Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Part Eleven

 

 

Psalm 40:4

Blessed is the man that makes 

The LORD his trust,

and respects not the proud,

 nor such as turn aside to lies.

    Have you made The LORD your trust? Are you trusting His Word above the words of the liars, the prideful, the dubious and the doubters? Those on the left tempt us with whispers, while those on the right call out to us loudly, yet neither will cause us to give them our complete and wholehearted trust. I'm not talking about politics here, I'm talking with you about the salvation of your souls. 

    There is but one path, one road, one Way to save our souls and that is through the blood of Christ Jesus on Calvary. We need to repent of our sins and transgressions to Almighty God and receive His forgiveness and the indwelling presence of His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit. 

    We need His Christ to save us and wash sin from our hearts and His presence. We need His Holy Spirit to teach us to be holy, and empower us to be His witnesses. When we trust in The Lord with all of our hearts, we are leaving no room for doubt and fear to enter in. - Proverbs 3:5, 6

    Fear can disguise itself in many ways. The "what ifs" are a branch of fear. What if ____doesn't work out? What if they say no? What if I'm stuck here? What if ____doesn't like/love me? What if is not trusting in The Lord. 

    The "why is this happening to me" questions are fear and mistrust. As Job reminds us, bad things happen as well as good, but nevertheless we worship God because He is God and knows what is best for us. (paraphrased) - Job 1:20, 21 & 2:10

    When we pray, we are placing our trust for prayers answered into God's hands. And though we seek many times for immediate answers, God does not always work it out that way. He is The Potter, after all, and He knows what's best for the clay in His hands. 

    We cannot, must not, listen to the clamoring voices calling out to us from the left and from the right. We must continue on the path which our God has laid out for us. Waiting for His Voice, His Spirit, to direct us on our journey. - Deuteronomy 5:32; Proverbs 4:27; Joshua 1:7 

    We are seekers on the road of life. We seek His Face. We seek His kingdom. We seek His favor. We seek doors which can be opened when we knock. Let us knock even now on doors which can be opened: let us join together in prayer for God's perfect will to be done. 'Til all the world hears the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Let us seek the salvation of the lost and dying, the hopeless and the fearful, the despondent and the melancholy, the broken and the downtrodden: the many who are dying daily without receiving Christ as their Savior. That we may all rejoice in His heavenly kingdom someday, let us trust in Him completely to answer this prayer. 

    

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Part Nine

 

Psalm 37:7

Rest in The LORD, and wait patiently for Him:

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

because of the man who brings 

wicked schemes to pass.

    Did you know that the word 'fret' does not mean 'anxious' or 'worry'? I didn't until I studied it out. Verse 8 accentuates the definition of fret, making it plain to us that fretting is frowned upon by God. 

    To fret is to lack constraint in our emotional desire to get even, to get angry, to take vengeance against the person or persons who has or have wronged us. To fret is to be indignant, hateful, mean-spirited, waspish, evil-minded, jealous, envious. It is the opposite of Christlike behavior. 

    Rest in The Lord. Let Him give us rest from the battles of this life. Allow Him to take the lead. Wait on His direction. Sometimes the directive from God is immediate. When we allow His Holy Spirit to fill us with God's Peace, the need for retaliation dissipates and disappears. We forgive the insult and the intent. 

    And though the enemy of our soul may constantly bring old things to mind, taunting us with our seemingly apparent failures or old thefts committed against us, we need to stand firm on God's Word and remember that we have forgiven the old assaults and intents; now we are forgivers, not haters. We are a new creation in Christ and as such, we pray that the same Christ Who dwells us would dwell in the hearts of those who have sinned against us. 

    We rest in His promises, which are many. We take rest in His Word, which is consistent and unchanging. What God promised in the beginning to those who would believe and obey, He promises now to us who believe and obey His Word.  This is but one promise. 

    There are hundreds, but I'm not going to list them here. However, if you need another example, Deuteronomy 28 is a good place to start. The first half is all the promises that will overtake us when we obey God's Word. The second half is all the promises that will happen if we disobey God's Word. 

    Rest. Wait. Fret Not. Take everything that's been done against you, write it down if you must, then bring it to The Lord in prayer. And leave it there. 

Prayer Cards - Prayers of The Saints

 

Revelation 5:8

When He had taken the scroll,

 the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders

fell down before The Lamb. 
Each one had a harp, 

and they were holding golden bowls full of incense,

which are the prayers of the saints. 

    So much going on in this verse, but we are centralizing today's study on the last five words: the prayers of the saints. With that thought in mind let us first see what denotes a saint. We cannot use the dictionary for this, as it is opposed to what a saint is according to the Bible/Scriptures. 

    Strong's Exhaustive Concordance describes "saint" as: unlike any other, different (distinguished/distinct), likeness of nature with The Lord because [it means] different from the world, set apart (for God)

    Are saints only in the New Testament? No. Saints are mentioned in the Old Testament, as well. Here in Daniel 7:18 "saints" refers to "the holy ones (of God)", they who are set apart for God's purpose because they have chosen to believe in and obey The God of Israel, Almighty God. Following this definition there were many saints spoken of in the Old Testament. This verse is Psalms tells us best:    

    Psalm 64:10  The righteous shall be glad in The LORD, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory (exult).

    ~The people whom God has chosen for His own are not always saints. Too many times people reject God as their God. They refuse to obey His Will, will not acknowledge His Word and rebel against His Spirit. They set up their own gods (idols) to worship and pray to. They bring their gifts and offerings to empty nothingness and their prayers will not be heard by The True God, The Living God.~

    God chose to send His only Begotten Son into the world to save the world, the whole world not just parts of it. But we need to choose Him back. It is not enough to say, 'I believe in God', we must also choose to be obedient to His Word and listen to His Holy Spirit, Who will lead us on the path of holiness and transform us into levels of holiness until we meet God face to face. It's not an easy life path to walk, but it's definitely worth the effort. 

    John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in The Name of the only begotten Son of God." 

    -The saints of The Most High reject evil, and love The Lord - Psalm 97:10

    -The holy ones sit at His feet and receive His Word - Deuteronomy 33:3

    -The blessed of The Father will inherit a kingdom He has prepared - Matthew 25:34

    -The blameless have an inheritance that will last forever - Psalm 37:18

    -A kingdom and priests who serve God - Revelation 5:10

    -Priests of God and Christ over whom the second death 

    has no power - Revelation 20:6

    -Sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus - Galatians 3:26

    What are prayers? A subject we speak of almost everyday. Forty-seven days and counting so far. We have learned thus far that prayers are our vital source of communication with our God. We commune with Him. 

    Psalm 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. (KJV) 

    Other versions translate this word 'commune' as: search my soul (NLT), mused (BSB), with my heart I conversed (BLB), meditate in my heart (ESV), think very carefully (NET Bible), consider in my heart (New Heart English Bible). 

    When we pray to our God, we don't always use words. In fact, it isn't always just us speaking to God from deep within in our hearts: His Spirit within us reaches out to the heart of God in His own voice. Romans 8:26 'In the same way, The Spirit helps us in our weakness (infirmities). For we do not know how we ought to pray, but The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.' 

    The prayers of the saints are the prayers that have reached God's hearing, gotten His attention and are motivated by the love of God within us. We desire to see His kingdom come. We long to see our families, our friends, and our communities filled with the knowledge of saving grace through faith in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. 

    Our prayers move mountains, obstacles we sometimes see as impassable, but know and believe that our Lord will move for us through our faith in Him. That mustard seed faith that makes mountains move from one place to another (Matthew 17:20); that causes mountains to be wet and sunken under water (Mark 11:23). 

    Our prayers are constant (1 Thessalonians 5:17). From our waking to our resting, our hearts and our minds are focused on interceding for everyone. These prayers are not just for people we know, but people we don't know. We pray that the gospel message is delivered everywhere, that all may know The Name by which all men must be saved. 

    I am a saint. And I'm praying for you. 

NOT IN A HURRY - Will Reagan/United Pursuit

    

 

Prayer Cards - Houses of Prayer

 Luke 19:46
Saying to them, "It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but you have made it a den of thieves."

Where It Is Written
Isaiah 56:7
"I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

A Den of Robbers
Jeremiah 7:11
"Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I, too, have seen it," declares The LORD.

A New Name
    While the reference here is to the temple with hands, we also know that we are the temple built without hands. Therefore, this verse in Luke refers to the believer, as well.
        2 Chronicles 7:16 "For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time."
        1 Corinthians 6:19 (NLT) Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of The Holy Spirit, Who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
        Isaiah 62:2
Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of The LORD will bestow.
        Revelation 3:12
The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write The Name of My God, and the name of the city of My God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God), and My new name.
    Honor to God was not being given in either instance. We are houses of prayer, lively stones praising God and praying to God. Our voices reach His ears. Our actions are seen by His eyes. Our thoughts are known by His mind. There is no need for God to look down from heaven, because God lives in His people; He lives in our praises to Him.
    In our church buildings we are to come together to give our worship to Him with our praises and testimonies. We are come into together to receive from Him The Word which He has prepared for us on that day.
    In our hearts, and our lives, we are to do the same. We give Him praise and worship. We testify of God's amazing mercies and grace in our lives to anyone who will listen. We read our Bibles and study out, searching for the Truth, knowing God will reveal Himself to us in it. We pray that God manifests Himself in us through all of it, as His glory filled the temples of old, may He fill these temples, these vessels of mercy, even now.
    May we, indeed, be God's houses of prayer, bearing His Name.

HOUSE OF PRAYER - Eddie James

WHEN I KNEEL TO PRAY - ElenAmor

Prayer Cards - Speak The Word

 

Colossians 4:4

Pray that I may declare It clearly, as I should.

    To declare is to make an announcement of great importance. It is to speak with clarity that all who hear may understand the declaration being given. To declare is to call out in hopes that someone who hears will also listen and take to heart what is being made known. 

    To declare is to reveal The Truth of what was previously unknown and make it known. It is to illuminate, make apparent, what could not be seen in the darkness, but can only be known in The Light. 

    Pray that the speaker will be anointed by God's Holy Spirit to share The Word of God which has been given to the speaker to share, preach, teach, enjoin (urgently encourage). 

    Pray that the speaker is filled with God's Love and Light, eagerly declaring The Living Word of God to the seeker's heart. 

    Pray that the speaker is clothed in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, living a fully committed life in surrender and submission to the call of God on that person's life. That the evidence of being a Christian, a Christ-follower, is evident even to those who don't personally know that speaker. 

    Pray that the speaker has a sound mind and can counterattack all who come against him or her with The Word of God. Pray that their stand is in Love and Wisdom, keeping silent where silence is called for, speaking up when a voice needs to be heard. 

Prayer Cards - Pray For Authorities

 1 Timothy 2:2
(pray) For kings and all those in authority -- so that we may live tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.

Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of The LORD; He turns it wherever He will.
    Though we may not see the end results of our prayers for those in authority over us, we are still to maintain obedience to The Word of God regarding praying for them.
    But how should we pray for them? For their destruction? No. For their downfall? No. We should first and foremost pray for their salvation. For it is God's will that none should perish, including the people who govern our nations, our cities and our churches.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

    Secondly, we should pray for their holiness journey, which they will walk with us after they receive salvation from The Lord. As we encourage each other in The Lord, let us pray that our authorities also receive spiritual encouragement from the family of God wherever they are in government.
1 Thessalonians 5:11-15
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in The Lord and give you instruction.
In love, hold them in highest regard because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

    Thirdly, and lastly, let us pray for the families of those who rule over us. Sadly, we are keenly aware in our own homes that just because the parents love The Lord does not mean our children will. It is the nature of sin to divide, and this happens in families as well as nations.
    So we pray for the families of the kings, presidents, senators, representatives, governors, mayors, town council; bishops, deacons, pastors, teachers, evangelists, helpers. We pray for their spouses, their children, their parents, their siblings, their grandchildren and so on and so forth.
    As we pray together, let us remember to pray for ourselves, as well, that we may be united in Truth and The Spirit, equally yoked in the bonds of the Love of God. Let us pursue a righteous and holy life in obeisance to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer Cards - Urgent Prayer

 1 Timothy 2:1
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone.

   Prayer is an earnest, sincere desire to communicate with God. It's not about satisfying a greedy, licentious heart -- which said prayer could never reach God's ears -- but a wholeheartedly in love with our heavenly Father communication. Seeking His perfect will in every situation in which we have placed. 
    Here Paul is urging Timothy, and us, to urgently approach God with our petitions (deep personal needs), our prayers (faith-filled conversations rooted in faith that God will not only hear us, but answer us); our intercessions (interventions that align our hearts with God's perfect will), and thanksgiving (gratitude for God's grace and His many blessings which He bestows on us; worship and adoration for Who God Is). 
     And when we approach God to tell Him all of our deep personal needs and requests, it is not just for ourselves we are praying, it is for everyone. Not just our families, not just our friends, not just our acquaintances.
   But we pray for the strangers in our communities, for the enemy at our gates, for lost, the lonely, the grieving. We pray for our city's leadership, our county leadership, our state leadership, our country's leadership. We pray for lawmakers and law enforcers. We pray for doctors and nurses and emts. We pray for the people who have wronged us, for people we have wronged. 
   We pray for their salvation, the most urgent prayer request of them all. We pray Ephesians 3 over all of the people I have listed and any I may have inadvertently omitted. 
   What Scriptures or verse(s) do you use specifically when you pray the Scriptures? 

Prayer Cards - Unceasingly For Spiritual Growth

 

Colossians 1:9

For this cause, we also, since the day we heard it,

do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you

might be filled with the knowledge of His will

in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

    In the beginning of this book Paul is writing to the young church in Colosse, which is being built by Epaphras, commending them for the good report he has received of them. The 'we' refers to Timothy, who traveled and ministered with Paul while he was in Roman custody. 

    Though Paul had never met the saints in Colosse, their reputation as faithful servants of Christ, reached his ears. Even as he writes to encourage them in their fruitfulness, he also tells them how he and Timothy are praying for them:

    *Unceasingly

    *Filled with the knowledge of His will

        >In all wisdom 

        >Spiritual understanding

    Are we praying for each other in this way?  Unceasingly. Always. Without end.  Watchful. Alert to danger.

    Are we encouraging saints we have never met, and may never meet, to grow in wisdom and spiritual understanding? 

    Paul praises them for their obvious belief in God and the evidence of said belief in God: faith, hope and love, which are the hallmarks of any born-again Christian. For their faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives and souls. 

    For their abounding love to all saints, not just the ones they know. For the love they show to the people around them, who are not saints, yet are being shown the true love of Christ by the Colosse church. [John 13:34 {agape}]. It is a mark of the grace of God that we are able to love the people around us, even if they are not Christians. For God loved the world, even when the world did not love Him back. [John 3:16-18] 

    For the hope they profess to others regarding the gospel of salvation. [Titus 2:3]. It is our faith in Christ, and our love for saints everywhere, that keeps our focus on our hope of heaven.  

    And then, he lets them know that he and Timothy are praying for them. Such encouragement! Someone they knew of but did not know personally was praying for them unceasingly! That's empowering to the soul of the saint. 

    But then he writes that he is praying that they would become more fruitful. First, that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will. Even now every saint must first be filled with the knowledge of God's will so that we can obey God's will. The Word of God never changes, but the transforming power of God's Spirit will change us if we let Him, if we know God's will for us. [2 Peter 3:18].

    Secondly, Paul and Timothy are praying that this church would be filled with spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding. This is vital to a saint's spiritual growth. It is not enough to know The Word, for many false prophets can quote Scripture but they speak it to their advantage, not to the increase of the kingdom of God. There are Biblical scholars who claim to know 'secrets' hidden The Word that cannot be revealed to those who do not believe as they believe. 

    Spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding are not spirituality; spirituality has nothing to do with God or Christ Jesus or The Holy Spirit. Spirituality is evil and against God and His Administration. Spiritual wisdom and understanding are sought after by God's saints to increase God's kingdom. 

    Spiritual wisdom is discernment: having a God-given knowledge about who is telling the Truth and who is not; who is a faithful servant of Christ and who is not; what is Truth and what is not. [Proverbs 4:5-7; 2:10-11; Ephesians 1:17] 

    Spiritual understanding is a working knowledge of The Word of God. [Colossians 2:2-3]. It is a basic building block of a Christian's faith. We can memorize Scripture but unless we put what we are learning into action, it is just a block of information we keep sequestered in our memory bank. 

    We should desire, as Paul did, for all Christians, all saints, everywhere to be filled with Spirit-filled knowledge, Spirit-filled wisdom and Spirit-filled understanding. Let us pray for that to be fulfilled in us and in each other, unceasingly. 

LET US PRAY - Steven Curtis Chapman 

Prayer Cards - Persistence

 

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction,

persistent in prayer.

    Persistence in prayer is not an uncommon happening in Scripture. Throughout the New Testament, we are encouraged to approach God faithfully, believing that He not only will answer our prayers, but that He already has. 

    According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, persistence means:

• to be earnest towards
• to persevere, be constantly diligent (to a thing)
• to attend assiduously all the exercises (in a place)
• to adhere closely to [as a servitor] (to a person)

    Earnest: resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction; serious-minded

    Persevere: persist, continue, carry on; continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success

    Diligent: steady, earnest and energetic effort; painstakingly

    Assiduously: with great care and attention to detail

    Adhere: stick fast to; believe in and follow the practices of; represent truthfully and in detail; cling to; hold fast; bond with, to

 

    Persistent prayer is when we are more than thankful for our many blessings. It is praying to God even in the face of danger (Daniel). It is more than an obligation, it is a loving  communication between God and us. God loves to be asked: He will not barge in where He is not wanted. 

    Revelation 3:20 God knocks on the door of our hearts and waits to be let in

    Acts 1:14 pray in one accord [with one mind, united in thought]

    Acts 6:4 give ourselves continually to prayer

   1 Corinthians 15:58 be steadfast and immovable

    Colossians 4:2 continue [earnestly] in prayer, being watchful and thankful

  Let us join together in the unity of The Spirit and pray, that God's perfect will be accomplished in each of us and in His church. 

Prayer Cards - In Every Circumstance

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in every circumstance for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

    What an amazing concept! When we are in CHRIST JESUS, every circumstance we find ourselves in is ORDAINED by GOD! Therefore, we must give thanks. 

    Even in the hardest of circumstances: grief at a loved one's passing, the hurtfulness in a divorce or separation, abandonment of a child by its parent(s), a child who leaves the nest before he's ready. An accident that leaves a body impaired, loss of employment, a miscarriage, a shocking medical diagnosis, traumatic events that have a lasting impact on the body, the mind and the spirit, are impossible to get through without the knowledge that we serve a faithful God who takes care of His people. 

    This is hard to do, but not impossible. Thank God and let Him do the rest.  Let your tears flow, let your faith grow.

God is Restorer of The Breach. 

God is Healer of The Broken. 

God is Comforter of The Grieving.

God is Holy and His Word is Holy. 

God is Sustainer and Sustenance. 

God will get you through whatever it is you are going through. You are not stuck in any situation or circumstance. Life flows. 

Prayer Cards - Grace & Peace

 1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We need to be vigilant and watchful, wary of not only where we place ourselves, but who we surround ourselves with. Being a Christian put a target on us and now Satan is looking to take us down and keep us out of the fight.

We may stumble, we may fall, but we cannot retreat. When we stumble, we reach out for our Shepherd's help. When we fall, we repent of that which caused us to fall, in which our heavenly Father forgives us, allowing us to continue to move forward. We must keep our focus on the tasks He has given us, that we might be welcomed into the joy of The Lord when we have finished.

Consider the consequences of thinking wrong thoughts and putting said thoughts into action. Philippians 4:8 reminds us how we ought to think, and then our actions will reflect those thoughts:

  whatever is True

 whatever is Honorable

 whatever is Right

 whatever is Pure

 whatever is Lovely

 whatever is Admirable

 anything that is Excellent

 anything that is Praiseworthy

Philippians 4:9

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And The God of Peace will be with you.

Peace: The positive, covenantal state that flows from God’s Redemptive work in Christ and is applied by The Holy Spirit to individuals and communities. (Topical Lexicon)

Prayer Cards - Watch and Pray

 Matthew 26:41

“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

PRAY IN THE SPIRIT

Ephesians 6:18

Pray in The Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

GOD IS FAITHFUL

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Romans 8:2-4

For in Christ Jesus the law of The Spirit of Life set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

    Sin is sneaky. It whispers. It tantalizes. It questions. It distracts. It is deceitful. It is cunning. It lies. It is everything The Word of God is not, so it tries to draw us away from the Truth of God's Word. 

    We have to be alert to sin's tactics, its delusions, its falsehoods. We need to know The Truth of The Word of God for ourselves that we may be able to judge right from wrong, fact from fiction, truth from lies.

    So we pray to the God of the Holy Bible, the Holy Scriptures: The Living God Who hears the prayers of the righteous and answers according to His Word and His perfect Will for His people. And when we pray for God's perfect will to be done, we are surrendering our will--what we want as the desired outcome--for what God wants as His desired outcome.

    We submit to God's Authority for He is our heavenly Father and wants only the best for His people, His children. So He gives us the Best when He gives us His Son Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit: Jesus for our Salvation & Deliverance and The Spirit for Empowerment to Witness and Transform our Souls.

    This is our PEACE in Christ.

Ephesians 2:8, 9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Prayer Cards - Devoted Prayer

 

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

    Be constantly diligent; be aware and alert to the need for constant communication with our heavenly Father, especially on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are out on the mission field. As Paul states in the next verse, "as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for The Word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."

    Devote also means, 'to persevere', which in turn means we are to move forward despite setbacks and obstacles. Keep on praying regardless of who tells you not to. We can pray silently when we are surrounded by people who are offended by our prayers. When we live in a state of prayer, it is just as important to us as the air we breathe.

    Here Paul is writing to a group of Christians, so he addresses all to continue in prayer together, not just one-on-one prayer with God, but praying in the unity of The Spirit, under His lead and in His power.

    Be alert to the needs of the church as a whole. Be alert to the individual needs of each of us who makeup the church. Be alert to the approach of the enemy at the gate. Be alert to the wolves in sheep's clothing who have infiltrated the church's doors, whose words and actions do not align themselves with the whole Word of God.

    Thank God for the integrity and honest principles of the faithful leaderships which God has placed within your local church and all over the world. Thank God for your salvation and for keeping you. Thank God for Who He Is: for loving us, saving us, protecting us, leading us: "For His mercy endures forever."