Memorise: But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled
down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she
opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Acts 9:40. Continue...
Message
The Bible
in Philippians 4:6 enjoins us not to be anxious for anything, but rather to
make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication sandwiched with
thanksgiving. The result of this spiritual exercise is found in Philippians
4:7:
" And the peace of God, which
passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
This is the wonder
of an effective Christian Prayer life.
Our Bible
text reveals that prayer can work wonder beyond our widest imagination. It also
reveals the inevitability of prayer in our lives. If Jesus could do nothing
without prayer, then we should not think that an effective prayer life is
optional in our Christian walk. When the apostles wondered why they could not
cast out the demons in a demon-possessed boy, Jesus in Mark 9:29 simply told
them that it was due to lack of prayer and fasting. James 4:2 reveals that many
children of God are guilty of negligence in prayer. Some of them even become
envious of those who take out time to pray to God concerning their needs. They
fail to realise that it is prayer that can solve the problem of lack, and not
envy. Like the elder brother of the prodigal son, they are zealous in the work
of God but fail to make their requests known to God. They end up becoming
envious. The elder brother of the prodigal son even falsely accused his father
of partiality. But the father replied that all that he had was his ( Luke 15:31
). The problem with this son was that he would not ask.
After I was
commissioned as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I
travelled to my home town. On getting there, one of the request put forward to
me was about the access road into the town; as at that time, the road was in a
deplorable state. Humanly speaking, it was an expensive project for a pastor to
undertake. So I looked up in prayer to the God who called me, just like the
Psalmist did in Psalm 121:1-2:
" I WILL lift up mine eyes unto
the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made
heaven and earth."
The Lord
answered my simple prayer a few weeks after my visit. He moved the government
to award a contract that got the road fixed.
Key Point :
Ask and it shall be given; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall
be opened unto you.
Read : Mark
9:20-29
20 And they brought him unto him:
and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the
ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago
since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast
him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do
any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou
canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And
straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe;
help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running
together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf
spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the
spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead;
insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and
lifted him up; and he arose. 28 And when he was come into the house, his
disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said
unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
BIBLE IN
ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 23-26 and ACTS 5:22-42
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