We must always remember to include a very important ingredient in our prayer time.
In Philippians 4:6,7 we read:
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Pray all you can, supplicate with all the earnestness you possess, ask God for all you desire. And then exude thanksgiving. Thank Him for what He’s already done. Thank Him for what you believe in faith He is going to do in answer to your prayer. Thank Him that you can pray. And thank Him for the Cross that makes it all possible.
Again the apostle Paul addresses prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1,2:
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Supplications, prayers, intercessions, for everybody else but you now.
Got a prayer list? You should. It is time to see the needs of others, to
think of others, to pray for someone else. Special prayers should go up
in favor of our governmental leaders, local and state officials. Pray for
the military, pray for law enforcement. And pray for kings, yes,
leaders of other nations. You may never run out of people to pray for.
You could well end up praying without ceasing.
And then when you are all done, before you say amen, give thanks.
And giving of thanks, be made for all men. Some of these people you
may not even like. Thank God for them regardless. He loves them.
Let us not be as the earlier ungodly people Paul speaks of in Romans
1:21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as
God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened.
Or those of the last days he points to in 2 Timothy 3:2: For men shall
be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Evil men have not changed. From beginning to end they are
unthankful.
Let us be different. Thankful, especially for the privilege of prayer.
-PJF-
Purpose! Ministries
A Praying Church - A Healing Church - A Holy Spirit Church - A Preaching Church
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