For the past 4 years I have been dealing with a health issue, for the past two weeks another was added to the mix. I had a test yesterday that took about 3 hours – partly why there was no post yesterday.
Since November of 2016, the Lord has been challenging me more and more in the area of prayer. It is still not a strength. While I can spend hours engaged in His Word, I struggle to do the same in prayer.
The thrust of the lessons from the Lord on prayer have centered on the prayers of Paul, I wrote about that earlier. I have been struck by the content of Paul’s prayer. He does not focus on illness rather he prays the ministry with which he has been entrusted into the communities he is called to serve.
I have noticed that most of the time when there is a request for prayer in many communities the focus is the health of the individual or a friend or relative. The focus on Paul’s prayers had changed the way that I ask for prayer and has dampened my asking others to pray for illness for me. There are still those for whom I pray that are sick, but even the way I pray for them has changed due to the challenges I have experienced from the Lord.
However, Psalm 70:4 (here @ Bible Gateway) tells us that we are to rejoice and be glad continually, magnifying the Lord for His salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – 18 (here @ Bible Gateway), exhorts me to pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything. This notion is repeated in Philippians 4:6 – 7 (here @ Bible Gateway). Further, Hebrews 11:6 (here @ Bible Gateway) tells me of the attitude I must have in prayer.
My conclusion is that prayer is the acknowledgement of my absolute dependence on a sovereign, loving, and holy God. I am to come to Him with everything.
Then I read James 5:13 – 18 (here @ Bible Gateway) and I am challenged in the dampening of my asking for prayer for illness.
It seems the more that I pursue Him, the more I don’t know, or better have to change what I think and what I do…
I guess that is why this Christian life thing is a journey not an event.
The thrust of the lessons from the Lord on prayer have centered on the prayers of Paul, I wrote about that earlier. I have been struck by the content of Paul’s prayer. He does not focus on illness rather he prays the ministry with which he has been entrusted into the communities he is called to serve.
I have noticed that most of the time when there is a request for prayer in many communities the focus is the health of the individual or a friend or relative. The focus on Paul’s prayers had changed the way that I ask for prayer and has dampened my asking others to pray for illness for me. There are still those for whom I pray that are sick, but even the way I pray for them has changed due to the challenges I have experienced from the Lord.
However, Psalm 70:4 (here @ Bible Gateway) tells us that we are to rejoice and be glad continually, magnifying the Lord for His salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – 18 (here @ Bible Gateway), exhorts me to pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything. This notion is repeated in Philippians 4:6 – 7 (here @ Bible Gateway). Further, Hebrews 11:6 (here @ Bible Gateway) tells me of the attitude I must have in prayer.
My conclusion is that prayer is the acknowledgement of my absolute dependence on a sovereign, loving, and holy God. I am to come to Him with everything.
Then I read James 5:13 – 18 (here @ Bible Gateway) and I am challenged in the dampening of my asking for prayer for illness.
It seems the more that I pursue Him, the more I don’t know, or better have to change what I think and what I do…
I guess that is why this Christian life thing is a journey not an event.
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