Action—Christian action, apart from prayer is essentially godless, for it fails to bring Almighty God in to the picture. Nothing should be done without prayer for the single reason that not praying leaves God out of the account.
The Church and other ministries will often give lip service to prayer, and then busy themselves with good activities. We are very good at working and acting, but very bad at praying. Truly praying.
And thus much of our activities fail to glorify God, to preach the Gospel, to shine light to a dark world, to keep us from the evil, simply because we leave God out. The Word does not increase across the land and prevail mightily. [Acts 6:7]
Prayer is an absolute necessity to the proper carrying on of God’s work. God has made it so. This must have been the principal reason why in the early Church, the twelve told the disciples, “ we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” They surely realized that the success of the Word and the progress of the Church were dependent in a preeminent sense upon their “giving themselves to prayer.” God could effectively work through them in proportion as they gave themselves fully to prayer. —E. M. Bounds 1
The people of God must be a praying people, first, last and in between. We better start on our knees, then roll up our sleeves. We should not neglect prayer or abbreviate our praying just because we have so much work—even ‘for the Lord’ on our hands!
Moses, Daniel, Elijah, Nehemiah, and numerous others are recorded for us as praying, before they acted. And, like the Apostles, these are first men of prayer; the Lord works through those who pray.
Let us also be like these, bathing all our activities in prayers. But may we not gloss over it with merely asking for His blessing on what we've already planned. No, instead we are seeking His kingdom come and His will be done. If the Lord wills we will do this or that.
How utterly we might otherwise fail, how mightily we may instead prevail.
Prayer Insight … Charles Spurgeon
"Hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done in earth as it is in Heaven." Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ himself, and then, as you draw near to the blood-besprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, "Lord, extend the kingdom of your dear Son." Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by laboring to promote the Lord's glory.
Pray For The People Of God From The Word Of God
Here are four passages we are praying from (one passage per day):
Thursday - 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
Friday - 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5
Saturday - 2 Timothy 1:13-14
Sunday - 2 Timothy 2:15
Will you join me in praying these verses, and ask one person to join you?
Until Monday, grace and peace
The Weapon Of Prayer, E. M Bounds, Chapter 1, Prayer Essential To God, p. 13
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