'In this study however, we turn our thought to one phase of prayer -- that of importunity; the pressing of our desires upon God with urgency and perseverance; the praying with that tenacity and tension which neither relaxes nor ceases until its plea is heard, and its cause is won.
He who has clear views of God, and Scriptural conceptions of the Divine character; who
appreciates his privilege of approach unto God; who understands his inward need of all that God has for him -- that man will be solicitous, outspoken and importunate. In Holy Writ, the duty of prayer, itself, is advocated in terms which are only barely stronger than those in which the necessity for its importunity is set forth. The praying which influences God is declared to be that of the fervent, effectual outpouring of a righteous man. That is to say, it is prayer on fire, having no feeble, flickering flame, no momentary flash, but shining with a vigorous and steady glow.'
Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 67)
*******
Jas_5:16 '...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'
Fervent prayer.
Yesterday we talked about striving in our praying for each other, today we are talking about being fervent in praying.
Do you EVER pray fervently? Seriously, you need to ask yourself this question.
Fervency- noun- warmth or intensity of feeling; ardor; zeal; fervor
Praying with warmth, praying with intensity of feeling, praying with ardor, praying with ardor, praying with zeal, praying with fervor- do any of these sound like you and your praying?
If we pray only half-heartedly we really can't expect our praying to avail us much, seriously, we can't!
If we pray as a matter of form, a ritual we enact regularly are we really praying? Do our words rise any higher than the ceiling? Do we rush through those words we say and console ourselves with the belief that at least we did pray, we took time to say those words. We made an effort even if there were no fervency. How many priests in Jesus' day went about their daily rituals in the same manner and had no real love with God? Their words were empty.
Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
They OUTWARDLY APPEARED RIGHTEOUS!
You KNOW they thought themselves righteous!
They prayed too.
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
TRUTH!
They prayed! We pray! And we need to pray fervently in truth from the heart!
'The praying which influences God is declared to be that of the fervent, effectual outpouring of a righteous man. That is to say, it is prayer on fire, having no feeble, flickering flame, no momentary flash, but shining with a vigorous and steady glow.'
All by the GRACE of GOD!
He who has clear views of God, and Scriptural conceptions of the Divine character; who
appreciates his privilege of approach unto God; who understands his inward need of all that God has for him -- that man will be solicitous, outspoken and importunate. In Holy Writ, the duty of prayer, itself, is advocated in terms which are only barely stronger than those in which the necessity for its importunity is set forth. The praying which influences God is declared to be that of the fervent, effectual outpouring of a righteous man. That is to say, it is prayer on fire, having no feeble, flickering flame, no momentary flash, but shining with a vigorous and steady glow.'
Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 67)
*******
Jas_5:16 '...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'
Fervent prayer.
Yesterday we talked about striving in our praying for each other, today we are talking about being fervent in praying.
Do you EVER pray fervently? Seriously, you need to ask yourself this question.
Fervency- noun- warmth or intensity of feeling; ardor; zeal; fervor
Praying with warmth, praying with intensity of feeling, praying with ardor, praying with ardor, praying with zeal, praying with fervor- do any of these sound like you and your praying?
If we pray only half-heartedly we really can't expect our praying to avail us much, seriously, we can't!
If we pray as a matter of form, a ritual we enact regularly are we really praying? Do our words rise any higher than the ceiling? Do we rush through those words we say and console ourselves with the belief that at least we did pray, we took time to say those words. We made an effort even if there were no fervency. How many priests in Jesus' day went about their daily rituals in the same manner and had no real love with God? Their words were empty.
Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
They OUTWARDLY APPEARED RIGHTEOUS!
You KNOW they thought themselves righteous!
They prayed too.
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
TRUTH!
They prayed! We pray! And we need to pray fervently in truth from the heart!
'The praying which influences God is declared to be that of the fervent, effectual outpouring of a righteous man. That is to say, it is prayer on fire, having no feeble, flickering flame, no momentary flash, but shining with a vigorous and steady glow.'
All by the GRACE of GOD!
No comments:
Post a Comment