Prayerless Praying
Why do we not pray? What are the hindrances to prayer? This is not a curious nor trivial question. It goes not only to the whole matter of our praying, but to the whole matter of our religion. Religion is bound to decline when praying is hindered. That which hinders praying, hinders religion. He who is too busy to pray will be too busy to live a holy life.
Other duties become pressing and absorbing and crowd out prayer. If you Ignore your garden, weeds quickly overtake and choke out the beauty and just as easily… our prayer life can be choked to death. This way of hindering prayer becomes so natural, so easy, so innocent that it comes on us all unawares. If we will allow our praying to be crowded out, it will always be done. Satan had rather we let the grass grow on the path to our prayer-chamber than anything else. A vacant chamber of prayer means that a believer has gone out of business religiously or what is worse, made a change & is carrying out our religion in some other name than God’s and to somebody else’s glory. In the business of religion, God’s glory is only secured when we practice that religion with a large capital of prayer.
The process of hindering prayer by crowding it out is simple and goes in stages. First, prayer is hurried through. Unrest and agitation, which are fatal to all devout exercises, comes in. Then the time is shortened, desire for the exercise fades.
Then it is crowded into a corner and depends on the fragments of time for its exercise. Its value depreciates. The duty has lots its importance. It no longer commands respect nor brings benefit. It has fallen out of esteem, out of the heart, out of the habits, out of the life. We cease to pray and cease to live spiritually.
One of Satan’s wiliest tricks is to destroy the best by the good. Business and other duties are good, but we are so filled with these that they crowd out and destroy the best. Prayer holds the citadel for God, and if Satan can by any means weaken prayer he has succeeded, and when prayer is dead the citadel is taken. We must keep prayer as the faithful sentinel keeps guard, with sleepless vigilance. We must not keep it half-starved and feeble as a baby, but we must keep it in giant strength. Our prayer-chamber should have our freshest strength, our calmest time, its hours unfettered, without obtrusion, without haste. Private place and plenty of time are the life of prayer.
“Men would pray better if they lived better”
Prayer in the Old Testament is called wrestling, conflict and skill, strenuous, exhaustive efforts are involved. In the New Testament we have the terms striving, laboring fervently, fervent, effectual, agony, all indicating intense effort put forth, difficulties overcome.
“Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.”
Prayer is not the fruit of natural talents; it is the product of faith, of holiness, of deeply spiritual character. We learn to pray as we learn to love.
We must live for God out of the closet if we would meet God in the closet. We must bless God by praying lives if we would have God’s blessing in the closet. We must do God’s will in our lives if we would have God’s ear in the closet. We must listen to God’s voice in public if we would have God listen to our voice in private. God must have our hearts out of the closet, if we would have God’s presence in the closet. If we would have God in the closet, God must have us out of the closet. There is no way of praying to God, but by living to God. The closet is not a confessional, simply, but the hour of holy communion and high and sweet intercourse and of intense intercession.
“Then shalt thou call and the Lord shalt answer, Thou shalt cry and He shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth the finger, and speaking vanity.” Isaiah 58:9
We are to pray “lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.” 1 Timothy 2:8
Know when to speak #20
This will be an interesting session. A number of comments have come to me regarding the questions or statements from last month. The bulk of the comments were to question whether the Bible really deals with every question or statement. This month we’ll take a look at each question and see what the Bible says about it.
1. The rapture will take place on October 27, 2011.
Ans.: Let’s turn in the Bible to Matthew 24: 35-36; “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
edit. note: I think I’ll go with the Father rather than someone’s prediction.
2. Satan can appear as an angel of light.
Ans: Look at: 2 Corinthians 11:14: “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
note: Satan’s masterful deception is to appear in the guise of an angel of light. These teachers, or servants appear as preachers of righteousness.
3. There are at least a dozen ways to get to heaven.
Ans.: John 14:6 answers this one. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’”
edit note: There doesn’t appear to be any other way……
4. There is no hell, only different levels of heaven.
Ans.: We get an idea of hell when we look at the punishment God has established for fallen angels and humans that have chosen not to have a relationship with Him. Look at 2 Peter 4-5: “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”
edit note: I don’t see multiple levels of heaven here. I do see a hell that doesn’t look very nice.
5. There are many gods and ways to heaven.
Ans.: As we look at John 1:1, we’ll see how this works. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..
edit note: Looks like only one God to me. There are cults that use this verse and change one word in it to denote more than one god. And, the ways to heaven is answered in number 3 above with John 14:6.
6. All scripture is inspired by God.
Ans.: This one is quite interesting. I’ve heard many people state that the Bible is just a bunch of stories written by people that may have been under some influence. Well, they had the ‘influence’ part right. Look at 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness:”
edit note: The word ‘inspired’ is actually translated as ‘God breathed’. This being the case, these people were under an influence… God’s!
7. Jesus is God.
Ans: This usually brings on some interesting conversation. And….it’s good to have biblical backup when sharing this group of three words. A good place to start is back in John 1:1, (see number 5 above), and move on to verse 14 of the same chapter and book, which says: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
And, let’s put a crown on this. Look at John 20:28: “Thomas answered and said, ‘My Lord and my God!”
8. You must be reincarnated a number of times before you can be with God.
Ans: There is no indication of being reincarnated a number of times before you can be with God. In fact, as we look at Hebrews 9:27, we see the procedure: “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment;”
9. Baptism is the sole act that provides salvation.
Ans: There is a number of thoughts here regarding the act of baptism. As we look at Acts 2:38: “ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
note: Water baptism is the outward sign of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is through faith in Christ, not in the act of baptism.
10. Where will you find the following?
“Let not the believer take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security.”
Ans: I’m sure no one was fooled by this one. You won’t find this one in the Bible. Close examination reveals that our Lord would never state Scripture in such a way. As we look close we will see illustrated the lack of love that God teaches throughout the Bible.
You will find this piece of literature in the Koran (Qur’an) 3:28.
A LITTLE HUMOR
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; It just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping - never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.
Live simply and appreciate what you have.
Give more.
Expect less
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Persistence in Prayer
Throughout His ministry, Christ made it clear that importunity is a distinguishing characteristic of true praying. We must not only pray, but we must pray with great urgency, with intensity, and with repetition. We must not only pray, but we must also pray again and again. We must not get tired of praying. We must be thoroughly in earnest, deeply concerned about the things for which we ask, for Jesus Christ made it very plain that the secret of prayer and its success lie in its urgency. We must press our prayers upon God. Read Luke 18:1-8. This poor woman’s case was a most hopeless one, but importunity brings hope from the realms of despair and creates success where neither success nor its conditions existed. There could be no stronger case, to show how unwearied and dauntless importunity gains its ends where everything else fails. The preface to this parable says: “He spoke a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” He knew that men would soon get faint-hearted in praying, so to hearten us He gives this picture of the marvelous power of importunity. Other parables are about persistence are found in Luke 11:5-10, about the persistence of annoying friends, and in Mark 7:24-30, the Syrophenician woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon. Without persistence, prayers may go unanswered. Importunity is made up of the ability to hold on, to press on, to wait with unrelaxed and unrelaxable grasp, restless desire and restful patience. Importunate prayer is not an incident, but the main thing, not a performance, but a passion, not a need but a necessity. Importunity, it may be repeated, is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to count the times, but to gain the prayer. We cannot quit praying because heart and soul are in it. We pray “with all perseverance.” We hang to our prayers because by them we live. We press our pleas because we must have them or die. The benefits and necessity of importunity are taught by Old Testament saints. Praying men must be strong in hope, and faith, and prayer. They must know how to wait and to press, to wait on God and be in earnest in our approaches to Him.
Jesus illustrated & perfected pleading & waiting
Abraham has left us an example of importunate intercession in his passionate pleading with Cod on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, and if, as already indicated, he had not ceased in his asking, perhaps Cod would not have ceased in His giving.
“Abraham left off asking before God left off granting.” Moses taught the power of importunity when he interceded for Israel forty days and forty nights, by fasting and prayer. And he succeeded in his importunity. Jesus, in His teaching and example, illustrated and perfected this principle of Old Testament pleading and waiting. How strange that the only Son of God, who came on a mission direct from His Father, whose only life and law were to do His Father’s will in that mission—what a mystery that He should be under the law of prayer, that the blessings which came to Him were impregnated and purchased by prayer; stranger still that importunity in prayer was the process by which His wealthiest supplies from God were gained. His all-night praying was that which filled with compassion and power His all-day work. The importunate praying of His life crowned His death with its triumph. He learned the high lesson of submission to God’s will in the struggles of importunate prayer before He illustrated that submission so sublimely on the cross. Charles Spurgeon said: “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom. “Ask, and ye shall receive.” It is a rule that never will be altered in anybody’s case. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the. elder brother of the family, but God has not relaxed the rule for Him. Remember this text: Jehovah says to His own Son, “Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the heaven for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” If the Royal and Divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that He may have, you and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be? God will bless Elijah and send rain on Israel, but Elijah must pray for it. If the chosen nation is to prosper, Samuel must plead for it. If the Jews are to be delivered, Daniel must intercede. God will bless Paul, and the nations shall be converted through him, but Paul must pray. Pray he did without ceasing; his epistles show that he expected nothing except by asking for it. If you may have everything by asking, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is, and I beseech you to abound in it.” God loves the importunate pleader, and sends him answers that would never have been granted but for the persistency that refuses to let go until the petition craved for is granted.
The country is in need of help, be it economical, leadership, or spiritual. God tells us of His requirements for blessings. If the country shows humility, prayer, devotion and repentance, He will heal our land.
2 Chronicles 7:14: “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Know when to speak #19
This month we’ll look at some statements and questions that may come up in the course of a conversation you might have with someone about the Lord.
If you have a good grip on the armament shown during the last 18 months, these points will be easier to discuss. The statements come from a number of different faiths, and can be answered from the Bible.
---------------
1 The rapture will occur on October 27, 2011.
2. Satan can appear as an angel of light.
3. There are at least a dozen ways to get to heaven.
4. There is no hell, only different levels of heaven.
5. There are many gods, and ways to heaven.
6. All scripture is inspired by God.
7. Jesus is God.
8. You must be reincarnated a number of times before you can be with God.
9. Baptism is the sole act that provides salvation.
10. Where will you find the following?
“Let not the believer take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security.”
Throughout His ministry, Christ made it clear that importunity is a distinguishing characteristic of true praying. We must not only pray, but we must pray with great urgency, with intensity, and with repetition. We must not only pray, but we must also pray again and again. We must not get tired of praying. We must be thoroughly in earnest, deeply concerned about the things for which we ask, for Jesus Christ made it very plain that the secret of prayer and its success lie in its urgency. We must press our prayers upon God. Read Luke 18:1-8. This poor woman’s case was a most hopeless one, but importunity brings hope from the realms of despair and creates success where neither success nor its conditions existed. There could be no stronger case, to show how unwearied and dauntless importunity gains its ends where everything else fails. The preface to this parable says: “He spoke a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” He knew that men would soon get faint-hearted in praying, so to hearten us He gives this picture of the marvelous power of importunity. Other parables are about persistence are found in Luke 11:5-10, about the persistence of annoying friends, and in Mark 7:24-30, the Syrophenician woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon. Without persistence, prayers may go unanswered. Importunity is made up of the ability to hold on, to press on, to wait with unrelaxed and unrelaxable grasp, restless desire and restful patience. Importunate prayer is not an incident, but the main thing, not a performance, but a passion, not a need but a necessity. Importunity, it may be repeated, is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to count the times, but to gain the prayer. We cannot quit praying because heart and soul are in it. We pray “with all perseverance.” We hang to our prayers because by them we live. We press our pleas because we must have them or die. The benefits and necessity of importunity are taught by Old Testament saints. Praying men must be strong in hope, and faith, and prayer. They must know how to wait and to press, to wait on God and be in earnest in our approaches to Him.
Jesus illustrated & perfected pleading & waiting
Abraham has left us an example of importunate intercession in his passionate pleading with Cod on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, and if, as already indicated, he had not ceased in his asking, perhaps Cod would not have ceased in His giving.
“Abraham left off asking before God left off granting.” Moses taught the power of importunity when he interceded for Israel forty days and forty nights, by fasting and prayer. And he succeeded in his importunity. Jesus, in His teaching and example, illustrated and perfected this principle of Old Testament pleading and waiting. How strange that the only Son of God, who came on a mission direct from His Father, whose only life and law were to do His Father’s will in that mission—what a mystery that He should be under the law of prayer, that the blessings which came to Him were impregnated and purchased by prayer; stranger still that importunity in prayer was the process by which His wealthiest supplies from God were gained. His all-night praying was that which filled with compassion and power His all-day work. The importunate praying of His life crowned His death with its triumph. He learned the high lesson of submission to God’s will in the struggles of importunate prayer before He illustrated that submission so sublimely on the cross. Charles Spurgeon said: “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom. “Ask, and ye shall receive.” It is a rule that never will be altered in anybody’s case. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the. elder brother of the family, but God has not relaxed the rule for Him. Remember this text: Jehovah says to His own Son, “Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the heaven for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” If the Royal and Divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that He may have, you and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be? God will bless Elijah and send rain on Israel, but Elijah must pray for it. If the chosen nation is to prosper, Samuel must plead for it. If the Jews are to be delivered, Daniel must intercede. God will bless Paul, and the nations shall be converted through him, but Paul must pray. Pray he did without ceasing; his epistles show that he expected nothing except by asking for it. If you may have everything by asking, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is, and I beseech you to abound in it.” God loves the importunate pleader, and sends him answers that would never have been granted but for the persistency that refuses to let go until the petition craved for is granted.
The country is in need of help, be it economical, leadership, or spiritual. God tells us of His requirements for blessings. If the country shows humility, prayer, devotion and repentance, He will heal our land.
2 Chronicles 7:14: “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Know when to speak #19
This month we’ll look at some statements and questions that may come up in the course of a conversation you might have with someone about the Lord.
If you have a good grip on the armament shown during the last 18 months, these points will be easier to discuss. The statements come from a number of different faiths, and can be answered from the Bible.
---------------
1 The rapture will occur on October 27, 2011.
2. Satan can appear as an angel of light.
3. There are at least a dozen ways to get to heaven.
4. There is no hell, only different levels of heaven.
5. There are many gods, and ways to heaven.
6. All scripture is inspired by God.
7. Jesus is God.
8. You must be reincarnated a number of times before you can be with God.
9. Baptism is the sole act that provides salvation.
10. Where will you find the following?
“Let not the believer take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security.”
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