Persistence in Prayer
This morning our men' study considered Jesus' parable on the friend who comes at midnight asking for bread.(Luke 11:5-10) I believe the Lord spoke to all of us about this practical principle of prayer. I pray that we have all learned this truth.
God honors persistence in prayer. Our steady asking does not cause God to give us something against His will. That would be a sin, and God can't do the wrong thing. However, in His holiness He chooses when and how to answer our requests according to His will. He always answers in the right way and the right time. Often, we have to continue in prayer, because the timing is not correct.
Also, our persistence shows our faith in Him and that our hearts are ready for the answer. Our consistency in praying for the same thing is a great indication that we are committed to seeing God's will done in that situation. God loves to respond to our faith, so He loves persistence. By constantly praying we are showing our dependence on God. He is much more likely to answer the prayers of His children who are living by trusting Him for everything. If we only ask once or twice, and we only ask when we have a problem, He is not inclined to answer, because He sees our lack of faith.
Therefore, I would ask each of us a question. How long is your prayer list? How many things do you pray for every day? Do you consistently pray for some things each week? Those are persistent prayers, and they are the prayers that God loves to answer. If you are not a persistent prayer, please start today and watch to see what God does in your life and the lives of those for whom you pray.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 29-31.
God honors persistence in prayer. Our steady asking does not cause God to give us something against His will. That would be a sin, and God can't do the wrong thing. However, in His holiness He chooses when and how to answer our requests according to His will. He always answers in the right way and the right time. Often, we have to continue in prayer, because the timing is not correct.
Also, our persistence shows our faith in Him and that our hearts are ready for the answer. Our consistency in praying for the same thing is a great indication that we are committed to seeing God's will done in that situation. God loves to respond to our faith, so He loves persistence. By constantly praying we are showing our dependence on God. He is much more likely to answer the prayers of His children who are living by trusting Him for everything. If we only ask once or twice, and we only ask when we have a problem, He is not inclined to answer, because He sees our lack of faith.
Therefore, I would ask each of us a question. How long is your prayer list? How many things do you pray for every day? Do you consistently pray for some things each week? Those are persistent prayers, and they are the prayers that God loves to answer. If you are not a persistent prayer, please start today and watch to see what God does in your life and the lives of those for whom you pray.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 29-31.