40 Days of Prayer - Friday, May 31 - Devotion 10 - Prayer is two-way communication by Ben Delong

Prayer is Two-Way Communication

I Samuel 23:10-12 - Then David said, "O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.  Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant." And the Lord said, "He will come down."  Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the Lord said, "They will surrender you."

These verses depict a time before David became king that Saul was seeking to kill him.  David and his men had just come to the rescue of the city of Keilah and had defeated the Philistines with help from God.  Saul found out that David was now in the city.  Thinking that this was his opportunity to finally catch and kill David, Saul was coming to get him.  In this time of great need, David turned to God.

What is most fascinating about these verses is not just that David inquired of God, but that God answered him immediately and directly.  David had a two-way conversation with God.  He didn't just say, "God, help me."  He was specific in his prayer and asked God for the answer.  And the answer came immediately, with God speaking directly to David.  If we follow in David's example, being specific and willing to listen, prayer can be two-way communication.

As you pray today, write down what you pray for and watch how God answers. When God answers, write down the answer and share God's faithfulness with others to encourage them to pray this way also.

In Christ, Ben Delong

40 Days of Prayer - Thursday, May 30 - Devotion 9 - His Kingdom First by Ben Delong

His Kingdom First

Matthew 6:33-34 - But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  (NASB)

 So often we come to God in prayer asking for our needs.  "Heal my mother who is sick."  "Help me to get out of debt."  "Help me get that big promotion at work."  These aren't necessarily bad prayers, but our focus is wrong.  We are asking God to help build our kingdom.  Instead of us seeking God's will and God's righteousness first, we skip straight to asking God for what we want.

 The context of these verses is Jesus talking about worry.  He tells us not to worry about our lives - the clothes that we will wear or the food that we will eat.  God will take care of all of those things for us if we trust Him.  Instead, Jesus tells us to first seek after God - His Kingdom and His Righteousness - and everything else will be taken care of.  This applies especially to our prayers.  If we focus our time with God on His Kingdom and His Righteousness, everything else will fall into place.

Do we really believe this? Do we believe God will take care of everything else in our life if we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first?  We often talk about things we care most about. The same holds true for our prayers. We often pray most about the things we care most about.  What in our life are we seeking first? Spend time this day asking the Lord to help you throw off the things (sins) that so easily entangle and fix your eyes on Jesus.

In Christ, Ben Delong

40 Days of Prayer - Wednesday, May 29 - Devotion 8

Assurance of Answered Prayer

1 John 5:14 (ESV)
¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

This has to be one of the most remarkable verses in the whole Bible for us today.  It speaks of the confidence we have in God answering prayer and our knowing that He heard and granted what we asked of Him.

Read this verse again and let the words sink deep within you. 

1 John 5:14 (ESV)
¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Consider
How must we pray in order to know that God has heard our prayers and granted the things we asked of Him?  Answer: When we pray according to His will. Another question should begin to rise in our minds. How do I pray according to God's will? Answer: God's word.  If you are just beginning this journey of prayer or have been on this journey for quite some time, there are no better things to pray for than what God's word directs us to pray for. 

Apply
Let me give you a few to begin to incorporate into your prayer time.

1. Pray for God to be glorified in your life. 
1 Corinthians 3: 18 ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing & give thanks in all circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.

3. Pray for wisdom and do not doubt
James 1:5-8 ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

4. Pray to abide in Christ and for His words to abide in you so you bear much fruit
John 15:7-8  ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

5. Pray for your faith
Hebrews 11:6 ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

6. Confess your sins
1 John 1:9-10 ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

7. Ask for the Holy Spirit
Luke 11:13 ¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

There are many more promises of God that could be listed, but these are just a few to begin with. If you have others that you know are God's will, write them down when you pray and watch God answer. He says we can have confidence in praying according to His will!

In Christ, Bryan















 

40 Days of Prayer - Tuesday, May 28 - Devotion 7

Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)
⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

What a promise! Everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks the door is opened. Wow! But what does it mean to ask, seek and knock? Andrew Murray in his book, With Christ In The School of Prayer, states "A difference in meaning has been sought in the words the Lord uses: ask, seek, knock. If it was indeed His purpose for these three words to have distinct meanings, then first, ask, refers to the gifts we pray for. But we may ask and receive the gift without the giver. Seek is the word scripture uses of God himself. Christ assures us that we can find Him. But it is not enough to find God in time of need without coming into abiding fellowship with Him. Knock refers to admission to dwell within Him. Asking and receiving the gift would thus lead to seeking and finding the giver, and from there to the knocking on and opening of the door to the Father's home and love."

Murray goes on and says, "One thing is sure: the Lord wants us to believe most certainly that asking, seeking, and knocking cannot be in vain. Receiving an answer, finding God, and the opening of His heart and home are the certain fruits of prayer."

Ask yourself this question today before you pray, "would I be ok with the gift without the giver?" When you pray, ask God to reveal the true desire of your heart. So often we do care more about the gift then the giver.  The greatest gift God can give us is the gift of Himself!

As I wrestle through this in my own prayers, I have realized, I too often want the power without the presence. I too often want the gift without the giver. This struck me pretty hard as I found myself praying for revival  recently but questioning whether I wanted the reform in my own life that comes with revival.  Prayer of asking, seeking and knocking, as mentioned above, would mean "letting go and letting God." Are you ready to pray this way. Remember, with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine!

In Christ, Bryan

40 Days Of Prayer - Monday, May 27 - Devotion 6

What is Prayer
Sunday's message

1.     Prayer is drawing near to God
James 4:8-10  8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Hebrews 10:19-23 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

2.     Prayer is calling unto God
Psalm 145:18-19 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

Joel 2:32 All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

3.     Prayer is listening to God
It may be that one of our great faults in prayer is that we talk too much and listen too little. When prayer is at its highest, we wait in for God's voice.

John 10:27 says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." Do you hear God's voice? When was the last time you heard God speak to you?

When was the last time you personally heard from God? I don’t mean in a vague, distant way; I mean personally? Do you hear the Lord speak to you? This should be commonplace in our lives in Christ when we pray. Listening to the Lord is completely linked with what Prayer is and its effect in our lives.

 So, how can we discipline ourselves to hear the voice of God? Consider these practical tips:

• Plan ahead. Restructure your schedule so you can spend uninterrupted time with God. Find a quiet place and bring along your Bible, notebook, and pen. Maybe you enjoy worshipping with music and would like to use your favorite worship music.

• Prepare yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically. It is essential that you come to God with a pure heart, righteous motives, and a desire to hear from Him. Spend time confessing sin and receiving God's forgiveness.

• Spend time in prayer, worship, Bible reading, and meditation on God's Word. As you read God's Word, ask Him to speak to you. God speaks to His children through His written Word.

• Wait expectantly. This is not a time to zone out or think of the activities for later in the day. Feel free to ask Him questions and then await His answer.  Write down what you hear from God or any direction you receive about a certain issue.

• Obey whatever God tells you to do.

• Continue your time of waiting on God throughout the day. Always be listening for His voice.

In Christ, Bryan

40 Days Of Prayer - Saturday, May 25 - Scripture Reading

1 Peter 1:13-25 (Amplified Bible)
13 So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and
unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.

14 [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].

15 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

16 For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

17 And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short].

18 You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,

 19 But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.

 20 It is true that He was chosen and foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you.

 21 Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God. 

22 Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart.

 23 You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.

 24 For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like [the] flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off,

 25 But the Word of the Lord (divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever. And this Word is the good news which was preached to you.

In Christ, Bryan

40 Days of Prayer - Friday, May 24 - Devotion 5

Prayer Changes You
Exodus 32

I love pondering Exodus 32:32. You know the story. Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt, across the Red Sea and into the wilderness of Sinai. It was in the wilderness of Sinai that the Israelites remained while the LORD descended on Mount Sinai.  God called Moses up to the mountain and gave him the Ten Commandments and instruction regarding acceptable behavior and how the tabernacle was to be assembled along with its furnishings. Moses spent 40 days communing with the LORD. While Moses was communing with the LORD the Israelites were creating a golden calf. The situation goes from good to bad quickly. God revealed to Moses the wickedness of the Israelites and His judgment upon them.

 Exodus 32:7-10 ⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. ⁸ They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” ⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. ¹⁰ Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

How would you think Moses would have responded?  Exodus 32:32 tells us what Moses said, ³² But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written. How would you have responded to Israel's sin? I ask myself often if I would have responded as Moses did
and been willing to have my name blotted out instead of theirs. Moses offered to have his own name blotted out of the book of life. His time in communion with God changed him.

Henry Blackaby says, God will use prayer times to soften your heart and change your focus. As you pray for others, the Holy Spirit will work in your heart so that you have the same compassion for them that God does (Romans 8:26-27). If you do not love people as you should, pray for them. If you are not serving God as you should, pray. You cannot be exposed to God's heart and remain complacent. The time spent with God will change you and make you more like Christ.

In Christ, Bryan

40 Days of Prayer - Thursday, May 23 - Devotion 4

Our Desire In Prayer

2 Chronicles 7:12-15
¹² Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³ When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, ¹⁴ if 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 and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

Question
When you pray is it your desire to conform God to your will or for you to be conformed to His will? Oh how often I have desired wrong!  I have to admit this is a scary thought. And, if we are honest with ourselves, we may say we want God's will, but with limitations.  Are we willing to so humble ourselves before God that all our dependence rests in Him?  If so, we should pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. 

Consider
God wants us to pray because prayer expresses our trust in God. Faith and trust our synonymous throughout scripture.    Scripture says in Romans 14:23, "Whatever does not come from faith is sin"  and Hebrews 11:6 says, "without faith it is impossible to please God."  The most obvious demonstration of our faith before God is through prayer. Prayer shows our humble dependence upon God! Prayer says, "God, you know best so I will seek you." Prayer says, "God, your ways are not my ways so I will learn of your ways." Prayer says, "God, I am depending upon you and trusting in you for all things in life."  Prayer says, "God, you alone are able to do what is impossible with man."

Apply  
 I would like to give you 4 things to consider as you go through this day:
1. Realize you are called by His name. Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "you are not your own but you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
2. Humble yourself before God. Remember God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6)  and we definitely need grace.
3. Seek His face. We usually seek God when we have time or when it is convenient. Scripture says in Matthew 6:33, "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and everything else will be added." Do you trust Him with this promise?
4. Turn from anything today that is not of faith. Think about everything you do, is it by faith? So often the things we do in life become such a habit that we forget God gives us the very breath we have in order for us to bring glory to Him in all we do.

In Christ, Bryan

40 Days of Prayer - Wednesday, May 22 - Devotion 3

Lord, teach us to pray

 Luke 11:1-4 (ESV)
 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” ² And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
³ Give us each day our daily bread,
⁴ and forgive us our sins,
    for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”   

Question

Have you ever seen someone do something and you were just astonished at how awesome they were? We often see celebrities and are amazed at their ability to act. Or think of the athletes we hail as gods and the musicians we so esteem. We are simply amazed at the greatness of their abilities. As I get older (and I'm not that old) I often find myself being less and less amazed at peoples abilities to entertain or perform great stunts and acts. We have all seen many great feats and performances yet someone will most likely come along and entertain us more and out perform the greatest athlete or movie star of today .  But, I can not even fathom what it would have been like to hear Jesus pray. I mean this is the Son talking to the Father and no one has ever seen anything like it, nor will they ever see anything like it again in this life. 

Consider

If you could  make one request of Jesus, what would it be?  Now the disciples had made many requests. Some were foolish and self centered and none seem quite as prominent or as important as this one request they made. Lord, teach us to pray. These Jewish disciples of Jesus had prayers they were taught to recite all throughout the day, they were actually trained in prayer as young Jewish boys. They knew how to pray, but they had never seen or heard anyone pray like Jesus. 

Andrew Murray, With Christ In The School Of Prayer,  "Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple that the feeblest child can pray, it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which man can rise. Prayer is fellowship with the unseen and Most Holy One. The powers of the eternal world have been placed at prayer's disposal. It is the very essence of true religion and the channel of all blessings. It is the secret of power and life not only for ourselves, but for others, for the Church, and for the world. It is to pray that God has given the right to take hold of Him and His strength. It is on prayer that the promises wait for their fulfillment, the kingdom waits for its coming, and the glory of God waits for its full revelation."

Apply

Our first two devotions focused on "What is prayer?" So, now that we have a general understanding of what prayer is, ask Jesus to teach you to pray.  Don't be to quick to blow this off and say, "I already know how to pray and don't need taught." Well, I thought that also, until I started studying prayer and made the request, "Lord teach me to pray." Jesus began to show me hindrances to my prayers and how self centered my prayers really were. Ask Him to teach you to pray and follow what He says.

In Christ, Bryan 

40 Days of Prayer - Tuesday, May 21 - Devotion 2

Question

What is prayer?

If I were to define prayer in a few simple words, I would simply say prayer is communicating with God. I have noticed as a parent, as a husband, as a friend, and as a son, that communication is key in all my relationships.  If I don't communicate with my children or my parents, I quickly lose touch with them. If I don't communicate with my friends, I don't know what's happening in their lives on a regular basis and I feel distant from them.  If I don't communicate with my wife, well let's just say, it is as though "the gates of Hell are prevailing." The biggest fights in any of my relationships have been because of lack of communication.

All relationships are based on communication. When communication is happening there is clarity in understanding, whether I like what is being communicated or not.  I have found I often communicate well with the people I care the most about because I have taken the time to learn of them.  I long to talk to them and to listen to what's on their mind. It's like a thirst that is unquenchable. I can't get enough.

However, I am also an avoider. When I don't like the things that are being communicated or I don't know how to communicate with someone, I avoid communicating. I am also selfish and have found my communication is hindered by my own selfish-desires.

Consider

I have learned a few things about communication I would like to share with you.

1st - Communication takes time and effort.
2nd - Communication is not one sided.
3rd - Communication involves as much listening as talking.
4th - Communication is vital to a healthy relationship.

James 4:1-10 says, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? ² You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. ⁴ You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? ⁶ But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Apply

How is your communication with God? Have you drawn near to Him? If so, He promises to draw near to you. Have you humbled yourself before Him? He opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Spend this day taking the time and effort to communicate with God. Don't just talk to Him, but listen to Him.

In Christ, Bryan

40 Days of Prayer - Monday, May 20th - Devotion 1

Today we are beginning 40 Days of Prayer.  We will have devotions and a sermon series focused on prayer. As we embark on this 40 days, I will be praying for you a portion of Paul's prayer he prayed for the church in Ephesus, during this time. "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come (Ephesians 1:15-21 ESV).

Question
What is prayer? How would you define prayer?
I recently read a story about Dwight Moody. Mr. Moody was speaking to a group of children in Edinburg, the capital of Scotland. In an effort to get their attention he began by asking them this question, "What is prayer?" Mr. Moody was not necessarily looking for a reply, but to his surprise, a score of hands shot up across the room. He asked one young boy to reply and the answer was clear and correct. The boy said, "Prayer is an offering up of our desires onto God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies." Mr. Moody was delighted at such a response. I could in no way give a better reply. I am actually astonished at this young boy's answer. I wonder if we could answer the question, "what is prayer," with such precision and accuracy?

Consider
This young boy has covered every necessary element to defining what true prayer is. When you pray do you offer up your desires to God for things agreeable to His will? 1 John 5:14-15 says, "And this is the confidence we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."  Oh what a confidence! Today as you pray, consider what you are offering up to Him. Are you praying in agreement with His will or are you trying to get Him to do something for you? Offer yourself to Him this day as a living sacrifice! Spend the next few moments with Him in stillness. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." So often we want God to do our will so we often pray asking Him to do our will.

Apply 
1st - Be still before Him and know that He is God and you are not. 
2nd - Speak to God and simply tell Him what you know of His greatness
3rd - Be still before Him and know that He is God
4th - Speak to God and ask Him for His will to be done in your life and ask Him if there is anything in your life that is not in line with His will.
5th - Be still before Him and listen to what He has to say!
6th - Speak to God and ask Him for forgiveness for anything in your life that has fallen short of His glory and is not in line with His will.
7th - Resolve before Him today to live His will by the power of His Spirit that lives in you
Finally - close your time in prayer thanking Him for His mercies in Jesus name

I am looking forward to all God has for us during this time! In Christ, Bryan