PRAYER, AN AVENUE TO GOD (1st in Series on Prayer)

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Prayer? It is the one place our independence seeks dependence. Whether we are thanking God or pleading our case before His throne of mercy, we are in essence saying, “Here am I, Lord, take me.”

And if you say to me, “I try to pray, really I do, but I just can’t concentrate on anything for very long, even God,” I would reply, “Don’t try to conquer a mountain until you have learned how to climb a hill.” Work on it a moment, just one moment, before you extend to a minute, and when you have mastered that then try two minutes – you get the picture. To enlarge your capacity for things of the spirit you must learn to decrease the time you spend thinking on things less worthy of your thoughts.

And do not fear to turn your life over to God. . Another way of putting it, “Be as bold in prayer as the first person to ever eat an oyster.” (rewrite of a quote by Shirley Grisholm)

I like to call what I am talking about “The Building of a Prayer Fence” A prayer fence to protect ourselves from our worst selves.

We usually know our own particular weaknesses; the places where we have far less control than we would like. Places where we speak before we think and act before we consider what is wise or prudent. So, visualize a fence, this prayer fence that will keep in your best and keep out your worst. But just how do you build a fence that works?

By holy redundancy. Constant repetition, repeating your needs and the needs of the world ad infinitum. Believing that if something is worth praying for once, it is worth praying for again and again. Jesus makes no bones about this holy truth. He actually tells us to set up the habit of repeated prayers. “Pray without ceasing.”

An early Greek theologian, Clement of Alexandria, put it this way, “Prayer is keeping company with God.” Let me add a word – keeping CONSTANT company with God.

Prayer should be spontaneous but that does not mean it is not a good idea to think through the structure of what you have prayed.

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When you prayed, first did you listen? Some people take the scripture that reads “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth” and rewrite it to read, “Listen Lord, thy servant speaketh.”

(1 Samuel 3:10)

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Could what you prayed for be considered a Christian prayer? Remember …if you end your prayer with the words “In Jesus name” you certainly want to have prayed a prayer he would approve.

Was it a prayer you really wanted to be answered, something you really wanted to take place, an improvement in your person you were really committed to following through on. A half hearted prayer is a wasted opportunity.

Promise what you will do to help make the prayer come true. You have prayed for help with your business? Have you promised to work longer and harder? You have asked for better health? Are you committed to better a better diet and more exercise?

Pray your prayer and then be patient. You really don’t have to remind God about the prayer you just prayed two minutes ago. He heard you. He will answer your prayer in his own way in his own time. In short, don’t make your prayer an anxiety center.

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QUOTE FROM RUST ON MY SOUL (A Series)

“I was flattered. He remembered me and it’s been thirty years. I remember him. He was one of the few preachers who made sense to me. Yet in my college days even that never got me to church too often.

I reminisced how he used to call his sermons Trade Routes.
“Still do. You can’t get anywhere without a route,” he said.”

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