It’s a Privilege to Pray

God sits on His throne in His temple. Jesus sits beside Him, vigorously pleading for those He loves. For us. The Holy Spirit is there too. On our behalf He utters groans that words cannot express. And then there’s us. Sitting here, yet welcomed into the presence of this Almighty God (Psalm 11:4, Psalm 18:6, Jeremiah 50:34, Hebrews 7:24-25, Romans 8:26-27).


–He invites us to come with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).


–He tells us our prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:16).


–He says pray about anything and everything. When we do He gives us His peace (Philippians 4:5-6).


–He tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed can say to a mountain, –“Move!” and it will move (Matthew 17:20).


–God says He loves us more than we can know and that He is able and willing to do more than we ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:18-20)


It’s a privilege to pray.

One Way to Respond to Unjust Treatment

Have you been treated unjustly? Pray. God sees, knows, and cares. He will respond.

This story gives God’s perspective: If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate (Exodus 22:26-27 bold mine).”

When a Friend Asks for Prayer

A woman asked for prayer. Her preoccupied friends prayed for a moment, and then forgot. Their girlfriend fell into unexpected tragedy.

Grieving over their own complacency they determined that next time they will pray in earnest.

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results (James 5:16).

A Prayer Guide for . . . Praying to our Creator

When you pray to our Creator, give him glory.

God has said, “I have made them for my glory (Isaiah 43:7).

Click here for a-prayer-guide-for-praying-to-our-creator-1

One Said Thank You

Ten cried out for mercy. All ten were healed. One went back to thank Jesus. Nine did not.*

Be like the one.

*Read the whole story in Luke 17:12-19.

Confident Prayer

Go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him (Hebrews 10:22).

For God can be trusted (Hebrews 10:23).

Let us Thank the Lord

Some wandered, hungry and thirsty. Others were in prison. Some suffered affliction, near death. Others were in a storm, filled with fear (read their stories in Psalm 107).

All of them cried to the Lord in their trouble. All of them were delivered from their distress. How should they respond? Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men (Psalm 107:8,15,21,31).

Whatever trouble you face, cry out to the Lord. And when he delivers you, say thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Why We Give God Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 107:1).

Saying thank you is a way to give back to God. It’s noticing who God is and what he does.

Come with Thanks

Come into his presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2).

Enter his gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4).

Thanksgiving acknowledges God’s generosity and goodness.

Being Thankful is a Choice

I will give thanks to you, Lord,
with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds (Psalm 9:1 bold mine).

We choose to be thankful to God.

Grief

I cannot take away your grief. Life is hard and sometimes full of sorrow.

But I can encourage you to pray to the God of all comfort. He is familiar with suffering and acquainted with grief (2 Corinthians 1:3; Isaiah 53:3).