Time To Talk To The Lord And Follow His Ways

Time To Talk To The Lord And Follow His Ways


“It is good to speak of God today.”

Thank You for coming and worshiping.


Prayer is…

Talking to and seeking the Lord

Genesis 4:26(KJV) 26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.


Prayer is…

Talking to One who hears

Psalms 65:2(KJV) 2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.


Prayer is…

Talking to One who can answer our prayers

Isaiah 56:7(KJV) 7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Luke 11:2(KJV) 2And 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.


Prayer is…

Supported by the Holy Spirit in ways we don’t understand

Romans 8:26-27(NKJV) 26Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.


Prayer is…

Special to the Lord

Revelation 5:8(NKJV) 8Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:3-4(NKJV) 3Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.


Prayer…

Should be continual in our lives

1 Chronicles 16:11(KJV) 11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

1 Thessalonians 5:17(KJV) 17Pray without ceasing.


Prayer…

Should be expectant

Matthew 7:7(KJV) 7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Luke 18:1(NKJV) 1Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,


Prayer…

Should be a resource of strength

Matthew 26:41(NKJV) 41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Ephesians 6:18(NKJV) 18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—


Prayer…

Should help us through rough times

James 5:13(NKJV) 13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.


Prayer brings guidance in a time of indecision and turmoil

Exodus 15:24-25(NKJV) 24And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them,

Judges 6:39-40(NKJV) 39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” 40And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.


Prayer helps concentrate our efforts as we face difficult and heart rendering times

1 Samuel 1:27(KJV) 27For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

Acts 4:31(KJV) 31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.


Prayer works

1 Samuel 7:9-10(NKJV) 9And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.


Prayer works

1 Kings 18:37-38(NKJV) 37Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 38Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

2 Kings 19:19-20(NKJV) 19Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.” 20Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.’


Prayer should be our “calling card” or modus operandi for us to practice and others to observe

2 Chronicles 7:14(KJV) 14If 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.

Mark 11:24(NKJV) 24Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.


Prayer should be our “calling card” or modus operandi for us to practice and others to observe

James 5:16(NKJV) 16Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Daniel 6:10(NKJV) 10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.


Following the Lord’s example

Luke 5:15-16(KJV) 15But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

Luke 6:12(KJV) 12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 22:41-42(KJV) 41And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.


So, the real question becomes,

“How do we pray?”


Secretly

Matthew 6:6(NKJV) 6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.


Habitually

Acts 10:9(NKJV) 9The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.


Personally

Acts 10:30(NKJV) 30So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,


Simply

John 11:41-44(NKJV) 41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”


Earnestly

James 5:17(KJV) 17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

Luke 22:44(NKJV) 44And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.


Passionately

Genesis 18:32(KJV) 32And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.


Convincingly

Genesis 32:26(NKJV) 26And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”


Willingly (I will be obedient)

Luke 22:39-46(KJV) 39And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 40And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.


Willingly (I will be obedient)

44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.


There are many reasons to pray. The best reason I can think of

is to help align ourselves with the will of God

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Time To Talk To The Lord And Follow His Ways