" Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:6,7)
These two verses though they may sound simple to some or even to many, have been been a blessing to me and i am sure i can say, to others as well.
What i see in it is a prescribed approach to prayer that the apostle Paul gave to the Church at Philippi and which God himself wants us to follow, as he has allowed this letter to be canonized into the books of the New Testament.
Like many christians reading the bible for the first time, being just a little boy i thought the phrase "be careful for nothing" meant that i should be on my guard ...... be careful... to me and probably because of my Jamaican culture and use of words, meant be "watchful" So i thought it meant that i should be watchful even for the least of things as well as making my requests be known to God ( then i only had the King James Version, anglo saxon english) i later found out i was wrong.
The Greek word used for careful in the passage (Merimnao) comes from the Greek word (Merimna) meaning Solicitude- a state of anxiety or concern. so what it is really saying is (WORRY ABOUT NOTHING).
GOD WANTS US TO PRAY ABOUT OUR TROUBLES IN STEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THEM AND TO APPROACH HIM WITH AN ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP.
The word used for Prayer in the mentioned verse (Proseuche) comes from a greek word that means both supplication and worship.
The Greek word used for Supplication in the same verse is A word comes from the root word (deomi) meaning to beg, petition, and the word used for thanksgiving (eucharistia) means gratitude, actively (grateful language to God as an act of worship).
even as we make our needs known to God. Sometimes we are in great pain, confusion over persons who have left us or used us, it may be oppression from the enemy, the death of a loved one or loved ones. In my life i have seen where this is rather challenging to do, to be honest especially in my teens i was angry at God sometimes asking why; God always came through and being ever so patient with me ( for i have make mistakes), he proves him self to me over and over again and with that and the practising of spiritual disciplines my faith in him and my appreciation for him grows.
Whatever your challenges might be, you may be tempted to come to God with an attitude that is no at all grateful, ( i am not saying that we cant ask God questions sometimes, according to his infinite love and wisdom he will answer if/ when he chooses to and in the manner in which he wishes) but the more we mature and grow in God, the more we prove him through difficult situations; we will learn, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to come before him worshipping as we tell him what we need and thank him for all that he has done for us.
GOD'S PEACE WILL BE EXPERIENCED BY US
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
When we do this despite our circumstances, we will experience God's peace. I have proven this many times, many times i have had to crouch before God and lay there, fall flat on my face or just bow down and worship him, though around me nothing seems to be going right, i thank God, not worrying what will become of my troubled situations, focussing on him and what he has done for me rather than, what i have to face. God has a way of letting me experience his peace even in the midst of raging storms. The Greek word used for Peace in the examined verse is the word (eirene) and it means Peace, quietness, Rest. Some may disagree with me but i have found that peace does not always mean that i have no storms to face, but even within the storms of life and facing attacks from the enemy, i have the peace of God that makes me at rest when others around me may be in turmoil. The peace of God is beyond our understanding.
I think the NLT Bible gives a more clear interpretation of this verse:
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
Regardless of what you have had to face, Remember who God is, and come before with reverence, knowing that he Loves you and is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
Lemuel Davy (Kemuel)
(Philippians 4:6,7)
These two verses though they may sound simple to some or even to many, have been been a blessing to me and i am sure i can say, to others as well.
What i see in it is a prescribed approach to prayer that the apostle Paul gave to the Church at Philippi and which God himself wants us to follow, as he has allowed this letter to be canonized into the books of the New Testament.
Like many christians reading the bible for the first time, being just a little boy i thought the phrase "be careful for nothing" meant that i should be on my guard ...... be careful... to me and probably because of my Jamaican culture and use of words, meant be "watchful" So i thought it meant that i should be watchful even for the least of things as well as making my requests be known to God ( then i only had the King James Version, anglo saxon english) i later found out i was wrong.
The Greek word used for careful in the passage (Merimnao) comes from the Greek word (Merimna) meaning Solicitude- a state of anxiety or concern. so what it is really saying is (WORRY ABOUT NOTHING).
GOD WANTS US TO PRAY ABOUT OUR TROUBLES IN STEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THEM AND TO APPROACH HIM WITH AN ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP.
The word used for Prayer in the mentioned verse (Proseuche) comes from a greek word that means both supplication and worship.
The Greek word used for Supplication in the same verse is A word comes from the root word (deomi) meaning to beg, petition, and the word used for thanksgiving (eucharistia) means gratitude, actively (grateful language to God as an act of worship).
even as we make our needs known to God. Sometimes we are in great pain, confusion over persons who have left us or used us, it may be oppression from the enemy, the death of a loved one or loved ones. In my life i have seen where this is rather challenging to do, to be honest especially in my teens i was angry at God sometimes asking why; God always came through and being ever so patient with me ( for i have make mistakes), he proves him self to me over and over again and with that and the practising of spiritual disciplines my faith in him and my appreciation for him grows.
Whatever your challenges might be, you may be tempted to come to God with an attitude that is no at all grateful, ( i am not saying that we cant ask God questions sometimes, according to his infinite love and wisdom he will answer if/ when he chooses to and in the manner in which he wishes) but the more we mature and grow in God, the more we prove him through difficult situations; we will learn, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to come before him worshipping as we tell him what we need and thank him for all that he has done for us.
GOD'S PEACE WILL BE EXPERIENCED BY US
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
When we do this despite our circumstances, we will experience God's peace. I have proven this many times, many times i have had to crouch before God and lay there, fall flat on my face or just bow down and worship him, though around me nothing seems to be going right, i thank God, not worrying what will become of my troubled situations, focussing on him and what he has done for me rather than, what i have to face. God has a way of letting me experience his peace even in the midst of raging storms. The Greek word used for Peace in the examined verse is the word (eirene) and it means Peace, quietness, Rest. Some may disagree with me but i have found that peace does not always mean that i have no storms to face, but even within the storms of life and facing attacks from the enemy, i have the peace of God that makes me at rest when others around me may be in turmoil. The peace of God is beyond our understanding.
I think the NLT Bible gives a more clear interpretation of this verse:
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
Regardless of what you have had to face, Remember who God is, and come before with reverence, knowing that he Loves you and is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
Lemuel Davy (Kemuel)
