Friday, March 4, 2011
I Thessalonians 3:9, 10
For what thanks can we render to GOD again for you, for all the joy with which we joy for your sakes before our GOD, night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
The fourth spiritual sacrifice is PRAYER. Pray without ceasing(I Thessalonians 5:17).
Philippians 4:6 says, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto GOD.
What does it mean to give the spiritual sacrifice of prayer? I believe that it means choice and focus of our thoughts, words and deeds. Day and night, 24/7 the thoughts, words and deeds are centered and under-girded in prayer. The choice is ours. What we think about, talk about and do, is a reflection of where our heart is fixed. David says in Psalm 57:7, " My heart is fixed, O GOD, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise." David chose to fix his heart on the LORD day and night, he yielded, rested and clung to the LORD for every breath.
To pray without ceasing means to sacrifice random thoughts, vain imaginations, wandering and idle musings. It means to focus on the LORD and to rely on Him to direct your path. This takes a great deal of discipline and willingness to sacrifice your own wants and desires. It is interesting that once your wants and desires are in focus on the LORD, there is no feeling of sacrifice at all. The more you center in JESUS, the more you become like Him. Philippians 2:5 reminds us to "let this mind be in you, which was in Christ JESUS," and JESUS says in John 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. When we are born again, JESUS dwells in us. When we choose to fix our heart and our desire on Him, He will do the work through us. What does this have to do with prayer? It is prayer. It is a life of prayer. It is the mind of Christ.
I Thessalonians 3:9, 10
For what thanks can we render to GOD again for you, for all the joy with which we joy for your sakes before our GOD, night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
The fourth spiritual sacrifice is PRAYER. Pray without ceasing(I Thessalonians 5:17).
Philippians 4:6 says, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto GOD.
What does it mean to give the spiritual sacrifice of prayer? I believe that it means choice and focus of our thoughts, words and deeds. Day and night, 24/7 the thoughts, words and deeds are centered and under-girded in prayer. The choice is ours. What we think about, talk about and do, is a reflection of where our heart is fixed. David says in Psalm 57:7, " My heart is fixed, O GOD, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise." David chose to fix his heart on the LORD day and night, he yielded, rested and clung to the LORD for every breath.
To pray without ceasing means to sacrifice random thoughts, vain imaginations, wandering and idle musings. It means to focus on the LORD and to rely on Him to direct your path. This takes a great deal of discipline and willingness to sacrifice your own wants and desires. It is interesting that once your wants and desires are in focus on the LORD, there is no feeling of sacrifice at all. The more you center in JESUS, the more you become like Him. Philippians 2:5 reminds us to "let this mind be in you, which was in Christ JESUS," and JESUS says in John 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. When we are born again, JESUS dwells in us. When we choose to fix our heart and our desire on Him, He will do the work through us. What does this have to do with prayer? It is prayer. It is a life of prayer. It is the mind of Christ.
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