View The Three Guides Presentation on Wisdom, Faith, and Love:

Alternatively, go to the SlideShare site at http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/the-three-guides-wisdom-faith-love to view The Three Guides Presentation on Wisdom, Faith, and Love.

Download:

You can also download the presentation at this Three Guides Download link.

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• The Three Guides and The Centurion (bibleopia.wordpress.com) (This article)
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Sins Traps

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Many common responses to sinful human failings keep people trapped. How so? Pride leads people to portray their sins as virtues, a major obstacle to identifying and pursuing a need to change. Worldly wisdom leads people to imagine these sinful human failings as in their best interest, which keeps them from searching and finding righteous ways that are really in their best interest. Blaiming others for short-comings interferes with taking the necessary responsibility to tackle personal short-comings directly. Comparisons to others likewise situated can lead to downplaying sin’s seriousness, as can comparisons to those worse, leading to ignoring comparisons to those better who showcase more productive ways to live and confront sins. Recognizing sin’s trap can lead to despair and hopelessness, which can interfere with the hope needed to find a way out. How to get out of these traps? God provides sound materials and often helpful people too, to help people see and confront sinful human failings. God seeks to help people do what is right when repentant and willing to change. God provides a way out of sin and the faith and hope and guides to pursue it, although the consequences often remain in effect, as a reminder to be more diligent next time to do the right thing.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV):

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous 2 will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

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