Praying, Believing

Praying, Believing 

by David Brenneman 

"I trust in God, my Savior

The one who will never fail

He will never fail

I trust in God, my Savior

The one who will never fail

He will never fail

… He didn't fail you then

He won't fail you now

… I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered

I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered" - excerpt from "Trust in God" by Elevation Worship (c) 2023.

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,  being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:5-8.

"And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.  And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”" Matthew 21:21-22.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." Galatians 6:7.

"What we are today is the result of what we’ve been thinking and the way we’ve lived in the past. Those who act wisely today will have wisdom in the future to make wise decisions." - from a devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley Life Principle #6.

We tend to think a lot about the past.  We often attempt the impossible by trying to recreate the past into a new image of our present and future.  This is proven by the billions spent every year on restorations of every size and kind. 

We are part of a society that scoffs at those who practice praying in their daily lives.   Some give pause when they connect a person's prayer with an apparently otherworldly response that can be explained in no other way. 

Prayer isn't our grocery list for God.

Prayer isn't our demands for God for the day.

God isn't our genie nor our butler.  

Prayer is vital to our relationship with Jesus.  Prayer is what we do in the physical absence of Jesus that the Disciples could do while with Jesus in person. 

What Jesus said in Matthew that we read this morning isn't some secret recipe for praying and getting what we want.  It's when we are praying in accordance with God's Will that such praying is honored above all else. 

Regrets...oh do I have plenty of these.  One such is that my prayer life would have been deeper and richer in my youth.  Perhaps had it been then my life today would be vastly different. 

When you read the book of Psalms you're reading a great many prayers of King David.  The man whom is described in the Bible as a man after God's own heart. 

When we really take to heart the truth that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them, then we start seeing what God sees and doing what God wants us doing.  All who are in Christ Jesus have a defined purpose that is a divine purpose after they have come to Christ for salvation.  Every single person who is saved is a part of the body of Christ, His Church. 

The parts of the body do not think of themselves above the others in the body of Christ.  Their concerns are for them doing what they are called to be doing and the welfare of the rest of the body. 

Priorities are to be swift and sure in accordance with the will of God for us in Christ.  

We shouldn't be dawdling.  We shouldn't be putting off tomorrow what should be done today.   This has been a growing conviction for me.  It's meaning a little less sleep and it's meaning that my supposed personal time is going to be cut a little shorter but it's of God so it's on me to act and not ignore nor provide excuses as to why I don't or didn't do what He set before me to be doing.

Nehemiah prayed on the fly.  Daniel prayed 3 times a day in earnest.  Jesus sought out His Father in prayer early every morning.  None failed in anything they set their mind to after praying in accordance to the will of God for them.  Joshua the son of Nun lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.  When he prayed before action then God worked everything out. When he didn't then the people were ensnared for centuries.  

In my studies, as it were, repetition is strongly helping me.  Reading 4 study Bibles and their notes by these Godly men are helping me to learn about being a better man of God myself.  The devotional reading and books that I believe that the Spirit added to my 'curriculum' are equally beneficial.  Another is on its way to be added tomorrow. 

I don't miss what my mind has not been dwelling upon.  I want to know my Savior better.  Jesus prayed. Jesus taught His Disciples to pray.  The Disciples taught those in the beginnings of the Church to pray.

There has been a great many churches saying they want a revival.  Some look at the book of Acts as a formula to repeat.  Well it's an overlooked vital portion that for this to happen people have to be praying.  People have to be ready to follow through with what the Spirit wants of them.  Their prayers were so sincere and right that the Spirit moved mightily.  Thousands of people were saved.  People truly recognized that what they had wasn't theirs but on loan from God.  They sold their stuff and if any had needs they helped take care of them.  Those in need were covered. 

The fruit of prayer centric people is thinking less of themselves and more about Jesus. 

Revivals can happen but only after much sincerity of heart in prayer.  Praying for all boldness as we read in Acts.

Praying, and believing, must be in accordance with the word of God. 

Praying for whatever is important to God will always be answered and faith will be strengthened. 

Mindlessly filling your head with worthless thoughts and feelings isn't going to enrich your prayer life.   Secular music that isn't turning your thoughts toward God isn't helping you in Christ.  Secular movies and shows won't either. 

Don't you want to know your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ better because of that very fact that He gave His life for you?

Don't you want to do what He asks of you to do to honor Him?

Don't you want to want what He wants?

It begins with prayer and praying for whatever is most important to Jesus.  

Get honest with you about your prayer life.  Jesus isn't off somewhere, He’s right there with you and is even in you.  

That account of your life that will be revealed before Jesus that you will give...only what remains that was accordance with the Will of God for you will remain after tried by fire.  Everything else is worthless. 

Add to what is going to survive that fire today by starting in earnest praying.  

Jesus prayed for you in this. 

Think long and hard about that truth. 

All New American Standard Bible Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. A corporation not for profit.