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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends;
I begin with a question today: What comes to you mind when you hear the word “PRAYER”?
Perhaps memorized prayers from your childhood, or the movie “The War Room”, or the remarkable story of George Muller and his wife in the middle 1800’s who lived their lives by faith in God, by taking care of up to 2000 orphans at one time, fed and clothed only by God’s provision in response to their prayer? Or maybe it’s ‘the Rosary’ or incense or folded hands and closed eyes?
The story of the Bible is filled with God and people communicating with each other, and it’s often called prayer. But what about you and me… what does “prayer” look like in our lives? What type of ‘prayer culture’ did you grow up in? What have your children and grandchildren learned about prayer from you? What is the purpose of prayer for you? When and how do you engage in prayer with God? What do you experience and expect when you pray?
Let’s not rush from those questions. One of the evaluations of the authenticity of our relationship with Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives is our priority of, passion for, and enjoyment of prayer. How often do you and God have an worshipful, deeply engaging conversation?
My favorite book on prayer is by Henry Blackaby, titled “Experiencing Prayer with Jesus”, published by Multnomah. Here’s a picture of my well worn copy of this little book that will profoundly refine your prayer life.
Today we’re in 1 Timothy 2:1-3 and for Paul, prayer was a big deal! In fact notice Paul challenges Timothy to make prayer a ‘first of all’ priority, if he is going to lead the Ephesus Christians well! Paul writes: “I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet live in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior…”
What do you hear in this my friends? Do you see the relationship that Paul draws between prayer & peaceful living in godliness & holiness? What does that tell you about God’s work in us when we pray? Do you see Paul’s call to prayer “for everyone” including government leadership? Does God care about elections or government systems or how those in authority behave or exercise their leadership? Oh my YES! And the Bible has many stories of God at work in senior government leaders. Remember these. . .
Joseph & the Pharaoh of Egypt… Genesis 41
or Moses and the Pharaoh of Egypt… Exodus 7-12
or God’s dealing with all the Kings of Israel (Kings & Chronicles)
or Elijah the prophet and King Ahab and the prophets of Baal on mount Carmel (1 Kings 18)
or King Cyrus and his return of the Hebrew captives and captured Temple treasures (Ezra 1)
or Nehemiah and the Persian Emperor for whom he was cup-bearer & the leaders in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1-6)
or Queen Esther, King Xerxes and Haman (Esther)
or Daniel and Kings Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar & Darius (Daniel 1-6)?
Prayer is a miracle! Do you agree? Communication between us human beings and the God who made us, and sustains our live, while He sustains the entire Universe, is a miracle!
But if God is all powerful, all knowing and everywhere present, then why should we bother praying? Isn’t God fully capable to do anything He wants, at anytime, with or without human involvement? Of course He is, but clearly the story of the Bible shows us that God loves to involve us, His people, in accomplishing His purposes here on earth, and prayer is often the way God gets our hearts aligned with Him. Have you learned that prayer is more about us listening to God than us speaking to God?
I see that in every great ‘hero’ in the Bible, and it’s how we live out the truth of Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the purpose of the LORD that prevails.” God’s purpose prevails in our hearts when we yield our hearts to Him, and that begins in a powerful, submissive prayer encounter with God.
Prayer, by God’s design, is intended to be a dialogue, not a monologue. Do you remember Jesus going out before daybreak to meet with His Father in prayer after a long and busy day, and then when presented with lots of needy people, Jesus confidently said “Let us go somewhere else… so I can preach there also, for that is why I have come.” (Mark 1:32-39) Jesus was able to set out that day, confident He was doing what the Father wanted Him to do, because of the time They had spent talking together early that morning.
Now watch this my friends, Jesus had received guidance from the Father that, if He followed it obediently, would keep Him right in the center of God’s Plan & Purpose for Jesus, AND for the disciples who were learning as they walked with Jesus, AND for the people who had come that morning with their needs expecting Jesus would care for them, AND for the people to whom Jesus would go next! Now ponder that deeply my friends. Everybody wins when we are in full obedience to Jesus! The OUTFLOW of our actions AFTER our effective prayer time, is vital, for it demonstrates what we heard from God in our prayer, and our obedience engages us with God’s Purposes!
Oh my friends prayer, conversation with God, is one of the greatest privileges in the journey of life. Prayer is one of the most powerful human acts. Prayer is often a catalyst from which God sets in motion miracles. So let’s stop right here for a moment and reflect.
Think back over your life. Do you keep some type of a spiritual journal, in which you record special encounters with God, and special events… that evidenced God’s work in your life? My wife Dawn and I have done this for several years. We have found it helpful to be bold-faced honest in our spiritual journals and that means writing down the details when life is painful, confusing, troubling, and especially how God engages with us in response to our prayer encounters with Him, in those times. Those are important spiritual growth times, have you found that to be true for you?
Each morning I spend time in the Psalms. Most of them are prayers. I normally start with the Psalm that corresponds to the date, so today that would be Psalm 7. Take just a moment and look there with me. Do you see, it’s a prayer of David. Notice the change of heart from verse 1 which says “O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me…” and verse 17 which says“I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” So, what caused the change in such a short time? I’ve experienced it too, have you?
In prayer sometimes I’ve begun in a painful place, pouring out my heart to God, and then as I focus my heart and mind on His majesty, and all God’s great attributes, and invite I Him into my situation, it doesn’t take long and my attitude changes as the Holy Spirit brings calm to my heart and mind, and my prayer changes to praise as I’m overwhelmed by Him, my faith and trust in Him is refreshed!
As a result, I often read more than one Psalm in each morning. So today I’ll also read Psalm 37, and then 67 and then 97 and then 127. Do you see what I’m doing?
First I’m seeing a variety of prayers in very different situations and that teaches me. Secondly, I’m working my way through all the Psalms in 30 days. Now you may not have that much time some days, but it sure has helped me and my prayer life!
No matter what emotion I’m feeling, or what situation I’m in, or what is troubling me. . . there’s a prayer Psalm that fits that occasion. Someone else has been there before me, and they actually wrote down their prayer experience. So I find the Prayer Psalms are very helpful in teaching me and strengthening me in my everyday, practical journey of life.
Did you notice Paul urges Timothy to “intercession”? (1 Timothy 2:1) That means lifting someone or some situation up to God in full confidence that God knows and can use their situation for His Glory in His Holy Sovereignty! That type of praying is found everywhere in the Bible. I do that a lot, how about you?
Isn’t it a great privilege to lift those you love up, into the throne room of God, confident that God loves them even more than you do, and assured that God sees them as you pray, and knows their need even better than you do? How often have you gone to your knees immediately after a phone call or text brings an urgent situation to you? Have you found intercessory prayer is one of the most powerful things you and I can do, in the face of urgent need?
Do you see Paul says in vs. 3 that God is well pleased when His people come to Him in prayer? Yet I have to draw your attention to Psalm 66:18 “I cried out to God with my mouth… if I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened…” That’s really important my friends. God detests the hypocrisy of people crying out to Him in prayer who actively oppose Him in their attitudes, actions, and the hardness of their hearts.
But this verse says “cherished sin”. We understand that don’t we? It’s all around us, and sometimes it’s in us. It’s that which we know is wrong, we know it does not honor God, yet we enjoy it and sometimes we cherish and even protect it in our lives! Oh yes we do!! Do you see the spiritual terminal cancer of that my friends, and that God simply cannot entertain our prayer when He sees that in our lives?!
That’s why David wrote in Psalm 139:23,24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me…” Are you and I willing to do that when we pray? And here’s one more thing David wrote that really challenges my prayer life: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD, who may stand in His Holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false…” (Psalm 24:3,4)
I think it’s time to pray, what do you think? Too many Christians talk ABOUT prayer, but spend little time engaging with Jesus in prayer! Come on, let’s get on our knees right now…
I wonder what your favorite worship prayer song is? One of those I worship with, when I’m going into a special prayer time is: “In the Presence of Jehovah.” Do you know it? The lyrics are these:
“In and out of situations, that tug o war at me. All day long I struggle, for answers that I need. But then I come into His Presence, and all my questions become clear. And for a sacred moment, no doubt can interfere.
In the Presence of Jehovah, God Almighty, Prince of Peace. Troubles vanish, hearts are mended, in the Presence of The King!
Through His love the LORD provided a place for us to rest, a place to find the answers in hours of distress. So there is never any reason to give up in despair! Just look away and breathe His Name, He will come and meet you there. In the Presence of Jehovah. . .”
One of my dear friends is an anointed worship leader. She’s given me permission to include this link to her worshiping with group of friends, in an old, historic church. Please don’t forward the link to anyone, it’s a private worship experience she’s allowed us to briefly join.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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