Proper Prayer

Matthew 6:7-13

Prayer is a POWERFUL tool used by believers all over the world, as they communicate with God for different reasons. Some come to the Father with personal petitions, whereas others pray on behalf of those who require additional support during a tough season (intercessary prayer). Whether one comes to God with personal needs or stand proxy for someone else they have concerns for, God adheres only to proper prayers.

How can prayer be proper? Is there a right or wrong way to pray? Yes indeedy! Many who have a misunderstanding of what prayer is, often misuse their words when petitioning to God. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3 KJV). Praying only to satisfy lustful desires is the wrong way to get God’s attention, because we serve an unselfish God who commands that men pray according to His will. God blesses His people in order to sustain them in the earth, and allow for them to be a blessing to others.

When Jesus quoted the “model prayer” in our text to the disciples, He wanted them to first understand, there’s a proper posture and approach one must maintain when coming before the Father. We must always acknowledge the omnipotence and sovereignty of God, before we attempt to make any request. This way, we’ll keep ourselves humble, realizing that without God, prayer wouldn’t even be a possibility. After acknowledging God in all His glory, we should then be certain what we desire is in accordance with His will. It’s easy to ask for things we think we need, but God knows what we have need of, even before we ask. Furthermore, as we begin to make our requests known to God, we must do so in all humility and appreciation.

As I aforementioned, God’s knows what we need, but gives us the opportunity to ask anything, in faith, and He’ll freely bless us according to His own will. The next time you pray, consider your approach to God, and be sure your heart, mind, and motives are pure before Him.

Undeserving, But Blessed

Matthew 15:21-28

During His brief, yet profound and impactful ministry in the earth, Jesus had taken on a reputation for Himself that blew up like the skies during July 4th celebrations. While it’s recorded, Jesus came not to make himself a reputation, His actions and obedience to God’s will, set Him apart from all who ever walked the face of earth. People from nations far and wide, had heard of the miraculous things that were done by the hands of the Son of God, and waited with great anticipation, for Him to cross their path.

In nearly every city He visited, there awaited Him some who were in desperate need of the power that flowed through Him, and our text mentions a woman, who was willing to go against tradition, so that healing could come to her house. When the woman came to Jesus, crying for help, His insensitive disciples told Him to send her away. I wonder, where the love was in them that Jesus spoke of consistently? Unfortunately, it is possible to become so spiritually minded, until you neglect real needs right before you. The disciples’ words could have turned the woman away, but she wasn’t leaving until her request was granted.

Not only were the disciples insensitive to the woman’s need, but it seemed as though Jesus was also when He said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to dogs.” (vs. 26). Let’s be real! If Jesus called you a dog, to your face, how would you respond? To clarify, Jesus wasn’t referring to the woman as a dog, but was simply comparing how Jews considered pagan people, with His own judgment. I love this woman, because she was willing to be called a dog, if only to see her daughter healed. She didn’t argue, nor respond in offense, but accepted her position, and was called by Jesus, a woman of great faith!

The next time you make a request to God, be sure to do it in humility, because no one deserves any good thing from the Father, but because of grace and the blood of Jesus, we can come before His throne with boldness.

“He didn’t have to do it, but I’m grateful He did.” – Ell

I Wish…

1 Kings 3:5-14

One of my favorite childhood movies is, Aladdin. Aside from the fact that I had the biggest crush on princess Jasmine, the good ole “Street Rat” turned out to be prince material after all, which made for a heartfelt story. The part of the movie I desired to be in most was, the scene when Aladdin found the magic lamp. Oh, how I wanted so badly to find a magic lamp, and make three wishes. The first wish would have been to have the ability to fly, even into outer space. The second wish would’ve been to have an endless supply of skittles and now-and-laters. For the final wish, I would have asked the genie for a time machine, so I could travel back and forth from the past and to the future, at will. Now, don’t judge me, I was only a kid, but I had a rather unique and vivid imagination.

Being offered the opportunity to be granted anything your heart desires, would be an amazing thing, and I’m certain the average person would request something that would satisfy their selfish desires, but our text proves that not all men seek only to fulfill selfish desires, but place others above themselves. While asleep one night in Gibeon, the LORD appeared to king Solomon in a dream. In this dream, God asked Solomon to make any request, and He’ll grant it unto him. If the young king was asked that same question while living in the 21st century, I’m apt to believe that his request may have been altered, just a little bit (I’m only kidding… maybe not lol). In any case, the text tells us that Solomon’s speech pleased the Lord. So, this begs the question, what exactly did he ask for? Did the young king ask for wealth, long life, or even the destruction of his enemies? Did he desire perfect health, peace on earth, or perfect weather forever? Solomon realized the position he took on from his father was not easy to fill, so he asked God for wisdom, to judge the people, and discern between good and bad. What a guy! Just like his daddy! God was so pleased with Solomon’s request, not only did He grant him wisdom that would never be equaled, but He added riches, honor, and long life, if he walked in His ways, as his father David did. What a dream!

If God asked the same to you, what would you request?

Proper Prayer Posture

Matthew 7:7-11

There are countless verses of Scripture in the Bible, that teach us how to receive answers for our prayers, from God. Whether we ask, seek, knock, fast, meditate, perform good deeds, worship, or praise, there’s a requirement that must first be met, in order for our prayers to reach God ears, and merit a legit response. God is holy, and demands that His children be holy as well. Just as a good parent seeks only good for their children, God cares for the church as a good Father should. But, in order to justly receive all God has stored up for us, we must be free from sin. Free, not in a sense that we’re perfect, or mistake-free, but free as in forgiven, born-again, and striving to do God’s will daily.

Oftentimes, men pray amiss, and seek things that will only please their selfish desires, but God blesses us, so that we can be a blessing to others, while bringing glory to His name as well. Even children born into wealthy families have rights to obtain an inheritance, but certain behaviors must still be maintained, in order to receive what’s due to them, at the appropriate time. The prophet Isaiah understood this when he wrote, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). When we live outside of the will of God, He’s not obligated to hear, nor answer anything we cry out to Him. This is similar to a parent being asked for a treat, from a child with consistent unruly behavior. A good parent understands, rewarding children for bad behavior is not a common standard, and could possibly encourage the child to continue in their unhealthy habits (although there are times when you can actually show kindness to a child who’s deserving of punishment, and shock them back into reality). When we learn to desire only those things that are pleasing to God, then He’ll be more inclined to listen to our requests, and bless us accordingly.

So, when you pray to God, what do you ask, and seek from Him. Do you make petitions for things to make your name great, and draw attention to your own plans, or do you desire things that will benefit yourself, and others, spiritually and naturally as well?

Walk in love,

Ell

Solomon’s request

1 Kings 3:5-14

Before taking on any major task or duty, proper preparation is essential to ensuring one’s success. For example, when firefighters receive a call of a burning building, they must be certain to bring all the necessary equipment to put out the flames. It wouldn’t be wise for the firefighters to bring gallons of ice cream, or butter to dispel the flames, instead, gallons of water would be more appropriate? In another example, teachers are advised to compose lesson plans, that will prove beneficial to their student’s academic success. The right lesson plan can be the difference between a child’s future success, or failure. One thing I’ve learned in life is, “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance”, and trusting in the Lord is the basis of all great thoughts, plans, and ideas.

Following the reign of the great king David, his son Solomon was chosen to rule in his stead. The children of Israel were a great people, not only in fame and prestige, but also in number. In Solomon’s own words, he mentioned, “And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude” (vs. 8). Leading people, in general, is no easy assignment, so imagine trying to lead millions.

King David ruled successfully, because he allowed God to guide his hand, and from his example, Solomon learned the importance of submission to God. When presented by God, the opportunity to make any request, and He would grant it, Solomon surprisingly asked for wisdom. A more accurate description of Solomon’s request was, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad:” (vs. 9a). Solomon could have asked for money, fame, slaughter of his enemies, or anything else, and God would have granted it, but his heart was set on doing the work of the Lord, so his desires were in line with God’s will. God was pleased with Solomon’s request, and granted him the wisdom he desired, but also added riches, honor, fame, and conditional long life (if he walked in the ways of the Lord, and kept His statutes and commandments as David did).

If God asked you to make a request for anything, what would it be? Be honest. Would you ask for those things money can’t buy like wisdom, understanding, favor, or knowledge, or would you be so consumed in life’s affairs, until you’d seek pleasures of this would, that eventually fade away? I’ll be honest, I’d consider asking God for super powers like the ability to fly, breath under water, ability to touch people and instantly heal them, or X-ray vision (so I can see who’s responsible for always holding up the elevators at work…gets me so ANGRY!!!), but after pondering for a moment, I’d probably ask for something with a bit more spiritual significance, as Solomon did.

Seek to be wise in God’s eyes, and consider those things that are relevant to His will. As you plan and prepare for your daily duties, acknowledge God in all your ways, and He’ll guide you on the path of success. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

Walk in love,

Ell

Plea for God’s steadfast love

2 Chronicles 6:40-42

“Choo Choo trains” (as I called them during my childhood) are wonderful means of transportation, that have provided services since the early 1800s. Trains come in a variety of types, and serve a number of beneficial purposes, but before trains can be of any use, tracks must first be laid, so that the various trains can reach their intended destinations, and serve their desired purposes. Without tracks set in place, a train could not properly travel anywhere, and would more than likely cause more damage and destruction, than good. On the contrary, when trains are set in motion, and following the right path, nothing can stop them from reaching their destination, especially once they have picked up momentum.

I mentioned the example of trains, to draw similarities with the importance of prayer, and how it can affect the life of believers. In the same way trains require tracks to serve any purpose, the believer cannot be effective, except their lives be aligned with the will of God. God’s will is the track all believers must follow, in order to be effective in their calling. Just as a train traveling off its tracks would be a definite disaster, a child of God living outside the realm of godliness, would no doubt set themselves up for a world of shame and misery.

While God’s will is the believer’s train track, His steadfast love sets the destination. All members of the body of Christ, are precious cargo, carrying the message of salvation around the world, and effective prayer is mandatory to ensure their witness will be effective. In prayer, requests are made known to God, in hopes that He’ll respond in our favor, but what we pray for must also be aligned with what He desires for us.

Solomon did a great thing in building God’s temple, but he recognized the importance of keeping His presence of love there as well. Are your prayers to God motivated by love? Do you make requests only to satisfy selfish desires? If you’ve veered off track in your walk with God, pray that His steadfast love directs you safely back to your proper place in Him, so that you can continue choo choo’n, and spreading the message of His saving Gospel.

Walk in love,

Ell

The Lord responds to complaints

Exodus 16:9-12

“…for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him (Matthew 6:8). If God knows what we need, then why doesn’t He just give them to us, without having to ask Him for them? God is all-knowing, and well aware of the needs of His people, but the purpose behind us making requests is to first ensure that what we desire is what He wants us to have, and to never get to the point where we feel we can live independently from His wisdom. We pray to God, and make requests because God is the source of our supply. Whether it be a natural need, or spiritual one, God provides for all of us, whether we choose to admit it, or not. Think for moment, if God moved His hand from the earth, and caused everything to cease, except for people, how would we live, without God keeping things in motion? Could we eat, if the plants and animals suddenly disappeared? How could we build and construct things if there were no more trees to cut down for wood? God made everything while considering the future. We can barely see beyond the tip of our nose (without the help of glasses or contacts), yet God knows the end, from the beginning, so it’s always wise to seek first His wisdom, when making requests. Even when we get frustrated, and begin to murmur and complain that God may have forgotten to assist us, these are the moments when He’s stretching our faith, to see whether we’ll trust Him when we seemingly don’t have enough.

In our text, the children of Israel murmured and complained that they would be better off dead in the wilderness, and had life better when they were captives in Egypt. It doesn’t take much to cause people to complain, no matter how much good you do for them. God had performed many miracles for Israel, including delivering them out of Egypt, yet they quickly forgot about the past miracles, and were yearning for new ones. In an effort to appease their requests, God planned to provide daily miracles, so that they would know, He is the Lord their God.

God doesn’t want anyone to suffer, instead to consider Him in all things. This world is getting worse by the second, and our dependence on God’s wisdom is vital to our physical, mental, and spiritual health. There will be moments when we’ll become frustrated, and complain, but as long as we keep our focus on fulfilling God’s will, He will always answer our prayers. Be thankful for what you have, and for all God has done for you thus far in your life. Never get to the point where you become ungrateful, because God daily loads us with benefits. We simply have to stop, and look at all the amazing things He’s already done in our lives.

Walk in love,

Ell

God answers Hannah’s prayer

1 Samuel 1:9-20

When a person truly understands the nature of God, only then will they be able to discern between the things they should pray for, as opposed to what they should avoid. I said that based on Hannah’s heartfelt prayer, after fulfilling her vow to the Lord. She desired something that should have come naturally to her, but was kept from producing children, because God had revelation, and a miracle planted in her suffering. In her delight, and great appreciation for God’s blessing, Hannah revealed the issues of her heart toward God. Not only did she pray, but in her speaking, God’s Spirit inspired her to also prophesy.

In her own words, she said, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed” (1 Samuel 2:1-10). From these words, it’s evident that Hannah knew God, and placed His will above all else. It’s because of her faith in His power, and patience during suffering, that God blessed her above measure, and prospered the seed of her womb even the more. It’s one thing when God blesses us in ways we can hardly imagine, but it’s even better when He does amazing things through our children as well.

Before you kneel down to pray, first understand “Who” it is you’re praying to. God created EVERYTHING, and has been sustaining His creation since the beginning of time, until now. Trust that He knows all things, and wishes only that His children seek to fulfill His will, over their own. Just as a good parent knows what’s best for their child, and sets them up to live a prosperous life, God wants us to do exceedingly, and abundantly in our lives, but we must willing, and obedient to His Word, His will, and His way.

Walk in love,

Ell

Asking and receiving fairly

Matthew 7:7-14

Does prayer really work? When we ask God for things, seek His wise counsel for answers, and knock on doors we need opened, how can we know for sure, God hears us, and will respond accordingly? Those are very legit questions, and I’m glad you asked. As the children of God, we have certain rights and privileges unbelievers can never obtain. It is the will of God that His people prosper, so all they are required to do in order to receive what they need to succeed is, simply ask for them, in faith, believing. The number one reason prayer isn’t answered for the Christian is, unbelief. Verse seven of our text tells us that we need only to ask, seek, and knock, then God will respond. The first letters of each of those words spell, ASK, so it’s obvious that God wants us to make a request, in order to get what we want. God is like a father to a child, who knows what his child needs, but desires that the child understand that what they need is necessary, and in accordance with their father’s will.

Praying according to the will of God, will always net you a positive gain, because your desires will be in line with what He already desires for you. On the other hand, praying amiss, or for selfish and unprofitable reasons, will get your request sent quickly to God’s heavenly shredder. Christians who’ve experienced seasons of trials and testing, are fully aware that there are times when our requests are delayed while God is testing our faith and patience, removing phony people who could potentially leech off our blessings, or because the devil is actually fighting against what we prayed for, as in the case with the prophet Daniel. Daniel prayed to God for a thing, and God heard and answered Him immediately after he had finished praying, but his answer was held up for three weeks, as the angel who was assigned to deliver Daniel’s blessing was hindered by the devil, who fought to keep the blessing from reaching him. We’re living in a world of natural, and spiritual warfare, so it’s imperative that we don’t faint, nor lose heart while waiting for God to answer our prayers, because He knows our suffering, and will NEVER allow our faith in Him to be in vain.

When your prayers to God are finally answered, how do you carry yourself after? Do you flaunt and walk with your nose to the sky in arrogance, or do you remain humble, and show God your appreciation by continuing to walk in love? When we have what we need from God, it is still our duty to treat our neighbors as we would want to be treated. There are countless individuals who seem to have things all together, and in order, but fail to show love and kindness to those still struggling. I remain baffled at those rich and famous preachers and “profits”, who live lavishly, while their members struggle to keep a roof over their heads. The “Golden Rule” teaches us to do unto others, as we would have them do unto us (vs. 12). How can a blessed man, who claims to love God with all his heart, see someone struggling, but refuse to lend a helping hand. Even in moments when we have not the means to provide for someone’s need, we can follow Peter’s example, and offer a word of prayer, that can do more for a person’s life than silver and gold ever could. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16b). Does prayer work? Of course it does, when done with the right heart, right intentions, and right faith.

Walk in love,

Ell