Calling on the Lord!

There are two activities that are worthy of our life's commitment: one is world missions, the other is effectual prayer.  It would be good to have it honestly said of us at our funeral, "He was a man of prayer that gave his life to getting the Gospel to every unsaved person in his community and around the world."

• Consider the Priority of Prayer. 1 Chronicles 16:11, "Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually." Luke 18:1, "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing."   All throughout Scripture we find that the men and women greatly used of God were men and women of earnest prayer.  Prayer must be the highest priority for our church and for each of us as individuals.  Note: prayer does not replace activity - when we genuinely pray for the unsaved, it's not long till we are up off our knees sharing the Gospel, when we genuinely pray for the needs of the church, it's not long till our wallet is out and we are giving, when we genuinely prayer for purity and revival, it's not long till we are purifying our lives.

• Consider the "Perks" of Prayer. Prayer has many "perks" or benefits to the one praying, for instance, we experience the NEARNESS OF GOD. Psalm 145:18, "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth."   The word "nigh" is not referring to the physical nearness of the Lord (we have that all the time, He is omnipresent), but rather a relational nearness.  We experience a close relationship with God. Also, the FULFILLMENT OF OBEDIENCE.  When I earnestly pray, I am obeying God which brings great joy and fulfillment.  Also, the "perk" of being SHIELDED FROM TEMPTATION. Mark 14:38, "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." There are many temptations and struggles we have that we would not need to face if we prayed earnestly like we should. There are some battles we face that we could avoid if we just prayed like we should.  The "perk" of REVIVAL. 2 Chronicle 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Behind every revived church is a praying member, behind every saved soul is a praying soul winner, behind every revived nation is a praying people.  Prayer is vital to revival.  And then the "perk" of ANSWERED PRAYER. Matthew 7:7-8, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."  When we live without prayer, we get the life we can produce, when we live by prayer, we get the life, God can produce.

  
  

• Consider the Prerequisites for Prayer.  First of all, a PURE HEART. Psalm 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"  The Lord will not hear the prayers of a sinful heart. Then, FAITH. James 1:6-7, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." We must ask in faith, nothing wavering.   Then, UNSELFISH PRAYERS. James 4:3, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." Then, PRAYING ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. 1 John 5:14, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:" The promise of prayer is not a "blank check" to receive what ever my flesh lusts after!  Then, PATIENCE.  We must learn to wait on God.  God does not work on our schedule.  A prayer answered two years after I pray is just as much an answer as one answered to minutes after I pray.  And then, GRATITUDE.  When we learn to be genuinely grateful for what God has already done for us, we'll see Him do even greater things in response to our prayers.  The only one who can keep my prayers from being answered is myself!!

Let's commit ourselves completely to the great commission of taking the Gospel to every person on this planet and then, to being men and women of God who sincerely and fervently pray.