1 Samuel 12:23 (NASB) 
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.

We all know that prayer shouldn’t just be used for petitioning God for the things that we need or want.  But to refrain from prayer, except during those times, takes away the glory that God is due.  And Samuel said that ceasing to pray is in fact a sin against God.  

As I read that verse this morning, I thought about how Paul declared in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing.  Prayer is our way of giving glory to God.  And when we are distracted by the things of this life and cease to pray, it robs God of the glory He deserves.

I know I am guilty of not praying as I should.  We all are.  And it is easy to forgive ourselves knowing that it is something that everyone does.  But we are without excuse.  

Prayer not only gives glory to God, but it has amazing benefits for us as well.  It draws us closer to the Creator.  It reveals just how much we need that relationship and when we express our love for Him, it brings us joy.  

Father, forgive me for failing to pray as I should.  Give me a heart that longs to worship You in prayer throughout each day, no matter what I am doing.  May it bring You glory, as You fill me with inexpressible joy.  Praying this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

May I always pray for the glory of God,

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
Solid Rock, lyrics by Edward Mote (1797-1874)

Psalm 71:14-15 (NASB) 
14 But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day long; For I do not know the sum of them.

During the night a week or so ago, I woke thinking about “my hope”.  It wasn’t that I was feeling hopeless.  Instead, maybe my hope was misplaced until I was reminded by God.  This world has a way of saying to us that we need to depend on ourselves and what we do as the basis for our hope.  But as I thought about my hope, the first line of the old hymn “Solid Rock” began to repeat though my thoughts.  I laid there for some time with that first line echoing in my head.  As God got me back on track, I drifted back off to sleep.  What a comfort the Holy Spirit is even when we don’t even know we need it.

We can also be truly comforted, knowing that we can’t comprehend the infinite breadth of the hope that has been given to us as a gift.

Heavenly Father, my hope is truly built on You.  Jesus made that sacrifice, so that I could know the beauty of Your love and salvation.  I pray for the least and the lost that You would touch them, even today, so that they would repent and call on Your name.  I praise You all day long.  Amen.

Always praying for the glory of God,

Ephesians 1: 15-17 (NASB)
15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Philippians 1:9 (NASB) 
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB) 
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Paul was consistent with the petitions in his prayers for the churches.  I often forget just how desperately poor, how much physical danger, and how persecuted these people were.  Paul doesn’t mention these things in his prayers.  Rather than focusing on the things that they needed, he focused on praying for them to get more of and to know God in a more personal way.

It is humbling to realize that my prayers of help from God is not what Paul prayed for the early church.  There is nothing wrong with praying for our situations, our needs, and our desires.  But  those things pale in comparison with knowing God.

Anything great comes with great effort.  So, we shouldn’t think that prayer is easy either.  If we struggle with prayer, as I do, we are not alone.  It is an encouragement knowing that, giving me the desire to persevere.  

Heavenly Father, I pray that You would fill me with the knowledge of Your will.  I pray for wisdom, so that Your Holy Spirit can reveal more of You in me.  I pray the same for others.  May we know You better each and every day.  Praying all in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Always praying for the glory of God,

Job 19:25-27 (NASB) 
25 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
26 “Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;
27 Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me!”

It is joy to know the Lord.  But there are those, even after a lifetime of seeing God’s creation and even hearing the gospel, who still resist accepting the free gift of salvation.

I have a friend that moved out of our neighborhood a few months ago to be with family in another state.  He will turn 95 this September and his health has been failing for the last couple of years.  I got to know him because we were in a golf group that played on Fridays and Saturdays.  He was everyone’s hero because he was able to play golf up until he was in his early 90’s and often shot his age or below.  I was thinking about him this morning as I was getting ready for church.  

He is the oldest person that I know that hasn’t made up his mind about the claims of the gospel.  His is still unsure.  I wonder how many people today are in that same situation.  I know he attended church faithfully with his wife until she died a number of years ago.  He is a good person, liked by all and admired by many.  But he still doesn’t believe.

I guess we can’t just assume that an older person has already decided one way or another.  They can still be seekers.  While there is still breath in his lungs and a heartbeat there is still time – so I pray for him.

Heavenly Father, I pray today for a friend who has been seeking You for many years.  My heart breaks for him.  I pray that Your Holy Spirit would enter his heart.  I pray that he would confess, accept Your gift of salvation, and call You his Lord and Savior.  I pray that his remaining time in this life would be joyful anticipation of living with You for eternity.  Amen.