As we start this week, I thought it fitting that we learn a little about praying. I believe that there is not enough of it these days. We live in the world of the fast and the right now, but God doesn't operate that way, and He doesn't want His children to live that way either. God wants to spend quality, meaningful time with us, His beloved.
"And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44
Prayer is not really difficult to understand. It is difficult to do. Let me ask you a question, when was the last time your heart so grieved for those you were interceding for that your entire body agonized along with your mind and heart? (Hebrews 5:7)
Unfortunately, we are not only a generation that lives in the fast, we are also a generation that avoids pain at all costs! I think this is why there are so few intercessors. I believe that most Christians operate on the shallowest levels of prayer, but God wants to take us into the deep levels of intercessory prayer that only a few experience. Deep, prolonged intercession is painful, and it involves staying before God when everyone else has gone away or is sleeping. (Luke 22:45). It also involves experiencing brokenness with the Father over those who continually rebel against Him. I wonder, how many of us will experience this kind of fervent intercession? How many of us right now are saying, "This is not for me, it's not my area, I'll let someone else do it?" That's the entire problem, we want to "pass the buck" to others. But, what if God is calling you to intercessory prayer? Will you respond?
I hear it all the time, many Christians long for Pentecost in our lives and in our churches, but we need to realize that there is no Pentecost without Gethsemane and a cross! How can we become mature in our prayer life? The answer, by praying! Especially when we do not feel like praying! This is precisely the time we ought to pray!
Friends, there are no shortcuts to prayer. There are no books to read, seminars to attend, or inspirational mottoes to memorize that will transform us into intercessory prayers. This only comes by committing ourselves to pray and then doing so. Why not accept God's invitation to become an intercessor? What have you got to lose? How about looking at it this way, what have we got to gain? Don't allow yourself to become satisfied with shallow, self-centered praying. Stay with God in prayer until He leads you to pray at the level He wants!
May God richly bless you today!! H Trent!
"And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44
Prayer is not really difficult to understand. It is difficult to do. Let me ask you a question, when was the last time your heart so grieved for those you were interceding for that your entire body agonized along with your mind and heart? (Hebrews 5:7)
Unfortunately, we are not only a generation that lives in the fast, we are also a generation that avoids pain at all costs! I think this is why there are so few intercessors. I believe that most Christians operate on the shallowest levels of prayer, but God wants to take us into the deep levels of intercessory prayer that only a few experience. Deep, prolonged intercession is painful, and it involves staying before God when everyone else has gone away or is sleeping. (Luke 22:45). It also involves experiencing brokenness with the Father over those who continually rebel against Him. I wonder, how many of us will experience this kind of fervent intercession? How many of us right now are saying, "This is not for me, it's not my area, I'll let someone else do it?" That's the entire problem, we want to "pass the buck" to others. But, what if God is calling you to intercessory prayer? Will you respond?
I hear it all the time, many Christians long for Pentecost in our lives and in our churches, but we need to realize that there is no Pentecost without Gethsemane and a cross! How can we become mature in our prayer life? The answer, by praying! Especially when we do not feel like praying! This is precisely the time we ought to pray!
Friends, there are no shortcuts to prayer. There are no books to read, seminars to attend, or inspirational mottoes to memorize that will transform us into intercessory prayers. This only comes by committing ourselves to pray and then doing so. Why not accept God's invitation to become an intercessor? What have you got to lose? How about looking at it this way, what have we got to gain? Don't allow yourself to become satisfied with shallow, self-centered praying. Stay with God in prayer until He leads you to pray at the level He wants!
May God richly bless you today!! H Trent!
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