Tag: Persistent in prayer

Persistent in Prayer and Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED: Monday, July 24, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Orlando, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Contemporary English Version (CEV) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:5-8

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: I will help this widow because she keeps on bothering me. If I don’t help her, she will wear me out.” The Lord said: Think about what that crooked judge said. Won’t God protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won’t he be concerned for them? He will surely hurry and help them….

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: In this devotional, I believe we may be prompted to consider the difference between persistence and nagging, or faith versus vainly begging for something. Stay tuned and ask God to reveal Himself through His Word as you join me in meditating on today’s Scripture.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Every so often we need reminding about our awesome, forgiving, loving Lord who cares so much for us. This story reminded me of a young waiter who served my wife and I at an upscale local restaurant. At a time when our daughter was looking for a job, I asked the young man how did he land a job at a nice restaurant like the one we were at. He responded that his persistence paid off. After submitting his application, he visited the restaurant to ask if they received it, then every day or two he would revisit the restaurant to see if they had made a hiring decision yet. He attributed his success in landing the job to more than his limited qualifications, but in showing the restaurant management how serious he was about wanting to work for them. Sounds similar to the story of the judge mentioned by Jesus, right? But how persistent are we in praying without ceasing for the concerns of our life, and that of the ones we love? Are you negligent in the importance of prayer? Do you lack in the faith to believe that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead is the same God you are asking to heal a broken heart, or restore strength to a concerned heart over daily issues in your family or at work? But how is your relationship with the God to whom you need to ask? Is it one where you communicate daily with Him to celebrate the times of answered prayer and share with Him the concerns you are anticipating that day? Do you always remember that the same one who brought sight to the blind in John 9:6, and made the lame to walk again in Mark 2:11, and restored life to the likes of a dead man as in John 11:38, is the one to whom you are asking to do miraculous things for you today? Friends, we serve an awesome God, and He is eager and ready to accept you into His Kingdom if you surrender your life of sin to His will and purpose today. Remember, Jesus knows our thoughts and therefore knows the desires of our heart. I believe that He stands ready and willing to hear our prayer, or cry, for help, surrender, and in sharing our heart’s cry for help and direction in all walks of our life. I believe He desires to be magnified in us and glorified in all that is achieved in and through us, but we must make the first move. Is it ‘life as usual’ for you, or are you ready to partner with the King of all kings and Lord of all lords today, and for all eternity?

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: I often feel guilty of asking God repeatedly for things. But it seems like Jesus is encouraging us to pray frequently, and ask without ceasing. I’m so happy that God loves us unconditionally and He knows the innermost parts of our heart. Bombarding Him with our prayers will serve to show that we trust Him with our innermost thoughts and concerns over and over again.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Precious Lord, You created us and You know our innermost thoughts. Only You can mend a broken heart, and only You can satisfy our desires and solve our concerns. Please teach us to be faithful in offering up our sacrifices of praise, plus the deepest desires of our heart. Things that seem impossible to us are all minor to You, for nothing is impossible with You. Humanly, we tend to cave in to constant bombardment of those in need, but with You Lord, I believe You knot only know our thoughts words and deeds, but You are constantly preparing the way for us to represent You in every aspect of our lives. May others see Jesus today, Lord! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home near by your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Persistent in Faith and Prayer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Persistence, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-08-23
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 17:6-7 (TLB)

Text:

 6 Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, 7 don’t you think that God will surely give justice to his people who plead with him day and night? 8 Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying?”
OBSERVATION:
Jesus used an example of an unkind judge who gave a kind answer to a lady who came before him persistently. Jesus likened this to those who come before Him persistently in prayer, but He seemed skeptical about how many He would find like this when He returns. 
APPLICATION:
Our first read of this scripture might result in us saying “of course we pray”. But the question may arise ‘But how persistent are you in prayer?’. Pastors and church leaders become very discouraged by the number that shows up for prayer meetings and even fewer who are comfortable speaking publicly to God  at those meetings? But you know what’s really scary? God knows the hearts of each one attending prayer meetings, and those who never make the effort. I don’t believe He is as concerned about how loudly they speak out in prayer to impress the leaders and attendees, as He is about their heart’s condition. You see, it is easy for most folk to pray when they are accustomed to doing it habitually. Prayer is not reserved for just Wednesday nights, or when the pastor asks you to bow your heads in prayer. The woman in the scripture verses today went before the judge persistently, before he finally got it, or really heard her heart’s cry. A child will ask for something once, and we take it as a wish. A child who asks persistently will get our attention and cause us to act. I’ve heard of employees getting hired because they constantly followed up on their application. It showed the employer that they seriously want the job. Does God know the request closest to your heart, based on how much you’ve asked Him for it? I believe that those of us who are persistent in our faith, knows that God can do what He says He could do, and those of us who are persistent in our prayer knows that God is hearing each time we ask, and that He will answer when the timing is just right for Him to receive the glory in response.  Let me encourage you to develop a persistent habit of prayer, so that God will know that you are serious about what you are asking. Then be persistent in your faith, knowing that God’s timing is always right and that He will never let His children down.
PRAYER:
We are such an instant world anymore Lord, and we crop such an attitude when our prayers are not instantly answered the way that we ask. Please forgive us Lord, and may we never treat You like a microwave or a drive-thru restaurant, but like the Savior of this world. The King of all kings. Majestic in glory and Creator of this whole universe. May we never forget who is in charge, who has the power to raise the dead, make the blind to see again and so much more – including the simple things that we bring before You that overwhelms us. Thank You for being patient with us and loving us anyway dear Lord. For I ask these things in Your name and for Your glory, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!