God’s word, God’s promises and prayer

I read a prayer from King David that was not in the Psalms and found this unique relationship between God’s word, His promises and prayer.

Then King David went into the Tent of the Lord’s presence, sat down and prayed, “Sovereign Lord, I am not worthy of what you have already done for me, nor is my family. Yet now you are doing even more, Sovereign Lord; you have made promises about my descendants in the years to come. And you let a man see this,[b] Sovereign Lord! What more can I say to you! You know me, your servant. It was your will and purpose to do this; you have done all these great things in order to instruct me. How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God. There is no other nation on earth like Israel, whom you rescued from slavery to make them your own people. The great and wonderful things you did for them[c] have spread your fame throughout the world. You drove out[d] other nations and their gods as your people advanced, the people whom you set free from Egypt to be your own. You have made Israel your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

“And now, Lord God, fulfill for all time the promise you made about me and my descendants, and do what you said you would. Your fame will be great, and people will forever say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel.’ And you will preserve my dynasty for all time. Lord Almighty, God of Israel! I have the courage to pray this prayer to you, because you have revealed all this to me, your servant, and have told me that you will make my descendants kings.

“And now, Sovereign Lord, you are God; you always keep your promises, and you have made this wonderful promise to me. I ask you to bless my descendants so that they will continue to enjoy your favor. You, Sovereign Lord, have promised this, and your blessing will rest on my descendants forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:18-29 GNT

What a prayer based on a promise that God made about his descendants. This courage to pray came from the awareness of God’s blessing in his life. A relationship of promises received and an expression of why it is that I pray. When I pray, I do lean on God’s promises and I find when I do I pray courageous prayers.

David burst’s out in praise. Praise keeps me from ‘drive-by’ prayers. Then he enters into a time of petition where he makes his request known to the Father. There is this confidence that the Father wants and desires to bless His people. The Father has my best interest in mind and is willing to give His all for His people, even His Son all the way to the cross. I am afraid that maybe my culture and definitely my sin cause me to look a prayer to such an awesome God for granted.

If I only prayed with movng lips and with a tongue that creates words, I would not be pleasing God. Prayer is found in my heart which I need to lift up and pour out to Him. I rely with unshaken faith on the truth of everything God has said and expect to receive all that He has promised. Even though I see ‘asks’ in this prayer, I think they are overflowings of a grateful heart, touched with a sense of the greatness of God’s mercy.

“His heart was wholly possessed with a subject which he did not know how to quit, because he did not know how to do justice to his own sense of the inestimable blessings poured down upon himself, and promised to his posterity; and much less to the infinite bounty of his benefactor.” – Delaney

We see what David could only imagine – Jesus rose from the dead, sits at the right hand of God and sits on the throne forever. What an answer to a prayer.

Davis lays out a biblical theology of meditation on the Scripture. He does so by thinking out the implications of serveral key biblical-theological themes and doctrines. He strikes a rare balance, being positive about spiritual experience yet cautious about method of meditation from Eastern religions as well as from eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism that, in his view, do not do sufficient justice to the authourity of the Word and the freeness of grace. – Timothy Keller – Davis, John Jefferson, Meditation and communion with God: Contemplating Scripture in an Age of Distraction

Believing prayer is continuous prayer

In my home, as a teenager, prayer was important. When I met my wife and we started our own family, in our own home, fervent and believing prayer was why we celebrated our relationship with God. It is a call from God for me – a duty and a privilege of incredible value – to put myself and those dear to me under His care and guidance.

It stayed there three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and his family. – 2 Samuel 6:11 GNT

In the consecration of my home to God, prayer, family prayer, marked our continually observance of His presence. I know we are taught to have our prayer closet experience, and I do. However, if I do not collect my family together, morning and evening, to bring our praises and our prayers to God, I would have missed the mark. Actually, reading the Word was part of our practice together as well.

They brought the Box and put it in its place in the Tent that David had set up for it. Then he offered sacrifices and fellowship offerings to the Lord. – 2 Samuel 6:17 GNT

I know the temptation is to think that following these practices can make it seem like a ritual instead of a joy. In fact, as a child, I know there were times when my relationship with God was not right, those times were incredibly boring. What a yardstick to measure where I was at spiritually. No different today – my joy is sanctified in both praise and prayer.

When we gather, as a family, it is an opportunity for me to end our time together with a gracious prayer of blessing. It is a way to recognize that we have honoured and respected one another to come together and to love God. It is a way to recognize that there are no losers who chose this journey but that the blessings of God would be recognizable in our lives. It is a crazy way for me to show how much I love my family. So while I am sure they may not have enjoyed each and every devotional moment, they enjoyed the generosity of my love.

When he had finished offering the sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty and distributed food to them all. He gave each man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a piece of roasted meat,[f] and some raisins. Then everyone went home. – 2 Samuel 6:18-19 GNT

I am pretty sure God does not have favourites but I do believe He enjoys being with those who are intimate with Him. When they pray, He listens. I would like to see myself as one.

Even if those three men, Noah, Danel,[a] and Job, were living there, their goodness would save only their own lives.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken. – Ezekiel 14:14 GNT

Here are three such men that God calls out as having a special relationship with Him.

How easy is it for us to set up idols in our heart.

“Mortal man,” he said, “these men have given their hearts to idols and are letting idols lead them into sin. Do they think I will give them an answer? – Ezekiel 14:3 GNT

I believe that God does spare families when there is godly leadership in place.

Job teaches me to pray for my children every night. My responsibility for them does not end when it comes to their relationship with God. Daniel prayed three times a day – a role model for me to pray always. And Noah teaches me to have a healthy relationship with God for there is no other way I can stand in ministry without Him.

Amazing to see how far the people of Israel had fallen that even if these men were in their presence they could not have been saved.

Now then, tell the Israelites what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying: Turn back and leave your disgusting idols. – Ezekiel 14:6 GNT

There is a time and place where I, as an individual, become the one deciding factor that even though my prayers cannot help others, I am delivered because I have kept myself faithful.

Intercession is still important, praying in unity with others is still powerful, and God is always ready to listen to prayer – in fact, is anxious to save all who need salvation. And where I fail and others like me, Jesus still intercedes in prayer for us too.

The Psalms remind me of this. Psalm 55 is a prayer from one who is being unjustly harassed and who has been betrayed by a friend. It is a prayer with an ask. As what is common when reading a Psalm, it alternates between prayer for his enemy’s ruin and praises for God’s blessing. It is a prayer of distress, a prayer for justice and a prayer of assurance.

Hear my prayer, O God;

    don’t turn away from my plea! – Psalm 55:1 GNT

The earnestness of the prayer indicates just how much grief there is. Is that not my prayer – that God would hear me and would look at me and see me?

Morning, noon, and night
    my complaints and groans go up to him,
    and he will hear my voice. – Psalm 55:17 GNT

My seriousness of my prayer is in my continual prayer. I will always be found praying.

Long out of print but uniquely helpful. Clowney provides a trenchant critique of Transcendental Meditation, which was at its high noon of popularity in the 1970s. The basic ideas of Eastern mysticism, however, are more pervasive than ever and so this is still relevant. Clowney lays out a biblical theology not only for Christian prayer but for Christian meditation.” – Timothy Keller – Clowney, Edmund P. CM: Christian Meditation

Pray yourself without lying

The Bible has some strong language when it comes to lying. Presenting myself in a deceptive manner is protested in everyone of its books. From false balances in the business world to false tongues in a day witnesses mattered and false prophets in the spiritual world – they all have one thing in common – their end result is unmitigated condemnation. Is it fair to say that most of life is a lie? It may not be in the vulgar or ordinary sense of the term we are comfortable with but maybe, just in order to live, we lie. So when it comes to prayer, can I pray without lying? Once I past my opening sentence of “God be merciful to me a sinner” would the next sentence be a lie? If lying is the absence of sincerity – that burning influence which purifies my spirit – then to pray and not mean it, is there any greater lie to be told? I mean lying to God – really – I have done it.

Their visions are false, and their predictions are lies. They claim that they are speaking my message, but I have not sent them. Yet they expect their words to come true! I tell them: Those visions you see are false, and the predictions you make are lies. You say that they are my words, but I haven’t spoken to you!” So the Sovereign Lord says to them, “Your words are false, and your visions are lies. I am against you. I am about to punish you prophets who have false visions and make misleading predictions. You will not be there when my people gather to make decisions; your names will not be included in the list of the citizens of Israel; you will never return to your land. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord. “The prophets mislead my people by saying that all is well. All is certainly not well! My people have put up a wall of loose stones, and then the prophets have come and covered it with whitewash.  – Ezekiel 13:6-10 GNT

Maybe this is why there are so many who will not pray.

“Don’t they know?” God asks.

    “Are these evildoers ignorant?

They live by robbing my people,

    and they never pray to me.” – Psalm 53:4 GNT

If I carry out to deliberately go against God and those who follow Him, while faking my prayer, I had best know that I will not receive any favour from God. Maybe that is why I am jealous of those who have a real relationship with God and maybe that is why I strike out at them. Imagine, hating those who pray, but unable to pray for myself. A great lie indeed.

The single most comprehensive book on prayer. It explores prayer from every angle – biblically, theologically, anthropologically, historically, psychologically and practically. Its essays also represent multiple cultural perspectives. – Timothy Keller on Carson, D. A., “Teach Us to Pray: Prayer in the Bible and the World.”

Pray for hearts to be softened

Hearts can be softened and transformed by the Holy Spirit.

I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart. 20 Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God. – Ezekiel 11:19-20 GNT

I pray for my heart to be softened and transformed. I pray and repent from my own anger, hatred and bitterness. May I have compassion on others as Jesus did and forgive others.

I pray for a heart that is fully devoted to God and is filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit so that He can lead.

This is neither a theological treatise nor a how-to volume. However, by studying Paul’s actual prayers and prayer life, this book bristles with many theological and practical insights. – Timothy Keller on Carson, D. A., A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers.

The bow of prayer in contributing to praying

 When Saul and Jonathan died, David wrote a song, it was called “The Bow.” There was a lot to glean from this song but I would like to look at the bow of prayer if I am allowed to make a spiritual connection.

David sang this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, and ordered it to be taught to the people of Judah. (It is recorded in The book of Jashar.) – 2 Samuel 1:17-18 GNT

I see holy people picking out an arrow and knowing how to use it. They specifically knew what they wanted and they prayed for it. When they fitted the arrow on the string they were taking God’s promises, the one specifically relating to their prayer request, and with the two fitted together watched the flight of their petition. They knew to whom they were praying as well as what they were praying for. They expected to be heard and so with confidence drew their bow of prayer with everything they had. In times of trouble, what we want are followers of Jesus who know the use of the bow in prayer.

I beieve that I have more faith in prayer than in the institutions that offer protection. In any time of national need the people that save a nation are the people of prayer. God can speak into the minds of our politicians and government leaders where we have no hope to do so. When I overlook prayer, I overlook the greatest contributing factor when it comes to the affairs of people. If I have the will of God prioritized in my life via the Holy Spirit, my fervent prayer can be more involved in the affairs of the day than those who sit in leadership. Worship is amazing and I enjoy it as much as the next one, but I would rather teach one to use the bow of prayer. Therein lies the involvement of God in our day to day affairs.

Perhaps I speak to some here who do not know anything about praying. I dare say that the brother is here who listened to a sermon on Peckham Rye, which was rather a wild one, I am afraid. In that discourse the preacher said to all his congregation that if they would go home and ask God for anything the Lord would give it to them. I cannot endorse so wild a statement. However, this man thought that the preacher having said it, it was true, and having never prayed before in all his life, he put the question to the test of a certain event; and that certain event fell out as he desired. Then he began to tremble, for he judged that assuredly there is a God. Now, I do not say to you, dear hearers, that whatsoever all of you shall ask in prayer you shall receive. I would not say that to you ungodly ones. But I do say that if you will ask for mercy and salvation and eternal life, and anything that is promised to believing sinners, you shall have it. I wish you would try the experiment, for you would find that the Lord never breaks a promise. If you read a promise made to a sinner, it is made to you: go and plead it, and the Lord will grant it. I will be surety for him that he will keep his word. Trust him and try, and thus learn the use of the bow. – Spurgeon

I would say that the gift of tongues, a personal language of prayer given by God, would be such a bow that allows the follower of Jesus to communicate with God beyond the limits of knowledge and understanding.

The Spirit gives one person the power to work miracles; to another, the gift of speaking God’s message; and to yet another, the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not. To one person he gives the ability to speak in strange tongues, and to another he gives the ability to explain what is said. – 1 Corinthians 12:10 GNT

When praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit is praying through me even though I may not understand what I am saying – however, God does.

Maybe Ezekiel was combining all this together when he saw this vision.

When the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; and when the creatures flew, the wheels went with them, because the creatures controlled them. – Ezekiel 10:17 GNT

What happens when I cease to move, cease to live by faith? When I think I can be independent from God, my prayers lose their passion. God is far less precious, less consciously present and at some point, I may lose all consciousness of His presence at all.

Have I ever noticed how important it is for others to see me moving by the Spirit? How many times do I see myself as a follower of Jesus just because I pray for forgiveness, or maybe just because I pray. By that I feel I am separated from the world. But here is the killer – what happens when I have so much to say about love, but I visibly hate more strongly than I love?

Lacking spiritual discernment, I will come up with many reasons for something to be done or not to be done and assume that I am now specially qualified to be a critic. While I contribute these critical powers, others, less gifted, may contribute their prayer – so thankful for this. Negatives to not belong in the range of the Spirit. Critics have feet, but no wings.

There’s nothing else like Calvin’s treatment of prayer. Very few systematic theologies have followed Calvin by including a major chapter on prayer. Calvin is both theological and practical, and as usual, he is very comprehensive. This is a rarity-deep theology with a spiritually elevated tone and savor that makes the reader want to pray. – Timothy Keller (Calvn, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion)