Importance of Prayer 05.18.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Sunday May 18, 2008 and today we are continuing our studies on the book of I Chronicles. Please read Chapters 17-20 in your Bible or Click Here to read.

Today we will read and learn about God forbiding David to build the Temple, God's Covenant with David, his prayer, and God's extension of Davids kingdom. Today's message focuses on the importance of prayer, praise, and reading the entire Bible.

Prayer and praise to God were distinguishing characteristics in the life of David. Of no other person in Hebrew history do we find equal to David's often recorded phrase, David inquired of the Lord (I Samuel 23:2,4; 30:8; II Samuel 2:1; 5:19,23; 21:1; I Chronicles 14:10,14).

David's prayer life was often words of praise and although he is the king of Israel, he opens his prayer with a deep sense of humility and dependency, "And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" (I Chronicles 17:16). Then he praises God, "O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (17:20). Although almost everyone is aware of the importance of prayer, few make it a vital part of their lives. But prayer has led many Christians to make right decisions. As we pray, we are speaking to our Father, and as we read His Word, He is speaking to us. That is open communication in the family of God. Prayer and knowing God's Word are vital links in releasing heaven's power to answer our prayers. All of us need to be an example of David and meditate upon his Word and give Him praises daily.

His love for the Word of God and his prayer life were the key to his greatness. In fact, knowing the Word of God is the foundation to anyone's true wisdom. There is no better how-to-pray manual, nor reading plan than beginning in Genesis and ending with Revelation. It is an attitude of foolish pride to believe we are qualified to choose what not to read when the Lord has clearly said, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:16-17). When we recognize the Bible as His unique prayer manual written for us, we will give it priority far above all other important matters in our daily schedules.

Prayer often goes hand in hand with attending Church, many Christians are usually loyal in attending worship on the Lord's Day. However, if we fail to be faithful to the Church, we fail to accomplish God's best in our lives. Then, when we are faced with a critical situation we may say with our lips that only prayer can solve it, yet we often talk more than we pray, worry more than we pray, and scheme more than we pray. Other activities are placed in prominent positions while prayer is often put aside for a more convenient time.

Be prepared because once we have been awakened to the importance of knowing His Word, taking time to pray and becoming loyal to His Church, numerous things will interfere with our intent to remain faithful. Many unexpected situations will arise that try to distract you from staying loyal to serving God. These are not coincidences, they may be Satan's planned strategy to keep us from praying or the Lord's best for our lives to give ourselves to prayer and to reading His Word. Both God and Satan know that spiritual work which is established on the foundation of prayer and knowing His Word will eventually prevail. Because of this, Satan's strategy is to keep Christians so busy about other things that they fail to allow Christ to be Lord of their lives. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;). And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:23-25).

In today's message Jesus Christ is revealed through David, the shepherd-king (I Chronicles 17:7) The shepherd king is symbolic of Christ as the Good Shepherd, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:11).

Today's Psalm: 147:7-9
"Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains."

Today's Prayer:

Dear Lord,

I want to praise You, my great Redeemer, for who You are and for Your acts of kindness seen so many times throughout my day. I never cease to praise You because You never cease to work on my behalf. Your mercy and love, Your strength and comfort, Your sustaining power and guiding hand are only a tiny fraction of the many reasons that lead me to praise You. Instead of a murmuring and ungrateful attitude, I want to join with the multitude of believers and sing of my Great Redeemer’s praise to everyone, everywhere, all the time. In Jesus' name, I pray.......Amen.

Have a great and wonderful Lord's Day.
God Bless,
Christina

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