Praying in Faith

My Bible reading plan has me in 1 Chronicles (and other place) right now. Although the first few chapters are mostly genealogies, there are encouraging bits and pieces here and there. First Chronicles 5:20 states, "And when they [the  Rubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh] prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given over into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him."

Notice that the Chronicler attributes their success not to their ability or size of their army, but to the Lord's response to their prayer. What makes this remarkable is that he has already described the army. He states they were "valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew a bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war" (1 Chr. 5:18). Their power to prevail was not rooted in their own power.

Whether the army they fought was bigger, we are not told. But the battle must have been intense. Notice that it says they "cried out to God" and that "he granted their urgent plea." The battle wasn't a walk in the park. These were valiant men, experts in war. They were able and willing, yet their pleas to God were urgent. I don't imagine them to be cowards curled up in the fetal position in a foxhole asking God to get them out of trouble. These were men who were in the heat of battle praying for strength or wisdom or both.

Their prayers won the day because they trusted the Lord to answer. The author of Hebrews states, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" (Heb. 11:6). Paul touches on the importance of the Word to our faith. He states, "For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? . . . So faith comes from hearing the, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:13-17).

Reading Scripture, studying it, meditating on it, memorizing it, hearing it read, taught, or preached has the potential to grow our faith--if we act upon it. As faith grows, prayer grows. I am convinced that a person's prayer life is directly proportional to their faith in God. If you believe there is a God, and that he rewards those who seek him, then you will seek him. You will not only seek him in weakness, but even when you feel absolutely capable of handling by yourself.

Truths to remember:

1. There is God.

2. He answers prayers prayed in faith.

Will you call out to him in prayer? John says, "And this is the confidence we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). Let 2016 be a year of faithful prayer.

Be Still, and Know

"Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Ps. 46:10, ESV).

I find these words both convicting and comforting.  They convict me because deep inside is a tempest of doubt raging.  I see a culture on the downward slide of the slippery slope.  I see my own half-heartedness.  I see a unbelievers listening to the message of Jesus without flinching.  I see all these things and I wonder how it's all going to work out in the end.

I'm so caught up looking at the trees that I don't see the forest.  I fail to see the bigger picture.  Sometimes, it is easy to think God isn't at work, because we don't see any immediate results.  We are wanting a burning bush, but God is moving in subtler ways.  We want to hear a still small voice, but God is speaking through message of Christ.

"Be still," he says.  Stop struggling. Stop squirming.  Let your mind take a breather.  Relax. "Be still, and know I am God," he commands.  Stop fretting and realize that he alone is God.  He is in control.  There is nothing going to slip past him.  There is nothing that God cannot handle. 

This passage comforts me with the words, "I will be exalted among the nation! I will be exalted in the earth!" He will be exalted.  There is no stopping it.  The devil may rage, and the nations with him, but to no avail.

We can pray with confidence, as Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hollowed be you name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  We are confident because we know that his will, ultimately, will be done. 

We don't have to worry when we don't have all the answers.  God is in control, and he will be exalted.  Be still, and rest in the knowledge that he is God.

How Much More

Do you ever think that God is delighted to hear (and answer) your prayers? I am not talking about the prayers for extended influence, multi-million dollar lottery winnings, fast cars, or the typical laundry list of things we ask God to give us. I am talking about Christ exalting prayers that seek to bring us and the world around us into the likeness of Christ; the kind of prayers that seek to bring God's kingdom purposes to pass in and through us. Those prayers God delights to hear and answer.

Jesus stated, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks for bread will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a serpent? If you, then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:7-11).

If fallen humanity knows how to respond tenderly to the requests of their children, how much more does God know how to respond. He is willing to give us what we need and beyond. His grace abounds in all of our lives. God is not selfish. He invites us to come to him with all of our cares and concerns and find what we need. He will not indulge our childish desires and so spoil us, but he will supply our every need. It must be stressed that he does all of this to his own delight. It pleases him. Thus, we should not feel that our prayers are a burden to God. It is a truth that should be etched into our hearts: we are invited to pray to the delight of the Father.