The Gift of Prayer

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

New King James Version www.biblegateway.com 

Gift: a thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present.www.bing.com

Something offered to me, but I must accept it!

Have you sensed you want God’s guidance, but have no idea how to pray? In “The Gift of Prayer,” Dr. Stanley combines scripture and photography to acquaint the reader with down-to-earth direction.

In this brief review, I will only touch on one topic: praying for others. Has a friend or family member asked you to pray for them, however you have no idea what to say? Has God placed someone on your heart, you desire to pray for them, nevertheless you have no idea what is their issue?

Using the life-changing prayer found in Colossians 1:9-12, Dr. Stanley devotes the next seven pages to explain six parts of this prayer answering what is your responsibility and what is God’s responsibility. Each theme ends with a prayer. 

"Father, how grateful I am that I can talk to You about absolutely anything--including the needs of my family members, friends, coworkers, fellow believers, and acquaintances. I may not be able to help them, but I am thankful that through the awesome gift of prayer I can lift them up to You--and You can transform their lives in miraculous ways.
   You know who is on my heart right now, Father. I pray that this individual would be filled with the knowledge of Your will, would walk in a manner worthy of You, would bear fruit in every good work, would increase in the knowledge of You, and would be strengthened with all Your power and wisdom to stand against sin and embrace who You created him or her to be. I give thanks to You, Father, for this person's life. I know You formed this precious individual with great purposes in mind--even if this person is far from those plans right now. But with You, Father, there is always hope! Transform this situation in the way only You can.
   In Jesus' loving and life-changing name I pray. Amen." Page 128

After reading this 150 page book, I sensed encouragement, peacefulness, and calmness. Please read The Gift of Prayer and share your thoughts!!!     

Stanley, Charles F. The Gift of Prayer. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 2019.

Praying God's Desires

Colossians 1:9-12

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

New King James Version (NKJV)https://www.biblegateway.com

   As Christians, we all long to make necessary changes in our life so we'll become more like Jesus. And we're also concerned about the spiritual growth of fellow believers - especially our loved ones. But trasformation doesn't come about by trying harder or putting Bible verses on sticky notes in hopes that family members will read them and shape up. The most powerful resource we have is prayer, and Paul has given us a pattern that is Christ-centered and specific.

   Too often, believers pray without giving much thought to what God wants to do in a person's life. Instead, we focus on our own ideas regarding what He should do. How much more effective our prayers would be if we prayed according to God's will by using His Word as our source for requests.

   The prayer from Colossians 1 focuses on the heavenly Father's desires for His children. When we go before the Lord and substitute our own name or the name of a friend or family member for "you" in versus 9 and 10, we are praying His specific will for that person. The Lord delights in responding to requests that someone be filled with knowledge of His will and walk in a manner pleasing to Him.

   However, we must be careful not to think of this prayer as a magic charm. It doesn't work that way. These godly qualities take time to develop in a life. And if we are praying these things for ourselves, we must avail ourselves of the means God has provided for our sanctification or transformation - namely, His Word. If we want to know and understand God's will, we should ask Him and search the Bible.

Stanley, Charles F. "Praying God's Desires." In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. InTouch.org: Atlanta. April 2019, page 9

How Grace Changes Everything

1 Timothy 1:12-17

The Lord’s Grace to Paul

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. ¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.   NIV  Bible Gateway.com        

   Our life is hopeless without God. Because every person is born with a bent away from God, we continue to choose wrong paths throughout our days on earth. These unrighteous choices are known as sin, the penalty for which is death and eternal separation from God. No one is exempt from this biblical truth—and none of us can do anything to change the situation.
   Enter God's grace, His unmerited favor toward us. We can do nothing to earn it. He blesses us according to His goodness, apart from anything we've done.
  Consider the apostle Paul, whose original intention was to persecute anyone claiming to follow Jesus. He played a significant role in the unspeakable violence aimed at Christians and, in his own words, was the "chief" of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). Nothing he did deserved God's love.
   Divine grace led the Almighty to reach down and forgive this hateful zealot and blasphemer of Jesus' name. God lovingly transformed him into a man who dedicated himself to sharing the gospel message. Paul's life beautifully illustrates grace.
   We are unable to do enough good deeds to earn our way to heaven. Salvation is possible only because by grace, Christ died on the cross. The one who took the punishment for our sin deserves all credit for our redemption.
   Jesus' death covered the sins of the entire world. There is no transgression too great for Him to forgive. We can add nothing to His act of atonement; all we can do is receive this free gift. If we trust in Christ as Savior, God will save us, making us His children forever.
Stanley, Charles F. "How Grace Changes Everything." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living November 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 24.

When Facing Life's Mountains

Zechariah 4:1-9

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

4 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. ² He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. ³ Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
⁴ I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
⁵ He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
⁷ “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”
⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.   NIV Bible Gateway.com

     Wouldn't it be great if it were easy to do God's will? But sometimes it seems as if a mountain stands between us and what we've been called to do. When Zerubbabel felt this way, the Lord sent His prophet Zechariah with a message of encouragement.
   Zerubbabel was given the task of rebuilding the temple. When King Solomon built the first temple, the kingdom was at peace, the treasuries were overflowing, and the workforce was huge. But the situation was quite different when the Jews returned after 70 years of Babylonian captivity. They were few in number, their enemies kept attacking them, Jerusalem was in ruins, and resources were very limited. Zechariah's message to Zerubbabel (4:1-9) contained two principles that strengthened him and will also help us when we face insurmountable obstacles.

• We are to face our God-given tasks in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in our own strength and energy (v. 6). The Lord's work can never be done with human strength. His indwelling Spirit must empower us with the wisdom and energy to accomplish His will in our lives.
• When God calls us to a task, He assumes the responsibility for removing any hindrances (vv. 7-9). What seems to us like Mount Kilimanjaro is a mere anthill for the Lord. When we're tempted to give up, it's time to look up, see the obstacle through His eyes, and trust Him.

 Is the Lord asking you to do something that seems impossible? Dwelling on your own inadequacy leads to discouragement, but focusing on the Lord gives hope and the strength to persevere.
Stanley, Charles F. "When Facing Life's Mountains." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living October 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries, page 28.

Your Perspective in Prayer

Psalm 95:6-8

⁶ Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
⁷ for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
⁸ “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah [quarreling],
    as you did that day at Massah [testing] in the wilderness,    NIV    Bible Gateway.com        

 

 Why is it that two believers can pray about an issue and come away with completely different responses and attitudes? This has to do with their perspective.

   We each come to God with our own life experiences and expectations. If we want to hear His voice clearly, we must first address those things that affect how well we listen.

   OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. The Father speaks differently to the unsaved than He does to the Christians. And while neither God not the fundamentals of faith ever change, He does tailor His message to individual believers on the basis of their spiritual maturity and unique situations. So two people may hear dissimilar things because they are at different points on the journey.

   OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHO GOD IS. How we view the Lord changes the way we hear Him. For example, if you see God as a loving Father, you will hear His encouraging voice and accept His loving discipline. But if you see Him as harsh and demanding, then you may feel as though you can never live up to His expectations.

   OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD. If we come to the Lord with a proud nature, we will naturally not be inclined to hear his voice. However, if we come with a submissive nature, we will hear - and joyfully receive - His Word.

   God is still speaking in the world today. Stop and think about what there is in your own life that could get in the way of His message. What affects your ability or willingness to listen? Lay it out before the Lord today, and ask Him to break through the barriers.

Stanley, Charles F. "Your Perspective in Prayer." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living September 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 14.

   

Edward McKendree Bounds (1835-1913) books on prayer

E.M. Bounds, a Civil War chaplain, knows the need and power of prayer!

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

E. M. Bounds (1835-1913), a Civil War chaplain born in Missouri and died in Georgia, lived prayer before writing. He did not pray to write better, he prayed to live a life pleasing to our heavenly Father. He saw the need for daily "pray without ceasing" prayer.

Power Through Prayer written to encourage ministers, encourages everyone! On page 38 the reader will find "Prayer freshens the heart... keeps it in tune with God and in sympathy with the people..." Chapter headings include:

• Our Sufficiency Is of God
• Talking to God for Men
• "Early Will I Seek Thee"
• What God Would Have

A few reminders from the last chapter."It is absolutely necessary for the preacher to pray. It is an absolute necessity that the preacher be prayed for." p 99
Paul continually asked for prayer:

• Romans 15:30
• Ephesians 6:18-19
• Colossians 4:3-4
• 1 Thessalonians 5:25
• 2 Corinthians 1:11
• 2 Thessalonians 3:2 

"He [Paul] impresses the Philippians that all his trials and opposition can be made subservient to the spread of the gospel by the efficiency of their prayers for him." p 104 The author concludes with "Let us pray ardently that God's promise to prayer may be more than realized." p 112

Read from E. M. Bounds: Books on Prayer (Public Domain). Thank you International House of Prayer and Mike Bickle!!!
Mike Bickle is the director of the International House of Prayer Missions Base of Kansas City, an evangelical missions organization based on 24/7 prayer with worship that is engaged in many evangelistic and inner city outreaches along with multiple justice initiatives, planting houses of prayer, and training missionaries.

"The Way of Holiness" by Stephen F. Olford review

 The Way of Holiness by Stephen F. Olford

  “To the glory of God, I now know that ‘there is no demand made on my life, which is not a demand on the life of Christ in me.’ The Lord Jesus Christ is totally adequate. It is not Jesus plus; it is Jesus period! Everything is in Jesus, and Jesus is everything! We must go and tell a church of defeated Christians that there is victory in Jesus! The Highway of Holiness is mapped out for every one of us, and the signposts are clearly visible. Let us tread the pathway with disciplined obedience ‘til we see our Savior face to face. Paul, the apostle, said it long ago: ‘As you have…received Christ Jesus the Lord, SO WALK IN HIM’ (Col. 2:6)”

This is the last paragraph from the author, Stephen F. Olford.

The Signpost of Christ-Centeredness

Galatians 2:20-3:7

  “The greatest moment in my life was when I discovered that God expects nothing more or less of Stephen Olford than abject failure! And, even more importantly, only one Person can live the Christian life, and that is Christ Himself; and only as I trust Him to live His life in me, can I possibly live the quality of life that satisfies the heart of God and challenges the world in which I witness…”

   Dr. Olford goes on to write about the termination of the self-life,…

Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord,

Oh, to be lost in Thee;

Oh, that it may be no more I,

But Christ that lives in me.

A.A. Whiddington

and  the substitution of the Christ-life,…

Moment by moment I’m kept in His love,

Moment by moment I’ve life from above;

Looking to Jesus till glory does shine,

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Daniel W. Whittle

   ‘Without me,’ said Jesus, ‘you can do nothing’ (John 15:5). But by His indwelling, through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is adequate. Only one Person in the whole world lived the Christian life, and that was Jesus. There is only one Person who can live the Christian life now, and that is Jesus. Therefore, exchange all your strivings and defeats in the flesh for His life in you. Make your motto and motivation, ‘not I, but Christ.’ This is Christ-centeredness!”

At the end of each section there are questions for further study. A few of the questions for this section are:

•   Who alone can live the Christian life? How does that truth affect your efforts to live as a Christian? Be practical and specific.
•   In what sense did you die with Christ on the cross? How does this fact affect the way you approach temptations? (see Rom. 6:11)
•   What are some characteristics of the new life we have in Christ? (See 2 Peter 1:4; Heb. 12:14; Rom. 8:37.) How do we get these qualities?
•   How do we appropriate the Christ-life? (See Gal. 2:20) How does this work? If you can, give an example from your own life.

Other Signposts to Guide Us included in this book are:

•   The Signpost of SinfulnesS
• James 4:13-17, Galatians 5:16:23
•   The Signpost of Forgiveness
•  1 John 1:5-2:2
•   The Signpost of Holiness
• 1 Peter 1:13-15
•   The Signpost of Yieldedness
• Romans 14:1-12
•   The Signpost of Spirit-fullness
• Ephesians 5:15-21
•   The Signpost of Usefulness
• John 9:1-7
•   The Signpost of Readiness  
• Luke 21:20-36