Dave’s Monday Blast – June 1, 2015

I found myself complaining about something inane yesterday. Unfortunately this sin rears its ugly head all too often in my life. I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of this passage from 1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 19 which admonishes me to “rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; …. ” Prayer is the key. It is the lifeblood of every INTENTIONAL Man of God. It is the most effective way to have an intimate relationship with the Father. Without that substantial relationship we will not be able rejoice in all circumstances.

Believers often have questions about the power of prayer and its effectiveness. Don’t hesitate to take your queries to the Lord, dig into Scripture for answers, and seek the counsel of a trusted spiritual mentor. Prayer is too important to neglect.

Charles Stanley asks and answers these critical questions about the very nature of prayer:

Will God’s plans fail if I don’t pray? God is not subservient to believers or dependent upon their prayers. The time we invest in speaking with Him involves us in the work that He is doing in our lives and in the world, but He will carry on without us. Laboring alongside the Lord is our privilege.

Does my prayer (or lack thereof) impact God’s work? I believe that Scripture indicates the answer to this question is both yes and no, depending upon the situation. There are times when God’s purpose is set. He is in control and has determined the best course. In the Old Testament, the Lord often prophesied what He would do and then brought those events to pass.

In other cases, “you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). There are some good things that He holds back until we put out prayerful hands to receive them. But because God is a loving Father, He also pours out blessings that we wouldn’t even think to request.That’s good isn’t it!

Believers prayers have tremendous impact, particularly on their own faith and life. Do you understand what an awesome privilege it is to kneel before the all-powerful Father and know that He listens and will respond? God loves to be good to His children and answer their prayers.

Thanks Lord for the reminder and forgive my sin of ingratitude.