by David Brenneman
We need the daily reminder that our prayers to God aren't a voice-mail.
We aren't leaving a message that some angel will transcribe to give to Jesus at a later date and time.
Time doesn't exist in Heaven. Time doesn't exist in Hell either. When we step out of this world we step into eternity. Eternity is a very very long time.
Prayer does go immediately to Jesus. Scripture says that He does do exceedingly, abundantly beyond anything we can ask or think.
There's no need to be nervous about the call to Jesus we refer to as prayer. It's a conversation with the best friend you have ever known. It's to the best resource you will ever have in this life.
That cup in the photos is one that I acquired yesterday at a thrift store. I have other reminders here on my phone as my wallpaper. Have plaques hanging in my study. Have a giant poster that has every single reference to the names of Jesus. My computer wallpapers are of God's creation caught by telescope. My times mowing my now large lawn are worship time. To watch me attempt to drive a riding mower with my hands raised you would probably think something is wrong with me. I can praise and pray to Jesus anywhere.
In my short life I have seen great and mighty things happen through prayer that there is no Earthly explanation for. I have seen prayer mend fences with friends. Have seen prayer heal hearts and homes. Have seen salvation come to people. Have seen and seen and seen so much. Some chalk it up to coincidence. Oh what I have seen God do is certainly beyond coincidence. Those times were Godincidences.
God's Word says that to each a measure of faith was given. To each something is there to have belief. Satan's fully aware and does what he can to rob people, to steal, to destroy faith in Jesus.
Prayer is to be as natural as breathing. It's to be our lifeline to our most precious resource. Pray without ceasing. An interesting result is where there is continued prayer there's little to no anxiety. That's what that passage says. "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known unto God".
If we are in prayer then we aren't able to focus on our situation. We have the greatest of tools and most don't seem to be using it.
As this says: If you only pray when you have a problem then you already have a problem.
Prayer is always always always immediate. We will never be put on hold. There might be wars and battles between Heaven to Earth concerning the reply but the request always arrives. Read Daniel. His prayers too a very long time to be responded to and he was told why. What he was told was for us to consider as well.
Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Him.
This means that there absolutely is no other path to talk to Jesus. Not through anyone else. Not through Mary, not through any Apostles.
No one's prayer is raised above someone else's either.
The prayers of everyone are filtered, if you will, through a few criteria. The workmanship of Jesus towards our sanctification and the Father’s plan concerning mankind.
Will you grow in Christ because of your prayer? Will God's plan for humanity be impacted?
Scripture says His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts than ours. He isn't some Genie or Butler. Our wish is not His command.
Pray at all times.
Be anxious for nothing.
Pray without ceasing.
Remember your purpose in the body of Christ. Fulfilling your calling in Christ Jesus. The calling of God is irrevocable according to what Paul wrote in Romans.
We magnify Christ, not corporations.
We lift the name of Jesus, not products or people.
We will only worship Jesus on Earth as it is in Heaven.
We are to dare to be an Andrew and point others towards faith in Jesus.
We are to do all that we do as unto the Lord for it is the Lord Christ whom we serve. We don't serve God and anyone else. Others may benefit from serving God but we don't live to point anyone to anyone but Jesus.
Our prayers should encourage us to go still deeper in our relationship with Jesus. I was reading a hymn yesterday that mentioned going deeper, deeper still into a relationship with Jesus. Prayer does that.
Our world is perishing. We strive and struggle to make man-made things last.
God's plan for humanity says vanity of vanities all is vanity, the striving after the wind. We built great and mighty things and in time they break down. Regardless of how you look at it, THAT is actually a known business model. Corporations don't stay in business that build things that last. Products and services are intended to be renewed at a cost. But we digress.
Prayer is a freely renewable resource.
Prayer is immediate in its transmission to Jesus. Your heart to His.
Prayer washes away and prayer convicts.
Oh that word. Conviction. I have people whom I call friends who are actually upset that we prayed and DID follow God's leading in our lives. Their being upset is misplaced. They are struggling with trusting God to move them out of that valley of the shadow of death and we didn't stay there. We moved on with Jesus leading the way.
Prayer moves God's people towards God's purposes and plan. Prayer isn't an ATM. You may not get an answer right away. The answers are generally Yes, No, Not right now, and Wait, I have something better in mind. Our impatience, our emotions and feelings and our focus on such things robs us of a better prayer life.
Look, really look, at how much you pray.
Look at what you crave as important.
Look at your struggles.
Look at your level of worry.
Look at all of this...are you at all trusting in your abilities, your good thoughts and feelings, your emotions to carry you through life or are you trusting in God?
How much and how heart-felt your prayers are is a direct reflection of where your heart is.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-22 NASB "pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit, do not utterly reject prophecies, but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, abstain from every form of evil."
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