The "POWER" of Prayer...

I am still on my quest for a deeper understanding of prayer.  I have felt for awhile that I am missing something important...  I am still not sure what it is but I feel like the Lord has been giving me little glimpses here and there as I continue to ask, seek and pursue Him regarding this.  I have come to a place in my walk where I truly believe that prayer is not so much for me to beseech Him with requests (but that is certainly a part of it) as it is for ME to spend more and more time with Him as my Father in heaven.  Time for me to get to know Him better and get a better understanding of who I am and who He designed and created me to be. But again, I keep getting this feeling that there is still so much MORE to prayer than what I am understanding now…

I felt like I got one of those little glimpses the other day when I was reading the True Vine and Andrew was talking about "saving" prayer and that the fruit of our abiding is having the heart for men and their salvation.  I started thinking about that a little more and felt like maybe this is a place where we can get a little stuck.  If I go out to "save" man kind based on the "Great Commission" then I am probably motivated by a "commandment", a "law", a "duty" and a sense that it is my “job” to do this saving work… (Stay with me here).  But I have come to believe that it is NOT my job to "save" mankind but that is solely the work and "job" of the Holy Spirit working through His body. My job is to do the first and greatest commandment, to Love God with all my heart, mind, body and strength, love my neighbor as myself, to ABIDE in Him and just be the branch and to "seek first His Kingdom" and I am certainly finding out what a full time job that is in and of itself!  

When I was meditating on this, I heard the Lord speak the word "Compassion" to me.  Then I thought of all the scriptures in the Gospels that say that Jesus had "compassion" on the people he healed and ministered to. Then I realized where I fall short… I can't give what I don't have!!  When I abide in Christ and I am the branch I am supposed to be, I am then filled with the sap that is needed to produce HIS fruit.  When I am abiding, the Holy Spirit fills me up with Christ and HIS love and compassion for the lost and then I am compelled to "go out" with an entirely different motivation!! I am compelled to LOVE them because I have Christ’s COMPASSION for them. This is not something I can manufacture on my own. I am then serving the lost as Christ served them and loving them as Christ loved them, which at that point comes as natural as breathing, and then the lost are drawn to the love of Christ through me.  

So, now I can come back to my original point.  When I have Christ’s love and compassion I believe that also changes my PRAYERS for the lost and the compassion infuses the prayers with power!  I am driven to my knees with the heart of Jesus and I pray and intercede for them with HIS love and compassion welling up and pouring forth from the depths of my heart.  I now have what I need to bear the fruit that Christ desires from me in prayer. Until I get THERE, I don’t think my prayers are nearly as fruitful and powerful as I would like them to be.

Just for emphasis, here are some scriptures I found regarding Jesus' compassion:

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Exodus 34:6-7 

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:14

“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.” Matthew 15:32

“Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.” Matthew 20:34

“Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.”I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Mark 1:41

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” Mark 6:34

“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.” Mark 8:2

“So he got up and went to his father.”But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20

“As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:11

And here are a couple verses that tell us to clothe ourselves with His compassion and to serve others with what we have been given!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Philippians 2:1-2

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12

September 16th Oswald:

"... Prayer is not simply getting things from God… Prayer is coming into perfect fellowship and oneness with God. If the Son of God has been formed in us through regeneration (Galatians 4:19), then He will continue to press on beyond our common sense and will change our attitude about the things for which we pray..."

Father, I thank you so much for your Holy Spirit and the insight that He gives me into Your heart.  I pray Lord that I would have YOUR love and compassion for the lost and for those you place in my life.  Help me Lord, once again, to set aside my selfishness, laziness, pride and arrogance and embrace Your “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Fill me up with these things so that they spill out on to others and flow out as naturally as breathing.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

Upside down: The WORRIES of this life…

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)

When I read the parable of the sower (or the soils) it makes me think of another upside down way in which we think.  The world is constantly promoting worry, anxiety and fear in almost everything it does… The news stations thrive on getting people worried about today, tomorrow and the future.  It’s how they get people to watch the programs they have to offer because “fear” increases their viewers and ratings. They thrive on it! From Political unrest, weather and natural disasters, crime on the streets, traffic accidents down to the latest deal or sale that you just can’t miss or you will be left behind.  But God so clearly says NOT to worry but to believe and trust in HIM for all things and in all situations!

I have heard so many people over the years express how “worried” they are over their children and the child’s life choices.  They worry over their travel, their jobs, their health… pretty much anything that their child experiences, they worry over it.  They express this “worry” as if it were a badge of honor and a duty for them to do!  If we don’t have children to be worried about, we worry about our jobs, spouses, family members, and/or our health. Sometimes, even if everything is going well and there is nothing obvious to worry about, we will worry about that and what might be just around the corner or some possible tragedy that might happen in the future!  It’s almost as if we feel like it is the “responsible” thing to do… If I didn’t worry about it, then people will think I didn’t really care!

Why do we feel that it is necessary to worry so much?  Does it change anything? Does it make things better? “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27)  Haven’t we heard that anxiety, worry and fear are major causes of health issues?  Where does this come from anyway and why is it so much a part of our Christian lives?  I know many people do not really want to worry or be afraid but they don’t know how to stop.  We could probably come up with a multitude of reasons why we worry but if we boil them all down to the “core issue” they would all reveal the same thing; our lack of trust in God and His provision and goodness for us and our lives.  If we really trusted God with our life, our children’s life and everything else, then we wouldn’t have a thing to worry about.  This concept brings me back to the Garden of Eden and the first sin… wasn’t it Satan’s cunning and subtle approach that got Eve to doubt God’s goodness?  “Did God really say…? For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5) I believe Satan is still at his same old tricks, causing us to fear and doubt God and believe that He is holding something back from us… and we continue to believe the lies of the enemy over what our Father in heaven says.

This is what our loving and faithful Father says to us:

“…why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:27-34)

“Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? …But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom…” (Luke 12:22 – 32)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1John 4:18)

In addition to those, how many times throughout the Bible do we read God, the angels and Jesus say “Do not be afraid”!!? I believe He repeated it over and over again because God knew that “fear” would be used by Satan to “choke” out the Word “making it unfruitful”. God is trying to get us to look to HIM, to believe in Him, and not to believe the enemy whose plan is to cause us to “fear” and doubt God’s goodness. Can you hear God’s voice saying, “look at ME my child, and do not fear! I’ve got everything under control!”

Ok, now let’s get down to the nitty gritty.  If we really think about it, we usually don’t trust those whom we do not “know”… right? So, if we truly KNEW God…  not just knew OF Him but, really and truly KNEW Him, who He is and knew His heart, His faithfulness, His trustworthiness and His love for us, I don’t believe we would be afraid anymore.  Do we really believe that our Heavenly Father loves us and will care for us? I think it is easy for us to “say” God loves us, but do we really believe it?? I believe that our knowledge of God, through our pursuit of Him and our relationship with Him, is the key to removing all fear from our hearts and our minds. It’s not about reading the Bible more, praying more or serving more, but about truly desiring to know Him and “intentionally” investing the time to search out the scriptures that speak about His faithfulness, His love and His desire for us… like you would pursue any relationship that is important to you.  Then ask Him to reveal the truth about Himself through His Word. Then, when the Word is planted in our hearts, it will grow and flourish and not be choked out by the cares and worries of this life.

Father, I pray that we would set our hearts upon truly getting to KNOW You and understanding Your love for us so that we can begin to trust YOU more and more and trust Your faithfulness and provision for us as Your children.  Help us to remove the lies we have believed about You and replace them with the truth of who You are.  I pray that You would give us a greater revelation of Your love for us so that YOUR perfect love will cast out ALL fear.  In Jesus name, amen!