enemies

Prayers in vain or answered

Fantastic Moonlight

I think that God was watching the leadership of Moses all along. He noticed his strengths and his weaknesses. God has his back throughout his entire life. There was only one time where God could not make his weakness go away and Moses had to face the consequences.

But the Lord reprimanded Moses and Aaron. He said, “Because you did not have enough faith to acknowledge my holy power before the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land that I promised to give them.” – Numbers 20:12 GNT
God points out that it was Moses’ lack of faith in acknowledging God’s power before the people of Israel that was his downfall. It almost sounds like he had blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
How many times do I feel my prayers are said in vain only because I simply do not trust Him? I am told to keep praying and I believe God wants me to come to him, even asking for the same thing over and over again, the difference being how I present these to Him. Am I praying a prayer of faith – if not, and I find myself not trusting Him and therefore repeating the same prayer in a way to build up that faith or trust, maybe I should revisit what prayer is.

I am encouraged again by the praying of David and how he repeats himself but he does so in complete faith and trust in God. People, like Saul, were cruel to David and he wanted them punished.

Where the psalms indicate that they want bad things to happen to people, they are called Psalms of Imprecation – a spoken curse. These are hard for me to understand. A key note for all of us to understand is that each psalm, when they are using this prayer, are asking God to do the punishing – not us.

Here is such a psalm.

Break the teeth of these fierce lions, O God.
May they disappear like water draining away;
    may they be crushed like weeds on a path.[c]
May they be like snails that dissolve into slime;
    may they be like a baby born dead that never sees the light.
Before they know it, they are cut down like weeds;
    in his fierce anger God will blow them away
    while they are still living.[d]

The righteous will be glad when they see sinners punished;
    they will wade through the blood of the wicked. – Psalm 58:6-10 GNT 

By acknowledging the fact that vengeance belongs to God alone, he does not take revenge himself, but he prays that God will avenge him. If you notice these curses, it is understood that the execution of these could only come from the hand of God. It is God who is called on to activate the appropriate consequences.

Going forward to another psalm we see the same thing again. In this case the enemies are those who are trying to kill David.

Save me from my enemies, my God;
    protect me from those who attack me!
Save me from those evil people;
    rescue me from those murderers!

Look! They are waiting to kill me;
cruel people are gathering against me.
It is not because of any sin or wrong I have done,
nor because of any fault of mine, O Lord,
that they hurry to their places. – Psalm 59:1-4 GNT

David is not saying he is sinless, only acknowledging that God is the one who will address him of his sin and that he is not in need of any other stepping into the role of judge, jury and executioner especially if they are lying manipulators.

Hear what he prays for against them.

Rise, Lord God Almighty, and come to my aid;
    see for yourself, God of Israel!
Wake up and punish the heathen;
    show no mercy to evil traitors!

destroy them in your anger;
    destroy them completely.
Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel,
    that his rule extends over all the earth. – Psalm 59:5,13 GNT

What does my prayer look like when I am praying for my enemies? Is the Lord answering my prayer? I love the praise that is found in between all the anger.

But you laugh at them, Lord;
    you mock all the heathen.
I have confidence in your strength;
    you are my refuge, O God.
My God loves me and will come to me;
    he will let me see my enemies defeated.

Do not kill them, O God, or my people may forget.

Scatter them by your strength and defeat them,
O Lord, our protector.

But I will sing about your strength;
every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love.
You have been a refuge for me,
a shelter in my time of trouble.
I will praise you, my defender.
My refuge is God,
the God who loves me. – Psalm 59:8-11, 16-17 GNT

I pray that I too can magnify God throughout my prayer walk and watch Him answer my requests.

It is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, that, during the time of the administration of it, with all holy reverence and attention they wait upon God in that ordinance, diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions, heedfully discern the Lord’s body, and affectionately meditate on his death and sufferings, and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces; in judging themselves, and sorrowing for sin; in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ, feeding on him by faith, receiving of his fulness, trusting in his merits, rejoicing in his love, giving thanks for his grace; in renewing of their covenant with God, and love to all the saints. – Westminster Larger Catechism

 

 

 

 

With the Word, praying about everything

Bible-prayer-ThinkstockPhotos-75627303.1200w.tn

God spoke to Moses out of the Tabernacle.

The Lord called to Moses from the Tent of the Lord‘s presence and gave him the following rules for the Israelites to observe when they offer their sacrifices. – Leviticus 1:1-2 GNT

As soon as the shechinah presence took over the new habitation, God talked with Moses from the mercy-seat. It became the place where communion between God and man took place, a place where sacrifices took place and where He revealed His will to them. By Word and by prayer I have fellowship with God.

The first post-Resurrection prayers recorded were quite simple. Mary Magdalene’s was simply one-word.

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This means “Teacher.”) – John 20:16 GNT

The second prayer came right after that one and only five words uttered from the lips of Thomas.

 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” – John 20:28 GNT

What a great way to pray – beginning with the name of Jesus and then a declaration of who He is to me.

It reminds me to pray, in love, for everyone.

 If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone’s misfortune. – Proverbs 17:5 GNT

I might say that it is a healthy way to remember to pray for my enemies, for those who are suffering. In fact, it is when I do this I show myself as a child of God having the character of God – for He is kind.

Paul suggests that I pray about everything.

 Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 GNT

Paul does not say that my problems will go away, but he does say that I will have God’s peace.

“For he so tempers the outcome of events according to his incomprehensible plan that the prayers of the saints, which are a mixture of faith and error, are not nullified. But this ought no more to be held as a valid example for imitation than as excusing the saints themselves;” – Calvin