A LESSON ABOUT PRAYER BY THE APOSTLE PAUL

First Timothy 2:8:

“I WILL THEREFORE THAT MEN PRAY EVERYWHERE, LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS, WITHOUT WRATH AND DOUBTING.” (King James Version)

Intr.:

Exodus 17:11 “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” (NIV)

Just as Moses lifted up his hands on that hill, we must do the same. Let us notice three things:

FIRST OF ALL HE EXHORTS TO LIFT UP HOLY HANDS.

Holy in the Bible means everything which is set apart for God and his service. In order to be true prayer warriors we must offer our hands, our whole bodies, as living sacrifices as it says in Romans chapter twelve. When we are doing that our prayers counting for something and we are blessing those who are still far away from the Lord.

SECONDLY LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS WITHOUT WRATH.

It is a fact that under certain weather conditions the smoke from chimneys does not rise into the air, but instead comes down to the earth. It is the same with our prayers. If we have something against our neighbours our prayers don’t go up. If we are at war with others our prayers are without power. Therefore let us forgive.

THIRDLY LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS WITHOUT DOUBTING.

Two things are necessary for our prayers to be answered:

First of all they must be according to the will of God and secondly they must be according to the promises the Lord is giving us.

Let us see how the Lord has answered prayer in the Scriptures:

Elijah called for fire from heaven, and fire came. Kneeling on mount carmel brought rain. Samson quenched his thirst, when he called to God for water. Isaiah and Hezekiah cried to God and Jerusalem was not conquered. Sanballat and Tobiah were not able to hinder the rebuilding of Jerusalem, because Nehemiah cried again and again to the Lord. The Amalekites were helpless, because Moses lifted up his hands.

The God of that time is still alive. We don’t want to doubt his power and promises.

What does it say in James 1:7? Please read what it says there!

End:

Let us lift up holy hands without wrath and doubts. Then we will experience the help of God in our days.

A column in one of our local papers says that “opinion polls help to take the pulse of public opinion.” (The Northland Age, Tuesday, September 15, 2015)

But I am also told in the same column that if I want my opinion to carry real weight, the best way is to communicate directly with the decision-makers.

As for me there is only one decision-maker and that is the living God, the creator of heaven and earth.

• God is to be loved.
• God is to be worshipped.
•  God is to be served.
•  God is to be obeyed.
•  God is to be feared.

I communicate with the Lord directly in prayer, but not to make my opinion to carry real weight, but for Him to tell me what He wants me to do.

At the beach

 WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PRAYER LIFE OF JACOB:

Genesis 32:9-12

We can learn  three things from the prayer of Jacob for our own prayer life.

IN HIS PRAYER HE IS LEANING ON THE  PROMISES OF GOD.

Genesis 32:9 and Genesis 32:12 “Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, …” “I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, …” That is the promise he is standing on.

What about us?

We must also plead God’s promises. There are many. Here is one: “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” You find that promise in James 4:2. I have memorized that promise. Look at David for example. What does he say in Psalm 27:8? Let us read it: “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”

IN HIS PRAYER HE IS NOT FORGETTING TO BE THANKFUL AND HUMBLE.

Genesis 32:10 “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, …” Before he comes to his real request, he remembers to be thankful for mercies in the past.

What about us?

Let us do what the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6. Let us not forget that it says there also to do everything with thanksgiving.

IN HIS PRAYER HE IS PRAYING FOR  A SPECIFIC THING.

Genesis 32:11 “Deliver me I pray thee, …”

What about us?

It is precious that we cannot only bring general prayers before God, but also special requests like: a. The relationship to different neighbours, b. Physical sickness, c. Sins, d. Lack of wisdom.

The Lord answered the prayer of Jacob. He saved him not only from the revenge of Esau, but Esau received him with tears and love.

The Lord is also answering when we cry out to him.

At the beach

There is a slender volume on prayer in my library, which I have never read properly so far as I know. I must have had it for more than fifty years. (It is in German and it is called Ich aber bete  by Alfred Christlieb.

At the beginning of the slender volume I am reading what an engineer said about the book:

He said that he has a borrowed book in his library, which he is only giving back with a heavy heart. He says, that he can hardly do without it.

I have started studying the book, and it is already a great blessing. And here is the title translated: But I am praying.

A beautiful flower

“HE WILL HAVE NO FEAR OF BAD NEWS.” – Psalm 112:7

A beautiful flower

“THOU GOD SEEST ME.” – Genesis 16:13