Prayer altar foundation is Scripture

Praying in the dark

When I am thinking about my childhood and how I learned to pray, I remember where my quiet time was and where I built and established my time with God. I did not grow up with a corporate prayer lifestyle but as a father I made sure we had one aournd the dinner table every night.

“Remember these commands and cherish them. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. Then you and your children will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God promised to give to your ancestors. You will live there as long as there is a sky above the earth. – Deuteronomy 11:18-21  GNT

Family times are foundational to having prayer a key element in praying for our family, and the needs of those we know need specific prayers.

It is sad to read that Hezekiah, after God revealed to him the nature of his covenant relationship, not think about anyone else but himself. God revealed to him that no matter the threat, sickness or bad news, if Hezekiah would humble himself and pray God would have mercy and deliver him.

King Hezekiah understood this to mean that there would be peace and security during his lifetime, so he replied, “The message you have given me from the Lord is good.” – Isaiah 39:8  GNT

Why could he not share this with the rest of Israel or even his own children?

One thing we lacked around our dinner table was spending time praising God.

Come, let us praise the Lord!
    Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us!
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and sing joyful songs of praise. – Psalm 95:1-2  GNT

Praise is a wonderful way to pray. There was one author that really emphazied this and I read all three of his books. There is power in praise. There is joy and strength in praising the name of the Lord especially through His Word.

The Word of God is not received by faith if it flits about in the top of the brain, but when it takes root in the depth of the heart that it may be an invincible defense to withstand and drive off all the stratagems of temptation. – John Calvin

 

 

 

Intercessory prayer of the saints

Intercessory-prayer

Moses was a man of intercessory prayer.

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Cut two stone tablets like the first ones and make a wooden Box to put them in. Come up to me on the mountain, and I will write on those tablets what I wrote on the tablets that you broke, and then you are to put them in the Box.’

“So I made a Box of acacia wood and cut two stone tablets like the first ones and took them up the mountain. Then the Lord wrote on those tablets the same words that he had written the first time, the Ten Commandments that he gave you when he spoke from the fire on the day you were gathered at the mountain. The Lord gave me the tablets, and I turned and went down the mountain. Then, just as the Lord had commanded, I put them in the Box that I had made—and they have been there ever since.”

 “I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time. The Lord listened to me once more and agreed not to destroy you. Then he told me to go and lead you, so that you could take possession of the land that he had promised to give to your ancestors. – Deuteronomy 10:1-5, 10-11  GNT

What I love about this is how God, the same God whom Israel had offended, was the One who gave them Moses to lead them, it was He who taught Moses how to pray and it was He who sustained his pleading power.

What I might fail to realize is that the very same God who guards Law by the holiest sanctions, has also provided for the efficacy of interceding prayer. He would much rather turn from His anger because He delights in mercy.

It is in his mediating that Moses illustrates the working of this law – that God desires to be approached by His saints in prayer on behalf of others. Paul illustrated so many times in his letters how much he depended on the prayers of the saints as a model of this same point.

So when I read a Psalm like Psalm 94 – a prayer for vengeance – it is done as an expression of anticipation for the very thing that God has promised to do.

Hezekiah’s prayer asking God to deliver him from a deadly illness is such a prayer. God hears his prayer and sends Isaiah to tell him so.

In many ways his prayer looks more like a psalm and even has a lament (vv.10-16) in it and includes a portion of thanks (vv.17-20) being given for his recovery. He even states how death cannot praise God (v. 18), a cry many of the psalms declare.

Then the Lord commanded Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah and say to him, “I, the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will let you live fifteen years longer. – Isaiah 38:4-5  GNT

God does respond to my prayers, He hears them and He answers them. Prayer really matters. When I pray, I am praying to my God who knows what is best. He is the one I trust, knows much better than I what is for my good and He wants to be gloried and accomplish His ultimate purpose in my world.

Revelation has much to say about the prayers of the saints as they are described as the burning of incense.

Another angel, who had a gold incense container, came and stood at the altar. He was given a lot of incense to add to the prayers of all God’s people and to offer it on the gold altar that stands before the throne. The smoke of the burning incense went up with the prayers of God’s people from the hands of the angel standing before God. – Revelation 8:3-4  GNT

I know that I have sometimes seen my prayers hitting a brass ceiling or have been balloons that are trapped by my ceiling – the truth is they are faithful prayers that ascend to heaven and are heard. As a side note, it looks like there is an angel involved here as well.

What an encouraging thought to meditate on especially when I do not find it easy to pray.

I can see two reasons why my prayers involve God’s mercy and why I need to remember the absolute importance of prayer.

First, this is the age of salvation and a right prayer with a right heart will ask for God’s will to be done.

Secondly, that age of salvation is now. I believe one day it will be too late, but for now, it is God’s will that all will be offered salvation. It is my prayers, joined with many others, that will see this happen in our lifetime.

We must now examine this question. How do we receive those benefits which the Father bestowed on his only-begotten Son—not for Christ’s own private use, but that he might enrich poor and needy men? First, we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us. Therefore, to share with us what he has received from the Father, he had to become ours and to dwell within us. For this reason, he is called “our Head” [Eph. 4:15], and “the first-born among many brethren” [Rom. 8:29]. We also, in turn, are said to be “engrafted into him” [Rom. 11:17], and to “put on Christ” [Gal. 3:27]; for, as I have said, all that he possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with him. It is true that we obtain this by faith. Yet since we see that not all indiscriminately embrace that communion with Christ which is offered through the gospel, reason itself teaches us to climb higher and to examine into the secret energy of the Spirit, by which we come to enjoy Christ and all his benefits… the Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself. – John Calvin

 

 

 

 

How I pray is by praying for

Prayer-at-Night

Tucked away, separated by two books, is what really took place with Aaron and the people of Israel regarding the golden calf. It took place in Exodus 32 and the response of what took place was in Deuteronomy 9.

I was afraid of the Lord‘s fierce anger, because he was furious enough to destroy you; but once again the Lord listened to me. The Lord was also angry enough with Aaron to kill him, so I prayed for Aaron at the same time. – Deuteronomy 9:19-20 GNT

Moses not only prayed for the people of Israel, he specifically prayed for Aaron. Not only does it reveal the prevailing power of Moses’ prayer but there was much more love in his heart than I first imagined.

That is what the Kingdom of God looks like.

So when I read a Psalm like Psalm 93, the heart of the Psalm is a song acclaiming Our Lord the King. It exalts the Kingdom of God as the source of peace, truth and love. Is that not what I pray for when praying in the “Our Father” and I implore – “Thy Kingdom come!”

It is a short song but filled with real prayerful breadth. It instils confidence and hope in those who follow Jesus. For do I not sometimes feel restless, afraid of being overwhelmed by the storms and by the dark forces that come against me?

So I pray.

Sometimes I hope it is as dramatic as King Hezikiah.

King Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went to the Temple, placed the letter there in the presence of the Lord. Isaiah 37:14 GNT

He prayed for what would be best for God – it was God who needed to show who was the true God to follow.

That is effective prayer.

Especially when we come with such a promise —

Because the Lamb, who is in the center of the throne, will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. – Revelation 7:17 GNT

I pray for those whose pain they carry and are eager to have them “wiped away” and such an image of God changes the way I pray for you.

We not knowing: What to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helps our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom, and: What, and: How prayer is to be made; and by working and quickening in our hearts (although not in all persons, nor at all times, in the same measure) those apprehensions, affections, and graces which are requisite for the right performance of that duty. – Westminster Larger Catechism

Pray Scripture

Woman's hands in prayer over an open Bible

When I began my teenage years, growing up in my home consisted of prayer time every morning. We were taught to memorize Scripture and to pray Scripture over our lives. We learned how to pray from learning how to study the Word of God.

One of those passages that we prayed, every single day, was also the one we memorized – Psalm 91.

We would always pray this prayer as a prayer over all of us. We learned how to pray every day.

It is a powerful prayer that reminds me daily of God’s protection on my life and those I love. We live in a dangerous world and so it is more important than ever to pray for His protection on our families and to also be thankful to God, in faith, for His protection.

It is an item of faith that we are children of God; there is plenty of evidence in us against it. The faith that surmounts this evidence and that is able to warm itself at the fire of God’s love, instead of having to steal love and self-acceptance from other sources, is actually the root of holiness…. We are not saved by the love we exercise, but by the love we trust. – Richard Lovelace

 

 

Child’s prayer life

hands-2274254_1280.1200w.tn

When I talk about children praying, I am also talking about me, as an adult praying like a child. Prayer is encouraged and taught by example. When I see and hear others pray, it becomes part of my natural experience and it becomes important in my life. When I know that thankfulness blesses the heart of God, I become more thankful. Even showcasing the importance of praying in silence matters.

As the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, we are taught to teach others, especially children, to pray.

“Israel, remember this! The Lord—and the Lord alone—is our God.[a] Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget these commands that I am giving you today. Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. – Deuteronomy 6:4-7 GNT

Prayer is not awkward when our minds are filled with the things of God.

And so the fourth longest prayer recorded in the Bible has David calling out to his Father.

He will say to me,
    ‘You are my father and my God;
    you are my protector and savior.’ – Psalm 89:26 GNT

Jesus loved calling out to His Father. God had one Son and He was without sin, and this Son lived with prayer.

The Psalm concludes like this…

Praise the Lord forever! – Psalm 89:52 GNT

“He ends where he began; he has sailed round the world and reached port again. Let us bless God before we pray, and while we pray, and when we have done praying, for he always deserves it of us.”  – Spurgeon

Like a child, I have had prayer seem dull, I get distracted and find it difficult to pray more than five minutes. Then I get annoyed and feel guilty because prayer is my way of getting to know God.

When I pray, I am talking to God. So when I feel like I am getting distracted, reading portions of scripture like this one helps me pray realizing that I have access to this powerful God.

Surrounding the throne on each of its sides, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and behind. The first one looked like a lion; the second looked like a bull; the third had a face like a human face; and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop singing:

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was, who is, and who is to come.”

The four living creatures sing songs of glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. When they do so, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever. They throw their crowns down in front of the throne and say,

“Our Lord and God! You are worthy
    to receive glory, honor, and power.
For you created all things,
    and by your will they were given existence and life.” – Revelation 4:6-11 GNT

This is the God I get to pray to.

This begins to reshape my focus and fills me with a desire to pray. It matters because my prayer life is one of the most important parts of my life.

“We can meditate on this until our hearts are hot with assurance. Look at him loving you; dying for you; rejoicing in you and singing over you. Look at all that and he will be a delight to you. Then the law will be a delight to you and you will be like a tree planted by streams of water. You’ll bear your fruit in season and no matter what happens, your leaf will not wither.” – Timothy Keller