May 22, 2018 - There are those who consider themselves to be followers of the Most High God who if asked to pray for someone or some thing would silently say to themselves, “ No, I am not going to pray for you or that thing which you ask for I have tried prayer and it has not worked for me.” Some would even admit that they could not pray for you because their prayers didn’t seen to be heard or answered by the Lord.
That is sad that any person who tries to walk with the Lord would feel that way, that anyone who professes to be a follower of Christ Jesus would not have faith in prayers asked of God.
How could that be, that a “Christian” would not believe in the power of prayer?
Jesus tells us that to be his disciples we must live/abide in his word. This means for us to truly be followers of the Most High that we must first learn from his word, the Bible, that we can know how we are to follow him in our lives each day.
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31)
Are you seeking that closer relationship with the Lord each day? Are you studying the Bible that you will be better equipped to meet the world each day? For the apostle Paul says this about the Word of God.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Did you see, the Scriptures are good for so many things pertaining to God, including for training in righteousness. Meaning if we are to be righteous then we must learn from God's Word that we know how to conduct our lives in service to him. Only by study of God’s Word can we be equipped to go out and do his will each day. Only by training in righteousness are we equipped to pray and be heard by the Most High God.
Jesus tells us the story of the true vine and its branches where he calls himself the true vine and those who would follow him the branches and he says this about being with and in him.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
If you want your prayers to be answered then you must first abide in Jesus Christ and in his word. That word Jesus keeps using, abide, means to remain or to have one’s abode or home in someone or something.
So for us to abide in the Word and in Christ we must spend time in study of the Word, time walking with Christ each day that we then know and understand his will and wishes for us. By this our lives will be lived for Christ and the Father will be glorified by our lives served in Christ, as our prayers are then honored by the Father.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)
Praise and glory be to the Heavenly Father of all who leads us and guides us through each day of our lives. May he richly bless you this day…
