Pray

I have this picture on my wall it is a gift from my brother.

It reads:

If You Need Someone to Listen Then Just Pray.

Someone to listen.
To me?

Just Pray?
To think it's that easy.....

It wasn't so easy for me in the beginning to "Just Pray."

 

I remember the turmoil in my mind of not knowing
who to pray to.

I remember the hurt in my heart of not knowing
who to call out to.

Jehovah?
Well he was the one who was angry at me because I left the "Organization."

Jehovah?
Well he was the one who "I turned my back on".

And now in this very moment of prayer, 
was I turning to Him for the first time ever?

Jehovah?
Was that even his name?

Pray even after all the wrong
I did and said.

If I prayed to him now
 would he even listen?
 Or could this possibly be the time he would turn his back on me?

Jesus?
I ended my prayers; "in Jesus name I pray, Amen."

Jesus?
Do I begin my prayer now with Dear Jesus?
or do I stick with Dear Jehovah?

OR

What if I cried out Dear God!
Would I offend him, because He requested a formal name.

So many people pray.
So many people pray to all different types of gods.

Which one should I pray to?

 Take your pick now a days; our society and world tell us.

There's Buddha. There's Mohammad. 

There's Greek gods. There's Nature god's.

  There are War god's. There are goddess' of love.

But
Do they have the answers?
The answers to the things I'm searching for?

"Just pray to a higher power. Think positive thoughts.
You have the power in you. Just reach in and grab a hold of it."

No I never could agree to that.

My spirit, my mind, my heart, told me there was something more than me.

When all devastation and despair have entered your life,  you cry out, you cry out to something bigger than yourself.

Have you ever noticed we cry and look up.

Instead of wondering if your being heard...

Instead of wondering if that prayer is actually reaching a destination...

Instead of wondering if that prayer is being received by GOD.

KNOW

KNOW
NOW there is a God in heaven.
He is the creator of heaven and earth.
He is the same God who created you in His image.

KNOW
NOW he is not angry with you.

KNOW
NOW that he hears your every cry.
KNOW

NOW that he can handle what ever you present to Him.

KNOW
NOW that you are truly most honestly forgiven, if you ask Him for that forgiveness.

KNOW
NOW he has a name. He is Jehovah, He is Jesus, He is the Holy Spirit, He is the great I AM.

KNOW
NOW you can turn to Him in prayer.



Pray continually!
Never stop praying!
Pray without ceasing!
Continually be prayerful!
1 Thessalonians 5:17-NIV, NLT, ESV, ISV*

Prayer can change lives and circumstances like nothing else can.


 I dedicate this post to my Pastor.
Pastor Jerry at Living Hope Church.
There was a time I went to him out of concern on how to pray.
He asked me, " Melissa when your children address you as Mom,  Mommy or Mother, do you turn from them, looking to be addressed in a certain way?"  Just as you would never do that to one of your children, your Father in heaven would never turn his back on you, his child, based on how you address him."

Just do it.....Pray!

Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:27, Psalm 56:8, Philippians 4:6

*NIV-New International Version
  NLT-New Living Translation
  ESV-English Standard Version
  ISV-International Standard Version