The Prayer that Really Matters

All prayers matter, right?  YES!!!
But what is the prayer that really matters?
Is there a prayer that really matters? And if so, what is it about the prayer that matters?

Over the past year, this question has captivated my heart as I have been praying consistently over the same thing. "What is it about prayer that really matters?"

The Prayer Path

I come humbly to God.
I lay my burden (that I cannot bear) down at His feet.
I wait. wait. wait.
I feel confident that I have laid the burden down at His feet.

Silence.
Nothing has changed.

A few days later, the request comes rushing back to my mind.
I see no answer.
I doubt.
I become anxious fearing the future.
Discouraged.
Filled with a little disbelief. Hating the disbelief but knowing I need to fight the disbelief.
So I turn.... I turn back to the Holy Scriptures.
I read.
My heart is encouraged.
My mind is filled with truth instead of emotions.
I come humbly back again to God believing that He hears me.
I lay my burden (that I cannot bear) down at His feet.

Silence.
I pray.
I wait.
I pray.
I wait.

Days pass.
Months pass.

Silence.

I begin to question God again like a sheep that has gone astray.
"God, do you hear me?" I say. "Where are you? I need you!!"
I turn to read the words of the prophet Micah, "But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7
Micah is confident. Me,....not so confident.
My heart rejoices in his confidence in the LORD. I want the same confidence for my own heart.

Still Silence.
Days later, nothing has changed,

I turn to read the words of the Psalmist, "Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him" Psalm 4:3

I believe the LORD hears me but I still don't see an answer.
Reflection.
I am sorry LORD. I have been acting like an impatient child who calls out his mother's name 11 times in the grocery store. But am I really impatient, OR am I becoming more dependent on my heavenly Father instead of myself?

Persistence in prayer matters. The Bible says so.

More reflection with a question.
"What does God really want from me?" I question myself.
Dependence. Half- hearted dependence? No.
Total, complete dependence. Everyday, all the time. YES!!

You see, the more we don't see Him answer, the more we come seeking Him. The more we come searching for Him. Calling out His promises to Him. Believing He WILL answer just like His Word says He will.

Webster's Dictionary describes this as persistence: Inclined to persist; having staying qualities; tenacious of position or purpose.

Listen to Luke 11:8 when Jesus is talking about the prayer that really matters:
"if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence." (NLT)

"yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs." Luke 11:8 9 (NASB)

Then I am reminded of Romans 12:12:
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (also means persistent in prayer.)

Listen to the words of the commentary on Luke chapter 11 verse 8.

He does not promise to give blessings "at once." He promises only that he will do it, or "will answer" prayer. But he often causes his people long to wait. He tries their faith. He leaves them to persevere for months or years, until they "feel" entirely their dependence on him, until they see that they can obtain the blessing in no other way, and until they are "prepared" to receive it. Often they are not prepared to receive it when they ask it at first. They may be proud, or have no just sense of their dependence, or they would not value the blessing, or it may "at that time" not be best for them to obtain it. But let no one despair. If the thing is for "our" good, and if it is proper that it "should" be granted, God will give it. Let us first ask aright; let us see that our minds are in a proper state; let us feel our need of the blessing; let us inquire whether God has "promised such" a blessing, and "then" let us persevere until God gives it. (Source: Barnes Commentary http://bible.cc/luke/11-8.htm)

Thank you God that you tell us in your Word over and over again that persistence is the key that matters in all praying. Thank you that persistence leads to dependence on You. Help us to be a people, fixed on your will and purposes and not our own. Help us learn through prayer how to depend on you for everything. Grow our faith in the waiting and help us to cling closely to your promises in your truth that believe that you hear us. Thank you for being the God who sees and hears!
                                                                                                           In Jesus Name, Amen.

Manna Monday: Are you Demanding Towards God?

What is your daily tone toward Almighty God when you pray?

 Is it one of selfishness or selflessness?

What are the first words that come forth from your mouth when you bow your head in prayer?

Do you bolt out of the gate with with a bunch of demands that you would like for Him to accomplish for you or are you daily humbly bowing before Him giving all your wants and needs in surrender to His will and authority?

The opposite of being demanding is being humble. The Bible instructs us to be humble, not demanding
(James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). When we are demanding, we are acting like we are in charge and treating God like He is supposed to "do" things for us. He is God. He is in control.Sometimes we don't even mean to be demanding. It may be that we have so many burdens and are in need of God's touch in our life that we fail to come toward Him with an attitude of humility.

Wherever you may find your attitude toward God, take a little time to examine your view of Him.
If you come to a place where you find your tone toward God demanding (be it out of a low view of who He is OR be it out of so many burdens that you are coming to Him irreverently), consider the following truths:

1.  God knows what I need (Matthew 6:8; 32)
2. God will take care of me (Matthew 6:31)
3. God answers prayers (1 John 5:14)
4. God is worthy of my praise and worship, not my demands (Psalm 8:1; 29:1; 92:1; 104:1)

I am praying for you this Monday.
I am asking God to use today's post to be a blessing in your prayer life. We have such a great God! Give Him ALL the praise and glory and get rid of a demanding attitude towards Him. Instead, come humbly before Him in surrender.

Manna Monday- Prayer's Achievement Record

What do you really think about prayer? Do you come to God in prayer when you are desperate or do you daily bow the knee with humility and submission to God's authority? Prayer matters to the believer but oftentimes, the believer doesn't think much about the power of unceasing prayer. Prayer changes us to become more like Christ. Prayer ignites our hearts to get on board with God's agenda. Prayer relieves worry and stress and allows our hearts to experience the peace of God that transcends all understanding. Prayer helps us think clearly. Prayer helps us see God. What you think about prayer makes a difference in your life. And if you need some encouragement that prayer really matters and works, just look at the long list of its achievments in the bible.

I love this excerpt from E. M. Bounds  about the acheivements of prayer in His book Classic collection on prayer:

"The records of prayer's acheivements are encouraging to faith, cheering to the expectations of saints, and an inspiration to all who would pray and test its value. Prayer is no mere untried theory. It is not some strange unique scheme concocted in the brains of people and set on foot by them-an invention  that has never been tried nor put to the test. Prayer is a divine arrangement in the moral government of God. It is designed for the benefit of people, and intended as a means for furthering the interests of His cause on Earth and carrying out His gracious purposes in redemption and providence. Prayer proves itself"( pg. 208).

So many times we give prayer an afterthought when it should be our first thought, the first and continual action in our daily lives. It is prayer that is proven in the Bible to be the avenue God uses to draw His children closer to Himself, to grow our faith in believing Him and growin our faith, and the tool He provides us to use for His Kingdom Work. Yet, prayer is personal too.

God Cares about the Tiny Details
When I was in college, before working at my summer job, I would excercise at a school track close to my workplace. I arrived at the track one morning only to find no one was walking that morning. I began to pray something very small- but big to me at the time- please bring someone else to walk with me. I didn't want to be alone on that track.

Well, up came a black mangy dog walking around the track who walked with me for two miles. Not one person came to the track that morning until I finished walking. That dog walked me to my car and then he ran off. It was the strangest thing, the most unlikely thing. Or was it? A loving Father wants to take care of His children and when we come to Him, asking Him to take care of our smallest need, that matters to Him as well. I learned that day that God cared about EVERYTHING- big or small, my prayers were all the same to Him. God grew my faith through a black dog.

1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

We know the long list of prayer achievements in the bible. But what about your personal prayer achievements? What prayers has God answered in your life? Where has God shown you His power, His love, His understanding, His protection, His authority, His work, His peace? There's nothing more encouraging to the soul than to write a list of all the prayers God has answered in life. If you want to turn your heart to remember God and be encouraged that He is working in your life, take a piece of paper and write them down one by one. By the end of it you will be praising God and your heart will be revived just by remembering ALL God has done.

Praying for you today like I normally do on Monday!
Thanks for joining me on the Journey to treasure Christ in everyday life!