““Men and women are needed whose prayers will give to the world the utmost power of God; who will make His promises to blossom with rich and full results. God is waiting to hear us and challenges us to bring Him to do this thing by our praying. He is asking us, to-day, as He did His ancient Israel, to prove Him now herewith.” Behind God’s Word is God Himself, and we read: “Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, his Maker: Ask of me of things to come and concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command you me.” As though God places Himself in the hands and at the disposal of His people who pray – as indeed He does. The dominant element of all praying is faith, that is conspicuous, cardinal and emphatic. Without such faith it is impossible to please God, and equally impossible to pray.” ― E.M. Bounds, The Weapon of Prayer
How does a man fulfill the purpose for which he was created? The answer to the question is dependent upon what God is doing in men He has called to Himself. “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” Genesis 1:26
To bring to completion God’s plan to make man in His image takes more than the miraculous act of bringing him into existence in the day Adam was formed. Man was created in that day in God’s image; it was, however, not brought to completion.
Personally, I have been greatly blessed by loving people who have loved me well, by respecting what I say and following my counsel. To the contrary, I understand rejection from people who do not know me well, but who are very willing to cut me down at the knees given any chance to do so.
There is no greater joy in the human experience than to understand that Jesus identifies with the pain, suffering, trials, and even external temptations of His people. One of Jesus’s closest followers sold him into an unjust condemnation to literal crucifixion and death for $600. Do you think He understands when I feel rejected? Those who truly believe that Jesus understands, run to Him in times of need, and seek Him all the rest of the time, just to be near Him and fulfill His will to pray.
The song writer, Joseph M. Scriven, said it this way, “…Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer! Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge—Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.”
It is in sweet, humble, intimate, self-effacing, and bible illuminating prayer, that we find just how much Jesus understands. In that manner we are being conformed just a little more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
The man that does not pray well, does not know God well.
THE JESUS YOU NEED TO KNOW
“IN SEEING THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE, WE SEE THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WORLD, SINNERS, AND SAINTS. ONLY IN SEEING JESUS CAN WE UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD INTENDED ALL MEN TO BECOME, ACCORDING TO THE PLAN HE SET IN MOTION, AND THE ONLY MEANS AVAILABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE UNTHINKABLE. THE MEANS GOD USED TO ACCOMPLISH THE UNTHINKABLE IS HIMSELF IN THE PERSON OF HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THE UNTHINKABLE TASK THAT HE ALONE ACCOMPLISHES IS TO CHANGE HOPELESSLY WICKED AND DAMNED SINNERS INTO PURE AND HOLY SAINTS DESTINED FOR GLORY WITH HIM.”
From THE JESUS YOU NEED TO KNOW