THE MEANING OF PRAYER/PRAYING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2022.

SUBJECT : THE MEANING OF PRAYER/PRAYING!

Memory verse: "Men ought always to pray and not faint." (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 9 - 13:

6:9: In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

6:10: Your kingdom come. Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

6:11: Give us this day our daily bread. 

6:12: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:13: And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

INTIMATION: 

Prayer is a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity. Praying is to speak reverently to God in order to express thanks or make a request. It is earnestly entreating God in sincerity of your intention—supplication. Prayer is our need crying out for help with the voice of faith to the Father. Prayer therefore, is born out of the sense of need, and the assurance that the need will be met. Prayer is one of the greatest opportunities given to man by God. It is one of the greatest privileges and ministries available to all Christians. Indeed everyone who seeks to take his or her place in the Kingdom of God should seek or learn how to pray effectively. 

Most Christians have realized the fact that the Father's heart is hungry for the companionship of His children. His heart hunger is the reason for man and his redemption. God wants a constant fellowship with His children. It was His plan from the beginning hence He visited Adam everyday in the Garden. He loves us and that love impels Him to call us to prayer.

It is God's Will that His children will come to His Throne Room, to stand in His presence  without reproof or condemnation. Jesus Christ, knowing the quest of the Father on His children, to commune with Him in prayer, said to the disciples while teaching them how to pray, "When you pray" (Matthew 6 vs 5), and not "if you pray." It is clearly God's intention that His children will always commune with their Loving Father, coming joyously into the presence of their Loving Parent, and are welcome.

In summary, prayer is part of God's program for us, to come before Him with our needs, trusting Him to meet those needs. Jesus Christ never taught His disciples how to preach but rather taught them how to pray. God not only welcomes us in prayer, He is waiting for us to pray. Consequently, He taught us to pray, and to do it always, as He is with us in this prayer life. 

In our memory verse, Jesus noted that we should persist in prayer and not give up. The apostle Paul collaborated this when he advised that we pray without ceasing (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17). However, this does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Always praying means keeping our requests constantly before God as we live for Him day by day, believing He will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but His delays have good reasons. As we persist in prayer we grow in character, faith, and hope. 

Therefore, prayer is the vital contact with the Father, coming near enough to breathe in His very presence, coming boldly into the Throne Room and standing in His presence. It is more than bringing Him to the scene. It is going into the presence of the Father and Jesus in an executive meeting, laying our needs before them and making our requisitions for ability, for grace, for His enablement to face our challenges, like healing for someone, victory for someone, or financial needs. Whatever the needs they may be, we are making a demand upon Him.

When we pray, we are in constant communication with the Father and it enriches us spiritually. We touch the Father through our prayers, and there cannot be any touching of the Master without the Master knowing it. When our need touches Him, it makes a demand upon his ability to meet that need. 

Prayer: Abba Father, by You all things consist. Your thoughts for me is of good. Endue me with the spirit of excellence and boldness for constant communion with You in prayers, to have my path in life determined by You, communicated to me, that I will walk in it, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!