WHAT IS MY PRAYER PHILOSOPHY?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Two part series)
I read where a loving mother purchased a prayer book for her son. Each night he had to read one of the prayers to God. One night the lad had turned off the lights and crawled into bed and had his covers all pulled up around his neck. He then remembered his prayer book. He looked up and said: FATHER, YOU CAN SEE THE PRAYER BOOK IN THE DARK, FOR TONIGHT WHY DON’T YOU JUST READ THE PRAYER FOR YOURSELF?
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN WE PRAY IS: AM I PRAYING IN GOD’S WILL? WHAT IS MY MOTIVE? AM I THANKFUL?
Text: James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
*MOTIVE: Why are we asking? What do I want? Why do I want this? Why am I desiring to take this action?
You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
*IS THIS GOD’S WILL?
Jesus was in a great conflict, great agony--- Jesus’ prayer was very earnest and intense. His sweat became as great drops of blood…
Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
* JESUS TEACHES HIS CHILDREN A 6 POINT EXAMPLE WE HAVE FOR A GOOD PRAYER IS SIMPLE:A GOOD PRAYER.
• We address the Father in heaven.
• We praise and thank God.
• Thy kingdom come, seek the WILL OF GOD that is accomplished in heaven so let it be here on earth.
• Give us our daily bread. If God gave us our bread a month at a time it would not be fresh.
• Everything about Jesus hinges on FORGIVENESS… We must forgive others to receive forgiveness.
• Lord, open our eyes that only God can deliver us from evil.
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN THE CONFLICTS GET SO INTENSE FROM THE EXTREME LEVELS OF STRESS? HOW ABOUT TRYING PRAYER?
Jesus was in a great conflict, great agony--- Jesus’ prayer was very earnest and intense. His sweat became as great drops of blood…
*HEMATOHIDROSIS: when individuals suffer from extreme levels of stress.
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
WHAT IS OUR PRAYER PHILOSOPHY? …It is good to end every prayer by saying “ NOT MY WILL BUT THY WILL BE DONE.”
Too often we pray God I need that TOY… We might need a TOOL much more than a toy. We think and demand God GIVE ME MY TOY. Would WE PRAY selfish prayers? WHY? WHY CAN’T I HAVE MY TOYS? In prayer we often ask for things that we have no right to ask. Prayer is more THAN A CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST. We could become spoiled brats, each demanding and wanting their own way.
911, WHAT IS YOUR EMERGENCY?
When you call 911 you don’t have to say a word, the call connects almost instantly. They know your telephone number, your name, your address, --- you don’t have to say what the problem is the dispatcher knows where the call originated and they can send HELP ON THE WAY.
THE ANCHOR OF PRAYER! PRAYER: Prayer? Is prayer throwing out an anchor and catching hold of the shore, then pulling the shore to you? Or maybe prayer is like hooking the shore with the anchor line and pulling yourself to the shore?
Prayer is not pulling God to me, my will! Prayer is pulling me to God’s shore where I override my selfish motives and submit to the PLAN and PURPOSE OF GOD. IS MY PRAYER’S MOTIVE IN GOD’S WILL? IS MY PRAYER IN GOD’S DIVINE TIMING?
TWO TO THREE MINUTES WITH GOD CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE THAN YEARS IN ARGUMENTS AND DEBATES.
LET US RETURN TO HISTORY AND GO TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA…
94,000 Northern troops, 71,000 troops from the south gathered at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in early July, 1863. There were 5,000 horses and mules that died in this battle. There is much debate about the casualties but there were between 46,000 and 51,000 deaths between July 1-3, 1863. This was the bloodiest day on American soil. The battle field was being dedicated as a NATIONAL CEMETERY.
The main speaker that day was EDWARD EVERETT. EVERETT SPOKE 1 HOUR AND 57 MINUTES. No one remembers his address to the crowd.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS INVITED TO SPEAK “A FEW APPROPRIATE WORDS” to the crowd. Lincoln stood and looked over the crowd and then he put on his glasses and addressed the crowd.
President Abraham Lincoln gave a 272 word address to the people on November 19, 1863. His speech was about 3 minutes long.
*** Four score and seven years ago our Fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now, we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting –place for those here gave their lives, that a nation might live.
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate --- we cannot hallow--- this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ---- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion. --- we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain --- That this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
LINCOLN’S WORDS, ALL 272, SEEMED TO BE PRAYER LIKE.
A reporter of the PHILADELPHIA PRESS leaned to Lincoln AND WHISPERED: “IS THAT ALL?”
Lincoln replied: “YES, THAT IS ALL!”
THERE IS GREAT POWER IN 3 MINUTES WITH GOD…
GOD LOVES TO HEAR FROM HIS PEOPLE. SURE GOD IS OMNIPOTENT AND ALL KNOWING BUT GOD LOVES TO HEAR US EXPRESS OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN HIS PLAN. IF WE WILL PRAY, GOD PROMISES TO HEAR US…
Psalm 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
GOD WILL DO HIS PART --- YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR PART. THE PREACHER BOY CRIED OUT --- SHORT AND SWEET. PRAYER MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE.
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED? THE AXE HEAD WAS HOPELESSLY, FOREVER LOST… BUT UNDERSTAND, IT WAS BORROWED… If it is borrowed you must take it back. The young preacher had a reputation and integrity on the line.
There was not a lot of time for a long, loud prayer…
2 Kings 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 6. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
The old preacher simply took a stick and threw it in the direction of where the axe head went down… The axe head swam to the shore. It did not jump up and reunite with the handle. The young man had to bend down and pick the axe head up. His cry was heard.
THERE WAS A WELL RESPECTED MAN IN THE BIBLE FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH A SHORT PRAYER IN 1 CHRONICLES.
ABOUT ALL WE KNOW ABOUT JABEZ WAS HE WAS BORN IN A HEAVY TIME AND THAT HE KNEW HOW TO PRAY.
1 Chronicles 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Jabez wanted God’s blessing but he knew there was danger all around him. He saw many successful believers turned their backs on God. Jabez’s prayer released GOD TO DO A NEW THING… God is going to bless and increase Jabez because he prayed.
THE ENEMY HAS GATHERED AROUND HEZEKIAH. THERE IS NO HOPE FOR HIM! MAKE YOUR FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS AND WRITE YOUR WILL…
HEZEKIAH YOU ARE “DEAD MEAT!” TOO LATE? TOO LATE! THE PREACHER HAS PREACHED YOUR LAST SERMON… SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
Isaiah 38:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
HEZEKIAH HAD ONE HOPE? BUT GOD… HEZEKIAH WEPT SORE… HE CHANGED HIS ATTITUDES. HE SET HIS FACE TO THE WALL… AND HE PRAYED TO THE LORD… Just think of the power of prayer. Hezekiah’s prayer touched God. God’s mercy gave Hezekiah 15 more years. The Preacher turned around and GAVE HOPE BECAUSE HEZEKIAH SET HIS FACE AND PRAYED.
Isaiah 38:5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
CONCLUSION: WHAT MIGHT GOD DO IF WE WOULD SET OUR FACE TO THE WALL AND PRAY?
IN MAY 1996 VALUJET 592 CRASHED INTO THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES. All 110 people on board were dead. The plane spread debris over a large area. Many people volunteered to search the area. There were hundreds of gallons of jet fuel and hydraulic fuel in the water. Many got sick while searching for the BLACK BOX.
14 days people searched, 14 days of hot, toxic searching. There was a METRO-DADE POLICEMAN NAMED FELIX JIMENEZ who devoted to find the BLACK BOX… as it contained the information that would explain the cause of the crash. 14 days JIMENEZ prayed for his fellow workers. 14 days he prayed for the families of the crash victims. 14 days JIMENEZ prayed for God to touch the broken hearted.
ON THE 15th day JIMENEZ woke up. He continued to pray. He had a paradigm shift in his prayer that day. He changed his attitude and his prayers. JIMENEZ prayed GOD HELP ME FIND THE BLACK BOX. He asked God to lead me and direct me today. God, you know where the black box is, help us to find it. So he felt lead to go to one area. He started prodding his long pole down in the dark murky waters. BANG, he felt his pole hit something metal. He reached down into the mud and pulled up the BLACK BOX. He found it. God had helped him.
JIMENEZ said in THE GUIDE POST: I thought how many had walked right over the Black Box and did not find it. He said: I PONDERED WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? In his mind the man felt a small voice say: WHY DID YOU TAKE SO LONG TO ASK?
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
WILL YOU EARNESTLY PRAY? Turn off Facebook? Turn off the TV? The computer? Unplug the phone? AND PRAY?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Check out You Tube?
Will you pray? Today I am going to trust Jesus and the Holy Spirit for ………………………………………………………………….?
