Lord, Teach Us To Pray (Part I)
Jehovah Jireh, who is our provider, is All-Sufficient. Our Prayers for daily provision must always be directed to The Source. Therefore I say unto you, "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:25-33, King James Version).
A child of God seeking God's Kingdom should direct his prayers for provision to his creator, who owns everything in abundance. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine (Psalms 50:10-11).
As we pray, we should recognise that God's Mercy is in parity with the level at which we disseminate mercy to others. "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:36-38). We receive more blessings from giving more blessings. Genuinely putting forgiveness into action definitely opens The Heavens.
A fall into sins interrupts the flow of messages from the earth to Heaven and vice versa. Any clog in the transmission line constitutes a disturbance in the prayer process. To resist the devil's temptation and to be victorious over sin is to first submit to God. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). A prayer life can even be negatively affected because of 'little shortcomings'.
Thank God for the privilege to come to Him in prayer with our own understanding and to pray in Divine spiritual tongues. Our God understands every earthly language and the Heavenly language. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
The opportunity to pray as individuals in secret is also a golden one. Prayers that are made without even saying a word and the ones that are spoken are all acceptable by God. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11, New International Version).
Our LORD is also pleased with prayers that are rendered as a Family, Fellowship; Community; Nation; Church etc. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there (2 Chronicles 7:13-16).
We need to come together to pray together in faith as a Body, knowing fully well that our God is trustworthy. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:19-23).
The strongest link in Christianity is Agape Love. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). The love that is unconditional. The love that can even make one to esteem others above self. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:3-4). It is the Love of Christ that makes one to consider other people's needs and to commit them to The LORD in prayers (Intercessory Prayers). Intercession can either be on demand or voluntarily. This type of prayer depicts 'empathy'. It is selfless. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12).
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:13-16). Definitely, the prayers of the righteous ones are also sustaining my Family and I during this trying period of ours. Let us continue to keep one another in prayers as there lies the strength for the weak.
Our prayers should be like David's. I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:1-2). Amen and Amen.
Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:25-33, King James Version).
A child of God seeking God's Kingdom should direct his prayers for provision to his creator, who owns everything in abundance. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine (Psalms 50:10-11).
As we pray, we should recognise that God's Mercy is in parity with the level at which we disseminate mercy to others. "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:36-38). We receive more blessings from giving more blessings. Genuinely putting forgiveness into action definitely opens The Heavens.
A fall into sins interrupts the flow of messages from the earth to Heaven and vice versa. Any clog in the transmission line constitutes a disturbance in the prayer process. To resist the devil's temptation and to be victorious over sin is to first submit to God. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). A prayer life can even be negatively affected because of 'little shortcomings'.
Thank God for the privilege to come to Him in prayer with our own understanding and to pray in Divine spiritual tongues. Our God understands every earthly language and the Heavenly language. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
The opportunity to pray as individuals in secret is also a golden one. Prayers that are made without even saying a word and the ones that are spoken are all acceptable by God. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11, New International Version).
Our LORD is also pleased with prayers that are rendered as a Family, Fellowship; Community; Nation; Church etc. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there (2 Chronicles 7:13-16).
We need to come together to pray together in faith as a Body, knowing fully well that our God is trustworthy. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:19-23).
The strongest link in Christianity is Agape Love. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). The love that is unconditional. The love that can even make one to esteem others above self. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:3-4). It is the Love of Christ that makes one to consider other people's needs and to commit them to The LORD in prayers (Intercessory Prayers). Intercession can either be on demand or voluntarily. This type of prayer depicts 'empathy'. It is selfless. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12).
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:13-16). Definitely, the prayers of the righteous ones are also sustaining my Family and I during this trying period of ours. Let us continue to keep one another in prayers as there lies the strength for the weak.
Our prayers should be like David's. I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:1-2). Amen and Amen.
