August 17, 2016

PRAYER THOUGHT:  "The Possibilities of Prayer Run Parallel with the Promises of God"  E. M. Bounds 

Mark 9:23b NKJV - "...all things are possible to him who believes."

Commentary:

Please let me share a few personal thoughts today.  These past few months have been an intense time for me with God.  I know I have not prayed as much as I have in the past 12 weeks ever!  The Lord has met me in the quiet place and in the busy place.  I've felt the need to pour out my heart in confession and concern.  I know I am forgiven and God's mercy is abundant in my life.  I feel the strength God has given me to pursue this intensity before Him.  Fervency and effectual praying are just in their infancy stages with me but they are there, nonetheless.  I can only feel that whatever years I have remaining I trust God will use them to draw me into greater hunger for Him.  My prayers for others are useless if I fail to start my praying with delight in my Savior.  I pray daily for God the Father to bless His Son with more souls saved!  Jesus deserves first mention in my praying and its for His glory that I seek.

I ask you, reader, to please pray that my prayer life would grow stronger daily.  I'm of little use and with little power to serve my Savior if I be a man of little prayer.  Not only is praying a matter of time, but it is also a matter of urgency and need.  I need to pray!  I know that I personally have little to offer.  But prayer opens up for me the joy of the Spirit of God filling me with Himself and living out the life of Christ in me.

The Prayer Thought and Daily Verse today are reminders that God makes promises He wants to keep!  But please note, the promises are fulfilled to those who believe.  As someone has said, "God promised rain for Israel, but Elijah must pray for it!"  The promises of God are for us to receive as we seek to bring honor to Him and fulfill His will.  God doesn't promise us a "life of pleasure" for our own selfish desires to be fulfilled.  But He does promise an "abundant life" for those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness!"