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
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