
If there ever was a time to pray, today and this year is certainly such a time. When all the facts are gathered, there is little else most of us can do. Yet, according to the Word, we can take heart that praying, serious praying, is not a waste of energy and time. Consider what the Apostle James wrote concerning prayer:
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16.
James reminds us of the effective, fervent prayer of Elijah, which was some of the most fervent prayer in all the Bible and of history. The formula is rather simple, come to the Lord with a humble, clean heart, be passionate about what you’re praying for and be trusting in the imputed righteousness of Christ rather than your own imagined righteousness. The Lord is concerned with even the little things and invites us to come to Him with them, whether they are “little” sins, or small needs. A lady asked the grand preacher of an earlier era, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, “Do you think we ought to pray about even the little things in life?” Dr. Morgan, in his typical British manner, replied, “Madam, can you think of anything in your life that is big to God?”
You get the idea, all things that concern us are to be communicated to Him, as He bids us to come boldly to the throne of grace, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. One paraphrase has it, “find help just in the nick of time.”
Years ago I read of a young man who went off to college with a rather arrogant attitude. After a few days in Greek class he became a very humble man. Each night in the dorm he prayed as fervently as Elijah of old must have. He had a long list and agonized over each item on the list, often shedding a tear. After six months, things had cooled down a bit and he was known to say to God, “Well God, there’s the list, do what you can with it, in Jesus name, Amen.”
2016 promises many opportunities for fervent prayer. Our way of life as Christians living in America is on the line. The god of this world, of this age, in German called the Zeitgeist, is waging a major worldwide campaign against Jesus Christ and all things good.
The petty religiosities that matter to our peers, seem to be as nothing to the Lord Jesus Christ as He wants our heart, a heart that is surrendered to Him and His business in the earth.
I hope that the Lord will use me this year to lead our people in serious prayer. I hope that you will decide to join in with this serious prayer for an outpouring of God’s power in our daily life.
Copyright © 2016 Larry Lilly
2016 may bring a need for IT work. Click Oral Deckard!
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16.
James reminds us of the effective, fervent prayer of Elijah, which was some of the most fervent prayer in all the Bible and of history. The formula is rather simple, come to the Lord with a humble, clean heart, be passionate about what you’re praying for and be trusting in the imputed righteousness of Christ rather than your own imagined righteousness. The Lord is concerned with even the little things and invites us to come to Him with them, whether they are “little” sins, or small needs. A lady asked the grand preacher of an earlier era, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, “Do you think we ought to pray about even the little things in life?” Dr. Morgan, in his typical British manner, replied, “Madam, can you think of anything in your life that is big to God?”
You get the idea, all things that concern us are to be communicated to Him, as He bids us to come boldly to the throne of grace, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. One paraphrase has it, “find help just in the nick of time.”
Years ago I read of a young man who went off to college with a rather arrogant attitude. After a few days in Greek class he became a very humble man. Each night in the dorm he prayed as fervently as Elijah of old must have. He had a long list and agonized over each item on the list, often shedding a tear. After six months, things had cooled down a bit and he was known to say to God, “Well God, there’s the list, do what you can with it, in Jesus name, Amen.”
2016 promises many opportunities for fervent prayer. Our way of life as Christians living in America is on the line. The god of this world, of this age, in German called the Zeitgeist, is waging a major worldwide campaign against Jesus Christ and all things good.
The petty religiosities that matter to our peers, seem to be as nothing to the Lord Jesus Christ as He wants our heart, a heart that is surrendered to Him and His business in the earth.
I hope that the Lord will use me this year to lead our people in serious prayer. I hope that you will decide to join in with this serious prayer for an outpouring of God’s power in our daily life.
Copyright © 2016 Larry Lilly
2016 may bring a need for IT work. Click Oral Deckard!