The art of prayer

Is prayer an art?

I can be lost in wonder at the beauty of some prayers. David's for example how Psalm 16 begins, A Secret Treasure of David. Watch over me, O God, for I take refuge in You... Or how about Paul's in Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may yet abound more and more in full knowledge and all perception, 10 for you to distinguish the things that differ, that you may be sincere and without blame for the day of Christ, 11 being filled with fruits of righteousness through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Some prayers have been combined with music which settles the soul’s yearning such as David’s cry after he acknowledged his sin with Bathsheba, Create in me a clean heart, Oh, Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and remove not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me, the joy of my salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

What glory shines from our faces and our lives when we exercise our faith by praying? It is well with the soul as one song declares, when we know Who is powerful enough to deliver us from our troubles. And if not deliverance, then we are sustained through them. God is pleased with our faith.

But the simple prayer of Jesus, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," is one of the greatest works of art of all time. The wonder and beauty of this plea from the cross in His darkest hour, and His deepest pain cannot be fathomed in a lifetime. This is our lesson. This is God’s pleasure that we forgive through faith as He forgives us.

It takes faith to forgive, because it is not all right that someone intentionally inflicts pain on God’s children. Forgiving does not call the action of injustice all right. What it does do, is free the person forgiving from the clawing clutches of anger, bitterness, and hatred. When those things take over the heart, it leaves little room for God’s love. Praying for your enemies is the best road to forgiving them.

My Dad used to ask me to say the blessing every single time I was upset or angry about something. Every time, before I was finished praying, my heart was filled with peace and I could look at whatever had upset me with clearer vision.

If it is hard to pray for your enemy, then pray, “May God bless and keep _______ far away from me.” Or pray as Beth Moore suggests in her book, Praying the Word, O Father, please cause the love of Christ to compel me to do what is right in this challenging situation. (2 Corinthians 5:14)

And isn't it absolutely wonderful that Jesus prayed for us! As Paul points out we were sinners, ugly and unlovely, but He first loved us in our unlovely state. Jesus prayed, in John 17:10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine and I have glory in them.

Of course this part of His prayer is for His disciples, the eleven who were faithful. However, I am a disciple of His and I am expected to bring Him glory. Jesus has glory in me. Selah! What an awesome thought. How I act. How I present myself to the world. What I think, either brings glory to Him or shame. He took the burden of all my sins. He counted the shame of the cross as nothing compared to the joy on the other side.

John 17:13 And now I come to You, and I speak these things in the world, that they may have My joy being fulfilled in them.

Jesus spoke His prayer in the world. That is difficult to understand. But when we consider that He lay all His riches aside and stepped away from His place beside His Father so that we could understand God better, understand how we are to conduct ourselves righteously, understand the stark difference between good and evil in order to choose the good and reject the evil. Yes. I can absolutely see how that fills me up with Joy. Indescribable, unmistakable, unquenchable joy.

So is part of the art of prayer the joy that accompanies the presence of God? I believe it is. If we become pray-ers by rote, repeating prayers without feeling or understanding their meaning, then the joy is not in it or in us.

Paul tells us to "Pray without ceasing." That is in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Doing that is definitely an art: To develop our relationship with God to such a degree that our every thought is a conversation with Him. That is an art form worthy of pursuing.

I believe it is also worthy to laugh with God. He has such a wonderful sense of humor, after all He gave one to us if we just exercise it.

So interesting that Paul also cautions us to give thanks in everything (he means in the good times and the bad times) for this is the will of God. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise the prophecies, keep back from every form of evil. Then he gives a blessing: May the God of peace Himself fully sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious blessing!

May the God of peace fully sanctify you, dear reader, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. May you pursue the art of prayer so that your tender relationship with our LORD blossoms into the eternal fragrance that pleases God. Amen and Amen.

Gina Burgess, Author and Columnist

Excerpt from Refreshment in Refuge, 2010

May 1944 -- Interview with Dr. Ray Mitchell

 

 

By Gina Burgess
Lifestyles Editor
It is early 1944. The 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), better known as Merrill’s Marauders need replacements. A young volunteer named Ray Mitchell wants to volunteer to the Army. His father drives him and his cousin from Picayune to Camp Shelby just outside of Hattiesburg and drops them off at the gate. Only now, after being a father does Mitchell understand what must have been occurring in the chest of his father that day.

“Wanted: Volunteers for a Dangerous, Hazardous Mission in Jungle Warfare” stated the sign that young Mitchell saw.
“Pretty music was playing in my head,” he says in his memoirs, “as I signed. Take a long sea voyage to a beautiful, lush, green island in a far away land and forget those that are overburdened in the 65th Infantry Division at Camp Shelby. The salt air will do wonders for your health and attitude. Not only did I sign the paper, I took one back to my company and got thirteen more nice soldiers to agree to that beautiful trip with me. None of them speak to me any more, but I think I am the only survivor.” (May, 2007)

That began Cpl. Mitchell’s trip around the world with a stop off in Burma and China chock full of horrors that we cannot imagine. Many on the ship that zig-zagged across the Atlantic Ocean had not volunteered for jungle warfare, which left those who had, the butt of many jokes during the 31 days it took to get to Bombay, India. That is where squads were formed and Cpl. Ray Mitchell was given 12 men to “look after”, some of them were cooks and bakers, military police and green (untrained) recruits.

Six days of train travel, took them to a beautiful meadow, smooth enough for aircraft to land. C-47 and C-46 transport planes landed and the troops quickly boarded. After a lengthy flight, they landed to load guns, ammunition and other supplies needed to fight a war. Guns were passed out to each man.

“Keep the gun that lands in your lap. We’ll match you with your weapon later,” they were told.

On the seventh day from landing in Bombay, all noncoms (non-commissioned officers) were ordered to a meeting, and Cpl. Mitchell went.

“You will be flown into combat this morning,” Those words still cause the muscles in his chest to constrict today.

“Your mind races,” he said. “‘Combat!’ We are just a bunch of men that were put together on a ship, we had not trained together for a single day. Some of my guys didn’t even know what a combat pack was. Others looked at the weapon they held like it was a snake. Some knew nothing about the M-1 rifle, they were not infantry, but could use the carbine. Trades were made. We had several -03 rifles that the fellow in military police took. One fellow that was in cook/bakery school took a .45 pistol as I did. I could use any of them, but it was necessary to have each man with a gun he could use.”

This motley group’s first mission was to protect the Battalion Commander and Headquarters on the flight to combat. Mitchell didn’t even have time to tell his 1st Sergeant they were flying out.

The Battalion Commander wanted to know what was taking so long to land the plane, and sent Mitchell to the front of the plane to find out.

Mitchell was told, “You tell the old so and so there are a bunch of Jap Zeros over the landing site and we ain’t going in till they are gone. Now, if he’s in such an all fired hurry, he can jump out and walk.” Mitchell may have been young, but he was wise enough just to mention the Zeros to the Commander. After the “Jap Zeros” cleared the area below, they landed.

“We were told that the only men to stay on the plane were those flying it or those that got shot while we were in the process of landing,” Mitchell said. “We are digging in along the edge of the runway at Myitkyina, Burma. It is the end of May, 1944 and we have no idea of what we are suppose to do now that we are here." “During the last part of the campaign for Myitkyina, we were pushed to move forward and take the city. We were tired, hungry, sick, but with the promise of a flight back to India, clean clothes, bath, back pay, the promotion that we had been put in for earlier, and a leave to rest, we fought on just a little harder During the period of our heaviest fighting we received word from the rear supply that we were using too much ammunition. That hurt our feelings. I have no idea what the supply was using as a comparison to gauge the amount used,” Mitchell said.

“We had some very bad days,” he added. “We were bombed twice by B-25s bombing from 5,000 feet. Why? The enemy had no anti-aircraft guns where we were. It was very devastating to be bombed at all, but by your own force with never any explanation, or a ‘sorry it happened.’ To dig out the bodies and pick up the body parts of your friends, stays with you the rest of your life.”

Mitchell was called to Battalion Headquarters the same day more than 200 men were ambushed and killed. Seventeen of the company made it back behind friendly lines.

“I remember it so well,” says Mitchell. “It was the day I became acting Sgt. Major of 2nd Battalion. I had then more than two hundred men missing in action. This number continued to climb until the battle ended in August of 1944, and the 5307th CUP was deactivated. “The “second Team” paid its dues although no one seems to read or hear about these men and what they experienced in those jungles.”

Several Battalion Commanders came and went, some so quickly it seemed to Mitchell they were there a week or less.“There was one major,” he said, “whose first order was for all officers and non-coms to wear their insignia of rank, you know how that went over.

“Fortunately, he tried to show one of the old Sargeant [sic] veterans that had served in Panama how to shoot an old beat up 37 mm antitank gun, but he forgot the recoil...he failed to listen to warnings. He got the full impact of that recoil in the face. He was evacuated with heavy lacerations to the face and eye area. I hope he’s still alive, and I hope his experiences mellowed his ways. He paid a heavy price.”

Mitchell and the rest of the 2nd Battalion pressed on, finally taking the city. When the city fell, Mitchell was given duty finding MIAs. He had to scour through lots of bodies that had lain in the jungle heat for days.

Merrill’s Marauders, named for their commander Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill, was a behind enemy lines fighting unit. They were sometimes 300 miles behind enemy lines in jungle so dense it was dark on the ground. Their mission took them on foot 1,000 miles, hacking through foliage, trudging over mountains and through valleys filled with mud, and through such furious rain it was more like a swift waterfall than rain.

By October of 1944 only 200 fighting-trim men were left of the 3,000-man force. Most had been struck down with insect-born disease, others had been killed in the five major battles this force won and the 30 skirmishes won despite being far outnumbered.

In November 1945, Mitchell landed in Tacoma, Wash., and saw the sign, “Welcome Home! Job Well Done!” Mitchell said it was great to walk down that plank and set foot on the soil of a free nation. Can you put a price of freedom? “No way,” he says.

Part 2 of 6 parts The Burma Campaign is here. 

Merrill's Marauders are featured
here on YouTube.

Crowns of the Believers

Book Cover jpeg

Study about the 
Crown of Protection... 
The Crown of Separation ... 
The Crown of Insolence ... 
The Crown of Lovingkindness and Crown of Tenderness ... 
and the other crowns of the believers.

It's finally here! It's available on Amazon, and other eStore book stores.

...and for Kindle, too.

Grab your copy

I did a lot more digging using the Hebrew and Greek lexicons. Then, I taught this study to my Thursday morning Bible study class. Wow! When I updated it with more in depth research you won't believe what I found. There are more than 7 crowns that we receive. Isn't that amazing? There's several crowns of the same type, but of different kinds. There is also a crown of insolence... and yes, Christians can wear this crown.

This has been such a popular post, I decided to use my updated notes and write a book.

It isn't long, and it isn't expensive.

Author Gina Burgess

I ask you to purchase the book, and let me know what you think! Give me your insights, discuss what you discover as you study the crowns. I hope to keep updating the book as time goes by so that many believers will know what, how, and why we have these rewards.

~~~~oOo~~~~

Paul was very fond of using The Race as an analogy for the Christian Lifestyle. To the Corinthians, he espoused this theme pointing to the victor in the race receives a crown of corruption. That was a wreath of leaves of laurel which soon withers. In fact the runner coveted the victory much more than the crown. Paul immediately points out that believers’ crowns are incorruptible, lasting forever, being the proof of victory in Christian living.

I have heard studies on “the five crowns” we receive, but there actually are more than five crowns. Believers have already received two of these crowns, which are worn daily.

The crowns and their purposes, which you'll study with me:

Crown of Separation – find out what this crown means, had how to find it in Scripture. 

Crown of Protection - is found in Psalm 5:12 translated surround. The Bible tells us there are several different kinds of this crown type. Find out which ones they are, and how we receive this crown.

Crown of Insolence is first mentioned in  Isaiah 28:1. The derogatory term, Crown of Insolence, stems from how the Samaritans took great pride in the work of their own hands. Find out how Christians today acquire this type of crown. 

Crown of Incorruptibility – Of course Paul describes this crown. Find out how this crown applies to believers today.

Crown of Rejoicing -- Who actually will receive this crown? How does it apply to Christians, and are believers the only ones who wear it?

Crown of Righteousness -- Another crown that Paul describes. We think we know what this one means, but it goes a lot deeper than just being justified by the blood o Christ.

Crown of Life -- Both James and Christ speak of this crown. When do believers start wearing this one?

Crown of Glory -- Peter describes this crown. Does everyone receive this crown? Does anything about our gifts indicate who will receive this one?

Here is the exhortation: We should always be working, using our gifts toward the edification of the body. Setting on a pew hatching nothing restricts the work God has planned for His children to do on earth. Utilizing our gifts ensures we bring God glory and honor.

The Crowns of the Believers gives you precious insight into the real purpose of the crowns. It heightens your insight and opens the doors to in depth study of God's word. I urge you to invest in your copy of this book today. It is well worth the money and your time invested to study this beautiful facet of God's enduring grace and His glory.

Can you fathom a $1 trillion?? It's time to cut the credit card

Photo by Tumisu on pixbay

If we were to get into HG Wells' time machine and go back 1 billion seconds, the year would be 1993. A billion minutes ago, the Roman Empire was doling out free wine and free food to every Roman citizen over the age of 14... male, of course. The Roman Empire lasted for another few centuries until 476 when Odoacer, the German, deposed Romulus Augustus and that was the end of the western Roman Empire. 

Ten billion seconds ago give or take a few years, King Tut was born; and God was still king of the Israelites using judges to keep peace in Israel. That was only 3,163 years ago. One Trillion seconds ago, was 31,712 years ago. The dawn of man was still a twinkle in God's eye, biblically speaking..

One billion seconds is 31.69 years. One trillion seconds is 1,000 times that or 31,709 years.

Now that it's all in perspective... fast forward to 2021 and we can see things haven't changed much at all except Congress is now debating trillions of dollars instead of billions. I've posted this before, but I truly do not think anyone can possibly grasp how much $1 billion is much less $36.5+ trillion which happens to be our national debt at 9:45 am pm on February 5, 2025.In the time it took to type that, the debt, increased more than a million dollars!

It would take longer to count to 1 billion because most of the numbers take longer to say than one second. Perhaps about 95 years to count to one trillion... say 485,732,394,723 real fast, three times. That's only 485+ billion.

A 1-inch stack of $100 bills equals $25,000.It would take three 18-wheeler trailers jam packed to the top to carry 1 billion dollars in $100 dollar bills.

Now, your great aunt Bertha died and left you $1 billion dollars but you must spend $1000 per day or you lose everything... do you have enough days left in your lifetime to spend it all? How long does it take to spend $1 billion dollars if you spend $1000 per day, which would be $30,000 + per month?

It would take 2,740 years to spend that much money.

One TRILLION dollars is 1,000 times that. So it's 274,000 years to spend it all at $1000 per day and 3,000 18-wheelers to transport it, and about 95,000 years to count it.

But, our legislators spend far more than $1,000 every day... they spend your entire inheritance from Aunt Bertha  PLUS a lot in one day. That's scary.

We live in the land of milk and honey and it is down right scary that neither Congress nor past president's have seemed to  to bat an eyelash at the national debt.  The national debt is increasing $1.72 Billion per day. Kinda makes me sick at my stomach, actually.

One billion seconds ago, (1993) the national debt was

$3.1 Trillion

In 2006 the national debt was

$8.5 Trillion

On !February 7, 2025 at 10:20 am the national debt is

$36.8 Trillion


We have been spending more than $2 million per minute when in 2011 we were only spending $500,000 per minute in this country of milk and honey.   

Gag! ONLY $500,000. How long will it take for the cow to run dry and the bees can't make enough to satisfy even the leanest request for a taste?

FINALLY Prez Trump understands what Stop Spending means. But gov't workers are now suing him for cutting their stay-at-home do-nothing jobs!!! ARRRRG!

No one is entitled to anything unless they work for it. Social Security and Medicare for senior citizens is a must since they have paid all their working lives into the fund. But there is enough fat on the steak it can be trimmed completely and we'll still have enough fat marbled in the muscle to flavor and feed our lean, mean working machine.

That is a Biblical principle that worked well for Paul and the Apostles and it should work well for us. But, like the Romans, some people have become too fat and lazy to work for their supper. But these would rather reach into mailboxes for the government "pay"checks, not go to work, complain about no service at restaurants, not give tips, and eat bonbons by the TV when they aren't rioting in the streets chanting "Sue Trump!
."

 Lately, the Democrats have made that possible. Unfortunately, if we are not careful, like the Romans, our money will be monopoly money and the free wine and free bread along with the daily free ham will drain us all dry. Once the masses are deprived of their freebies, they get really nasty. 

If things are this bad when the well isn't completely dry with riots, pillaging, murders, and stealing without prosecution, what will it be like when the well is dry? 

However, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and render to Uncle Sam what is Uncle Sam's and render to God what is God's. That has worked really well so far. God promises something beautiful when we bring the tithes into the storehouse. He wants us to test Him, try Him, prove Him and the blessings, unmeasured blessings He will pour out on us.