Memorise: Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. James 4:2
Read: Luke 15:25-32 (KJV)
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Bible in one year: Leviticus 8-9, Psalms 119:161-172
AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL
1. In Christianity, prayer is generally defined as a solemn request for divine intervention or an expression of thanksgiving addressed to the Almighty God. It is therefore clear that prayer is not synonymous with murmuring, protest, demand, or complains.
2. A proper understanding of the art of prayer and the type of prayer that brings results is very important in Christianity.
3. Depending on the situation, some prayers can take on a casual form while others may wear a garb of seriousness.
4. The intensity of your thanksgiving prayer will differ in a case where you experienced a hitch-free trip compared to when you met with several difficulties during the trip but eventually arrived safely. The Psalmist in Psalms 130:1-2 talks of calling unto God out of the deep.
5. When there is no imminent danger, and you are in the comfort of your air-conditioned bedroom praying, that kind of prayer will be sweet, smooth and leisure-like. But the one in the belly of a fish such as in Jonah’s case would definitely be different.
6. There is an extent to which you will pray and you will realize that you have gotten God’s attention.
7. What kind of prayer takes place in your family? How desperate are you? If you can pour out your heart to the Lord without being so mindful of grammar or who may be nearby, or who is looking or not looking at you, you will get His attention.
8. At the end of the day, what is important is getting answers to prayers and not whether you appear to men as being prayerful.
9. As you engage heaven in aggressive prayers this season, you will receive divine attention in Jesus’ name. Call on Him.
SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS
Whoever is convinced about 1 John 5:14-15 will eliminate complain, murmuring or protest while praying. Prayers that produced results in the Bible varied but none can be likened to complain or murmuring. There are people whom through them praying you get to know all their secret, issue or problem because they choose to introduce themselves to their maker. They go as far as telling God their house address, name, number of children etc. They end the prayer up not in Jesus name but by saying God why me or when will you answer me?
Prayer is a communication between God and man and such time must be effectively utilized. Matt. 7:7-8 says “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Note the scripture above didn’t say complain, protest or murmur and it shall be given unto you.
It is also important that we pray fervently always. The latter part of James 5:16 says”… The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. The Lord through the Holy spirit will help us to pray the right way that we may receive answers to our prayers in Jesus name.
It is our prayer also that our Father in the Lord Pastor E.A Adeboye shall be continually strengthened as he prays in Jesus name.
Prayer Point
Father, please, teach me to pray genuinely from today in Jesus name
HYMN
1 Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
O deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev’ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2 Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will. [Refrain]
3 Deeper, deeper! tho’ it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow. [Refrain]
4 Deeper, higher, ev’ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last. [Refrain]
5 Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue. [Refrain]
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Joesphine Ehigie
TJ