In the book of Revelation, chapters 5 and 8, the Scriptures describe golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. In some versions, it says that the incense is a sweet aroma to His nostrils. No where does it say the age of the prayers, only that they were brought carefully into the throne room by the angels. E.M. Bounds makes a very life-changing point. My body will age and die, but the prayers that leave my tongue, are a blessing to the Father for all eternity.
2 Corinthians 4:18: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (Prayers are eternal)
How are you praying? Earlier I mentioned that we often have a genie perspective of God. Previously in my prayer walk, I would treat God like I had 3 good wishes. Do this, do that…I need this, I need that. Believe me, it is easy to do. We fail to build the relationship but demand the benefit of its power…like spoiled children at times. I do my Christian duties and then when I pray, I list out the things I need from God. Are you throwing a short prayer His way before you eat and maybe while in traffic…praying for the best parking spot? Or, are you actively pursuing a relationship with the Father through prayer? If you are a parent, perhaps even a dad and you are reading this right now. What would you rather hear from your child, whom you love:“Thanks for the food, your neat, let’s eat…”Or“Dad, I miss you. I really look forward to our time together. I long to be with you. I know you have everything worked out already, but I am worried about some things today. I need your help. I really blew it today. You told me what to do, but I still messed up. I will do better tomorrow. But I really need you to be with me as I am weak. All I really want to do is make you happy. I love you so much. I want to know you more each and every day. Help me and please forgive me.” Now you don’t have to pray those exact words, but you get the idea. What was different? The heart was different. The purpose, the intent and the respect is transparent. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice that goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things – which we know it is.
E.M. Bounds: “The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. When God's house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God's house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. "For mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" (Isaiah 56:7). Then, His earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand.”
God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be and the mightier the forces against evil everywhere. Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. Prayer is God's settled and singular condition to move ahead His Son's kingdom. Therefore, the believer who is the most highly skilled in prayer will do the most for God. Men are to pray – to pray for the advance of God's cause. The one who can wield the power of prayer is the strong one, the holy one, in Christ's kingdom. He is one of God's heroes, saints, servants, and agents. "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you" Matthew 7:7. The strongest one in Christ's kingdom is he who can knock the best, and the secret of success in Christ's kingdom is the ability to pray.
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I with them." – Matthew 18:19-20
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5 comments:
I have always tried to be a part of the National Day of prayer in some way. Several years ago when I had my own store I had prayer meetings there. I was thinking about that this morning during my Bible study and prayer time I felt God speak to my heart about having praise and worship as part of my prayer time. I often get caught up in requesting things and not remembering to thank God for all that He has done and who He is. There are many scriptures in the Bible that encourage praise as a part of our prayers. I was reading about how when Solomon was crowned king that the people rejoiced to the point that the earth shook and split. It is a study that Beth Moore authored about David. There are other places in the Bible that talks about the children of Israel praising God with a Loud voice. God is so worthy of our Praise. I would love to see Him receive from us the Praise He so greatly deserves.
Love and prayers,
marcy
MJOYL59, you are absolutely correct. We need to spend a great deal of time in praise and humility before God. The prayer Ezra prayed was one of the most powerful and if you read Daniel 9, you can't help but see the humility of God's messengers. As Ravi Zacharias said, the battle doesn't just begin with prayer...the battle is prayer. Try blocking out time for serious prayer and just watch how many issues come up to prevent you for spending time with the Lord. Thanks for your comments. We have so much more to cover.
I wanted to post the US press secretary's comments from yesterday (5-5-09) from the whitehouse.gov site. What a reason to pray for our country and its leadership!
Q Robert, can I ask about Thursday? The National Day of Prayer -- the President, as I understand it, is going to sign a proclamation but there's not going to be a public ceremony, as the Bush administration did. Why the difference in approach? Does the President have a different feeling about this event than his predecessor?
MR. GIBBS: No, I mentioned, I think when I was asked about this last week, that prayer is something that the President does every day. I think, given some of the issues that you all have denoted today, it might be a healthy thing. But we're doing a proclamation, which I know that many administrations in the past have done.
Q The previous administration had a ceremony with prayers and speeches and such. Does he think -- the current President think that that was politicized in some fashion?
MR. GIBBS: No, I'm not going to get into that. Again, I think the President understands, in his own life and in his family's life, the role that prayer plays. And I would denote that administrations prior to the past one did proclamations. That's the way the President will publicly observe National Prayer Day. But as I said, privately he'll pray as he does every day.
Q Is he going to pray at the church that he calls his own?
MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry --
Q Will he soon pray in a church that he calls his own?
MR. GIBBS: He may. Amen. (Laughter.)
I was having lunch today and had my laptop on. I would look at tech sites and download music or something other than Christian sites. I began to cry and had an urgentency to pray for this nation.
I went to YouTube and began to watch Kari Jobe leading "Revelation Song" at the the 2008 Gateway Worship. I did not know today was the National Day of Prayer, But I googled it and was surprised it was today. I want you to know God received the prayer of his people today. I felt him today and wanted you to know PRAYER WORKS!
Thank you all so very much for Praying for our Nation and its leaders.
Im sozo.
Matthew 6: 5-6 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you."
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