Changed by Prayer

Sometimes I find myself mistakenly thinking that my prayer will change God's mind and course of action in my life. Most often however, prayer causes me to change more than anything (or anyone) else.

See the example of Jesus in Luke 9:29, 'As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.'

On this point, Matthew Henry writes:
The waterman in the boat, who with his hook takes hold of the shore, does not thereby pull the shore to the boat, but the boat to the shore. So in prayer we do not draw the mercy to ourselves, but ourselves to the mercy.

Zacharias on Prayer

Ravi Zacharias was the 2008 Honorary Chairman of America's National Day of Prayer. Below is an excerpt of his keynote address at The Cannon House in Washington, on May 1, 2008. Typical of Zacharias, the address is thorough, insightful and loaded with excellent quotes and illustrations.

"...I’ve spoken to our troops in Doha Qatar and at Ramstein prayed with our wounded. In many of the bases I have been, at the end of each meeting there’s a line up of some of the finest young men and women in the world, armed with some of the finest weaponry, asking if you’ll just put your hand on their shoulder and pray for them. They want that power that is greater than what the military might alone can bring.

The famed John Chrysostom, writing in the 400s, said this,

“The potency of prayer hath subdued the strength of fire; it hath bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, burst the chains of death, expanded the gates of heaven, subdued evil instincts, assuaged diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-sufficient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by the clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is the root, the fountain, and the mother of a thousand blessings."

To view the entire speech, click here

Little by Little

Last week I asked God for a congregation of 300 people in Kings Noosa; yesterday there was 129 people.

Why didn't we have 300?

Exodus 23:30 says, "Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land."

Why is it that God doesn't always give us the things we ask, when we ask? Why is it that things don't always eventuate according to our intended timeframe?

Perhaps God is trying to tell us that our personal increase is more important than our promised inheritance? To receive all of our dreams without the process of development would be detrimental to us. God loves us too much to answer some of our prayers immediately.

The application. While I firmly hold onto God's great promises for my future, I commit to a daily discipline of excellence in the little things. Little by little I increase. Increase develops me for my inheritance.

Artie Shepherd has a great message on the thought of 'Little by Little'. Artie is one of the key team members at Kings, leading the fast growing Empire Youth & Young Adults ministry. A long-time skeptic of bloggers, Artie has succumbed and created his own blog. Artie, perhaps the message could be a blog post in the near future? Check out his blog here.

On Prayer

Ask any Christian if they believe that prayer is powerful and the answer will be an enthusiastic 'yes!'  Ask the same person how their prayer life is going and the answer is not always so enthusiastic.

Here are five things that may hinder us from an effective prayer life.

1. Disbelief

Hebrews 11:6 says '...he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'  Therefore there are three beliefs that are foundational for our prayer lives: 

A.   God is Approachable - '...he who comes to God'

- why would I pray to a God who I don't believe I am able to access?

B.  God is God - '...must believe that He is'

- why would I pray to a God who does not have the power to answer my prayer?

C. God is Good - '...He is a rewarder...'

- why would I pray to a God who I believe wants to harm me?

2. Disengagement

Just as a motionless car requires no fuel and a retired soldier requires no weapon, so too a faithless Christian requires no prayer.  When I am not taking steps of faith in response to the call of God on my life I have no need to pray.  Faith fuels prayer.  

3. Disappointment 

Disappointment has been defined as 'Dissatisfaction that arises when hopes are not realized'  If I believe that my TV is not working, I become dissatisfied with it and discard it.  So too, when a person believes that their prayers are not working, they become dissatisfied and discard it from their life.  In such times we can forget that 'no' or 'not yet' are reasonable answers at God's disposal.  

4. Distraction

Have you noticed that whenever you come to pray, suddenly a thousand things come to mind that vie for your attention?  Considering that 'traction' is what propels me forward, if I was the devil I would be eager to 'dis' your traction and keep your prayer life stagnant.  

That's why Jesus taught us to pray in our room with the door shut (Matt 6:6), stilling ourselves from the racket of life.  On this thought Charles Spurgeon writes, “Quietude, which some men cannot abide because it reveals their inward poverty, is as a palace of cedar to the wise, for along its hallowed courts the King in his beauty deigns to walk”

5. Disqualification

I'm convinced that guilt is the greatest reason why people do not approach God.  However Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace!  When I view God as a 'guilt giver' I will run from Him.  When I view God as a 'grace giver' I will run to Him.  

Charles Finney writes, "Persons never need hesitate, because of their past sins, to approach God with the fullest confidence. If they now repent, and are conscious of fully and honestly returning to God with all their heart, they have no reason to fear being repulsed from the footstool of mercy."

The Two Wings

Meditation qualifies for action; action demands new meditation.  These are the two wings, without both of which the eagle cannot rise.  "Come ye into the desert;" "Go and preach;" - these are the twin behests of Christ.

- Rev. D. Davies (The Pulpit Commentary - Deut 1:6)