Tag Archives: A Praying Life

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The Prayer Chair

Praying to see and hear God

This is my “prayer chair”.  Can you see the mountains in the view behind? No?,…. neither can I.  That’s why I need a prayer chair.

Every morning before all the construction guys get here, I take a moment for just me and God.  I like sitting in the prayer chair and looking at the mountain view.  Except, this morning I can’t see the mountains.  I know they are still there, I just don’t see them.  Most mornings, I can actually hear the wind and waterfalls from across the valley.  Not this morning.  I don’t hear a thing.  I guess the clouds and fog are blocking my view.  I know the mountains are still there.  Something has come between me and “my” mountains.

You would think that something as BIG as 14,000 ft tall mountains would never disappear.  But something comes in between me and “my” mountains.  Maybe it’s low flying clouds.  Or smoke,…… or dust,……or rain.  What ever the reason, those majestic mountains become hidden from our view.  I know they are there, I just can’t see or hear them.

“My” God and I have a close relationship.  I cherish it.  But some days, I feel that I’m not seeing or hearing from Him.  I know He’s there.  It’s just that the “clouds”, “dust”, “rain”, and “smoke” of this life get in my way of seeing and hearing from God.  I bet you have trouble with your “hearing and seeing” from God too, huh?

You would think that someone as BIG, Mighty, and Majestic as God could never disappear…….  We all know that He’s still there.  It’s just that our view is  being blocked.  Matter of fact, on this day I actually drove my 4-wheeler over into the mountains.  Being on the mountain top itself there was no smoke or clouds to deal with.  It reminded me of why I first came to Colorado and traveled to these mountains  To be what God created me to be.  It was a time of refreshing for me.  A time to BE closer to my God.  Being on and in these mountains makes me more aware of God’s presence in my very own life.

My prayer time is my way of keeping my view clear so I can see and hear from God.  Things in life that I have no control over seem to constantly get in my way of “the view”.  Thus the constant battle of staying close to God.  Prayer has a way of flowing through the “smoke” and “clouds”.

Let your prayer constantly be one of seeing and hearing from God.  Even when life throws all the “smoke” and “clouds” your way.  Let your prayer time with God be your “4 wheeler” that brings your spirit back to the mountain top with Him.  Prayer is a vehicle we use to stay close to our Heavenly Father.  Happy Ridin’ partner!!

I will lift up my mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  Psalm 121:1-2

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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The Power of Prayer………. It’s In The Promise

power of prayer is in the promise

I buried a great friend of mine a couple of days ago.  We prayed long and hard as he battled his illness.  Now, some of my friends who are filled with doubts about all this spiritual “stuff” are saying to themselves, “See, praying doesn’t do any good.”  They don’t understand……… and neither do I.

I don’t understand.  In most peoples’ mind, you pray to God because you want something.  That’s true, but I pray to my God because I want something more.  I pray so that I can become “ALIVE”.  Praying is a two way street.  It’s talking to God, even asking Him for things.  But even more, it’s listening to God……. actually hearing from Him.  A living relationship with a living God, that’s what I want.

But, I still don’t understand.  I can relate to my atheist and agnostic buddies out there.  They don’t believe in the power of prayer because they don’t understand it.  I prayed for healing, physical healing.  It didn’t happen, so prayer doesn’t work.  That’s what they are thinking.  They understand that.   My friends who have doubts coming out the Wazoo about anything spiritual also don’t understand the power of prayer.  Ask ye shall receive, right?  They (and maybe you) don’t see this power of prayer either.

Have I shared that I don’t understand?  I pray to a Living God for things that may never happen.  I pray for friends and their situations knowing that the outcome may stay the same.  We Christians always say “not my will, but God’s will”.  Doubters and unbelievers see this as a cop out.  I see this as more of what I don’t understand.  Jesus Himself prayed for things that He didn’t get.  It wasn’t in God’s will.  Yet the strong relationship between the Father and the Son was maintained a lot of times through prayer.

John 11:25  I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. 

Jesus said this.  I don’t have to understand.  Jesus said it.  All I got to do is believe it.  The power of prayer is in the promise from Him.  My friend is physically dead.  But,  he is alive spiritually.  We will talk again in a short while.  I don’t have to understand, thank God.  I just have to believe.  Thank God.

I don’t understand the beauty of a sunset, or the love and affection given me from a  dog.  I don’t understand the love of a woman to her child, or the beauty from the sound of birds singing.  I don’t understand what makes a joke funny.  But folks, if I spend all my energy that my brain can muster up to understand these things, then I don’t get to LIVE in these moments.  Rather than understand I’m choosing to live.  I’m choosing to hear the birds sing, feel the dog’s tongue licking my face, laugh at the joke and actually live in the moment rather than trying to figure out all these things.  That’s not a cop out, that’s becoming alive.  Rather than understand this power of prayer, I choose to believe in the promise.  He that believeth in me…….

Praying to my Heavenly Father is much more than asking for things.  It’s much more than walking into a candy store and saying I want this,this, and this.  It’s an everyday experience to grow and stay close to God.  It’s more like walking the “whole main street of Life” with a Holy companion right beside me leading me. It’s a journey.  A journey where you are not alone in life’s situations.

What about you?  Are you alive?  Can you say that you are living in the moment?  Don’t let your doubts and lack of understandings rob you of a beautiful sunset.  Don’t let the fears and doubts take away from a “becoming alive” while here on Earth.  I see too many people walking around who are really and truly “DEAD”.  The power  and promise that took my friend to heaven is also the power and promise that can turn your “dead” days into “Living” days.

My God is Alive!  My friend in Heaven is Alive!  By the grace of God even in this dead and dying world, I am Alive!

More on having a strong prayer life to come in the next few weeks.

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, praying for myself and you

 

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Hard Livin’ on a prayer

peeling bark from the logs just like the pioneers and old timers

peeling bark from the logs just like the pioneers and old timers

It’s hard work.  It takes a lot of elbow grease, literally.  I’m using a drawknife to pull and scrape the bark from these logs.  As I’m breathing hard in this thin Colorado air, I’m thinking of just how hard our ancestors worked to make a living.  The drawknife is a steel blade that I pull under the bark and slice a piece from the log itself.  It’s very back breaking, with shoulders and arms pulling in a rhythm to peel the bark inch by inch, foot by foot, and finally the whole log itself is ready to be used. (see the pile of logs in the back)

I’m using these logs to build a deck on our house here in Colorado.  I’ve got to have a place where my friends (THAT INCLUDES YOU!!!) and I can sit and look at the mountains.  It’s hard work, it’s even harder on these joints and muscles of mine. I guess you’re wondering why I do this?  Well, there is an enjoyment, a sense of accomplishment knowing that I’m doing something that will be useful to me (AND YOU!!) in the future.  With this clear conscience I feel God is pleased.

2 Timothy 1:3 NIV  I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

Paul wrote this to Timothy.  I’m now writing this to you. (yes, YOU).  I’m thankful for the work ethic that was passed on down to me from my father and his father and on and on.  But I’m also thankful for the prayer ethic that has been passed down to me also.

It seems that  in todays’ world that there is not much of either the hard working or the true praying going on.  I’d like to see a change in that.  How can it be changed?  Only way this country boy thinking preacher sees to do this is by one person at a time.

As with the scripture I chose for this week, I have a clear conscience.  That means that I believe with my whole heart that I’m headed in the right direction by following Christ and His teachings.

And every day I remember you in my prayers. (yes, YOU!)  I have a list of growing subscribers that I look through.  No, I don’t read the entire list each and every day and go Lord, remember so and so from Magee, Ms.  And also remember so and so from Texas.  It’s not like back in “Romper Room” for those of you that remember that old show.  I don’t take a magic mirror and read everyones’ name out loud so they will get a “prayer treat” for the day.  But at the same time it’s not like…. “God is great, God is good, pass the bacon”.  It’s way more serious than either of these examples.

As with the scripture, I constantly remember you in my prayers. (Seriously, YOU!)  Praying can be compared to peeling the bark from these logs.  It’s time consuming, It can be considered “hard work” because of all the other things that have to be done and set aside so that you can pray.  I guess you’re wondering why I do this?  Well, there is an enjoyment, a sense of accomplishment knowing that I’m doing something that will be useful to me (AND YOU!!) in the future.  With this clear conscience I feel God is pleased.

If there is a special time or need for prayer, drop me a line.  I won’t share with others.  I’ve got a prayer request I’d like for you to add in your prayer list.  Me.  On this journey we are all on, we help each other, we support each other, we love each other, and we pray for each other.  It’s kinda like feeding each others horses.  Your horse or my horse doesn’t need feeding only when there is a crisis, or problem, or special need.  Definitely feed your horse in those times, but each and every day, make sure you feed your horse………. and feed my horse too.  Praying works the same way.

Clear your conscience.  See Ya!!!

Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher