Take Time to Pray
J. Allen Blair
Purposeful Praying
We often hurry through a brief, perfunctory series of stereotyped phrases, and repetitious words that mean little to God and less to us. Hit-and-run praying accomplishes little. What right do we have to expect miraculous answers? We may be sure that God still speaks to those who take the time to talk to Him meaningfully.
Patient Praying
We are living in a day of acceleration, but let us never forget: God never hurries nor can He be rushed. Wait on the LORD (Psalm 27:14).
Often, we pray and feel that we must have the answer right now. If God does not act instantly, we become discouraged and give up. The Word of Truth declares in Luke 18:1, men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Not to faint means don't quit; pray much; keep at it. Paul wrote that we are to continue instant in prayer. The Greek text uses a metaphor here, taken from hunting dogs that never give up until they have their victim; they continue instant; they keep at it. We are instructed to pray without ceasing.
Dr. R. A. Torrey prayed twenty-eight years for the salvation of his brother. At times, it seemed as though praying was not only useless, but hopeless. He faithfully persisted, resisting the constant temptation to discontinue his anxious praying. The wonderful day came when he saw his brother confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Who can say he was not fully rewarded for continuing instant in prayer? No, don't give up. Stay with it!
Persistent Praying
A saintly father who had four ungodly sons had long prayed that when it came to his time to die, his end might be so radiant with grace that his boys (seeing how a Christian can die) might be won for the Lord. Well, just the opposite happened: the end came and with it a great horror of darkness. His four sons, aghast, saw a fierce and terrible struggle in which the dying saint felt himself forsaken by God. Then, he passed quietly away. The eldest son said, "Boys, if a good man like our father can have such a death, what do you think ours will be like?" And kneeling down, he prayed to God and asked pardon through Jesus Christ. Later, he led the other three brothers to the Savior.
I have seen thoughtless and careless young people indifferently rejecting the pleas of Christ-loving parents. But many of these brokenhearted fathers and mothers believed God: they prayed; they didn't quit praying; they refused to give up. Finally, when death came to the believing parents, the neglectful children began to think. Some repented and came to Jesus Christ. Wasn't it sad that they were not more thoughtful of the Lord sooner? How much happiness they would have enjoyed, as well as bringing joy to their parents. But one thing is sure, and I have seen it repeatedly, no child, son or daughter, can resist the Savior endlessly if parents who love Jesus Christ really pray. They may wander and grope about in the fields of sin for many years, but God will not be silent to the praying parent. So, I say, stick with it. Don't give up, friend. Keep praying. Day by day, call on God. He will hear and, at His own time, He will answer.
We have His encouraging promise in John 14:13: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. When a soul is saved, God the Father is glorified in the Son. God is concerned about souls and we need to be too.
Pray on then, child of God, pray on,
Whatever be thy soul's complaint.
Thy Lord hath said men ought to pray,
Always to pray, and not to faint.
Pray on, pray on, nor think to say,
Believing prayer in vain can be.
God will avenge His own elect,
He will avenge them speedily.
Pray on, pray on, cease not to pray,
And should the answer tarry-wait!
Thy God will come, will surely come,
And He can never come too late.
Pray on then, child of God, pray on,
This is thy duty and thy task.
To God the answering belongs,
Thine is the simpler part-to ask!
T. O. Chisholm
Programmed Praying
Christian friend, do not neglect your important obligation of prayer. Martin Luther said, "Prayer is the most important thing in my life. If I should neglect prayer for a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith." Often, our service for Christ is ineffectual because of our failure to pray as we should. One may know doctrine, be familiar with the Scriptures, and be gifted to preach or teach. But unless he is living in intimate fellowship with God through prayer, he will be powerless. Regardless of how little natural ability one may possess, if he is a praying man, he can never be a useless man, for it is not great ability or talents God blesses so much as great likeness to the Lord Jesus. In the quiet hour we are absorbed into His likeness.
Believer in Christ, are you spending adequate time with the Lord each day in the solitude of prayer? Are you taking time out for God? This is the only way to be a happy Christian. Someone said, "The best way to keep on our feet is to keep on our knees." Many of us are overcome by fear, worry and distress because we don't take our burdens to the Lord in prayer. Get up a little earlier. Meet the Lord in the early morning hours, before you plunge into the busy activity of the day. You will find that things will go much better. Covenant with the Lord, right now as David did long ago, and say, My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.
Penitent Praying
The Bible says there is one God, and one mediator between God and men and that is Christ Jesus. If you have never received Him as Savior and Lord, this is the first step for you. There is no approach to God the Father other than through God the Son. How do you come to know Christ? You just say, "Lord, I know I am a sinner. I know You died for my sins and I am sorry for my sins, but I receive You right now as my Savior and Lord." God will come into your life and you will be saved for all eternity. Then you will be able to pray any time, any place, and God will hear you.
Make Sure of Heaven
This is a printed tract that we will send to you free, to help you understand God's invitation to accept Jesus Christ into your life Write or call and ask for a free copy.
Portfolios, Stocks, and Bonds
Gary Janes
By the time you receive this issue of the newsletter, the world-wide financial crisis may be better or worse. While thinking about all of this, I poked around in Dr. Blair's file and found something we all should find of interest. Here is a portion of his comments concerning the true story of Lazarus (Luke 16).
"The rich man died and went to hell, while the poor beggar, went to heaven. It is not suggested that it is a sin to be rich and a virtue to be poor, nor can we conclude that the rich go to hell and the poor go to heaven; because we see that Abraham was in the place with the righteous dead, and Abraham was extremely rich. But, there are many temptations that appear with wealth that often turn a person's heart from God.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men [mankind] in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:9,10).
The rich man's burial was probably a very costly affair. Lazarus was transported to heaven by angelic pallbearers. The rich man went to hell, not because of riches, rather because he had no time for God. When a person dies, it is either heaven or hell-no second chances. Our eternal destiny is settled on this earth, through faith in Jesus Christ. There are many lessons in this story, but the most important is that you believe on Christ, now. Boast not yourself of tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1)."
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes (Psalm 118:9).
Anger can make you sweat, raise your blood pressure, and put a hole in your day or in the lining of your stomach! Sure, the Bible says, Be angry and sin not. If you've figured out how to do that, then maybe it's okay for you to be angry. For the rest of us, we have a message in print by Dr. Blair to help us with this activity.
A Damaging Temper
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2009 Scripture Planner Calendar
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