Posts Tagged ‘zealous’

« Older Entries

Dig Deep

March 2nd, 2010

Prayer is the easiest thing to do in the world, but it is hard work to dig deep into prayer. We want to have it be easy, but the riches in prayer come from hard work. Like the early California seekers looking for gold, we want prayer to yield great results, but to be easy. When it became hard to find gold most people gave up their dreams of riches and got jobs. When prayer is more that just a quick and easy source of answers, most people give up and do other things.

Mining for gold is hard work, prayer is hard work. Unlike grubbing around looking for nuggets on the surface, mining requires heavy equipment, structure, machines, workers and a lot of money. Prayer requires hard work as well. Those who are not satisfies with just a few nuggets they find laying around, must work hard, they must learn to pray. The request from His disciples was Lord teach us to pray.

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1 (NKJV)
 

Mining is expensive. It takes a huge outlay of money to get to the point where there is a return on the initial investment. Prayer is expensive as well, no not in money; it costs a great to abide in His presence. Every day events seek to draw you away from Him. Answer delayed is expense for faith to abide, but the man who would dig deep in prayer will pay the price.
 

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
John 15:7 (NKJV)
 

Mining is dangerous. Cave-ins, explosions and gasses are but a few of the dangers miners faced everyday. Prayer is dangerous as well. There is a constant danger of lure of sin, doubt, fear, and unbelief. There is a danger of forgetting prayer and relying on our own strength. It is hard to wait on God.
 

Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
Psalm 37:34 (NKJV)
  

Mining is time consuming. Prayer is time consuming. The question in the garden was, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?” Jesus ever lives to make intersession for us. Will you join with Him? How long will you pray?
  

Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Matthew 26:40 (NKJV)
 

Mining became incredibly profitable to the men who developed companies in California and later other mining areas. They poured money and effort into their work and millions of dollars were drawn from the ground. Prayer is incredibly profitable as well, not as a get-rich- scheme, but in relationship with the Father and His answers.
 
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7 (NKJV)

Are you satisfied with looking for a few nuggets, with prayer that is grubbing along with whatever happens to come along?

Or will you be like the miners who dig deep, worked hard?

Nuggets or mining what will it be for you in prayer?

2 comments »

Posted in Power in prayer

Tags:

Prayer Fills Needs!

January 25th, 2010

There is much for us to do, for family, jobs, church, missions, and nation there are great needs. To be successful in the things we do we need prayer.

Prayer Gives Laborers

The number and efficiency of laborers depends on prayer, it depends on our prayers. In every measure of labor, prayer makes the difference.

night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJV)

Prayer Gives Potency

The might and strength of labor, the opportunity for labor increases by prayer.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 (NKJV)

Prayer Opens Doors

Prayer opens wide their doors of opportunity for laborers. It provides for access, placing the laborer in position and opening hearts to the message. It gives a holy boldness, determination, resolve, and steadfastness.

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6:18-20 (NKJV)

Prayer Gives Fruitfulness

Prayer makes productive the things we do, giving us fruit for our labor.

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians 1:9-10 (NKJV)

Prayer Fills Needs

Praying men and women are needed in all fields of spiritual and secular. There is no position in the Church which should be filled, but by much prayer. There is no position that should be maintained, but by prayer. Praying men and women are needed for every business, as well as every church, to order and direct business and activity, not according to the maxims of this world, but according to Bible precepts.

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NKJV)

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Colossians 1:9 (NKJV)

Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Colossians 4:12 (NKJV)

The success of an enterprise and its efficiency are determined by prayer.

7 comments »

Posted in Power in prayer

Tags:

Prayer Quotes

November 3rd, 2009

PRAYER, without fervour, stakes nothing on the issue, because it has nothing to stake. It comes with empty hands. Hands, too, which are listless, as well as empty, which have never learned the lesson of clinging to the Cross.

from Necessity of Prayer by E. M. Bounds

 

A man is no bigger than his prayer life, or as Murray M’Cheyne is reputed to have said, ‘What a man is on his knees before God, he is——and nothing more.’ 

From Pray in the Spirit by Arthur Wallis

 

Do we dare imagine that we—by thinking, and reading, and hearing—can understand or become partakers of the holiness of God? What folly! May we begin to thank God that we have our private prayer room, a place where we can be alone with Him. There, may we pray, “Let Your holiness, O Lord, shine more and more into our hearts that they may become holy.”

Andrew Murray from The Believers Prayer Life

 

Of all the traits of a life like that of Jesus Christ, there is none higher and more glorious than conformity to Him in the work that now engages Him without ceasing in the Father’s presence—His all-powerful intercession. The more we abide in Him and grow to be like Him, the more His priestly life will work in us. Our lives will become what His is—a life that continuously prays for people.

From With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray 

Comments Off »

Posted in The Prayer Life

Tags:

Who Are You?

August 11th, 2009

How would you define a person of prayer? What are the key ingredients of person of prayer? Are you a person of Prayer? All of us are different, but yet there are basic ingredients of prayer; ingredients that should (maybe must) be found in us if we are going to pray effective prayers.
 

One of these ingredients is ardor in prayer. Other words used for ardor are dedication, passion, enthusiasm, zeal, fervor, eagerness, devotion, dedication, and commitment. Ardor in prayer includes all of these things. An illustration from the Bible may help us to understand what this requires of those who will be a person of prayer.    

The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:  “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Rev. 4:8 (NKJV) 

About these four living creatures E. M. Bound has written, “The inspiration and centre of their rapturous devotion is the holiness of God. That holiness of God claims their attention, inflames their devotion. There is nothing cold, nothing dull, nothing wearisome about them or their heavenly worship. “They rest not day nor night.” What zeal! What unfainting ardour and ceaseless rapture!”

The person of prayer, if he or she be worthy to be called by that name, must include the ingredient of ardor in their prayer. This ardor must be like unto these creatures, a ministry of unwearied and intense longing after God and His holiness.

Comments Off »

Posted in The Prayer Life

Tags:

Our Eyes on Jesus

August 2nd, 2009

The Christian life and the prayer life are filled with battles; often there are setbacks. If we are going to be successful in life and prayer, we must keep our eye on the prize. This phrase was use concerning the civil rights movement. In that movement the prize was equality, for the Christian the prize is Jesus Christ and the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth.

Paul understood the idea of keeping your eye on the prize. He followed the admonition; his life and ministry flowed from one source toward one goal. Paul never took his eyes off of his source, Jesus. He never forgot the goal of his ministry and life. He kept his eye on the prize.

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NKJV)

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

Paul ministered in many places and saw God move powerfully, but throughout his ministry he kept his eye on Jesus. He knew that all he did in ministry was from God; nothing was from his own strength or ability.

for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring.”

Acts 17:28 (NKJV)

 Too often we get our eye off Jesus and on the ministry or other concerns. We must be fixed on Jesus and on the coning of His Kingdom here on earth. This is the work of prayer. This should be our focus and prayer.

Comments Off »

Posted in The Work of Prayer

Tags:

Zeal

August 1st, 2009

Without zeal we will fail to complete the work set before us. Zeal moves men and mountains. It is the difference between the greeting in heaven of “Well?” and “Well done.” The Christian centuries are filled with two types of people, one known for their zeal the other for nothing. Every page of the Church’s history is lined with zeal. The zealot has written history, filling its pages with exploits. The zealot has changed the course of nations and turned the hearts of men. The zealot has righted wrongs and ended evils. And what about you, could you be called a zealot? In the things you do, are you along for the ride or are you filled with fervor, passion, ardor, spirit, and drive.

 “If you never have sleepless hours, if you never have weeping eyes, if your hearts never swell as if they would burst, you need not anticipate that you will be called zealous. You do not know the beginning of true zeal, for the foundation of Christian zeal lies in the heart. The heart must be heavy with grief and yet must beat high with holy ardor. The heart must be vehement in desire, panting continually for God’s glory, or else we shall never attain to anything like the zeal which God would have us know.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 It matters not if you are called for nations or the nursery; the question is your zeal. A call to missions or management; the question is your zeal. A call to pray or preach; the question is your zeal. A call to give or guide; the question is your zeal.

Comments Off »

Posted in The Work of Prayer

Tags:

Fervent!

July 31st, 2009

Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Col. 4:12 (NKJV)
 

The word, fervently, here means to struggle, to complete for a prize, to contend with an adversary, or to endeavor to accomplish something.
 

Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
Romans 15:30 (NKJV)

 For who or what are you laboring fervently in prayer?

Comments Off »

Posted in The Work of Prayer

Tags:

Listen Well

June 9th, 2009

Paul tells us of a time when people will not listen well.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
2 Tim. 4:3-4 (NKJV)

Paul wrote to Timothy about people who turn their ears away. They would not endure sound doctrine, they wound not listen. When we talk about music turning your ears away is not always bad. I turn my ears away from much of the “music” young people listen to today. The crash of sounds does not appeal to me. I turn away. In spiritual things to turn or not turn away is an important question, one with which we all must deal. There are things out there I should not listen.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
1 Tim. 4:1-2 (NKJV)

If we listen, we might give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. This is a good time not to listen. However, when God is speaking, we should listen. He is our father; he has much to tell us His children. Will we listen as He speaks?

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
Proverbs 22:17 (NKJV)

Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.
Proverbs 23:19 (NKJV)

He makes it very clear we are to listen with more than our ears; we are to listen to Him with our heart. Like the change that comes when a song we love comes on the radio. Like the change that comes when the orchestra plays a song we love, we listen with new interest and excitement. When god speaks we should listen to Him, with interest and excitement. A pastor I know says, we should turn the radio up like when our favorite song is on, this is how we should listen to our Father. Those who will not listen, with their ears and hearts tuned in, careful to hear with their ears and heart, will come to a place where they cannot hear.

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
Matthew 13:15 (NKJV)

Today the world around us dulls our hearing. The world would make our ears heavy, and shut our eyes, so we cannot hear or see. However, prayer is conversation with God and I must listen. If we are to pray effective prayers we must include listening to our prayer time. When we pray it is time to turn our radio up and listen to the sound of His voice.

Comments Off »

Posted in The Prayer Life

Tags:

Time to Pray

June 3rd, 2009

One of the keys to success in every endeavor is timing. With the correct timing an enterprise can be a great triumph; too early and people are not ready, too late and you miss the chance. This has been seen time after time in new inventions. Someone come up with a new idea, but if the public is not ready yet the idea fails. A few years later, or after something has changed in a society, and suddenly the idea, same idea, same people, only now the idea is a great success.

One place where this is not true is prayer. It is always a good time for prayer. Today, and every day is great time for prayer! While there are many hindrances to prayer, there is no better time for prayer than today. We live in a time when many priorities try to dictate our plans and often our life is too busy for words, let-a-lone time for prayer. However, it is imperative that we find and make prayer time, because prayer makes times right. Prayer changes hearts, times, season, views, and ideas and this is what is needed today. This generation stands in need of prayer. Will you make time for prayer?

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles–when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.1 Peter 4:1-7 (NKJV)

Comments Off »

Posted in The Prayer Life

Tags:

A Psalm for Prayer

May 16th, 2009

As we are praying today for events unfolding around us I would like to remind us of what God has said about certain people and His plans.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows–bitter words,
That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
They say, “Who will see them?”
They devise iniquities:
“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
All who see them shall flee away.
All men shall fear,
And shall declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.

The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.Psalm 64:1-10 (NKJV)

Today is a good day for us to pray!!!

Comments Off »

Posted in The Work of Prayer

Tags: