Nine Answers

One of the most rewarding, enjoyable and important things we can ever do, is also something that it seems most of us, myself included, maybe especially, find very difficult to do. You’ve probably already figured out that I speak of prayer. Thinking of the fact that prayer is one of the most rewarding things we can do, this brings to mind how powerful prayer is. Have you thought about the fact that a secret of effective prayer is its borrowed authority? We pray in Jesus’ name, and by this we mean that our prayer is something that He can put His very authority behind and answer. One of the last things Jesus is recorded as saying is found in Matthew 28:18 where He said that all authority in Heaven and earth has been given to Him. Thinking of prayer in this way brings its potential power to light in a new way.

Prayer is not only rewarding, it is also enjoyable. I know in my own life and experience, there have been many times in which I knew there was something I needed to do, but I just lacked the motivation. Then when I just decided I was going to do it no matter what, often I have found that I really enjoyed it after all! Prayer is a true joy, because when we think of it, prayer is communion with our Father, and God our Father is predisposed by love to reply to our prayers as believers! Prayer for Jesus was natural, it flowed from Him and was a delight, and the more we walk with Him, the more it will become this way for us.

Finally, we said that prayer is important. One of the most important things we can ever learn is that we are dependent on God for everything, and prayer itself helps us to see that we are in desperate need of God and dependent on Him! Sometimes there are delays in God’s answer to our prayers, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t hear or want to answer us. Our first need in prayer is for a calm spirit and a patient heart.  Sometimes that takes time, and yes, even troubles, to bring us to the point that we are ready for God’s answer. In Romans 5:1-5, as well as James 1:2-5, we learn of how our God even uses trouble in life to help us, and the Scriptures never tell us to pray to avoid trouble! Trouble is normal in Christian experience! Yet, when God has used trouble to work out His loving will in our lives, then prayer can be used to restore peace in us or our situation. In all this, and much more, we can begin to see the value of prayer, and it just so happens that we have a free Bible course in our free Bible Institute, www.bbnbi.org (The Value of Prayer, course number 20500). By the way, a hidden value in reading this little update is that 9 questions in this course have been answered here! May the Lord bless you as you study His Word, and why not tell a friend!