Search the Community

What about all the kids praying to stop being sexually abused? All the faithful servants praying that their cancer goes into remission? I think its clear God has no sense of priorities.

I saw this conversation between two brothers on a group in Facebook and it got me thinking. Typically we don't invite nor do we have a "prayer requests" board. I can almost feel the awkwardness and the silence of the large group regarding his request. Yet, at most meetings we hear: "Please Jehovah, protect our brothers in _______(fill in the country of the persecuted)_____ so that they remain faithful under duress...." Can you see my dilemma? Either we should or we should not. There is not middle ground here. One is truth. Right? The year text for this year is about "brotherly love"..... Your thoughts? Agape!

A little shepherd boy was watching his sheep one Sunday morning. As he heard the bells ringing the faithful to church, he watched the people walking along the lane next to the pasture. He began to think that he, too, would like to communicate with God. "But what can I say?" he thought. He had never learned a prayer. So on bended knee, he began to recite the alphabet - A, B, C, D, and so on to Z, repeating his "prayer" several times.A man passing by heard the boy's voice, and stopping to look through the bushes, saw the child kneeling with folded hands and closed eyes, saying, "J, K, L, M, ..."He interrupted the boy, asking, "What are you doing, my little friend?" The boy replied, "I was praying, sir."Surprised, the man said, "But why are you reciting the alphabet?"The child explained, "I don't know any prayers, sir. But I want God to take care of me and help me to care for the sheep. So, I thought if I said all I knew, He could put the letters together and spell all that I want to say and should say."The man smiled and said, "Bless your heart. You're right - God will!"Remember that Jesus told us to have faith like a child. When you go to God in prayer, don't worry if you don't know what to say. He can put your thoughts and feelings together and send you the answer you need, even when you don't know what you need.contributed

A 32 year old Bethelite at Warwick, NY was walking along a sidewalk at Bethel, going to the cafeteria for the evening meal, and as he walked along, was in deep prayer to Jehovah God. He said, "Jehovah, you have promised to give me the desires of my heart. That's what I am asking you for right now. Please give me a confirmation that you will reward my faith and service to you.” Suddenly the sky clouded up over his head and God in a booming voice spoke to him. "I have searched your heart and determined it to be pure. The last time I granted someone the desires of his heart request .... it was to my servant Solomon.” “ He didn't disappoint me with his request for wisdom.” “ I think I can trust that you won't disappoint me either. Because you have been faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you the desires of your heart." The Brother sat and thought about it for a while and said, "I've always wanted to have a deep understanding of the Bible, and I have really tried, but I have forsaken a good education, and taken a vow of poverty and cannot afford a car or the classes I need to become an Engineer when my service here at Bethel is up …. could you help me afford a car, and a stipend so I can go to school, and learn to provide for myself and my future family as I get old?" The Lord laughed and said, "That's impossible! Think of the logistics of that! I would have to start creating again to make you a car, and money to use, and get you into a college without any background that would make sense for what you would be learning!” “ … Your request is very materialistic, a little disappointing. I could do it, but it's hard for me to justify your craving for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of another request …. a request you think would honor and glorify Me as well." The Brother thought about it for a long while and tried to think of a really good request. Finally, he said, “Oh God, please hear my request. I was Baptized when I was eight years old, and paid attention all my life, taking notes, reading the Bible, and meditation … but I just cannot understand the “Overlapping Generations” thing. I can’t see how Jesus or the Apostles or any disciples in the Early Church ever understood that, when Jesus was speaking. Can you help me to understand the “Overlapping Generations” Doctrine?” “I want to know what all the other Brothers and Sisters know, what they feel inside and what they're thinking ...I want to know how to be as truly happy as they are, knowing these deep things about You ....That's the wish that I want, Jehovah … my hearts desire." … after a few minutes, God said, "How about a Corvette and a full scholarship to Stanford University?"

NF - South Africa

12 "Rejoice in the hope. Endure under tribulation. Persevere in prayer." (Romans 12:12) NWT jw.org IMG_3478.MP4

12 "Rejoice in the hope. Endure under tribulation. Persevere in prayer." (Romans 12:12) NWT jw.org IMG_5154.MOV

14 "For this reason I bend my knees to the Father, 15 to whom every family in heaven and on earth owes its name." (Ephesians 3:14,15) jw.org

ALWAYS REMEMBER THE P.A.S.S.W.O.R.D. ? ? P - Prayer (Matt.6:9,10) (Prov.27:11) A - Association (Rom.1:11,12) (Hebrews 10:24,25) S - Study (personal) (Prov.2:1-5) S - Service (Field Ministry) (Matt.28:19,20) W - Word (Read the Bible Daily) (Ps.1:1-5.) O - Organization ( Deut.4:6) R - Reminders (Ps. 119:46,52) D - Directions (Ps.119:105) Discipline (Prov.6;23) jw.org

We are thankful to Jehovah that he has a communication channel where he never closes. 18 "Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

4 "The king then said to me: “What is it that you are seeking?” At once I prayed to the God of the heavens." (Nehemiah 2:4) Nehemiah, governor of the Jews in the fifth century B.C.E., did his best to please God. He spearheaded the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls despite enemy opposition. He enforced God’s Law, cared for the oppressed, and sought to build up the faith of his fellow Israelites. Did God notice the good that this faithful man had done? Did Nehemiah have Jehovah’s approval? We can discern the answers in the closing words of the book that bears his name. Nehemiah prays: “Do remember me, O my God, for good.” Is Nehemiah afraid that his good deeds have gone unnoticed by God or that God will forget about him? No. Nehemiah is no doubt aware of what earlier Bible writers have said about Jehovah’s keen interest in his faithful worshippers and their good deeds. (Exodus 32:32, 33; Psalm 56:8) What, then, is he asking God to do? One reference work notes that the Hebrew term translated “remember” implies “the affection of the mind and the action which accompanies recollection.” With full faith in the power of prayer, Nehemiah is asking God to remember him with affection and to bless him.—Nehemiah 2:4. Will Jehovah answer Nehemiah’s prayer for remembrance? In one respect, he already has. The very fact that Jehovah saw fit to have a permanent record made of Nehemiah’s prayer, making it part of the inspired Scriptures, assures us that he remembers Nehemiah with affection. But the “Hearer of prayer” will do more to answer Nehemiah’s heartfelt request.—Psalm 65:2.