Tag: praywithoutceasing

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Persistent Prayer

The Kedge Anchor

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We can be left feeling bewildered by our unanswered prayers. God at times seems unwilling to answer our prayer according to our expectations and timing.

Jesus’s disciples asked him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). He also told a story about a man who pestered his neighbor for some bread (Luke 11:5-8). In the end it wasn’t the fact that the neighbor gave his bread to this man because the man knocking was his neighbor, it was the man’s persistent knocking and request.

However this doesn’t mean that God is more inclined or motivated to grant us our request because we have pestered Him or because of our persistence rather than his love for us. The story illustrates that we have the freedom to ask God but it does not dictate God’s response to us. God is not a servant waiting for a list of things we want or tasks we want done, neither does He need us or define our needs or offer solutions, or tell him when and how He should act.

But God is eager for us as His children to form a habit of asking for His help (Luke 11: 9-10). That still doesn’t mean He will be guided by our limited knowledge and understanding of our circumstances (Luke 11:11-13). God will answer our prayers. He does answer our prayers, in His time according to His plan in His own way.

He wants and asks us to trust Him to supply our needs and when to supply them. God knows our needs before we (Matthew 6:8). Our calling is to ask persistently and if we surrender our hearts and wants, we can grow in the process.

Our persistent request of needs or wants causes us to turn to God often without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and in turn God will use that to grow us in the process (Romans 8:28) for “… we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)

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Teach Us to Pray – Part 5

The Kedge Anchor

Prayer is a big subject. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. I think we humans tend to make it what it’s not and complicate it. What’s important is we talk to God and listen to His response. I do believe it is important to pray everyday. And that may look different for each of us.

For me the basics, praying daily to the Father as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s prayer and having a place everyday to pray away from everyone, alone as Jesus set that example for us. Luke 4:42 – “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.” Luke 11:1 -“He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Matthew 6:6-13 sums it up  – “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; …”

The time of day may not be early in the morning, it could be at noon or in the evening. Your quiet place may not be a mountain. It could be a prayer closet, a room, your car, or sitting outside under a tree in your yard. And it could change from time to time.

We don’t always have to have our heads bowed and hands folded. We can pray standing with our hands lifted or on our knees. We can pray while dancing or while walking and singing. God sees our heart. I like to have the heart of a child when I approach God, unabashed, with boldness. Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Sometimes kids don’t have filters. They just speak their minds. There is no hiding our feelings from God.

But don’t let these things, these ways, routines, think that God will only answer your prayer if you do these things and don’t miss a beat. Yes there is a way to pray and God hears your prayer and He will answer them according to His TIMING!! That’s the key, His timing. Trust His timing.

Keep it simple. “Pray without ceasing” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

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Teach Us to Pray – Part 3

The Kedge Anchor

Welcome back again and thank you. Prayer is an important part of the Christian life. After all it is how we communicate with our Heavenly Father. “Never stop praying.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The KJV says “Pray without ceasing.” The greek word for ceasing is adialeiptōs , translated –  incessantly. Makes me think of a pesky insect, like a fly continually landing on my food or buzzing around my face. It just doesn’t stop.

That’s what God is trying to tell us in Paul’s letter to Thessolanica, be pesky with prayer. Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” And Ephesians 6:18 – “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Pray at all times and go to God about everything.

He wants to hear it all. The small things, like finding your lost keys, helping you with deciding where to go for dinner, He wants to be included in all you do. He wants to hear about how excited you are about finding something you lost, or how a memory makes you happy, and He wants to hear about your bad day, how a co-worker made you feel angry or how you messed up. Sometimes we don’t know what to pray. And the cool thing is, we don’t always have to talk. We just need to be present in His presence and listen. We can always find something for which to praise Him. Thank Him for all that He is doing, has done and will do because God is faithful. Thank Him when you get the perfect parking space, thank Him for finding a lost item, thank Him being able to tie your shoes and if you can’t thank Him for the person who could. Praise Him for His creation, for the song birds, the rain, the sun, praise Him for the small things and the big things. Thank Him for the person who delivers your pizza 🙂

So as you begin the weekend, be pesky in prayer, in all things, all the time and be present in His presence.

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