Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Faithful In Prayer


Be faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Faithful followers of Jesus are faithful in prayer. To pray is to love and need Jesus. To not pray is to express a shallow sentiment toward Jesus and not really depend on Him. To pray is to get quiet before God, out of silence the noise of life is managed. To not pray is to be too busy to hear God, so the noise manages an exhausted life. To pray is to wait and ask for the Lord’s blessing. To not pray is to rush ahead and ask Him to bless after the fact. To pray is to keep short sin accounts by confession and repentance. To not pray invites sin to increase its control over a life.

Furthermore, there is a devotion to Christ that calls His disciples to be prayer devotees. When we are devoted to prayer, we are enthusiastic in looking for opportunities to pray for those God daily sends our way. Like a police officer tracks the speed of a car with a radar gun, so a prayer agent has his spiritual antenna up to detect hurting hearts, discouraged dispositions and scared souls. The Holy Spirit opens doors for our faithful prayers to be applied. Yes, we watch and pray!

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

So, how are we to pray? The Scriptures are not overly prescriptive, but there are inspiring and practical examples to follow: Hannah, while anguished of heart, poured out her heart to God in prayer. Jesus rose early to pray at a secluded place. In the morning David praised and meditated on God’s word. When we pray at the beginning of the day we refocus on what’s really important. The Holy Spirit clarifies His agenda for our daily activities as we pause to listen to His heart.

Furthermore, you may pray spontaneously throughout the day for needy souls, or pray practical petitions from Scripture. The Bible has engaging prayers that bless the heart. Prayers for: Salvation-Romans 10:1, John17:20; Spiritual maturity-Ephesians 3:14-19; God’s will-Luke 22:42; Unity-John 17: 11; God’s glory-John 17:1-4; Protection from evil-John17:15; Growth in truth-John 17:16-19; God focus-Matthew 6:5-13; Praise and thanksgiving-1 Chronicles 29:10-13. Remain faithful in prayer and the Spirit will lead you where you need to go. Your prayers matter!

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 1 Samuel 1:10

Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach me to pray in a way that honors you, changes me and blesses others. 

~Wisdom Hunters Devotional~

No comments:

Post a Comment