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The pastor shares regarding prayer  

Prayer is being about God’s business!

            God’s Word, the Bible, speaks to us so directly sometimes, and spotlights a self deception so painfully, that even a preacher of that Word might want to hesitate before he declares it.  Some commentators have said that Jesus’ brother, James, is full of such “harsh sayings”. 

            We can almost hear the tone of his voice when we read, for instance, his admonition to us about prayer:  “You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:2-3).  Does that speak to you?  How do you approach questions about prayer?

            God’s will in everything is simply this:  That it honor Him – that everything be “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).  He is God.  Everything was created by Him and for Him.  Everything was meant to reveal or to reflect His glory – that is, to honor His presence, His power and His purpose above anything else.

            You, too, were created and are called to “reflect the Lord’s glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18) – that is, to value His presence, His power and His purpose above anything else in your daily life.  Before reading any further, may it please you to stop there, and meditate on that a bit.

            Therefore, whatever you ask in prayer should seek … not primarily to meet your wants, your needs, your desires, but … to manifest His presence, His power and His purpose in your life and in others.  For instance, does your asking in prayer seek above all His purpose?  Then, His Word assures you:  Come to Him with great and bold assurance (Hebrews 4:16)!  Then, you can know that He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine … to him be glory” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

            An amazing conclusion awaits you as you catch that perspective of His Word.  Since God wills that you “might be to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12), He wants to answer your prayers in order that His glory shall be displayed in you, and shall be delighted in!  Think about it.  He wants to do you good in order that His goodness and His gladness in you can be demonstrated in the world, and can reveal to others who He is and what He has done.

            Therefore, the Lord of all Creation has purposed your prayers to accomplish His will.  Does it not revolutionize your “quiet times” with Him to realize that to pray is to be about God’s business?  Repeatedly in the Bible you are encouraged to pray and expect your prayers to bring about God’s will.  Does it not motivate and move you to discover how you can pray in such a sure and certain way?  Jesus tells you how:

            The Lord has most wonderfully given you His promise:  “Whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).  Weigh His every word.  He is saying that God delights to give you whatever you ask … if that “whatever” is asked for in the “name” of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

            But what does it mean to pray in His “name”?  Such asking implies that whatever you ask should honor Him, or heed His will, or herald His “good news” in the world (Luke 12:31) – His presence, His power, His purpose.  Conclusion:  Your assurance that your prayers will reveal His “name” depends on how intimately and how well you know him.  God’s promises for your prayers are invitations to grow in your relationship with him – to grow in your love for him. 

            How would you determine that? Jesus answers very directly, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).  How intimately and how well you know Him can be seen in your life by obedience to His Word, by submission to His will, by dependence on His promises, by humility in His service -- by the evident joy of knowing and loving Him.  No wonder the Psalmist sings and calls out to you:  “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

            Then to pray becomes much more than being about God’s business with prayer formulas and methods.   To pray becomes a passion to know Jesus and to serve him.  The Apostle Paul wrote that, above all, “I want to know Christ!” (Philippians 3:10).