The Nitty Gritty Prayer Life
Grace and peace my dear friends. What a joy and profound privilege we have to share the love and great blessing found in our Lord: Jesus the Christ. Jesus commands that we pray and not faint. He even says, “My house shall be called the house of prayer”. On a functional level, what does that really mean for you and me?
Why is prayer so dreaded and elusive? What are our thoughts about prayer? Remember, you directly relate to God the father based on the model you’ve seen in your earthly father. Though some would argue this point, please consider the implications of it. When your earthly father was distant or absent altogether, the nature progression is to live life apart from God. “He’s not around anyway” would be our thought. If our pattern was to argue with our earthly father, how much more do we think about debating with God when he does or says something we didn’t like? If you had a good father who was somewhat there and listened to some of your needs, we then see a God who listens to some of our issues and we can pray to a God who selects our issues a-la-carte. Let’s assume you had a great father. Attentive, respectful, always present and ready to converse with you at anytime and about anything you desire. The logical progression would be to talk to God everyday and all day because He is always attending to your desires. If we were to be honest, even those of us who had an attentive father still struggle with prayer. Why? Perhaps its because we take God for granted. He is so common to us and we always know that He’s there that we go off into the world and marketplace and assume that when we return our loving and understanding Father will be there. While that is true, the caution implied here is not to take the Lord and our relationship with Him for granted. The bible says, “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.” Remember, “Today is the day of salvation”. Salvation from sin but also salvation from my thought life, my problems, my hang ups, and the pressure of this world.
What we pray for is also important. James says, “You have not because you ask not. When you do ask you still don’t receive because you ask amiss (selfishly).” Dear friends, What are you praying for? Peace? Love? Joy? Comfort? A new car? A new house? Your house to sell? These things are at the center of our thoughts but I challenge you to raise them up. “If ye then be risen with Christ…Set your affections (desires) on things above…where Christ is”. Where is Christ? Christ is in you...He is the hope of glory. Change your prayers to match God heart and desires. When those two become “one flesh” then “He will give you the desires of your heart”.
Remember dear friends, the majority of prayer is private. Go in your closet… “The Lord who sees in secret will reward you openly”. Now that’s straight out of “The Good Book”. Prayer is a lifestyle. Make it yours. Start simply. Be consistent. Praise God for who He is. Worship Him. Bring your faults and failures to Him daily. Come boldly yet humbly. Seek God’s direction for your ministry here on earth, in Jackson, at Colonial Heights and around the world. I challenge the idea of Christians seeing the spiritual disciplines as a “spectator” and not as a powerful life changing force. Live a new life today. The Son has made you free so be free indeed. I challenge and encourage you to prayer. NO EXCUSES. PRAY and watch God transform your life. Blessing to you all
fhall
Grace and peace my dear friends. What a joy and profound privilege we have to share the love and great blessing found in our Lord: Jesus the Christ. Jesus commands that we pray and not faint. He even says, “My house shall be called the house of prayer”. On a functional level, what does that really mean for you and me?
Why is prayer so dreaded and elusive? What are our thoughts about prayer? Remember, you directly relate to God the father based on the model you’ve seen in your earthly father. Though some would argue this point, please consider the implications of it. When your earthly father was distant or absent altogether, the nature progression is to live life apart from God. “He’s not around anyway” would be our thought. If our pattern was to argue with our earthly father, how much more do we think about debating with God when he does or says something we didn’t like? If you had a good father who was somewhat there and listened to some of your needs, we then see a God who listens to some of our issues and we can pray to a God who selects our issues a-la-carte. Let’s assume you had a great father. Attentive, respectful, always present and ready to converse with you at anytime and about anything you desire. The logical progression would be to talk to God everyday and all day because He is always attending to your desires. If we were to be honest, even those of us who had an attentive father still struggle with prayer. Why? Perhaps its because we take God for granted. He is so common to us and we always know that He’s there that we go off into the world and marketplace and assume that when we return our loving and understanding Father will be there. While that is true, the caution implied here is not to take the Lord and our relationship with Him for granted. The bible says, “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.” Remember, “Today is the day of salvation”. Salvation from sin but also salvation from my thought life, my problems, my hang ups, and the pressure of this world.
What we pray for is also important. James says, “You have not because you ask not. When you do ask you still don’t receive because you ask amiss (selfishly).” Dear friends, What are you praying for? Peace? Love? Joy? Comfort? A new car? A new house? Your house to sell? These things are at the center of our thoughts but I challenge you to raise them up. “If ye then be risen with Christ…Set your affections (desires) on things above…where Christ is”. Where is Christ? Christ is in you...He is the hope of glory. Change your prayers to match God heart and desires. When those two become “one flesh” then “He will give you the desires of your heart”.
Remember dear friends, the majority of prayer is private. Go in your closet… “The Lord who sees in secret will reward you openly”. Now that’s straight out of “The Good Book”. Prayer is a lifestyle. Make it yours. Start simply. Be consistent. Praise God for who He is. Worship Him. Bring your faults and failures to Him daily. Come boldly yet humbly. Seek God’s direction for your ministry here on earth, in Jackson, at Colonial Heights and around the world. I challenge the idea of Christians seeing the spiritual disciplines as a “spectator” and not as a powerful life changing force. Live a new life today. The Son has made you free so be free indeed. I challenge and encourage you to prayer. NO EXCUSES. PRAY and watch God transform your life. Blessing to you all
fhall
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