"Prayer does not equip us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work." - Oswald Chambers
God has really been dealing with me about my prayer life lately. Sometimes I forget that my prayer life must be cultivated - it doesn't "just happen." I want to be able to obey the command of scripture to "pray without ceasing." My desire is that prayer will become a lifestyle for me, not just something I do in church, or before meals, or before bed, or when I want something. Andrew Murray said "Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God." That is what I want - to know God and to grow my relationship with Him through prayer.
Over the past few months, I have been burdened with an overwhelming number of things I need to pray about. Family, friends, the state of our nation, the state of the church (that is another blog altogether). Additionally, I have an increasing awareness and burden for missionaries and the persecuted church around the world. My desire is to pray specifically for all of these people and situations, not just some blanket, "God be with all the people" type prayer. My prayers of late, have been more along the lines of "teach me to pray," "I don't know how to pray for this," and "show me how to specifically pray in this situation." Guess what. God answered. Sometimes through direct conversations with people I am praying for, sometimes through scripture, but when I don't know how to pray, I ask and He shows me. I'm sure I will write about prayer again as God continues to show me things, but for now, here are several quotes and scriptures dealing with the subject that have been encouraging to me over the past few months:
"There is a mighty lot of difference between saying prayers and praying. " - John G. Lake
"The lover of silence draws close to God. He talks to Him in secret and God enlightens him." - John Climacus
"If God will do whatever He wishes, regardless of whether we pray or not, then we do not need to pray at all, and the Lord's instructions on praying for the Kingdom and the Will are superfluous. But the truth is that God waits for a Remnant to rise up and to pray in agreement with His Purpose before He does anything...Apart from HIM we CAN do nothing; apart from US, He WILL do nothing." - Chip Brogden
"The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men...Men of prayer." - E.M. Bounds
"Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found."
Psalm 32:6
"Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:8
"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18
"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak." Colossians 4:2-4
"First of all then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men...therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension." 1 Timothy 2:1-8
"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16
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2 comments:
I wanted you to post but I didn't want you to preach to me specifically:) God has really been dealing with me about talking TO Him and not just about Him to others!! Thanks for the encouragement. Loved the quotes and Scripture. How different would our world be if we really believed that there was much power in prayer and that God was waiting on us to call out to Him to do something miraculous- if the whole church believed that?! What a thought...
I am so far behind! Happy late (late, late) birthday! I hope it was wonderful. Thanks for all your encouragement and prayers. Hey, look at it this way. I need LOTS of prayer so just consider me to be a part of your new challenge!:)
About my books, I do feel like I was led to write them and am currently looking into the publishing process, which so far seems long, detailed, and very slow. But I am just gonna see!
I LOVED your post. You always challenge and inspire me. What you said hits home, and reminds me that I need talk with my Savior more. I had committed to "ramp up" my prayer life this year, and I did REALLY good for a couple of weeks. I can even see some of the fruits from those prayers, and I wonder why in the world I don't make time to grow and become more dedicated, as it is SOO worth it! I am (slowly)trying to get back on track. As ironic as it may be (again the very time I need to pray the most), I have become lazy over the past month or so. I chalk it up to "being out of routine", but even as I write that, I realize I offer nothing more than exscuses and empty promises. Besides who needs a "routine" to make time for the Creator?!
Well, now that I have written too much, I will end. I love you, and hope all is well! (BTW, I LOVED the quote by Chip Brogden! Who is that smart guy? I am interested in more!:)
PHILLIPIANS 1:3
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