Friday, September 16, 2016

Prayer - An Essential So Simple But So Hard To Do

My Utmost For His Highest
 
When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place… —Matthew 6:6
 
“The primary thought in the area of religion is— keep your eyes on God, not on people. Your motivation should not be the desire to be known as a praying person. Find an inner room in which to pray where no one even knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret. Have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer. […]  Prayer is coming into perfect fellowship and oneness with God. If the Son of God has been formed in us through regeneration (see Galatians 4:19), then He will continue to press on beyond our common sense and will change our attitude about the things for which we pray.”  CHAMBERS
 
Prayer is a vital part of our new life in Christ.  Prayer is essential to our spiritual health, and yet most of us treat it as if it is only necessary if we want something.  Like a drive through at a restaurant. Just place the order and keep moving.  Listen … the Word is God speaking to us and prayer is us speaking to God.  It is curious to me at how we approach prayer.  Not so much anymore, but for years when people were asked to pray in church they immediately slipped into King James English, is if there is a right prayer vocabulary.  You don’t think in King James English and you certainly don’t talk to your friends that way.  God sees the heart.  The Spirit prayers along with us (Romans 8:26) “…. the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words”  The Disciples asked Jesus how to pray. (Luke 11:1) The Lord’s prayer has been dissected and analyzed in some many way.  I think Jesus intended that to be simple.  Jesus said 1) Acknowledge God for His sovereignty, 2) The rightness of His will and purposes in Heaven and earth. 3) Ask God to meet our needs in this life.  4) Ask God to forgive us for our sinful ways.  5) Help us to avoid temptation and the sin that it inevitably leads to.
 
Prayer, like reading the Word, is a spiritual discipline.  It takes a deliberate action on our part.  It is not just for times of trouble.  Living the Christian life rightly is dependent upon it.  It is by being faithful in your personal connection with God  that is the key to your spiritual health.  Effective prayer is not dependent upon eloquence but simply on purity of heart.  ELGIN
 
He Knows My Name
 
“I have a Maker He formed my heart Before even time began My life was in hands
I have a father He calls me his own He'll never leave me No matter where I go
He knows my name  He knows my every thought He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call”

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