THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
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________SCRIPTURE_____________________________________________________________
1 Thess 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
KJV
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_______THOUGHT________________________________________________________________
Think about it a moment. Would God tell us, in His Bible, to "pray without ceasing," if He weren't going to LISTEN? NO! He certainly listens all the time. And He listens, as a loving Father, to provide for His children upon their requests.
I think of all the prayers that were lifted up for me when I was in the hospital from the recent accident. God was LISTENING! And He answered! When I should have been paralyzed, or brain dead, or both - He gave me LIFE!
Then I think of the first days when I came home from the hospital. I could not focus my mind to pray for more than just a few minutes at a time. Then I remembered the verse above. Maybe I couldn't pray long as I had before, but I could be in a continual state of prayer.
As Christians, our first prayer was for God to forgive and save us: to blot out our sins with the blood of Christ. That was a prayer for ourselves.
But then we STILL need to pray for ourselves every day! We need sustaining grace, assurance of faith, restraining from temptation, Biblical education, application of principles we have learned, comforting strength. We are constant beggars before God. And He LISTENS!
We pray for family, friends, church, our neighborhood, city, State, nation and world. And He LISTENS!
We pray for the lost, ill, hurting, distraught, bereaved, ministers, missionaries. And He LISTENS!
Let this be a challenge to us today. Though we may not have time or ability to pray more than a few minutes focally, let us be in a constant state of prayer.
Love ya,
Bruce