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How to Pray - Prayer Truths

Ever struggle with praying?  Not know how to pray?  Here are some good truths about prayer to help direct you towards starting or deepening a habit of prayer!

Personal Prayer(Matthew 6:5-15, ESV)

Prayer is Personal Conversation

v.5-6 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Prayer is Meaningful Conversation
v.7-8 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” 

Prayer is God-Focused Conversation
v.9 Pray then like this:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12  & forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.


14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Bible Verses on the Death of Babies and Children: Scriptural Help in Times of Abortion, Miscarriage, Illness, and Accidents


When babies or children die, the pain of parents, family and friends is immense.  Whether the situation is from an intentional act (abortion or crimes) or an unintentional act (miscarriage, illness, accidents), grief abounds.  Tough questions arise.  Answers are sought.

What happens to babies or children who die before they are mature enough to respond to the Gospel? John MacArthur helpfully and succinctly answers this question, "Instant heaven."

Here are 5 Bible Verses that are helpful to seeing these truths:

  1. David's Response to the Death of His Baby (punishment for his adultery with Bathsheba):  David realizes he will be united in heaven with his child one day. “Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ 22 He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.’” (2 Samuel 12:21-23, ESV)
  2. Entry into the Promised Land is Granted to Young Children.  Why? Israel's sin of rebellion against God (for not entering into the promised land) was held only against those who were mature enough to discern between good and evil. “And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.” (Deuteronomy 1:39, ESV)
  3. Job's Response to Suffering: Job realized that to be stillborn was better than to be alive.  Why?  Job understood stillborn babies to be in heaven.  “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire? ...13 For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest 16 Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light? ...17 there the weary are at rest.” (Job 3:11-17, ESV) 
  4. King Solomon's comparison of living a prosperous, long-lived life with that a stillborn child. Who is better off? A stillborn child who "finds rest."  "If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he." (Ecclesiastes 6:3-5, ESV)
  5. When unbelieving parents sacrifice their children for their own selfish purposes, God refers to them as "innocents." This implies God’s grace in looking upon them as innocent."Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kinds of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents." (Jeremiah 19:4, ESV). 

Are babies and infants conceived in sin? Do they sin? Yes.  Are they guilty before God and deserving of eternal death?  Yes. (Original sin, inherited sin nature, total depravity) (1 Kings 8:46, Isaiah 48:8, Proverbs 20:9, Psalm 58:3; 143:2, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:3) "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."(Psalm 51:5, ESV) 

“It is true they sin, little ones sin. Little children disobey, they're selfish, they're angry, etc. But they are incapable of understanding the moral essence of that sin. They are incapable of understanding God. And they are incapable of understanding the gospel. They are incapable of exercising a true repentance toward God and a saving faith so that they are with excuse.  Whereas the pagans in Romans 1 are without excuse because they are capable of knowing and understanding the revelation God has given them in creation and conscience and they are capable of faith. So unbelief for them is a willful choice. ” John MacArthur

Does God’s grace cover those babies and children who die?  Yes. The weight of Scripture points to them being safe in God's grace.  

“All children who die before they reach the condition of accountability by which they convincingly understand their sin and corruption and embrace the gospel by faith are graciously saved eternally by God through the work of Jesus Christ being elect by sovereign choice, innocent of willful sin, rebellion and unbelief by which works they would be justly condemned to eternal punishment. “ John MacArthur

Want to know more?  Click HERE to find more answers and resources on the topic...


Boy Scout Membership Policy & Values: Biblically Incompatible and Logically Inconsistent



The biggest problem with the Boy Scout membership policy change is that by striking the ban on homosexual youth, the BSA is tacitly approving the sin of homosexuality, even if they argue they are not approving "homosexual conduct."  They have endorsed "sexual orientation and preference" as a matter of human choice and not God's decrees.  They have further argued that any "sexual orientation and preference" is fully compatible with doing one's "duty to God," being "morally straight," and being "reverent" to God.  This is biblically incompatible and logically inconsistent.

When someone embraces their homosexual inclinations as an identity, i.e. "I am gay," "I am homosexual," "I am transgender/transsexual," something very serious is happening.
1) You are claiming, "This is who I am, this is not a choice, and I am ok with it"
2) You are communicating that "God made me this way, so you should be ok with it"
3) You are ignoring who God says you are, and who God calls you to be.

If you argue it is permissible "to be gay, homosexual, etc." as long you don't "act on it," you are demonstrating that you don't:
1) Understand that embracing and mentally accepting sin is just as serious as acting on sin
2) Comprehend the serious offense it is to God when you follow and accept Satan's plans instead of God's
3) Care about what God says about the matter, you care more about your feelings and opinions

Take any other sin...stealing, lying, lust, adultery, gossip, sleeping around, gluttony, murder, rape...would you go around and identify yourself by that sin?  Would you identify others by their sin?  When the Bible addresses people by their sin, it also addresses them as "ungodly," "unholy," and "profane."  (1 Timothy 1:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). When the Bible calls someone by their sin, God is identifying them by their lostness, not by His Son.

See for yourself what God has to say about homosexuality...
Romans 1:24-32 Genesis 19 , Leviticus 18:22 , 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 , Galatians 5:19-21 , Ephesians 5:3-3 , 1 Timothy 1:9,10 , Jude 7

The best news available though, to the homosexually-inclined and all of humanity (we have all sinned), is that God's grace is sufficient to forgive us and cleanse us, should we choose to repent and turn away from our sins!

1 John 1:9-10 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

“Homosexual behavior is incompatible with the principles enshrined in the Scout oath and Scout law."
Frank Page, SBC President

Here are some Scouting Documents that reveal (highlighted to more clearly show) the biblical and logical incompatibility and inconsistency.

Scouting Documents
The following membership standard for youth members of the Boy Scouts of America is hereby adopted and approved, effective Jan. 1, 2014:

Youth membership in the Boy Scouts of America is open to all youth who meet the specific membership requirements to join the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Sea Scout, and Venturing programs. Membership in any program of the Boy Scouts of America requires the youth member to (a) subscribe to and abide by the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law, (b) subscribe to and abide by the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle (duty to God), and (c) demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.
http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/MembershipStandards/Resolution/Resolution.aspx

Scout Oath On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Mission The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Slogan: Do a Good Turn Daily

A Scout Is Reverent: Bring Youth to Christ through a Scouting Ministry (ONLINE PAMPHLET)
Scouting teaches duty to and reverence for God
Central to the Scout Oath (or Promise) is the pledge to “do my duty to God.” The 12th point of the Scout Law states, “A Scout is reverent.” These commitments to the prominence of God in one’s life form a cornerstone of the Scouting program. When properly interpreted by an adult Scouter of strong faith to young people, even the unchurched begin to understand their need for God.

The Scouting unit is church-owned and -operated. 
A church that has its own Scouting unit (Boy Scout troop, Cub Scout pack, Varsity Scout team, or Venturing crew) has complete authority to direct the unit program in the best interest of its participants. In other words, the unit is church-owned and church-administered. The unit can be uniquely Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, etc., as long as the stated principles of Scouting are not violated

Imagine the outreach potential of a unit whose sole purpose is to reach unchurched young people in the
community. These young people might be hesitant to attend a regular church service but eager to join a
Scouting unit. What an opportunity for these young people, as well as for existing church members! To reach America with the Christian message requires boldness and a willingness to go out where the people
are. Scouting is such a tool for outreach. No, Scouting will not automatically achieve the results your church is after, but when Scouting leaders are chosen as carefully as the church’s Bible teachers, and when Scouting is seen as an integral ministry of the church, positive results are predictable.

Scouting is the wealth of opportunity available to help your church reach the young people of your community

Scouting provides age-appropriate ministries. Cub Scouting activities involve the parents, adult leaders, and friends of Cub Scouts in home-centered programs that teach life skills, habits, values, and attitudes consistent with the interests of their church. Millions of boys and their families participate in Cub Scouting, the largest of the three Boy Scouts of America membership divisions. Cub Scout activities encourage character development, physical coordination, family unity, and enthusiasm for learning.

Boy Scouting encourages boys to develop physical, mental, and emotional fitness and to adopt and live by meaningful personal standards as a cornerstone for success in life. These values include the basic principles in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Activities include fitness and leadership training, wilderness adventures, and merit badge incentives for boys mastering hobby and career skills.
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/membership/pdf/522-181_NoCrops.pdf

Scout Law
Leader: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:3-5)
Scouts: A Scout is clean.
Leader: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. (Mark 12:30)
Scouts: A Scout is reverent, he is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/Relationships/ascoutisrevernt/ss04.aspx

Scouter Prayer
Dear Lord, from your judgment seat on high,
Look down on a Scoutmaster such as I.
Search me through and find me whole,
Then help me, Lord, to reach my goal.
Help me, Lord, to work for Thee,
Guard my homeland—keep it free.
Help me to work with others and be kind,
Helpful with my hands and mind.
Keep me, Lord, both well and strong,
To help growing boys along.
Control my thoughts, keep them right,
Sound, clean weapons for life's fight.
Protect my morals, keep them high,
Grant this to a Scouter such as I.
—Author Unknown
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/Relationships/ascoutisrevernt/ss13.aspx

On my honor
Leader: Wisdom is the principal thing: Do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Get wisdom; get insight. (Proverbs 4:5) How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word. (Psalm 119:9)
Scouts: On my honor, I will do my best to keep myself morally straight.
Leader: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7)
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/Relationships/ascoutisrevernt/ss05.aspx



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