Friday, August 8, 2014

Pray, Read the Word, Pray- All By the Grace of God

'In Psalm 19, David magnifies the Word of God in six statements concerning it. It converts the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, endures eternally, and is true and righteous altogether. The Word of God is perfect, sure, right, pure. It is heart-searching, and at the same time purifying, in its effect. It is no surprise therefore that after considering the deep spirituality of the Word of God, its power to search the inner nature of man, and its deep purity, the Psalmist should close his dissertation with this passage:

"Who can understand his errors?" And then praying after this fashion: "Cleanse Thou me from secret faults. Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

James recognizes the deep spirituality of the Word, and its inherent saving power, in the following exhortation:

"Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." Jas_1:21

And Peter talks along the same line, when describing the saving power of the Word of
God:

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." 1Pe_1:23 

Not only does Peter speak of being born again, by the incorruptible Word of God, but he informs us that to grow in grace we must be like new-born babes, desiring or feeding upon the "sincere milk of the Word." 1Pe_2:2 

That is not to say, however, that the mere form of words as they occur in the Bible have in them any saving efficacy. But the Word of God, be it remembered, is impregnated with the Holy Spirit. And just as there is a Divine element in the words of Scripture, so also is the same Divine element to be found in all true preaching of the Word, which is able to save and convert the soul.

Prayer invariably begets a love for the Word of God, and sets people to the reading of it. Prayer leads people to obey the Word of God, and puts into the heart which obeys a joy unspeakable. Praying people and Bible-reading people are the same sort of folk. The
God of the Bible and the God of prayer are one. God speaks to man in the Bible; man speaks to God in prayer. One reads the Bible to discover God's will; he prays in order that he may receive power to do that will. Bible-reading and praying are the distinguishing traits of those who strive to know and please God.'

Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER  By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 68)

*******

Why did Jesus pray?

This is why…

Luk_10:22  All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
Joh_1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh_1:18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh_3:35  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh_5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh_5:20  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
Joh_5:21  For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
Joh_5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Joh_5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Joh_5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Joh_5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh_5:36  But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Joh_5:37  And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Joh_6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Joh_6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Joh_6:39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Joh_6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh_6:45  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Joh_6:46  Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Joh_6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Joh_8:16  And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
Joh_8:18  I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
Joh_8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Joh_10:15  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh_10:36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
Joh_10:38  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Joh_12:49  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh_12:50  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
Joh_13:1  Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
Joh_13:3  Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
Joh_14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh_14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh_14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh_14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Joh_14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Joh_14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh_14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh_14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Joh_14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh_14:28  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Joh_14:31  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Joh_15:9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Joh_15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Joh_15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me
Joh_16:3  And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
Joh_16:15  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh_16:16  A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
Joh_16:17  Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
Joh_16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Joh_16:25  These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
Joh_16:26  At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
Joh_16:27  For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Joh_16:28  I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
Joh_16:32  Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me

*******

Why did Jesus pray?

He prayed because He loved the FATHER.

Jesus said…

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest,

thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest,

enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,

pray to thy Father which is in secret;

and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray,

use not vain repetitions,

 as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

*******

Jesus prayed.
Jesus taught us the manner in which we too should pray WITH Him. He said OUR Father.

Truly when we are praying for our 'daily bread' we are praying for the bread of life- our sustenance physically AND spiritually! Jesus said this…

Joh_6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

We need to PRAY for our DAILY BREAD.  And truly to comprehend the WORD of God we need to pray for understanding.

We need to ASK.

Jesus said this more than once-  'ye shall ask the Father in my name', and asking is PRAYER!

Father in heaven, we ask in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, that we might be YOURS, please make this possible. Let the Holy Spirit fill us and keep us in YOU always! Please!

Thank you!

All glory, honor, and praise unto You Lord!


Amen.

No comments: