Thoughts for another day
March 3, 2011
Today's verse: Mk. 11:24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)
In today's time when we scarcely see God's hand in our lives, do we pray in a heart-rending manner? The answer is usually no. Observations made in the church reveal most Christians, no matter the denomination they belong to, just pray by rote. Like Jesus said, these people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me! And that's the absolute truth from which we can't get away and it's also the case with most of us who teach and preach. Wondering why God doesn’t answer prayer, I've realised our prayer is so bland - even we don't believe in it.
Some say the moment we pray, the prayer is answered but there's a block in the way. However, we serve a God who though a Just God, is moved by the pounding upon His heart and is prone to answer such prayer and nothing can block God's hand. If I check my prayer life to see which prayer isn't answered, I notice it's that prayer which I've not prayed in sincerity and every prayer I submit into God's hands with sincerity and intensity, is answered. Sometimes our prayer may not be answered immediately, God has His reasons and if you sit beside Him at His feet, He tells you. However, all prayer is answered for I know that God does not eschew prayer – no not even that of a grave sinner: who humbly falls prostrate before Him and prays.
That's the crux of our Scripture today. Jesus says, whatever you 'desire' – not 'need' as some may have us believe, is granted to you when you pray if you believe you've received it. Think of the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. Didn't she immediately receive her healing? Take the Greek woman whose daughter was possessed – Jesus marveled at her prayer and said, 'for saying this you may go, your daughter is healed.' Or the centurion who displayed such confidence in Jesus when he said, 'I'm not worthy that You come under my roof, but speak the word and my servant will be healed.' What's common in them – they believed her/his need was met! And that made Jesus grant the desire immediately. My friend Jesus today is the same He was at that time with the same healing power. The question is, are we displaying the same confidence as any of those above, that our prayer will be granted?
March 3, 2011
Today's verse: Mk. 11:24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)
In today's time when we scarcely see God's hand in our lives, do we pray in a heart-rending manner? The answer is usually no. Observations made in the church reveal most Christians, no matter the denomination they belong to, just pray by rote. Like Jesus said, these people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me! And that's the absolute truth from which we can't get away and it's also the case with most of us who teach and preach. Wondering why God doesn’t answer prayer, I've realised our prayer is so bland - even we don't believe in it.
Some say the moment we pray, the prayer is answered but there's a block in the way. However, we serve a God who though a Just God, is moved by the pounding upon His heart and is prone to answer such prayer and nothing can block God's hand. If I check my prayer life to see which prayer isn't answered, I notice it's that prayer which I've not prayed in sincerity and every prayer I submit into God's hands with sincerity and intensity, is answered. Sometimes our prayer may not be answered immediately, God has His reasons and if you sit beside Him at His feet, He tells you. However, all prayer is answered for I know that God does not eschew prayer – no not even that of a grave sinner: who humbly falls prostrate before Him and prays.
That's the crux of our Scripture today. Jesus says, whatever you 'desire' – not 'need' as some may have us believe, is granted to you when you pray if you believe you've received it. Think of the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. Didn't she immediately receive her healing? Take the Greek woman whose daughter was possessed – Jesus marveled at her prayer and said, 'for saying this you may go, your daughter is healed.' Or the centurion who displayed such confidence in Jesus when he said, 'I'm not worthy that You come under my roof, but speak the word and my servant will be healed.' What's common in them – they believed her/his need was met! And that made Jesus grant the desire immediately. My friend Jesus today is the same He was at that time with the same healing power. The question is, are we displaying the same confidence as any of those above, that our prayer will be granted?
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