Dr. Jones and First Lady Cindy Jones explore the life changing benefits of prayer.
J.A. Jones' service is to help others who are stuck in mental strongholds through encouragement, authenticity, and biblical wisdom. He will help you get better, be free, and live a joy-filled life.
Click on the links below and check out these books by Dr. J.A. Jones on Amazon!
"The Power of the Tongue: 30 Days to Better Relationships by Dr. Jones
100 Insightful Ideas to Better Living
They have helped hundreds of people to become better with their words, actions, and behaviors. It will help to improve any relationship. Buy it and you'll be glad you did.
J.A. Jones's contact information is below:
Email: jajones77@att.net
Mailing address: 1268 Gano Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073
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prayer improves self-control because studies show that prayer helps strengthen self-control much like exercising a muscle. Welcome to Mind Matters with Dr. J. A. Jones. Dr. Jones is the head pastor of the Faith Community Church of God in Orange Park, Florida. Relationships, finances, our spiritual life, whatever it is, our problems start within in our minds. Dr. Jones explores mental wellness through the application of God's Word in our lives. It's just what the doctor ordered. Let's join him now and dig into Mind Matters because your mind matters to God. Welcome to Mind Matters. I have a question for you. How's your prayer life? One more time. How's your prayer life? Because prayer is more than just a ritual. It's a vital part of a believer's life because in the Book of Timothy it talks about pray for all those that are in authority, kings and queens and everybody that we can live a peaceful and tranquil life. That's first Timothy chapter 2 verse 1 through 2, right? First Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 through 2. So I hope your prayer life is strong and is vital and is a daily part of your living because once we do that we can find ourselves in a better place mentally, spiritually and relationally. Now here's a quote from Dr. Harold Coeing. He's a medical doctor. He said on the positive effects of prayer on health is this, emphasizing how prayer can help us and those around us. When we are emphasizing prayer it can help us as well as those that are around us. Thank you for tuning in Mind Matters with myself. Dr. Jones, I have Cindy with me. Anything you want to say today? Hello everyone. Good to be here today. A very important subject of prayer. Why pray? Yes, yes. And the word "why" is the reason. You know we do prayer, right? Because prayer Cindy it is not just a one-way street, right? I've been down a one-way street. That's a bad thing. You know I have mistakenly and people have told me turn around, turn around. So I had to do that in Jacksonville because sometimes downtown those streets are crazy and they're getting even more crazy. But prayer is a dialogue. Yes, conversation with God. It's a conversation with God. So we don't want you to make it too complicated as you're listening. Just have a conversation with God. But make sure the conversation is not lopsided or one-sided. Make sure when you're conversating because you all know you know people that like to monopolize your time with their words, right? Yes. You know you get on the phone with them. You do all the talking. You get on the phone with them. Oh you see them in person. You might. Oh you're looking at your watch. You're looking at your phone. It's time to go because it's all about them and what they have to say. But prayer. Now on the other side of that it is all about God and what he has to say. But guess what Cindy? He won't know. Guess what? True. True. I'm gonna get to that. But he wants to hear what we have to say too. Yes. Okay. So it's all about him but he does want to hear what we have to say. But here's another point. He already knows what we're going to say before. We even say it because he knows a heart. So let's get into why pray because how's your prayer life? I hope it's going well. Now this is from an excerpt from my book The Power of the Tongue. 30 Days to Better Relationship. It's on Amazon Power of the Tongue. 30 Days to Better Relationship. Google it. Look it up. Buy it for somebody because it's a powerful book. It's my first book. I think I wrote that in 2018. Somewhere back back before COVID I think I wrote that. But I'm gonna give you today five life-changing benefits of prayer. It's I think it's a devotional. It is a devotional but it's day eight I believe because prayer has a profound effects on our well-being, relationships and spiritual growth. Now we're gonna talk about these five. They're five scientifically and spiritually supported benefits of prayer and they both are backed by relevant scripture. Number one prayer improves self-control because studies show that prayer helps strengthen self-control much like exercising a muscle. People who pray regularly can better handle mental exhausting tasks and exercise self-discipline. When you pray regularly not once a year not once a week but when you regularly pray it is proven scientifically and it's been proven scripturally. Here's a book that talks about prayer in the book of Proverbs chapter 25 verse 28. 25 verse 28 like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. A city where walls are broken down is a person who lacks self-control. Yeah no control no protection no limits no borders yeah they just say anything but yeah prayer fortifies the walls giving us the strength to stay disciplined and guard our actions and our thoughts. And I agree 100 percent so the first thing like we just said prayer improves self-control. You have better control of yourself in your life when you persistently pray. This number two is this prayer makes you more polite. How many? It really does. We need more polite people in our world because prayer help reduce aggression and tempers outbursts even in anger inducing situations and we have a lot of anger inducing situations in our society because by praying for those who frustrate us we cultivate patience and peace when you pray for people that you don't like you pray for people that frustrate you and we do have that in our society correct? That's correct I can testify to that you know I need to have my prayer time every day. Absolutely so I can face today because when you don't spend that time in prayer and you face those type of situations carnal nature I'll just put it that way. A carnal nature tends to rise up. Right we become selfish we become self-centered the bottom line. Yeah and as you just said the temper rises up you're more aggressive and you're going to say something that you probably will regret later. Oh absolutely absolutely and that's why prayer prayer will make you more polite and that's so important. When people are non uh when they not polite I would say it that way. You know they're not praying. Yes. You know they're not connected to the true source which is God. Well there's a lack there uh they're a little spiritually weak because when you pray it builds up your spirit. Right. And your spirit tends to be more in control versus your emotion. Yeah your attitude is you had a better attitude and it's so important because the scripture says in Proverbs chapter 15 verse one a gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. So this second point we're talking about when you pray you will have you will be more polite bottom line you will because prayer brings gentleness into our hearts helping us to respond calmly and with compassion. Yes. Even in heated moments and even when moments are heated. Because you look beyond what is happening and look at more towards the person's heart or what what a why or what's going on. Instead of taking offense and saying well you can't talk to me that way and you know just you know instead of reacting you respond. Yes. God's plans for us to not react at action with emotion. We should respond with intelligence or knowledge right with what we really know. The third thing is this prayer makes you more forgiving. Oh my goodness. How much do we need that in our world? Because when we pray for those who offend us it becomes easier to forgive them. Prayer shifts our perspective from self-centered to God-centered helping us to let go of grudges. Yes. I believe that's God's plan but guess what's in it we will be offended because offense will come. But you know what offense is something that we choose to take. Okay but it will come. Right. It will come. It's going to knock on the door. It's going to knock on your door sir. Ma'am I'm just letting you know it's going to knock on the door. And you have a choice whether to receive it as we say take offense. No absolutely not. But guess what most of us go ahead and take offense. You already know that. I mean we're not talking something that's not already out there. Right. And people they do this regularly but we're talking about a conversation with God. An honest and open and transparent conversation with God will help people to improve their self control. Yes. It will help them to be more polite. It will help them to forgive more. Because Matthew chapter 5 says this verse 44. "But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you or maybe those that offend you." Yes. God your heart. God your heart. Pay attention to your focus. Yes. You know. Right. If we are taking offense then we are thinking about us instead of the person and why or they're acting or behaving the way that they are and you know there's a deeper cause. Oh it's definitely a deeper cause. Absolutely. I mean I would say this is one of the most issues that people have is not forgiving. People hold on to something five, ten years ago, twenty years ago. Then they get together. They think they're passive. They come together as as family. They eating at the dinner table. Oh they have a reunion in another city and they go together and say okay it's been a long time. Why not come back and let's oh can we all get along. So let's get together and guess what happens a lot of times at the dinner table or before the dinner table as you're conversating. The past always comes up. Yeah. The past will always come up. And if a person is not in complete control, if they're self-centered they're going to function from a selfish manner. If they're still stuck on themselves like they're ego, you know what ego means right? E-g-o, edging God out. Because when you don't forgive, you edge God out. And you got to pay attention to your feelings. Yes. To your emotions. Yes. Because I've noticed that the older I get, the more the negative thoughts affect my body. Okay. And I cannot afford to have as the young people say to feel a certain way. Right. Right. Young people. Hey I'm young. What you talking about? Hey man. Yeah. Young people say does that make you feel a certain way? So I pay more attention to how I feel or how thoughts affect how my body feels. Right. And like the scripture said, pray for your enemies and pray for those who persecute you as someone says something negative to me or about this. I don't want to be feeling negative or unforgiving or having a grudge. I don't, I ain't got room in my body for that. No. You know what? That is true. We're harnessing negative energy. We're harnessing ugly experiences when we take offense and don't forgive and don't really understand the bigger picture. Yeah. And we're suffering more than the person. Exactly. Right. We're the one that going through and they don't move on. They sleeping and snoring that night. They're having a good time living life and we're still holding on to that negative experience. And we don't want to let go of it. Prayer changes that because I don't know what that was last night or this morning. I had to pray to get rid of how I was feeling about a thought. Really. I forgot whatever it was. But I had to. Okay. Prayer does deter that. Okay. You're a real person. I didn't think it was a real person. You're a first lady. Oh my goodness. I didn't think it was that real. I thought she was like a robot. I thought you press a button and you become this. No. Oh, you do have emotions. You are touchable. Okay. Good, good to know. I do live with you. Yeah, you do live with me. Oh my goodness. Help me, Lord. All right. Absolutely. But you know, when you pray more, you are apt to forgive more. And I think that's so important as we move forward. Dr. Jones is the pastor of Faith Community Church of God in Orange Park. Reaching a hurting world with the love of Jesus. We thank you for listening to Mind Matters. And we encourage you to show support for the many community outreach ministries that Dr. Jones and Faith Community Church tend to. You can give at Faith Community's website, faithccop.org or just text money sign and the amount you want to give to 833-435-8022. That's 833-435-8022. We are blessed to be a blessing. Now let's get back to the program. Because Mark chapter 11, I love the scripture. And this is a powerful passage of scripture as well. It says, it talks about prayer, right? But it talks about forgiveness too. Mark chapter 11 verse 24. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them. But we don't need to stop there. We've got to continue. And verse 25 of Mark chapter 11, it says, and when you stand praying, that means there will be a time when you're going to be praying, when you're going to stand praying, when you're going to really believe God. I like the... I don't think it's literally talking about physically standing, but that's fine too. But when you make a stance in prayer, and you have a healthy conversation with God, and whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, it says forgive them. Period. And then say how you feel, then you forgive them when you feel like forgiving them. And that's what people do today. We function from feelings more than faith, because the previous verse 22 talks about half faith in God, right? Jesus answered them and said to them, have faith in God. So now we're at verse 25, it says, when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses. Wow. Now, that doesn't mean you're going to forget. We already know that, because we have a memory. I can remember when I was five years old, my brother, he slapped my hand with three years apart. We was at my oldest sister's wedding. He didn't like my suit. He hated his suit. And he was told to hold your brother's hand. I'm five and he's eight years old. He literally slapped me and slapped my hand. I believe you want to slap me down too. But again, that hurt me physically, but it hurt me emotionally. But a lot of times we're stuck in emotions. It may not be physical forgiveness that we need to show towards somebody, but it's an emotional thing. And God wants us to forgive literally and do it by faith. And I guarantee you, our emotions will subside and that will be more calm. Yes. So the forgiving is for us, in guarding our heart, not holding things in or letting grudges and bitterness and things in us, which is affecting our minds, our bodies, our emotions, our attitude, and how we deal with other people when we're holding things in. So that's what it says, "Guard your heart." And so forgiving is releasing things or as we say, don't take offense, but release the offense, release the offense. And it's not easy, but we still have to release it by faith. We still may have that emotion hanging around almost like a rainy day, lightly raining. It's always like the sun is trying to come through, but that little drip drop, drip drop, drip drop, drip drop, a rain is like, "Ah, when it's going to go away." And eventually we'll go away. But once we forgive, just like you say, I like that word, releasing, almost like releasing something out of your hand, releasing something out of your heart from the past, bitterness. And then we got to embrace forgiveness when we release, we release bitterness of what happened. And we set an atmosphere around us too, because you don't want to invite the spirit of strife in your house, in your atmosphere, wherever you are. You don't want that spirit of strife to come in. And you know, you have a walked in a room and you felt the tension. And so when we forgive, we clear our atmosphere. I remember you performed the wedding ceremony, and you said that marriage is not 50-50, it's 100-100. And when you don't, when one person don't do what they're supposed to do, you do your part anyway. Anyway. You love it anyway. You do. When they don't do this, you love anyway. On condition. Because you're only responsible for what you are responsible for. That's right. Your action. That's what you have to give a count for. That's right. Your action. And so, we don't take responsibility for ourselves. And God said, well, if you're not going to forgive, then I'm not going to forgive. Well, that's a tough one. I mean, God so loved the word he gave was only begotten son. So God gave everything. Jesus gave everything bottom line. So we should forgive. Let's move forward. Now, the fourth one is this. Pray, prayer increases trust and build unity. Because praying together with others or for others enhances feelings of trust, unity and closeness. Prayer builds a foundation of mutual support in relationships making us stronger together. You and I pray at times together. And it brings a bond and a unity between us too. We've been together a long time, 45 plus years, and we still pray together. We pray before we came here today. We prayed before we go to certain things. We pray before we leave town. We pray about things. You pray for me. I pray for you. But I'm not feeling well. You pray for me. When, you know, you're not feeling well. I pray for you. I think it brings a closeness and unity. And it builds trust. But we're not just praying for us. We pray for other people. Because prayer can do that. Because the scripture says in Ecclesiastes chapter four, two are better than one. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. So audience, thank you for tuning in to My Matters. I want you to know that prayer is important. Having a conversation with God, an honest conversation improves your self-control. It makes you more polite. It makes you more forgiving if prayer increases trust and unity. Before we go to the last one, anything you want to share about that? Yeah. When I said what God said, if you're not going to forgive, and then he said, "Neither will I will father forgive you your sins." That means that you have put yourself in God's place. You know, you have made yourself the judge. And you've taken God. You put yourself on the throne. And that's not our place. No, it's not our place. Absolutely. You're right. Yeah. Another scripture says, you know, vengeance is mine, says the Lord, I will repay. So when you decide you're not going to forgive and you're going to take vengeance and you're going to hold something, get somebody else, then you have put yourself in God's place. Oh, absolutely. You are not God. No, I want to take my hands off and allow God hands to stay on that situation. The fifth thing is this, prayer reduces negative effects of stress. Praise the Lord. Because it's been shown to alleviate the physical effects of stress, especially financial stress, for some reason, because it provides a sense of peace, resilience, and trusting God's provision. And that's where I am right now. God, you're going to provide. God, this thing is too enormous for me. I don't know why this happened to me, God. Why this happened at the church? Well, I'm shepherding and pastoring and serving. I don't know why, but we were just trying to fix a leak. And all of a sudden, it just got worse and worse. And this company came in and they want to charge us this and that. And oh my goodness, oh my, I was thinking about this this morning. But here's what the scripture says, don't be anxious about anything. But in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your request known unto God and the peace of God would guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Prayer replaces anxiety with peace and allows us to handle life challenges with calm and a clear mind. Yes, remember what you say. All work is profitable. Yeah, in all work, there's profit. You're right. All right, working on you or working for you or in you and through you. You're right because all work is profitable. Yes. So very, very important. So thank you because this is an excerpt from my book, The Power of the Tongue 30 Days to Better Relationship. It's on Amazon. I need you to go get it. I need you to go get it. Okay, we have had some reviews on that book. And what the review says, it's a wonderful book, but one for two to use. And they said, The Power of the Tongue guides us in figuring out how well we communicate with one another. And this person, when they wrote this review was like 10 days in. And then they said, once you become aware of some of the harmful ways we interact with people, the way we talk to others, especially the way we talk to and about ourselves, seeing the negative impact it has on our life or your life makes you want to read the book over and over again and learn how to overcome that toxic communication habits. You know, we got to watch our mouth. That was my father's favorite saying, watch them out. Yes. Well, no, he said it this way. Watch your mouth. Now, I'm gonna just say how he said it. Okay. He said it with force. He said it with intensity because it's so true. Was this another one? I know that several on Amazon on this book before we close the radio show today. Yeah, another one says this is an introspective look at oneself taking you on a personal journey of self discovering revealing your private struggles with expressing one values, facts, opinion, and even constructive criticism. That is true. Absolutely. In some respect, it is like a mirror reflecting us at worse in our most primitive carnal nature to the transformative loving and kind nature of God. That's that's that's a tough thing to do. You know, what's that? To pay attention to how we're communicating, how we're talking. Right. Okay. And then another one said Dr. Jones challenges us to be positive without words because they are seas that will produce good or bad in our lives. That's true. Your word is a sea. He also encourages us to think before we speak. Yes, that's me. That's you. Well, thank you. Thank you for reading some of those reviews on Amazon on the book. I think there are five stars those that left those reviews. Please get it if you can. The power of the tongue 30 days to better relationships. You have any closing words? First lady. Pray. Pray. Pray without ceasing. Prayer changes things. Absolutely. That's a conversation with God and it it is very effective. Yeah, just having that conversation. So as we close prayer improves your self-control. Prayer makes you more polite. Prayer makes you more forgiving. Prayer increases trust and builds unity. And we just concluded prayer reduces negative effects of stress because prayer replaces anxiety with peace, allowing us to handle life's challenges with a calm and clear mind. So thank you for being with us today on Mind Matters, myself, Dr. Jones. It is important to embrace prayer as a daily practice. Prayer isn't just about asking for a blessing. It's about growing closer to God, aligning with His will and becoming better people. The benefits of prayer are many life-changing. By experiencing effectual praying, we can lead lives that are more peaceful, disciplined, and fulfilling. Thanks for tuning into another episode of Mind Matters with Dr. J. A. Jones. Be sure to tune in next Sunday at 5 p.m. right here on Praise 107.9. For more insightful discussion about how God's Word can get our minds right. You can also hear Dr. Jones preach in person Sundays at 11 a.m. at Faith Community Church of God at 1268 Gano Avenue in Orange Park, Florida 32073. Thanks again for listening. Stay mindful and keep striving for improvement because your mind matters to God. [BLANK_AUDIO]
