No Time for Prayer?

I knelt to pray, but not for long,

I had too much to do.

Must hurry and get to work

For bills would soon be due.

And so, I said a hurried prayer,

Jumped up from off my knees;

My Christian duty now was done,

My soul could be at ease.

All through the day I had no time

To speak a word of cheer,

No time to speak of Christ to friends;

They'd laugh at me, I feared.

No time, no time, too much to do--

That was my constant cry;

No time to give to those in need--

At last 'twas time to die.

And when before the Lord I came,

I stood with downcast eyes,

Within His hands he held a book,

It was the "Book of Life."

God looked into His Book and said,

"Your name I cannot find,

I once was going to write it down,

But never found the time."

(Author Unknown)

Pray A.S.A.P.!

Have you ever wondered about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.? We often interpret it to mean "As Soon As Possible," just another term that underscores the stress most people operate their lives under. Perhaps we should attach another meaning to A.S.A.P. Doing so will help us better deal with the stress we confront each day.

There's work to do,

Deadlines to meet;

You've got not time to spare,

But as you hurry and scurry--

A.S.A.P.,

Always Say A Prayer!

In the midst of family chaos,

"Quality time" is rare,

But do your best,

And let God do the rest--

A.S.A.P.,

Always Say A Prayer!

It may seem like your worries

Are more than you can bear,

So slow down

And take a breather--

A.S.A.P.,

Always Say A Prayer!

God knows

How stressful life is,

He wants to ease our cares;

And He'll respond,

A.S.A.P.,

Always Say A Prayer!

(Author Unknown)

Calmness in the Loudness

The world can be a loud place. Our days are filled with the constant clamoring of voices, nature, media, street sounds, and the thoughts that fill our minds. Don't we all long for a few moments of quiet reflection, times when we can withdraw and feel at ease?

God knows our need for serenity and he has given us prayer. You have witnessed how effective a few moments of prayer can be. In those moments spent with God calmness comes when there was stress, reflection when there was confusion, and peace of mind when there was frustration. Even when we come to God and pray at times of crises and despair, these moments spent with the Father offer clarity to the situation and bring comfort. We may not know when the end of our troubles will come, we may not immediately know the solutions God will offer, but we do know that our Father is listening and that he is acting and that he is present.

How wonderful is the gift of prayer.

I Cannot Say . . .

I cannot say our if I only live for myself.

I cannot say Father if I do not endeavor each day to act like his child.

I cannot say who art in heaven if I am laying up no treasure there.

I cannot sayhallowed be Thy name if I am not striving for holiness.

I cannot sayThy Kingdom come if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.

I cannot say Thy will be done if I am disobedient to his Word.

I cannot say on earth as it is in heaven if I'll not serve him here and now.

I cannot say give us this day our daily bread if I am dishonest or an seeking things by subterfuge.

I cannot say forgive us our debts if I harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot say lead us not into temptation if I deliberatly place myself in its path.

I cannot say deliver us from evil if I do not put on the whole armor of God.

I cannot say Thine is the kingdom if I do not give the King the loyalty due him from a faithful subject.

I cannot say the power if I fear what men may do.

I cannot say the glory if I'm seeking honor only for myself.

I cannot say forever if the horizon of my life is bounded completely by time.

(Author Unknown)

Solomon's Prayer

Solomon's prayer from 1 Kings 3.6-9:

"You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

"Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours."

The response of God to Solomon's prayer (1 Kings 3.10-14):

"The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, 'Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Our Prayers Can Be Hindered

We must understand that our thoughts and actions can hinder the effectiveness of our prayers.

In James 4.1-3, we are told that when we pray with impure or selfish motives, God does not hear our prayers. James writes, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

In 1 Peter 3.7, we are told that the ill treatment of one's spouse may hinder one's prayers. Peter writes, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."

In 1 Samuel 28.18, King Saul is told that his prayers were not heard by God because of Saul's disobedience. Samuel tells him, "Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today."

In Isaiah 58 the people of Israel wander why God has not heard their prayers and answered them. The gist of God's response to this charge is that the people have come to him very insincerely and full or arrogance and self-interest and not in humility and worshipful reverence. God, through his prophet, says, "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."

In Matthew 6.5-8, Jesus says, "And when you pray do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. . . . But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Let us approach God with himility, sincerity, transparency, and a deep-abiding faith.

Prayer to the Lord of the Church

In Ephesians 6.18-20, Paul asked, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

The prayer of Edward Osler:

Lord of the church, we humbly pray

For those who guide us in Thy way,

And speak Thy holy word;

With love divine their hearts inspire,

And touch their lips with hallowed fire,

And needful grace afford.

Help them to preach the truth of God,

Redemption through the Saviour's blood;

Nor let the Spirit cease

On all the church His gifts to shower:

To them, a Messenger of power,

To us, of life and peace.

So may they live to Thee alone,

Then hear the welcome word, "Well done!"

And take their crown above;

Enter into their Master's joy,

And all eternity employ

In praise and bliss and love.

The Power Was There All the Time

Herbert Jackson tells the story of when, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push.

After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave his car running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.

Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the swtich, and to Jackson's astonishment, the engine roared to life.

For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting the power to work.

J. B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians 1.19-20, "How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God." When we make our firm connection with God, his life and power flow through us."

Reflections on Prayer

Francis de Sales: "He who prays fervently knows not whether he prays or not, for he is not thinking of the prayer which he makes, but of God, to whom he makes it."

P. Y. Forsyth: "Not to want to pray is the sin behind sin."

E. M. Bounds: "To pray is the greatest thing we can do, and to do it well, there must be calmness, time, and deliberation."

Edward J. Farrell: "The penalty of not praying is the loss of one's capacity to pray."

George H. Gallup, Jr.: "Any revitalization of faith in this country will have to start with prayer, in which we gain a sense of the living presence of God."

A Prayer to the God of My Life

The prayer of Psalms 42 & 43 (NIV):

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

Where can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food day and night,

while men say to me all day long,

"Where is your God?"

These things I remember as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God,

with shouts of joy and thanksgiving

among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remmeber you

from the land of Jordan,

the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love,

at night his song is within me--

a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?"

My bones suffer mortal agony

as my foes taunt me,

saying to me all day long,

"Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him.

my Savior and my God?

Vindicate me, O God,

and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;

rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

You are God my stronghold.

Why have you rejected me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?

Send forth your light and your truth,

let them guide me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you dwell.

Then will I go to the altar of God,

to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise you with the harp,

O God, my God.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.