Bible Studies

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What Prayer Is? And What It Is Not

We are all used to having a shopping list, where you buy and tick off. Unfortunately this mentality has been transferred to our relationship with God where we see prayer as asking God to meet our needs. God desires to meet our needs and does meet our needs. Even the Lord Jesus Himself taught His disciples to pray: ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ (Matt6:11) We are enjoined: ‘Ask and you will receive seek and you will find knock and the door will be opened to you.(Matt.7:7) So, is that what prayer is all about?; Certainly not.
The subject of prayer cannot be exhausted. Whereas this article is aimed at those who are babes in Christ, suffice it to say, even ‘adults’ need to be reminded of some fundamentals .from time to time. We can all improve our prayer life and grow in this area. So let’s go back to basics and ask the question:

What Is Prayer?
It is communication with our heavenly Father and communication by definition is a two –way traffic. We need to remind ourselves that prayer is not just asking things from God but also hearing from Him. So we need to learn to be quiet before God after making our requests and hear what He has to say. You may say, ‘How do I know God is speaking? How can I know His voice? Does God still speak? Is that not a weird phenomenon? ‘No, it is not. God still speaks. He delights to speak to His own. Jesus said, ‘My sheep hear my voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow.(John10;5,16) We need to cultivate God’s presence when we pray, know and acknowledge that He is there and would want to talk to us.

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.Ps27:4

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.Ps91:1

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.Jer29:11-13


The Key to Knowing The Voice of God

Unless we know the various ways in which He speaks we would not know His voice. Hearing His voice is a vital part of our relationship with Him. Imagine having children and you never speak to them or they never listen to you. And only come to you to make request and after you meet their needs they are gone and return the moment they have another need. Surely you would not like that type of relationship.
So when last did you hear from God? and if you did, what did you do about what He said? Does God still speak to you? Have you gone on to strengthen you ability to hear from God? The more you expect to hear from God the more you will hear from Him. The more you know how and when he speaks, the more you will be exposed to His voice. And the more you are exposed to His voice, the stronger you will grow in the hearing of his voice; you become more sensitive to Him.

God’s Broadcast Channels
God has 66 broadcast channels called the Old and the New Testaments. Those are the primary channels that He speaks to His children. Someone said when you read the word, God is speaking to you. When you pray, you are speaking to God. That is why we need to prayerfully read the word of God: open my eyes, O Lord to behold the wonderful truth in your word today (Ps119:18). Open the eyes of my understanding to grasp what you want to say to me .give me attentive mind and receptive heart to hear your lovely voice.
Say or sing a song like:

Speak Lord, I Am Listening.
(Ps.29,-5:1-3; 2Chr.20;3-12,-19;Jer.29:11-13; 1Sam.30:8-17;
Jos.7:1-11; Ps.91:15)
I will listen to the voice of the Lord.
His voice is life to me.
His word is light to my path
and a lamp to my feet.

Ch:
Speak Lord, I am listening;
Your word is life to me.
Speak Lord, I am listening;
Lord, plant Your Living Word.

I will listen to the voice of the Lord.
His voice is strength to me.
His word is nourishment to my spirit,
And comfort to my soul.
Ch
I will listen to the voice of the Lord.
For His voice is dear to me.
His word is medicine to my body,
And a Good News to my soul.



©2006Fenny West

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