Scripture

Even you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.

~Matthew 7:11, Weymouth

Quote

Prayer is our native language.

~Eugene L. Peterson

Prayer is so simple that a child can pray. It is so natural that a person is distress will cry out to God before they think. There are no atheists in foxholes. When a man’s life is threatened, he will cry out to God. The one prayer that is prayed most often is “Help.” Yet prayer is so profound that no human understands how it works. The Calvinist believe that prayer has no influence on God’s decisions but that is not what scripture teaches. God was going to destroy Sodom and everyone in it, but Abraham interceded for Lot, and he was spared. Moses interceded for Israel and God spared them. Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they. {Deut. 9:14} Yet God heard Moses’ prayer and saved them. The people of Nineveh repented and prayed, and God relented. He gave them another century. Jesus said, “If imperfect earthly fathers respond to their children’s request, how much more with the Father in Heaven give to His children who ask.” Jesus also said, “For it is always he who asks that receives.” {Matt.7:8, Weymouth} James said, “You have not because you do not pray; or when you pray, you pray wrongly, your object being your own pleasure.” {James 4:2-3, Weymouth} I agree with George W. Truett, THE LAW OF PRAYER IS TO ASK.

Unfortunately, prayer doesn’t stay simple and childlike. We spend hours reading books on prayer and studying the lives of great prayer warriors, but it doesn’t seem to help. We continue to battle cynicism, doubt, frustration and our lack of success in prayer. We try formulas, recipes and guides but nothing seems to help. Where is the power of an Elijah who prayed for drought and the heavens became iron; then he prayed for rain, and it came a flood. He even called down the fire of heaven. It happens to all of us. Everyone who has attempted to become a prayer warrior meets some kind of difficulty or opposition. What it boils down to is we come back to square one…“Help! LORD, I need help. I don’t know how to pray as I ought.” Let’s just go back to the teaching of Jesus and pay close attention to His instructions: {Matt.6:6, MSG} Jesus’ speaking…

 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and He knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simple.”

Extra

DBC had 238 in VBS yesterday. So few churches are having day schools that it has become an area VBS. They are bussing them in from Decatur and Hartselle. You will not read about it in the Alabama Bragtist. DBC has a model school and no one pays attention. Some things don’t change. Today is the last day.

We have squash in the garden and cannot get to it. Dixie got in the garden yesterday and made paw prints 6 inches deep. Our corn is tasseling so we should have corn by July 4th.

COMMUNION this Sunday at the POINT. Have a great Friday and weekend. Thanks for reading the blog.