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A SONG AND A PRAYER |
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MORNING MANNA - JANUARY 1 - 15, 2008
Matthew 6:12 (King James Version) We are now looking at
the fourth petition in the prayer that Jesus gave His disciples. The previous petitions are found in "Morning"
Manna," beginning January 9, 2008, and can be found on the web-site, www.songandaprayer.net, on the "Morning Manna," page. Matthew 6:12 is divided into two petitions and we will look at the first now, which is "And forgive us our debts."
There is a story, told by J. R. Miller, of a soldier who seemed beyond any help. He had been punished and
punished many times, yet again been arrested. His commanding officer asked him what might be done to keep him from
destroying himself. Upon hearing that, a fellow-officer suggested, "Try forgiving him." As the
wayward soldier was brought in for trial, he was asked what he had to say for himself. His answer was, "Nothing,
except that I'm very sorry." With that the officer said, "We have decided to forgive you."
The offending officer stood in wonder for a moment and then wept and saluted. He went out to be the best and
most courageous soldier in the command. There is great power in forgiveness. This
morning, you and I are soldiers in the kingdom of God. Like the above-mentioned soldier, sometimes we
go astray. Sometimes we just keep making the same mistakes continually just like the soldier in the story. However,
those mistakes keep us from fellowship with the Lord. He can't look upon sin. But, He is kind like the commanding
officer in the story. He doesn't want any of us to destroy ourselves. (2 Peter 3:9) So, He sent His only Son so we could be forgiven. (John 3:16) He did not send Jesus to punish us (John 3:17), but to bring us to a place of forgiveness, a place of renewed fellowship with the Commander of the kingdom of Heaven. (Psalm 24:3-4) Have you received that forgiveness yet? ( 1 John 1:9) Colossians 2:13) If you have never been to the foot of the cross and confessed that you are a sinner, asking Jesus to come into
your heart, you can do that right this minute. (Romans 6:23) A sin is an offense against God. Without Jesus, this is unforgivable. Yet, we all do sin, even if
only in our thoughts. (Matthew 5:28) When we sin, we become enemies of the kingdom of Heaven, rather than soldiers. In Matthew 5:25, Jesus tells a story about how we need to come to terms quickly with our adversary. When we sin and do not repent,
we automatically put ourselves in opposition with God. Not a good place to be! No one doing that will win.
Yet even when we have made ourselves enemies of God, He still loved us. (Romans 5:8) He didn't want to bring harm to us. So, He made a way that, like the soldier in the above story, we
could be forgiven. That way is Jesus. Just as we are to pray every day for our daily bread, do you think
it would be safe to say that we need to ask God for forgiveness each day for anything we might have done? Whether deliberately
or unknowingly. It seems so to me. It is good to keep the lines of communication with our Father open and
unhindered by any sin. Like the soldier in our story, we should
really take a moment to stand in wonder. How could it be that a holy God would forgive us, who are made of dust? (Psalm 103:14) Maybe it's just that. He knows that we are only made of dust and that we are weak in our flesh. He
made us that way. So He, being the stronger One, has offered us forgiveness. For everything. If we will
ask for it and receive it. He also knows that He has made us in His image. (Genesis 1:27) He has given us a spirit like His own. Once we repent of our sin, He will commune with us, Spirit
to spirit. We will be given our orders as a good soldier of the kingdom. (2 Timothy 2:4) Now, in our forgiven state and with communication opened between our Father (who is the supreme Commander of
the kingdom of Heaven), we can do our duty well. We can go into a dark world, refusing to become entangled in it again.
Like the soldier in our story, we can become courageous and fight the fight to the end, pleasing our Father. (1 Timothy 4:7) Because of our gratitude and relief brought about by God's forgiveness, we can go on in victory, helping to usher
God's kingdom and will into this world. Because of such great forgiveness, we will never cease to reverence or hallow
His name. He, alone, will give us the mighty power that comes from forgiveness so we can fight the battles with
courage and know that we are on the winning side. Do you want to be a happy camper in this camp called, Earth?
Then go to God this morning asking for forgiveness for anything that keeps you away from Him. (Romans 4:6-8) Believe in the forgiveness God offers us. Stand in awe. Worship Him. Let the wonder of that forgiveness
spur you on to do the same for others. Although we need to ask and receive, God has already promised forgiveness.
We just need to believe it and find ourselves free!  Matthew 6:11 (King James Version) Remember
when you were a child? You ate the food your parents gave you. You probably didn't wonder where it came from or
if it would be there the next day, did you? Most likely not. Matthew 6:11 is the fourth petition included in the prayer that Jesus taught the disciples, otherwise known as, "The Lord's
Prayer." It is the first petition that has to do with our needs. The three previous petitions were directed
toward God. You will find them in last week's, "Morning Manna". Jesus spoke in another place of
childlike faith. In this petition, we seem to be directed back to childlike faith. It doesn't include worrying
about any future days but focuses completely on this day. (Matthew 6:33) Like a child, we're to look to our Father for all of our daily bread. Matthew 18:1-5 lets us know that we need to receive Jesus with the faith of a child. Here Jesus is talking about the kingdom
of Heaven. In the second petition of the prayer Jesus gave His disciples, we have just prayed that God's kingdom
would come. (Matthew 6:10) One way we can help bring that kingdom to earth is to submit ourselves to God and go to Him daily to ask for the food
we need for that day. This bread represents, not only our physical needs, but also the bread of life. The spiritual
bread. Remember how the devil tempted Jesus when He was hungry in the wilderness? Satan tempted Him to make bread
out of the stones. (Matthew 3:3) Jesus, though physically hungry and totally able to turn those stones into bread, realized that the bread of life
was more important. (Matthew 3:4. This morning is your prayer for not only your physical needs, but also your spiritual food? If so, we can know
that we are exhibiting the faith we should and that we are partnering with our Father to have His kingdom come into our lives
and our world. God gave us the bread of life in the form of His Son.
Jesus said, "I am the bread of life.... "(John 6:35) Jesus is the Word made flesh. (John 1:14) He is the living manna from Heaven. He is revealed in the scripture that we read. He spoke of His body
being bread at the last supper. (Luke 22:19) Are we feasting on that Word every day or have we neglected to eat this heavenly food, becoming malnourished and weak
in our spirits? One week without the Word can certainly leave one weak! Sunday morning's sermon is not enough
to get us through a week. We need food every day. If not, when we finally get to church on Sunday, chances are
that we're going to be too weak spiritually even to enjoy and receive the bread given there. Just as God rained down manna from Heaven for the Israelites, (Psalm 78:23-25), what the Bible calls "angel's food", He rains down upon us through His Holy Spirit to enlighten us and
feed us when we are in His Word. If we are well-fed by getting our daily bread from our Father, (Proverbs 10:21), the One who makes us righteous, we will become His partner in feeding many. If we don't get our daily
bread from our Father, we will become part of the problem in this world. A world in which many have forsaken Godly wisdom
and become fools, some even saying that there is no God! (Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1) God is interested in meeting all of our needs, including both physical and spiritual. (Philippians 4:19) But, we need to ask. (James 4:2) Have you asked God for your food today or thanked Him that your cupboards and refrigerator are full? Have you
asked Him for your spiritual food this morning and then gone to gather it from His Word, just as the Israelites gathered the
manna from the desert floor? If so, it will sustain you for today and provide enough for you to give some to that hungry
person that comes across your path. In sharing our daily bread, both physical and spiritual, we are living out the earlier
petition, "Thy kingdom come," and the next one too, "Thy will be done." Our prayers and
our lives fit together very nicely when we have been fed by our Father. Matthew 6:10 (Amplified Bible) This morning,
we're still meditating on what is commonly known as, "The Lord's Prayer," although this prayer is one that
is really for us. A model prayer. (Luke 11:1) The first three petitions in this prayer are directed toward God and we are looking at the third one
today which is, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." How is God's will accomplished in Heaven?
It is done cheerfully, constantly, perfectly, fully. God's kingdom will come when Jesus comes again and sets up His kingdom.
Isaiah 9:7 (Amplified Bible) 7
(AMP) Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over
his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from the [latter] time forth, even forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. His will will be done in this kingdom. However,
there is much more to this prayer than a coming kingdom in which His will will be done. This verse implies that we are
to be praying that His will be done on earth now, just as it is in heaven. How might God answer that prayer? I think
He will start with us. Jesus gave us an example of yielding to God's
will in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had heard from His Father because He was always in touch with His Father.
He knew His Father's will. He knew His mission and His purpose. Yet, it was not an easy purpose.
Though He knew it and struggled with it in the flesh, yet He prayed, "Not my will but Yours be done." This
was not an easy prayer for Jesus to pray. Yet, He prayed it, fully submitting to it, though He would and was suffering
in the process. While it's true that we won't have to suffer what Jesus suffered because He has purchased our
salvation, we will have some things to go through in this life which are not particularly comfortable. Especially
if we pray, believing that God hears and acts, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." His will
is certainly done in heaven. There is no sin, no sorrow, no crying, no doubt, no trouble at all. Yet, on earth,
we have some battles to fight if we are to see His will be done here, as it is in heaven. Most of the battles are
within our selves. Because we have natural, earthly desires having been born into a sinful world and born
in sin, we have some things to overcome as we become a new person in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We can't really pray, "Your will be done," if we are still bent on our own will. God sees us as
new creatures but the manifestation of that creature is a process. It's just like being born in the physical.
We're not all that we will be yet, in fact, only a small fraction of it. We have to grow and learn and apply those
things we learn. In God's will, there can only be one King, no mini-kingdoms. We are ambassadors for Christ.
We can't be the King of our own lives. We're representatives of His kingdom and His will. In
heaven, everyone is in agreement, all submitted to the will of the King of Kings. That's what we're supposed
to portray on earth too. Jesus prayed it for us in John 17:20-23. Heaven is filled with God's glory. Notice that in the prayer that Jesus prayed
for our unity as the Body of Christ here on earth, He says He has given us His glory so that we might come to complete
unity, showing a lost world that He still loves them. (John 17:22-23) As we realize the glory that is in us and the purpose for which it is placed there, are we reaching the world, ushering
in God's will? Are we learning, growing and applying these things so that we can be faithful ambassadors of
Christ, having no agenda of our own? Even in the hard times, are we ready to pray, "Not my will but Yours be done?". As I think about God's will being done in heaven, I can't come away without
thinking about total worship. Revelation 5:11-14 (King James Version) (King James Version) 11
(KJV) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders:
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying
with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and
glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth,
and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory,
and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever
and ever. In heaven, everyone will be in the unity that Jesus prayed for us. No one will have his
own agenda. All of us will be free from the ties of this world. All of our focus will be on the Lord. What
a day that will be! Yet, we're to pray now, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.".
This glorious body of worshipers is being formed now. Will we be one of those whose worship will make a difference
here on earth to bring about God's will? As Jesus spoke to those around Him, He said that the hour had already
come when true worshipers would worship God in spirit and in truth. He said that God is looking for those kinds of people.
(John 4:23) His will is done through our worship in spirit and in truth. Is He looking for you today because your
focus is on His will? Can we start the new year with a new and bolder desire to see His will be done here on earth?
As we pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," will it begin in and with us? Matthew 6:10 (Amplified Bible) If you have been following, we are up to the second petition of the seven petitions in the prayer that Jesus taught
his disciples, sometimes known as, "The Lord's Prayer." It's interesting to note again that Jesus
did not come to do away with previous scripture, but to fulfill it. His instruction to us to pray, "Your kingdom
come", comes from a prayer that the Jewish people would almost always add to their prayers. It goes like this, "Let
him cause his kingdom to reign, and his redemption to flourish: and let the Messiah speedily come and deliver his people."—Adam
Clarke's Commentary In Matthew 3:2, Jesus preaches that we should turn from our sin because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. How much nearer it is His manifest
kingdom today than it was then! We should waste no time in turning from our sin and turning toward God if we want to
live in His kingdom for eternity. Do we really want God's kingdom to come? If so, we should be living like
kingdom people. Kingdom people are not divided. They do not quibble over whether it is best to be a Baptist or
an Assembly of God member. They have a bigger picture in mind. They realize that we are all of the same kingdom
if we belong to Christ. There is no civil war in God's perfect kingdom. It is ruled by love and justice.
It is filled with righteousness. It is ruled by one King. Are we ready for that kingdom? If we truly mean
it when we say, "Thy kingdom come," are we checking our hearts to see if we qualify to live in such a kingdom.
Will our style of life have to change when we enter that kingdom or will we be able to walk in easily with not much transition? We can and should be developing and working toward a "kingdom," lifestyle
in our minds and in our everyday actions. I have read that the word, "kingdom," occurs forty-nine times
in Matthew, sixteen times in Mark, and thirty-eight times in Luke. That's one hundred and three times in just those
three gospels! Jesus was passionate about the kingdom of God. He was sent to usher in the kingdom and help us
all to know how to enter and be a part of it. He said that He had to preach the good news of the kingdom of God because
that is why He was sent. (Luke 4:43) For some, kingdom living might seem as though we cannot enjoy ourselves. It may seem straight-laced and without
excitement. But, Jesus said it was good news. We might find moments of sinful pleasure in living for
this world's kingdom. But those moments generally result in consequences that enslave us, sometimes for life.
The kingdom of God will bring freedom. Living for the kingdom will allow us to share that freedom with others too, giving
them the opportunity to make the choice to enter in. Which is more lasting, happiness found in the temporal pleasures of
living for the world's kingdom, or joy found in living for the kingdom of God? If we are committed, we must not
only pray, "Thy kingdom come," we must enter in and live to help make that happen.
One person can set a multitude free by living under and promoting kingdom principles. I read about one such person and
want to share that with you. In this vein Charles Colson has written: During a visit to London I asked a friend to take me to
Clapham, the village where William Wilberforce lived almost two centuries ago. Wilberforce was the Christian member of Parliament
who led the twenty-year fight, ultimately victorious, against the slave trade. He is one of my great heroes. Wilberforce was joined by a small band
of like-minded Christians who lived, worked and prayed together in the Clapham home of Henry Thornton. We drove one night through London's
crowded streets past block after block of Victorian row houses. A few miles from downtown we came upon a hill, then around
a bend. "There it is," my host exclaimed. "That's where Henry Thornton's home used to be!" "Used to be?"
I replied in disbelief. "Surely it has been preserved as an historic site!" "No," my friend responded, "leveled long
ago." I
was stunned. In the U.S., there are markers at the site of obscure battles, even the footprints of screen stars preserved
in cement. But here there was nothing. We drove several blocks to the old church on Clapham Green. "Wilberforce once preached here," the old rector
told me proudly, pointing to a painting in the center of the stained glass behind the altar — a "quite good likeness"
of Wilberforce. I squinted but could barely make it out. "Is that all there is?" I asked, my disappointment deepening. "Oh,
no," he replied, leading me to a small brass plaque and a pile of booklets about Wilberforce under a sign, "50 p
each." That was it. We left the church and walked across Clapham Green. "After all these men accomplished," I mumbled, "surely
more could have been done to honor them." But suddenly I stopped and stared across the soft grass. In my mind's eye
I could see row upon row of men and women, freed from the laden slave ships; I could even hear the clanging chains falling
from their arms and legs. Of course, of course, I thought. Clapham is just what Wilberforce and his colleagues would want. No spires
of granite or marble, no cold statues and lifeless buildings. Rather, the monument to Wilberforce is the legacy of countless
millions, once enslaved, who today live in freedom.[119] —Preaching the Word Since we know that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), it is entirely possible that you or I could live in such a way as to make the sizeable difference that William Wilberforce
made. Who, among us is willing to not only pray, "Thy kingdom come," but also be like Jesus and begin to usher
it in by the way we live? The only true freedom is in the kingdom of God. Will you be free today? If so, put your
hand to the plow and don't turn back! (Luke 9:26) Everything you need will be supplied! (Matthew 6:33) Someone once made this statement, "This is a big prayer that depends on a big God. And when truly prayed,
it makes for a big life. Is your life, is my life, big enough to pray, "your kingdom come"?" MORNING MANNA
- JANUARY 11, 2008 - HOW JESUS TAUGHT PRAYER - PART THREE Matthew 6:9 (Amplified Bible) Well, if you've read yesterday's Morning Manna and the day
before, you know that we are concentrating on the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. I need to make
a correction here regarding the Morning Manna of yesterday. In it, I wrote this: "And, that is only the
first part of the first petition! Tomorrow, the Lord willing, we will look at the second half of that petition." I
was wrong! I got so excited about how much there is in this prayer, I neglected the fact that, "Our Father which
art in Heaven," was the invocation in the prayer not part of the first petition. The first petition actually
comes at the end of Matthew 6:9 and it is, "Hallowed be thy Name." "Hallowed be," means,
"to make holy, I.e. (ceremony) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:-hallow, be holy sanctify." (From
Strong's Concordance) We are to set God apart in our hearts as holy. In 1 Peter 3:15, this same word used for, "hallowed," is used. It tells us to sanctify
the Lord in our hearts and be ready to given an answer for the hope that is in us. In hallowing God's name, we make a
special place for it. It is top priority in our hearts and minds. Because of that we are able to give an answer
for our hope because He is our hope and we have set Him as number One in the priorities of life.
How are we doing at being an example of hallowing Gods name? If we are really praying in earnest, "Hallowed be
thy Name," we will make an effort to make that happen all around us. We are asking God to make His name hallowed.
How do we play a part in that? By example. When we live rightly, we are exalting or hallowing God's name.
Living in a wrong way would be to profane His name. (Exodus 20:7) We would bring His name into disrepute among those around us. Do you think that
may be what has already happened? If we, as Christians, do not have a lifestyle any different from those who are not,
what will that do to the reputation of our God's name? Do you wonder why the world complains about the "hypocrites"
in the church? Several verses in the Old Testament testify as to how people brought shame to the name of God.
(Jeremiah 34:16; Jeremiah 44:25-26; Ezekiel 13:19, Ezekiel 20:14, Amos 2:7) Sadly, there are those who call themselves Christians today and do the same thing. Today,
a reverence for God seems to be at a low ebb. Although we are to be intimately acquainted with Him, He must never become,
"familiar" to us or "common" to us. He is loving and kind but He is also holy. As we approach
Him, we can come boldly. (Hebrews 4:16) Yet we must come reverently. (Hebrews 10:31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God because He is holy.
Nothing but holiness can come near Him. Thankfully, we are made holy too by the blood of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 6:11) That same Greek word used for "hallowed," is used in 1 Corinthians 6:11 speaking of our sanctification through the name of the Lord Jesus. So, we need to
hallow God's name by living a sanctified or holy life. How are we doing so far? This kind of thing can bring
either confirmation or conviction. We are either living as we should or we have things to work on. If we
will not paint a glossy picture of ourselves, most of us will find that we can grown in this area. Look
at the following example: When the Emperor arrested Chrysostom and tried to make him recant, he shook his head. The Emperor said to his guards, "Throw him into prison." "No," said one of them, "he
will be glad to go, for he delights in the presence of his God in quiet!" "Well, execute him," said the Emperor. "He will be glad to die,"
said the soldier, "for he wants to go to heaven, I heard him say so the other day. "There is only one thing that can give Chrysostom
pain, and that is, to make him sin; he said he was afraid of nothing but sin. If you can make him sin, you will make him unhappy." —William
Norton How do our hearts and minds,
thus our lives, compare to Chrysostom? Does sin make us repulsed? Or, do we think about things we know would
not hallow God's name? Worse yet, do we let those thoughts grow until we actually do some of those
things? Or, do we display a new nature? A nature that hallows God's name. Ephesians 4:24 (The Living Bible) 24 (TLB) Yes, you
must be a new and different person, holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature. Yes, when
we take on the attributes of God, through the strength of Christ, we hallow His name. We begin to look like Him.
The worlds sees His glory and they have to bow to it. They, too, will know that His name is truly hallowed.
Jesus knew the scripture. He was the scripture. He knew that God's name should be hallowed in the
earth. He came to fulfill the scriptures. Look at 1 Chronicles 16:29, 1 Chronicles 16:29 (Amplified Bible) 29
(AMP) Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in
the beauty of holiness and in holy array. No wonder He has taught
us to pray in this way. There are many other passages in the Old Testament that declare the holiness of God's name.
Will we be the ones to show the world and teach the world that God's name should be hallowed? If so, we can
turn the growing tide of irreverence toward God and what the world calls, "tolerance," and "relativism." Matthew 6:9 (King James Version) Within Matthew 6:9, we find the first two of the seven petitions contained in the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. Both of these
petitions represent God. They both leave mention of man out. They are a form of worship. When we pray them,
we are indicating that we are not much, if anything, without our Father in Heaven. And, we are indicating that
He is totally set apart and holy. We're agreeing with Him as to who and where He is.
Also, to the fact that His name is above every other name. Even though we're not mentioning ourselves or other humans,
we begin to get a better perspective of who we really are. As we lift up our Father, we suddenly realize the infinite
majesty, strength and glory that belongs to Him. Suddenly, we feel smaller and smaller. We get the fact that He
said we're just dust. (Psalm 103:14) We realize just how fragile and frail we are. As we walk in this world, it gets hard. At those times,
we don't always look to our Father for help. We put up facades. We build walls to protect ourselves from hurt,
pain and loss. When we really begin to pray Matthew 6:9, those walls have to come down. We are not "all that." But our Father is! I notice that the prayer does not say, "My father." Is that significant? I think so.
First, although it doesn't mention people, it shows me that God is not a respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) He is not just "my" Father, but He's your father too. Even though this petition
is not about us, it points to the fact that we need one another because we are of the same family. It points to the
importance of families. It reminds us of our relationship to our Father as well as our relationship to our brothers
and sisters. It also reminds us that God has given us marriage and family here on earth as a model of what His
kingdom is like. (Ephesians 5:31-32) Although the word, "Father," is the Greek word, "pater," meaning, father or
parent in general, we have even a greater relationship with Him if we have received Jesus. At this point, we are able
to call Him, "Abba!" Because of our perfect, "Brother," and His sacrifice for us, we are adopted
into the family of God. (Romans 8:15) Being able to call our Father, "Abba," places us in the category of intimate family.
It means we are no longer a slave, but a legitimate child of the Father. Because of Jesus, we have been chosen.
It is a word that comes from the mouths of infants. It expresses the fact that we trust Him completely just
as an infant or toddler trusts his parents. When we say, "Abba Father," we are showing that we love Him because
He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (Amplified Bible) 19
(AMP) We love Him, because He first loved us. We are showing that we are
confident in Him. As our Father, He is our protector, and our guide. He is our healer and our comforter.
He is the strong tower into which we can run. He is our fortress. He is all those things and more. He is
our Father in Heaven. His ways are higher than our ways and we submit to those ways when we acknowledge Him as our Father. (Isaiah 55:9) Just the thought that we have a Father who is in Heaven; a Father who cares and knows about every detail
of our lives, elicits worship. (Psalm 139:1-18) Although the prayer that Jesus taught is short, just those aspects of our having a Father in Heaven can more than
fill a lifetime with prayers of worship. That's how fervent prayer starts. This devotional has not even covered all the aspects and wonders of having a Father who is in Heaven.
To comprehend that will take our whole lives and eternity too. And, that is only the first part of the first petition!
Tomorrow, the Lord willing, we will look at the second half of that petition. We have a lot to reflect on today,
just knowing to Whom our prayers should be addressed and knowing that He, though reigning high above us, has invited us to
come to Him. Will you spend this day with the heart of a child, realizing that, apart from our Father in Heaven, we
can do nothing? Will you take time during the day just to reflect on and worship Him because He is our Father?
If we all do that, can you imagine the worship that will reach Heaven today? That worship touches the heart of
our Father. Let's determine to bless Him today and every day! Matthew 6:9 (King James Version) Jesus was very hard on those who prayed just to be seen of men and to hear themselves. He spoke against
lengthy prayers that really had no substance. (Matthew 6:5) Perhaps that is why He gave us a model prayer. It is what is commonly called, "The Lord's Prayer." Although
He is the Author of this prayer, it was given to us so that we could have an idea of what He is interested
in when we pray. It is short. It is to the point. It simplifies things for us. Some have said
that it contains seven petitions. This is significant because the number, seven, Biblically means completion.
It also means maturity or perfection. As we consider our own prayer this morning, it is a model we can use to search
our hearts and let God show us how to capture His heart. Isn't that what prayer is all about? It's
not about us, it's about seeking and finding the heart and will of God. Of the seven petitions in our model
prayer, we find that the first three are directed toward God, with the last four being about our needs. Worship is the
beginning of all effective prayer. It takes our focus off of what we can do as human beings and places the glory where
it belongs. In God. What is the first petition? "Hallowed be thy name." The second?
"Thy kingdom come." And the third? "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Before
we ever declare a want or a need, we need to come to the realization that it's all about His Name, His kingdom, and
His will. When we make prayer about ourselves, we are becoming like the hypocrites
Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6:5. Looking at the word, "hypocrite," we find that the meaning is, "actor."
Someone who is not really, "real," at that moment. It is one who takes on a stage name or another identity.
God is not interested in making "stars" out of us in the sight of man. He is interested in where our
heart is. Is it seeking Him or is it focused on trying to say the right thing to please and impress those around us?
Matthew 6:5 (The Message) 5 (MSG)
"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people
making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? It's
true that when we're in a corporate prayer setting, we might be distracted if called on to pray. If we are looking
outward, instead of upward, that will be the case. But, if we concentrate on who God is, His kingdom, and His will,
we can cease from looking outward and inward and turn our eyes toward Heaven in true worship. God is not so much
interested in our words as He is interested in our heart. His heart is not touched by a multitude of words, as Christian
as they may sound. It's not touched by demands upon Him. It's touched by a submissive heart lifted in
worship and submission to his Name, His kingdom and His will. There are a couple of things that really make our prayers ineffective. In fact, the proper word would
probably be, "void." Those things are complacency and pride. Remember the story of the publican
and the sinner? We can learn from that this morning as we study the prayer that Jesus gave His disciples (that's
us!). The publican, or Pharisee, had become complaisant in his life. Prayer cannot be separated from our real
lives. It must come from a pure heart. (Psalm 24:3-4) There is no real audience before God without a clean life and a pure heart. Look what The Message
says about this Pharisee. Luke 18:9-12 (The Message) 9 (MSG) He told
his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses
at the common people: 10 "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee,
the other a tax man. 11 The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank
you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. 12 I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.' This man was complaisantly
pleased with himself. It was all about him, not all about Him. While it is true that
all those things he mentioned about himself are good, it is also true that it is only by the grace of God that he could do
them. That is if he really did them. When we make a formula out of living for Christ and receiving from Him, we
have lost the point. It's not about a formula. It's about His grace and mercy. We should do all
those things that the Pharisee mentioned. Out of obedience, which stems from our love for God. As we do them,
there is nothing to be proud about. These things are only our reasonable service to God. Obviously this Pharisee
was proud of himself. He took the glory that belonged to God. Though he said he was not a robber, he was a robber.
He was robbing God of His glory. When we pray, all the glory goes to God. We can't utter a
word without His permission. Yet, He gives us a choice as to what we will utter. It will prove us
humble and real before Him, as was the sinner in this story. Luke 18:13 (The Message) 13 (MSG) "Meanwhile
the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me,
a sinner.' " Or, it will prove that we need to get our prayer life in the proper order.
Only one of these men went away from prayer with peace. Luke 18:14 (The Message) 14 (MSG)
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your
nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become
more than yourself." Look at how Jesus commented about the one who was real before God.
He had not probably done most of those things the Pharisee claimed he had done. He was open and real before a real and
holy God. His prayer was totally effective while the Pharisee left unchanged. He walked home still in his pride
which is a dangerous way to travel. It indicates a fall is coming. (Proverbs 16:18) Not only was his destruction in the future if he did not change, his prayers also fell. They left his mouth,
which was their highest level, and fell immediately to the ground. Pride and complacency have no place in prayer.
If we want to start the year out powerfully in prayer, we need to, as The Message so aptly puts it, be content to simply be
ourselves before God. When we do that, He - and He alone - will make us become more than ourselves. His life and
power will flow through us in prayer and, like the sinner in the above story, we will see awesome answers. MORNING MANNA - JANUARY 8, 2008 - PRAYER - IT'S A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION Acts 13:2 (King James Version) Have
you ever had a conversation with someone who wouldn't let you get a word in edgewise? Were you pleased when all
they wanted to do was share their thoughts with you and hold you captive to their ongoing chatter? Worse yet, have you
ever experienced a relationship with someone who would only come to you to talk when they needed or wanted something?
And how do we feel about that? Have you ever been that person that went on and on without stopping?
Have you ever been that one that only goes to a "friend" when you need or want something they are in a position
to provide? I have. I need to get a grip on my tongue and my motives and be a true friend to others. James
has some pretty harsh words to say about someone who cannot control their tongue. James 1:26 (Amplified Bible) 26
(AMP) If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does
not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religious service is worthless (futile, barren).
I have usually thought of that verse as only meaning that we need to stop saying negative things. It does
mean that. But, perhaps it is also an indicator that sometimes, we just need to stop talking and listen. In our communication with the Lord, our prayers,
how many times is it a monologue? How many times do we go on and on with our lists of wants and needs without taking
time to stop and listen to what He has to say? He does speak but He's also patient and He certainly isn't
rude. If we don't stop talking and take time to listen, He probably won't interrupt our conversation.
However, He may get tired of listening to us, just as people will, if we always talk and never listen. He's
not into our babbling on and on without a thought of what He might have to say. Proverbs 10:8 says, The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. Are we open to God's
instruction and direction? If so, we are gaining wisdom. Are you saying right now, "I've never heard Him speak." Maybe
that's because you are expecting some voice to boom out from the clouds like we have seen in the movies. God can
do that if He wants to (Matthew 17:5) but He usually chooses other ways. Just because you may not have had experiences of having visions,
visitations by angels, or dreams that spoke to you doesn't mean that God hasn't spoken to you. We
all have the scriptures. He speaks to us through them all the time. So, if you have opened your Bible, and
asked to be spoken to by God, He has heard you. If you have placed the Word that you read in your heart and
walked in obedience to it, He has spoken to you. He will speak in other ways too if we're attuned to His voice.
And, we will hear Him because His Word says that His sheep know His voice and they follow Him. John 10:27 (Amplified Bible) 27
(AMP) The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.
He may speak through other people, He may speak in a dream or vision, He may send an angel or He may speak directly
through the Holy Spirit. He will speak direction and wisdom. His Words will always be life. In
all of that, He will never contradict His written Word. So, this morning, let's stop a moment and ask
God specific questions about direction and situations in our lives. Then let's wait for His answer. (James 1:5) It's a good thing to do at the beginning of a new year. Can you just imagine how much better this year
will be if we all do that? Do you have two ears, but only one mouth? The better to listen twice as much as we
talk. Not only in horizontally in our relationships but also before our God who is so willing to speak, if we will
only take time to listen. Just as those who ministered to the Lord, fasting and praying heard the voice of the
Holy Spirit for a given situation (Acts 13:12), so we too can hear today if we, too, are willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to listen humbly and expectantly. James 5:16 (King James Version) Shall we start the new year on a new level? A new level of prayer?
We can do that. We are not meant to stay in one place. If we're not moving forward, growing, we're
really slipping backward. I have lots of room to grow in the area of prayer. Maybe it's the same with
you. Do you have someone that you are close to with whom you share your innermost thoughts and desires?
Many of us have someone like that in our lives. We can be real with them. We can express even our wildest dreams.
Other friends are more superficial friends. We socialize. We speak of surface things but we don't really
share all that we are with them. Which kind of friend is God to you. May I say that He has shared His
most precious things with us in His Word and by His Spirit? He is that true friend. But, the relationship can't
be just one way. If we are speaking to Him in rote phrases and repeated "Chirstianese" platitudes, are we
really returning that friendship? Will our communication with Him be as effective as it could be? Will it move
His heart to move on our behalf? Yes, He will still love us and befriend us. He will not take His Word
from us. He does not change. (Hebrews 13:8) But, we will not receive everything that He has for us because we do not ask, fervently
believing that He will answer. That could be an indicator that we need to change. What causes our prayers
to be ineffectual and hindered. It may be that we ask with the wrong motives. (James 4:3) God does not just hear our words. The words can be right but the heart can be wrong. Jeremiah
17:10 (The Living Bible) 10 (TLB) Only the
Lord knows! He searches all hearts and examines deepest motives so he can give to each person his right reward, according
to his deeds--how he has lived. As in the case of the husband who does not treat his wife with consideration
and honor her as physically the weaker, prayers may be hindered and cut off. As the Amplified Bible completes 1 Peter 3:7, "Otherwise you cannot pray effectively." Both wrong motives and sin can be
a cause for our prayers to be hindered. Those things come between the intimate relationship God wants to have with us.
Both can be eliminated if we will ask God to get involved in the process. (Psalm 139:23, 1 John 3:5) It is the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous person that is powerful
or avails much. If we have received Jesus as our Savior, we are righteous. He has given us His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Amplified Bible) 21
(AMP) For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might
become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable
and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. Being found with
the righteousness of Christ, we qualify to have our prayers be heard. But, even though being righteous, will we pray
fervently and effectively? Those words, "fervent, effective," in the King James Version come from a Greek
word, "energeo." Sounds like energy to me. How about you? It means to be active and efficient.
It also means to be mighty in a thing. It comes from a root word meaning, "operative." Elijah prayed
a prayer that worked. It was prayed with passion and faith and it was powerful. (James 5:17-18) Is it coincidence that God placed these two verses in scripture immediately after letting us know that our effectual,
fervent prayer will be powerful? God changed the course of nature because of Elijah's prayer. That's how
powerful prayer can be. The miracle in this is that God was giving us an example of what could happen if you and I would
pray fervently and effectively, with energy and passion. We read that Elijah was just a normal person, just like you
and me. We don't have to have the name, "Elijah," to have our prayers be powerful. We only need
to be real, passionate and fervent before our Lord. As we think about this new year ahead of us, will we determine to
have right motives, confess and receive forgiveness for our sin, and pray fervently and effectively? If so, we will
see the power of God displayed around us like never before! James 5:15 (New Living Translation) Having experienced being sick for the past six days, I am still
considering the importance of prayer. James tells us that the prayer of faith will heal the sick. I
know that many people of great faith have been praying for me to recover. Although it feels like I will
never be the same again, I will recover. It will be in God's way and in His time. In the meantime,
I can thank Him that He will never leave me. (Matthew 28:20) I can thank Him that He bore those stripes for my healing. He is my healer. (1 Peter 2:24) The interesting thing in James 5:15 is that, it is not only physical healing that the prayer of faith brings about. It says that forgiveness of sin
is included in the package. What is the greatest sickness
man can have? Sin is that sickness. The Living Bible says: (The Living Bible) 15 (TLB) And their prayer, if offered in faith, will heal him, for the Lord will make him well; and if
his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him. It is possible that our poor
choices in life bring on physical sickness. In fact, many in the medical community report that stress, alone, is the
cause of much of our illness. It is a choice to be stressed - or not. I like the saying, "I'm too blessed
to be stressed." Yes, life has many challenges that greatly tempt us to be stressed. But, we have the
choice to make. We can either concentrate on our blessings or focus on our "stressings." Jesus has promised
us freedom from worry. (Matthew 6:34) He has promised us peace that nothing in the world can match. (John 14:27) This freedom is ours in every situation if we will make the choice to receive it. We will have sickness and
trouble as we walk through this world but we also possess the peace of Jesus. No matter what it looks like or feels
like, nothing is missing and nothing is broken. Are you suffering this morning? From sickness, depression, financial trouble, relationships
that are not what they should be, a wayward son or daughter, difficulties on the job? James tells us we should keep
praying about it. (James 5:13) Those prayers that are prayed in faith and earnestness by a righteous person have great power and wonderful results.
(James 5:16) Have you made some wrong choices already this year? Maybe you have not owned up to the ones you made last year,
or the years before. Find a Godly person, admit your faults so that you might be prayed for and healed. (James 5:16) So that you might be whole; body, soul and spirit. Will you pray the prayer of faith this morning for yourself
or for someone else who might be suffering? If you need help praying, will you call for an elder in the faith and allow
that person to pray for you? If you will do one or the other, or both, it will reach the ears of God and it will be
answered. The timing and the way is up to God. It is by faith that we pray and by faith we wait for His answer.
It will come. Philippians 2:5 (New Living Translation) While Philippians 2:5 is not specifically a scripture concerning prayer, it has to do with prayer because it has to do with attitude.
How is your attitude this morning regarding prayer? Is it the same attitude that Jesus had and still does? Jesus
often went alone to pray. (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35) Jesus communicated with His Father about everything that was going on as He went about His ministry . (Matthew 11:25) Not only was Jesus a person of prayer, He taught His disciples about the necessity of having an attitude of prayer.
(Luke 18:1) When we get an "attitude," a good attitude of prayer, we will not give up. Jesus never gave up either.
Even when His friend, Lazarus, had been dead for four days, Jesus kept His attitude of prayer. He did not get a frenzied
attitude even though He knew He would not make it to the home of Lazarus until after Lazarus had died. Jesus knew
the power of an attitude of prayer, of constant open communication with His Father. Jesus knew that He had
power when He communicated with His Father. He wanted the disciples and all those around to know that too. He
wanted you and me to know that we, too, have power when we have an attitude of prayer. He did not jump and run when
He heard that Lazarus was dead but rather remained in a calm and peaceful, confident manner. When He had reached the
tomb, He prayed loudly, but not because He doubted that He would be answered. He prayed loudly so those around could
know that God had sent Him and that God would definitely answer His prayer. (John 11:41-43) God is not deaf but sometimes we humans are spiritually deaf. Jesus showed in this moment how an attitude of
prayer could even raise the dead! Because Jesus has
an attitude of prayer, we find Him still praying for us. Yes, us - right now! (Hebrews 7:24-25) Jesus definitely has an attitude! An attitude of prayer. Do we have that same attitude?
Jesus prayed when He was about to finish His mission on earth. He knew He could not make it through without the help
of His Father. There may be a situation this morning in your life that you know you won't be able to endure without
the help of the Lord. Is your attitude one of prayer? Jesus was so weakened in the Garden of Gethsemane before
His crucifixion that He sweat drops of blood. He had asked his disciples to stay and pray with Him but they fell asleep.
They definitely had not yet developed an attitude of prayer. Sometimes, we have to have such an attitude that, when
we're all alone and no one stands with us, we will continue in prayer for ourselves or for another. Even in
the midst of trial and sorrow we can't loose our attitude. Jesus didn't. He just left His disciples sleeping
and went on further to pray. (Mark 14:39) Finally, His attitude of prayer let Him speak these words, Luke 22:41-42 (New Living Translation) 41 (NLT) He walked away, about
a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, Dr. George Washington Carver said the following regarding an attitude of prayer. "My
prayers seem to be more of an attitude than anything else. I indulge in no lip service, but ask the great God silently, daily,
and often many times a day, to permit me to speak to Him. I ask Him to give me wisdom, understanding and bodily strength to
do His will. Hence, I am asking and receiving all the time." His attitude was that he was asking and receiving
constantly. In this world of ups and downs, with turmoil and confusion almost constantly bombarding us, do we remain
in an attitude of prayer. A confident attitude that we are in communion with the One who holds the world together
and will have His good and perfect way? Someone else once said that prayer was such a treasure, being the source of
so much blessing, that those who find it really can't be kept from it. They pursue it at every opportunity.
Do you consider prayer a treasure this morning? Is it such a treasure to you that it has become your attitude?
Do you feel weak sometimes? Does that make you feel as though your prayers are ineffective? Do you think
Jesus felt weak when He sweat the drops of blood in the garden? Do you think He was weak when He felt that
His Father had forsaken Him? Yet, He had an inner confidence even in utter weakness, that His attitude of
prayer would be seen and heard by His Father. And so it was. Because of that, you and I can stand at the foot
of the cross and receive salvation. Are you weak this morning? That's just fine. Our Savior, at
His weakest moment finished His course and changed your world and mine. His attitude of prayer brought Him, and
brought you and me, victory over sin and death. Look at this quote and be encouraged to remain in an attitude
of prayer! The weakest saint upon his knees is victorious over all the powers of hell.—Feathers
for Arrows 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Amplified Bible) We're told to pray without
ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (King James Version) 17 (KJV) Pray without ceasing. Some would
say, "that's impossible for me." But, is it really? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we're to thank God in everything. That pretty much indicates that we're to be
talking to Him constantly. Thanking God is a form of prayer. It is obviously not the only form so it's not
impossible for anyone to pray without ceasing. Even if we only prayed prayers of thanksgiving, that would have us praying
constantly! Have you ever been very tired and fallen into your nice warm bed with such thankfulness, thanking God for
the warmth of the room, the quietness, the comfortable mattress, the soft pillow, the warm, cozy blankets, etc., etc.?
I have! That's the way our whole life should be. Charles Hodge was like that when he was a child. Childlike
faith will allow open and honest communication with God. Prayer. (Mark 10:14-15) It takes faith to pray like a child. Do you have that kind of faith? Charles
Hodge, pioneer Presbyterian minister, said: "I think that in my childhood, I came nearer the apostolic
injunction, 'Pray without ceasing,' than in any other period of my life. (1 Thes. 5:17) As far back as I can remember, I had the habit of thanking God for everything I received, and asking
Him for everything I wanted. "If I lost a book or any of my playthings, I prayed that I might find it. I prayed
walking along the streets, in school and out of school, whether playing or studying. I did not do this in obedience to any
prescribed rule. It seemed natural. I thought of God as everywhere present, full of kindness and love, and would not be offended
if children talked to Him." —True Stories —Encyclopedia
of 15,000 Illustrations You might feel that you are
unable to pray a prayer of thanksgiving in certain situations. We all go through them. We all have difficulties
and trials and we all experience loss. We have just come through the holidays when what is supposed to be a joyful time
is a time of hardship for many. Many have lost loved ones, relationships, jobs and their dreams are seemingly dashed.
Some had nothing, being homeless while others were losing the homes they had. How can we say prayers of thankfulness
during these times? Because we serve a God that is a Deliverer. (Psalm 144:2) Whatever difficult situation you find yourself in this morning, remember that God loves you and will
deliver you. But, He wants to hear from you. Thank Him for being Who He is, your Deliverer. Not only does
He deliver us but He strengthens us. 2 Corinthians 1:3 (The Living Bible) 3
(TLB) What a wonderful God we have--he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and
the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when
others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given
us. Another reason we can pray without ceasing in everything, with thanksgiving, is because Jesus said
He would never leave us or fail us. (Hebrews 13:5) He also said that nothing could separate us from God's love. (Romans 8:35-8:39) Like Charles Hodge, we can pray without ceasing because we are a child of God. He never tires of hearing
from His children, especially when they are thankful for all He is as well as all He does. Even in our most difficult
trials and difficulties, we can pray and we must pray. We can pray for deliverance. We can also pray constant
prayers of thankfulness that we serve a God who is always with us, leading us in every way, through every second of our lives.
In everything. Acts 10:2 (The Message) Cornelius, though not a Jew, was a good man. He worshipped God.
He made prayer a habit. Do we do that today? What habits have you and I developed and do those habits
include prayer? Cornelius was not really supposed to be visited by the Jewish people. They were not
supposed to go into the homes of the gentiles. But, prayer is powerful. God sent an angel to Cornelius. Acts 10:3-4 (The Message) 3 (MSG)
One day about three o'clock in the afternoon he had a vision. An angel of God, as real as his next-door neighbor,
came in and said, "Cornelius." 4 Cornelius stared hard, wondering if
he was seeing things. Then he said, "What do you want, sir?" The angel said, "Your prayers and neighborly acts
have brought you to God's attention. The prayers of Cornelius
had attracted God's attention! So do your prayers and my prayers. The rest of that story is history and, because
of the prayers of Cornelius, Peter had a vision from the Lord and began to preach not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles.
(Acts 10:5-47) The Holy Spirit was poured out on people such as you and me, because of the prayers of one man who was in the habit
of praying. Are you in the habit of praying? Look what one obscure woman did in her life because she valued
prayer and taught it to another, even to a child. Lord Shaftesbury wore to the last day of his life a watch given
to him by his nurse, who, when he was a child, taught him to pray. "This was given to me by the best friend I ever had
in the world," he proudly said. What that single woman did for the world, though occupying but an unimportant position
in it, simply by teaching the child under her charge to pray, it is impossible to estimate. If parents who occupy spheres
where their duties hinder them from offering any other service to God only taught their children to pray, and led them in
the pursuit of holiness, they would do that which would best promote the Kingdom of God in the world. —Bible Illustrations
Wow! Are you teaching your children to pray? Are we so much in the habit of praying that it just seems natural
and normal? One person's prayer can change the world. Will it be your prayer? Timothy
had a mother and a grandmother who were full of faith. No doubt, they prayed for him and taught him to pray too.
Even as a young man, he became strong in the faith. The prayers of these faithful women were heard by God. 2 Timothy 1:3-7 (The Message) (MSG) Every time
I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole
life in the tradition of my ancestors. MORNING MANNA - JANUARY 2, 2007 - PREPARING THROUGH PRAYER Colossians 4:2 (New Living Translation) How is your preparation for this new year going? Have you begun to pray
more? Have you realized that, if you have received Jesus into your heart, you have a Friend by your side at all times?
Perhaps last year, you sort of ignored that Friend, not speaking to Him very often. Maybe there were times that
you forgot that it is that Friend who is the one who keeps you going. (Acts 17:28) Do we sometimes forget that without Him we can't do anything? (John 15:5) Are we forgetful sometimes that nothing can separate us from His love? (Romans 8:38-39) Then, what keeps us from talking to Him? From spending time with Him? (Matthew 6:6) Although reward should not be our motive for prayer, there is a reward promised for those who will spend some quality
time with the Lord. When we do that, we will know that there is great reward just in the fact that we
are sitting in His presence! In addition to that reward, He will answer
our prayers. (Matthew 21:22) Let's just look at a very few aspects of the word, "prayer." P - Persistent Petition Prayer must be persistent and one aspect of it includes petition. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) We need to always have an attitude of prayer. Because
Jesus is with us all the time, we can and should talk to Him. That's what prayer is. How would you like it
if you cared for and stood by someone all the time and they never spoke to you? He knows when we are in need.
He is not blind. He also has our answer but He's just waiting for us to talk to Him about the problem! Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message) 6 (MSG) Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying,
pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 7 Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and
settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. R - Revelation Through Relentless Prayer Through prayer, God will provide us with revelation if we pray relentlessly.
Do you have a situation this morning that baffles your mind? Wisdom will be provided for you if you will just ask. (James 1:5) God wants us to have the revelation of His wisdom but He
also wants us to be humble enough to ask. We are even guaranteed that He won't resent our asking or find fault with
us! God is very interested in revealing Himself and His ways to us. So much so that there is a whole book in the
Bible entitled, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." At one point Paul declared that He had revelation from the
Lord - no one taught Him. He said it came directly from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12) God will give us revelation too if we will just talk to
Him! Don't you have friends that reveal their deepest secrets to you? We have a Friend that sticks closer
than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) He is for us and not against us. He wants to reveal
to us great and mighty things. Jeremiah 33:2-3 (Amplified Bible) 2 (AMP) Thus says the Lord Who made [the earth],
the Lord Who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name: 3 Call
to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish
and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). If we will relentlessly call on Him, it's amazing
how much He will reveal to us! A -
Adoration Always "O Come Let Us Adore Him,"
is not just a Christmas song. It is a song for always. Praise
and worship should always be a part of our prayer life. Thankfulness, not just for what God does, but for who He is.
Have you ever had people in your life who were more happy to see what you had for them than to see you? Our God is a
giver. He gave His best when He gave His Son to die for our sins. He loves to give good gifts to His children. (Matthew 7:11) But, He wants us to worship Him more than the gifts He gives us. David, a man after God's own heart,
knew about adoration. 1 Chronicles 29:11 (New Living Translation) 11 (NLT) Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your
kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. This morning and always,
lets adore Him and let Him know that we adore Him. As someone has added to the chorus of, "O
Come Let us Adore Him, " "For He alone is worthy," and "We give Him all the glory, Christ the
Lord." Y - Yearning without Yawning Do we yearn for the Presence of the Lord all the time? Or, do we just
yearn for it when we're in trouble? The fact is that we wouldn't be in trouble so much if we had a yearning
for God at all times. Some people tend to turn away from God's presence when they're in trouble. That's
exactly the wrong thing to do. He's the only One who can help
us. (Psalm 50:15) We sometimes find ourselves yearning for something to satisfy us, not realizing that total satisfaction comes from
the presence of the Lord. It could be that we don't even know what we want. We think we do and when
we get it, we still feel empty. Many times we don't even know how to pray but if that yearning for God
is there, His Spirit will take control and make our prayers plain to Him. Romans 8:26 (The Message) 26 (MSG) Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the
waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter.
He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. Yes, praying
includes yearning for God's presence and letting him know it. Even if it is only with a sigh or a groan. We
can learn a lesson about yearning without yawning from the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had asked
Peter, James and John to pray with Him in His darkest hour. But, they got tired. They began yawning.
Soon they were asleep (The Message) 36 (MSG) Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, "Stay here
while I go over there and pray." 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons
of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. 38 Then he said, "This
sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me." 39 Going
a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, "My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what
I want. You, what do you want?" 40 When he came back to his disciples,
he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? 41 Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in
danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as
an old dog sleeping by the fire." Then, the unthinkable happened, Jesus
was crucified and those that should have been yearning for Him ran away and Peter even denied that He ever knew Him.
Jesus is coming again. Those worldly things that we may yearn for now will be destroyed but He will remain. Are
we yearning for Jesus this morning or yearning for things that can't satisfy us. Are we yearning or yawning?
It could make an eternal difference. Luke 21:34-36 (The Message) 34 (MSG) "But be on your guard. Don't let
the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you
by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, 35 for it's going
to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. 36 So, whatever you do, don't
go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's
coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man." May we not be found yawning at His return but yearning expectantly to see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2) Are you praying yet? Will you pray always? MORNING MANNA - JANUARY 2, 2007 - PREPARING THROUGH PRAYER Colossians 4:2 (New Living Translation) How is your preparation for this new year going? Have you begun to pray
more? Have you realized that, if you have received Jesus into your heart, you have a Friend by your side at all times?
Perhaps last year, you sort of ignored that Friend, not speaking to Him very often. Maybe there were times that
you forgot that it is that Friend who is the one who keeps you going. (Acts 17:28) Do we sometimes forget that without Him we can't do anything? (John 15:5) Are we forgetful sometimes that nothing can separate us from His love? (Romans 8:38-39) Then, what keeps us from talking to Him? From spending time with Him? (Matthew 6:6) Although reward should not be our motive for prayer, there is a reward promised for those who will spend some quality
time with the Lord. When we do that, we will know that there is great reward just in the fact that we
are sitting in His presence! In addition to that reward, He will answer
our prayers. (Matthew 21:22) Let's just look at a very few aspects of the word, "prayer." P - Persistent Petition Prayer must be persistent and one aspect of it includes petition. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) We need to always have an attitude of prayer. Because
Jesus is with us all the time, we can and should talk to Him. That's what prayer is. How would you like it
if you cared for and stood by someone all the time and they never spoke to you? He knows when we are in need.
He is not blind. He also has our answer but He's just waiting for us to talk to Him about the problem! Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message) 6 (MSG) Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying,
pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 7 Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and
settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. R - Revelation Through Relentless Prayer Through prayer, God will provide us with revelation if we pray relentlessly.
Do you have a situation this morning that baffles your mind? Wisdom will be provided for you if you will just ask. (James 1:5) God wants us to have the revelation of His wisdom but He
also wants us to be humble enough to ask. We are even guaranteed that He won't resent our asking or find fault with
us! God is very interested in revealing Himself and His ways to us. So much so that there is a whole book in the
Bible entitled, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." At one point Paul declared that He had revelation from the
Lord - no one taught Him. He said it came directly from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12) God will give us revelation too if we will just talk to
Him! Don't you have friends that reveal their deepest secrets to you? We have a Friend that sticks closer
than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) He is for us and not against us. He wants to reveal
to us great and mighty things. Jeremiah 33:2-3 (Amplified Bible) 2 (AMP) Thus says the Lord Who made [the earth],
the Lord Who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name: 3 Call
to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish
and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). If we will relentlessly call on Him, it's amazing
how much He will reveal to us! A -
Adoration Always "O Come Let Us Adore Him,"
is not just a Christmas song. It is a song for always. Praise
and worship should always be a part of our prayer life. Thankfulness, not just for what God does, but for who He is.
Have you ever had people in your life who were more happy to see what you had for them than to see you? Our God is a
giver. He gave His best when He gave His Son to die for our sins. He loves to give good gifts to His children. (Matthew 7:11) But, He wants us to worship Him more than the gifts He gives us. David, a man after God's own heart,
knew about adoration. 1 Chronicles 29:11 (New Living Translation) 11 (NLT) Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your
kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. This morning and always,
lets adore Him and let Him know that we adore Him. As someone has added to the chorus of, "O
Come Let us Adore Him, " "For He alone is worthy," and "We give Him all the glory, Christ the
Lord." Y - Yearning without Yawning Do we yearn for the Presence of the Lord all the time? Or, do we just
yearn for it when we're in trouble? The fact is that we wouldn't be in trouble so much if we had a yearning
for God at all times. Some people tend to turn away from God's presence when they're in trouble. That's
exactly the wrong thing to do. He's the only One who can help
us. (Psalm 50:15) We sometimes find ourselves yearning for something to satisfy us, not realizing that total satisfaction comes from
the presence of the Lord. It could be that we don't even know what we want. We think we do and when
we get it, we still feel empty. Many times we don't even know how to pray but if that yearning for God
is there, His Spirit will take control and make our prayers plain to Him. Romans 8:26 (The Message) 26 (MSG) Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the
waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter.
He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. Yes, praying
includes yearning for God's presence and letting him know it. Even if it is only with a sigh or a groan. We
can learn a lesson about yearning without yawning from the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had asked
Peter, James and John to pray with Him in His darkest hour. But, they got tired. They began yawning.
Soon they were asleep (The Message) 36 (MSG) Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, "Stay here
while I go over there and pray." 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons
of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. 38 Then he said, "This
sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me." 39 Going
a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, "My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what
I want. You, what do you want?" 40 When he came back to his disciples,
he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? 41 Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in
danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as
an old dog sleeping by the fire." Then, the unthinkable happened, Jesus
was crucified and those that should have been yearning for Him ran away and Peter even denied that He ever knew Him.
Jesus is coming again. Those worldly things that we may yearn for now will be destroyed but He will remain. Are
we yearning for Jesus this morning or yearning for things that can't satisfy us. Are we yearning or yawning?
It could make an eternal difference. Luke 21:34-36 (The Message) 34 (MSG) "But be on your guard. Don't let
the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you
by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, 35 for it's going
to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. 36 So, whatever you do, don't
go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's
coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man." May we not be found yawning at His return but yearning expectantly to see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2) Are you praying yet? Will you pray always? Ezra 7:10 (Amplified Bible) Praise the Lord! He has allowed us to wake up this morning to a brand new year. The eighth year of this
millennium. We find many new beginnings in the number, "eight," in the Bible. Noah was allowed to take
only his family on the ark to start a new beginning in the world. They were eight in number. God created
the world in six days, rested on the seventh. Then came a new beginning on the first day of the next week.
Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week. There are many more references to the number, "eight,"
throughout scripture. We won't go into all that now. We just know that today is the first day of 2008.
How about getting prepared to have a year filled with new beginnings? Below is a little expansion on the word, "prepare."
Wouldn't you like to begin preparations this first day of 2008 for a year filled with blessing and victory?
Let's see how we can do that. P - Pray Communicating
with our Lord is first and foremost in developing the relationship with Him that we need to experience His life in and through
us. We are to pray constantly. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Right now, if you haven't spoken directly to Him yet today, this first day of 2008, won't you do
that. If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, why not start by asking Him this first day of 2008. You
will have the new beginning that you need!Ask Him what His purpose for you is this year and for this day. He will answer.
Get prepared! R - Read God's Word If
you had a loved one far away from you, wouldn't you be anxious to hear from them? If the only way they had to communicate
to you was through writing, would you read what they wrote? Most likely, the answer is, "yes." God is
not far from us if we have received Jesus as Savior. He lives in us but we need to know who He is and just exactly what
lives in us. If we say that we love God, what keeps us from reading His Word? If we are not experiencing Him
fully and the abundant life He promises, perhaps we have not read the Book that He left us. The Basic Instructions
Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE). We have and are everything He says we have and are. One reason we may not be
experiencing all of that may be because we don't know it - we haven't read it. Why not start today? Let
today be a new beginning with your relationship to your Savior. E
- Encourage Yourself And Others Everyone needs encouragement. Sometimes there are not
other people around to encourage us. David had times like that so he encouraged himself in the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:6) In doing that, He received strength from the Lord. Do you need a little (or a lot) of strength today?
We can encourage ourselves in the Lord too, especially if we have already followed the first two steps in "Prepare."
When we have prayed and read God's Word, we find ourselves encouraged. We find ourselves stronger than we were
before. Then, we can go out and encourage others. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) P - Praise God And Give Others The Recognition They Deserve Praising God is essential in new beginnings. Today, no matter what the circumstances were yesterday, begin
to praise God. (Psalm 68:19) He is worthy of our praise no matter how we feel or what we see. Sometimes adverse circumstances and uncomfortable
situations are tests. Will we continue to praise our God who is able to deliver us? Or, will we become negative
speaking words of discouragement and death that fall into line with the plan of our enemy, the Devil? Will you,
on this first day of 2008 and every day thereafter, begin to P.U.S.H.?, You can think of that both as "Praise Until
Something Happens," or "Pray Until Something Happens." Both praying and praising are included in
this little expansion of prepare. Both praying and praising bring results. Something will happen!
As we begin to praise God, we will realize what unique and special people He has placed around us. (Philippians 2:3) We will begin to see that their gifts and talents and know that God does not play favorites. We all have
wonderful attributes that God has placed in us. Rather than focusing on ourselves, we can praise God for those around
us and begin to let them know we appreciate them. Praising God and focusing on others will help us maintain the humility that
is pleasing to God. A - Arm Yourself We're in a war. We're fighting a battle. Not against people but against dark spiritual powers.
Arming ourselves is of utmost importance in winning the battle. God is for us. (Romans 8:31) Being for us, He gives us what we need to wage war as soldiers of His Kingdom. (Ephesians 6:10-17) Have you put on your armor this morning? Will you determine this first day of this new year to put
on your armor every day? God has given us strength for the battle and promised us victory. He has given us the
equipment we need to come through victoriously. He has also given us the responsibility of being obedient in using
all the armor He has given us. Do you have your armor on? R
- Run The Race Most people do not enter a race without the desire to win. In this race we
are running, our desire should be to win. Life is like running a race to win a prize. Are you starting out from
the gate running this new year? Or are you barely making it through the gate, moping along? Are you running, but
running in the "rat race," rather than the race to finish strong for the Lord? There is only one race that
is worth running. Let's begin to run it this morning and continue all through the year. 2 Timothy 4:7 (The Message) 7 (MSG)
This is the only race worth running. I've run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. E - Engage in the Eternal What are
you engaged in this morning? Is it lasting? Are you building relationships with the Lord and with others?
Or, are you engaged in seeking out things that may satisfy for the moment, having no eternal value. Where
is your treasure this morning? Is it stored up in things that you use just for yourself or is it stored up in Heaven
where it can't be destroyed? (1 Timothy 6:17-19) If you are engaged in only creating wealth for yourself, you will have no treasure laid up for eternity. An old
song says, "It is in giving that we receive." Engaging in the eternal does not mean that we cannot
have wealth. Money is the currency of this world. It cannot buy a soul. But it can provide the means
for the message of God to be delivered to a lost soul. It can provide the means to feed a starving child, take a meal to
a person who is ill, clothe someone who is destitute, even provide clean water for those who have none. (Matthew 6:19-21) What will you determine to give this year of your time, talent and energy that will prove that you have engaged in
the eternal? Are you prepared? Enter subhead content here Enter content here Enter content here Enter content here Enter content here |
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