Tag: pray

Ask

Today I want to encourage you to “ask”! I want you to be bold in your prayers, and recognise that our Father is infinite and power and nothing is impossible for Him. I am not saying you will get absolutely everything you ask for of course, but let us not limit God by asking for the smallest and most tiny thing we can think of.

I would rather ask for a lot and get half, than ask for nothing and get it all!

Prayer is not primarily about asking God for what we want. Our prayer lives should not simply reflect a list of our wants and needs, but reflect our worshipful heart. That said, God is able to do abundantly more than we could ever ask or think!  So let’s not limit Him by praying small.

You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.

James 4:2 (WEB)

Here, in the letter of James, he warns us not to fight and quarrel to obtain the things we want. Rather, we should ask God and be content with the answer. You do not have because you do not ask. Let that not be true for any of us! If we lack anything, let it be because it is God’s will, not because we dared not ask our loving Father for it.

“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

Luke 11:9 (WEB)

Here Jesus encourages us not to give up. This is not an instruction to nag God into doing what we want, but rather to recognise that some prayers are not easily answered and we must persevere to achieve them. Prayer is often a journey and it can be long! When Daniel prayed twice, Gabriel answered him once in a matter of minutes and the second in a matter of weeks. What if Daniel had given up after a day? He might never have received the second answer.

Don’t give up! Ask, and keep on asking. If it is made clear that what you are asking for is not for you, or not God’s will, then yes, stop and seek the Lord for something else. Otherwise, dig in and keep praying until you see the breakthrough. And always remember that the answer you get may not look like what you imagined!

Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

John 16:24 (WEB)

Again, Jesus instructs us to ask. This time though, He gives us the enormous privilege of using His very Name to pray. When we pray in Jesus’ Name, we are coming before God not in our own strength or performance but presenting all that He is and has achieved. It is like walking out into a busy street and trying to stop the traffic. If I do that wearing plain clothes, then people will likely just drive on by. If I walk out wearing a police uniform, carrying a badge though, then I carry with me authority and you an almost guarantee that traffic will stop when I raise my hand. Christ’s Name is your uniform and badge in the spiritual realm.

These are but a mere handful of verses where we are encouraged to “ask.” We sometimes pray like we are bothering God, and overuse the word “just” time and time again. Let there be no “just” about our prayers, but instead they ought to be big and bold. I believe it pleases God when we pray big, because it recognises that it is Him who answers them. If I pray for small things I can achieve myself, then I have little need of God. IF I pray for things so vast that only a truly awesome God can answer, then I am proclaiming the greatness of our Heavenly Father.

Ask, and keep on asking today! What have you been praying for lately? How can you ramp up those prayers?

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for reading this, and any other of my posts. I am both surprised and humbled to note that May 2021 was one of the busiest months (in terms of views) my blog has ever had. Site views are not the be all and end all, but it is encouraging to us as writers. Thank you so much for reading, and please do share with anyone you think might enjoy it too. In the theme of the above, I pray that June 2021 is twice as big as May was, in Jesus’ Name! And if you are a blogger, then I pray the same for you as well! God bless you!

Talking to Jesus

I was interviewed this week by the host of “Understand the Bible” Phill Sacre on the subject of prayer. This was part of UTB’s course on How to live as a Christian. I share the video below and hope you enjoy.

You can find out more about Understand the Bible at their web site – Understand the Bible, or else find them on YouTube here.

And here’s a song I’ve been listening to lately – relevant to the subject of prayer. Enjoy!

Singing in the Storm

I heard a song recently with lyrics something like this – don’t quote me! “I’m going to sing in the middle of the storm!” and this idea of singing in the midst of trouble has stuck with me.

When we find ourselves in times of trouble, it can be all too easy to let praise take a back seat. Our prayer life, if not full of complaining, turns into a set of demands to deliver us out of this trial. It is, of course, not wrong to ask the Lord to take difficulties away, we also must realise such trials have a purpose. No trial, no triumph.

This idea has had me reflecting on James’ words from his letter:

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

James 5:13 (NIV)

James puts it succinctly – if you’re happy, then sing, and if you have a problem, pray! What truly great advice! So simple, yet very profound too. We too often turn to complaining rather than prayer, and when we do find ourselves happy, we become occupied with the things of this life and don’t give God the attention He deserves.

What about singing in the storm though? James suggests praying in the storm, rather than singing right?

Clearly, the answer is yes, but I wonder if we are sometimes a little too clear cut. In the storm, it is entirely right to pray, as James advises us. Pray and pray, and keep on praying. But prayer is not simply asking God for things. Prayer is far greater than that, and our prayers should be made up of more than just definite requests (petition). I have said it before i’m sure, but our praise must always outweigh our petition when it comes to prayer.

So, once we’ve asked God for help in the middle of that storm, we turn to praise and thanksgiving. While the wind is blowing, and the rain is thrashing down, let’s raise our voices and worship Him. If the storm gets louder, so do we!

What storms are you facing right now? Pray about them by all means, and once you have, lift up your voice in song. You probably won’t feel like it, and it may be difficult, but as you turn your attention off of the storm and onto our wonderful God, you will find harbour.

Someone once said, “Don’t tell God how big your storm is, rather tell the storm how big your God is!”

Have a blessed day!

Lent 2021

For Lent this year, I was asked if my devotional book – A Journey with Jesus – could be used in our church. It is a real honour to be asked, and humbling too. I wrote the book many years ago now, and at that time for a specific church I attended. Since then, I updated the material and published it for use by anyone. Although it is written with Lent in mind, it can be used any time of the year.

It is my intention to record a weekly video message to go along with the daily readings from the book. If you want to follow along, then let me encourage you to get yourself a copy of the book from Amazon here – A Journey With Jesus. As you will see, it is available in both paperback and Kindle format. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, then it is totally free to read. There is also a large print copy available for those who prefer it.

If you don’t have a copy of the book, then the weekly video messages will still be of interest (I hope!) so please do not feel excluded.

Lent is an interesting time and I am always fascinated by how people use the time. Some fast, while others do not mark it at all. I have always been a fan of trying to use the time to read a book or study in some way. Do you mark Lent in any special way? Do comment below if you do.

However you spend the season of Lent, I pray that it is a time where you draw close to God. If you fully devote yourself to Jesus this Lent, imagine how different your relationship with Him might be in 40 days time? Imagine how you might have grown, or how He might have guided you. Any day is a good day to focus on the Lord, but Lent gives us a good excuse to do so. Don’t waste this time but embrace it! I pray you are extremely blessed as you encounter Jesus this year.

Why water into wine?

It was my pleasure to stand in for our local vicar at short notice this week. In this video, I share a few thoughts about why I think Jesus turned water into wine from John 2.

For some technical reason I do not understand, I was not able to upload the video directly to this post. However include a link below to the video on Facebook. Hope you enjoy!

https://fb.watch/3d1lSFD0DE/

Stir One Another Up

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Hebrews 10:24 (ESVUK)

During this protracted time of lockdown and COVID restrictions, it can be hard to stay motivated. Last week, for instance, I had a lot on my mind and found most things something of a drag. We do need to overpower such feelings at times, and do what we need to, but they can also be a signal of the need to rest or reflect.

Here in the UK, we have at least six weeks of “stay home!” to look forward to. It can feel constrictive and limiting, but let us not forget to be grateful we have a home to be locked down into.

When we find ourselves stuck in a rut, we have to choose whether to dig ourselves in further, or to stir ourselves up and out of that position. Our verse for today from Hebrews encourages us to do the latter.

Consider

The first thing we are told to do is to “consider.” To consider means to think carefully about something, particularly in regards to making some kind of decision. Like so many things in life, very few things occur by accident. We must be intentional about how we live our lives, and not just go with the flow.

Here, we are instructed to consider – to consider how to stir one another up. This requires effort on our part. It requires us to engage the brain, and to focus not on our own needs (or our own “rut”) but to pay deliberate attention to others. Use your mental energy not to grumble about how tough the lockdown is, but on ways you can support and encourage others.

COVID restrictions do limit what we can do – that’s the point of them! But it does not mean we can do nothing. Even if we are completely out of ideas, God is not, and we can seek Him and His guidance to know what we can do – in our situation – to stir one another up.

Love and Good Works

Stir one another up? To do what? The author of Hebrews is pretty clear here. We stir one another up to love and good works.

When I first began to write this post, I separated these out as two sections; one for Love and one for Good Works. But as I come to write it now, I realise that you cannot separate the two. As James points out in his letter, how can one demonstrate their faith without good deeds? Likewise, how do we demonstrate our love for one another? By performing good works towards each other.

So how do we stir one another up in this way?

In some ways, this blog sets out to try to do that. I am hoping that you are encouraged by what you read here, and it will indeed stir you up to love and good works. If that’s true for you, why not share it with someone else who might enjoy it?

If you don’t have a blog or similar platform, then there’s a good chance you have a social media account of one form or another. Whatever flavour you have; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. how can you use it to be a force for love in the world? How can you encourage your Christian brothers and sisters through it?

I have said it before, likely more than once, but even if you can do nothing else, you can certainly pray. There is no one who does not need a healthy dose of prayer coverage right now, and you can be the one to have the immense privilege of kneeling before God and bringing their needs to Him. Pray through your church directory, phone book or for every person who sent you a Christmas card last year.

In our home, we have a set of lolly sticks with our friends, family and church family written on it. We select a stick at random and pray for whoever we draw. We trust God that whoever we pick out is in need of prayer that day.

I am certain there are a thousand other ideas you can come up with. This is where the “consider” part of the verse comes in. Set aside a short time and grab a notebook, mind map as many ideas as you can to reach out and encourage someone today. Even if you are not in a position to fulfil the idea yourself, post it online and see if someone else can run with your idea.

The best gift you can give someone today is Jesus Christ. Point them to Him in some way. Whether in or out of the church family, we can all bring someone one step closer to Christ with our love and good works.

I would love to hear some of your ideas today, so please do comment below or on any of the social media feeds. Imagine if everyone in the church came up with five ideas and shared them, and if we all did our bit, how much good could we do in the name of Jesus this week alone?

Meditate on this verse today, and let it stir you up this week

Prisoners of Hope

Last night it was announced that the part of the UK I live in (England) is returning to a full national lockdown. Cases of COVID have been increasing rapidly in recent weeks and so the Government have taken the decision to put us back into similar restrictions as we saw last March.

I had a look through my social media feeds last night, and the overwhelming feeling was “Here we go again!” And also, a fair few which said, “There goes dry January!” I hope this was largely tongue in cheek, but let’s not forget that these restrictions are extremely difficult for many families.

What can I say here that hasn’t already been said?

I do not want to debate whether lockdowns work or not, and no doubt you have your own views on this. Given the pressure on our health services, and the increasing cases, something had to be done, and I do not envy those who have to make such decisions. They must weigh the cost of harmful restrictions against the virus, and choose the lesser of two evils.

Let it be an opportunity for us to pray for our government.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

Lockdown: The Return

One post I read said that this new lockdown was much like the first, but with far worse weather! During that original lockdown, I took it upon myself to post on the blog every day. I did so as a way of encouraging those who read it with the Word of God. If we ever needed encouragement, then we do so again now!

The following verse springs to mind, which I want to share with you today.

Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

Zechariah 9:12 (NIV)

What is a prisoner of hope exactly? I believe it is someone who simply cannot escape the hope brought about by knowing Jesus as Lord. While this isn’t exactly what Zechariah was thinking of when he penned these words, I hope (pun intended) that I’m not taking too much liberty with the text here.

If we focus on our problems, or even pay too much attention to the big issues of the world, then we cannot help but feel discouraged and hopeless. If we choose to, we can find things to complain about or seek out concerns to worry over.

For Christians though, we have good reason to hope. We know Christ, and we know His salvation. We have heaven to look forward to, and the blessed forgiveness of our sin. We have had peace bequeathed to us and have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 1:3). We have the privilege of prayer, the bountiful Fruit of the Spirit, and the immense joy of sharing the good news of the Gospel.

These are just a few of the positives we can focus on, and I believe we can do so to such an extent that we can truly describe ourselves as prisoners of hope. That’s not to say that we bury our heads in the sand and deny the existence of problems. We cannot deny that there will be trouble in this life, but we do not have to dwell on it with all of our time and energy.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV)

Let us be a people who focuses on eternal things, not on earthly matters. Let us live and function in the world of course, but let us also remember that it is not our forever home. I would venture to say it is impossible to be happy and full of hope without a genuine effort to keep our minds set on our Heavenly Father and the things of eternity.

What does the phrase “prisoner of hope” mean to you? How do you stay positive in difficult times? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts. Equally, if you need prayer support right now, please do get in touch.

Willing to Pray

A while ago, I did a short series of blog posts on the subject of prayer. I’m sure if you search for “pray” or “prayer” in the search box, you’ll come across them. The first in the series was called “What is prayer?” and you can find it here if you’re interested.

In recent days, I have felt something of a burden to pray. Reading that back, I wonder if that’s really a good way to put it. A “burden” sounds like a heavy weight or chore, and it has not felt like that at all. Rather, it is an immense privilege to pray and what I have felt is a stirring of the Holy Spirit to pray more – much more – than I have been.

Truth be told, I’ve started to reflect on my Christian walk of late. On the back of the lockdown in the UK, it has been an extremely busy time in many different respects. Being honest with you, my prayer life has suffered. I run from one thing to the next, seldom stopping to pray over what I’m doing, and essentially crashing at the end of the day without taking time to converse with God about the events of the past 24 hours. Sound familiar at all? I’m sure I’m not alone.

Yet, the book of James tells us that:

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16 (NLT)

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces tremendous results… wow! Notice it is no throw-away prayer, but an earnest one. Earnest means sincere or serious in effort, it is not some half-hearted attempt. I could not honestly describe my prayers of late as earnest… can you?

Yet we see how powerful prayer can be! Prayers have great power indeed, and not because we’re so wonderful, but because God is. Prayers produce tremendous results!

How quickly I forget the power of prayer. How unconsciously I slip into not praying and not seeing the wonderful results which James speaks of. I am humbled as I write this, and ask our gracious God to forgive me and to remind me each and every day of the power of prayer. How dare we go one solitary hour without petitioning heaven!

King David was a man of prayer:

I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me;
hear me when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:1-2 (NIV)

David continually cries out to the Lord, and expects a swift answer. he compares his prayers to that of sweet smelling incense, ever present before God. May my prayers be as sweet before the Lord, and I pray He will indeed come quickly to my aid when I call on Him.

So, I need your help… please do pray for me, of course, I always seek your prayers! But also, please do let me know how I can pray for you. If you send me a request, I will certainly pray for you and it will help me get my mind off of my own business and on to the things of God.

You can contact me via the Contact page, replying to this post or by commenting on any of the social media feeds. I look forward to hearing from you.

Prayer is indeed a powerful thing to do. I have said it before, but prayer must never become a last resort in our lives. In both good and bad times, prayer ought to be our very first step. It is not about getting all that we want from God, but about living life with Him.

I leave with you these words from the Apostle Paul, which I am sure you know well…

Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Words to live by. Amen!

Help Me Do This Right

I once heard of a pastor who sadly lost his wife to cancer. In the midst of this tragedy, he knelt down and prayed. “Father God,” he said, “help me do this right.”

What this wise man meant was that he knew the pain of grief might tempt him to act badly at times. His prayer was a request that God would help him be a great witness for Jesus, even in the midst of suffering.

I have thought much about this prayer of late. I recently applied for a new job, and although not facing a tragedy like this pastor, I found myself adopting his prayer. “God, help me do this right. If I get the job, then please help me do it to the best of my ability. If I fail to get it, help me act right even in disappointment.”

Life throws many tests at us. Today, I want to focus on two major ones.

The Test of Failure

How we act when we face times of failure says much about our character. When we do not get what we want, or when disappointment comes knocking, it can be very difficult to act in a godly manner. It can be all the more trying when we set our hearts on something, don’t get it and our friend or enemy gains it instead.

Take my job opportunity example above. Imagine you were applying for your dream job, and yet your colleague, who isn’t all that good in your opinion, gets the job ahead of you. All the hard work you put in, and they step right into it. How hard it is to be civil in such a situation!

When we try, and try hard, and yet fail, it can be devastating. When we feel that way, we may start to feel like the world owes us something and so we take out our anger, disappointment or frustration on those around us. In such times, we can totally ruin our witness for Christ.

Jesus deserved the glory, yet was nailed to a sinner’s cross. He did not call down curses on those who had done it, but rather asked the Father to forgive them.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Luke 23:34 (NIV)

None of us will face such a trial, thank God! Yet there is much to learn from our Saviour’s example. Had the story ended at the cross, then many may have called Jesus’ ministry a failure. Not so! In reality, the cross and the empty tomb alike, were the greatest success of eternity!

If Christ faced such a trial and acted with humility and mercy, then we must also follow His example and act in godliness when we face our own minuscule trials (in comparison).

Draw on Christ’s strength in times of failure. Ask Him to help you act and speak well in the midst of it all.

The Test of Success

The other test I want to mention is the test of success. Like the test of failure, it too offers a great temptation to abandon our humility and godliness. In some ways, the test of success is far harder to pass than the test of failure.

In times of failure and disappointment, we tend to turn to God, knowing that we absolutely need Him. In times of success however, we can start to believe our own hype and foolishly think we succeeded under our own merits or wits. When all is well and times are good, God can be forgotten. One off the major reasons for trials in our lives is to get our attention. Tests make us realise how much we need our Father God!

You have probably heard a number of stories of celebrities or entrepreneurs who started from humble beginnings, but were later inflated with pride and arrogance. Success in this world is often fleeting, and so these people come crashing down.

Few of us reach these dizzy heights of “success” in our everyday lives, yet many of us are blessed with promotions at work, election into church leadership, or taking a key role in the PTA or school governor’s board. Yet success can inflate our ego or puff us up. With success comes responsibility, and often success draws the eyes of others who will certainly notice if you don’t walk the Christian walk.

Be a Good Witness

Success or failure shows off our character. It displays to the world who we really are inside. If we claim to be Christian, then the world will soon point out our tiniest fault.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.

Acts 2:32 (NIV)

The prayer, “Help me do this right…” is so simple yet so powerful. I find myself praying it more and more. “Father, help me be the best dad I can be…” “Dear Lord, help me manage my employees well…” “Jesus, as I minister in your Name today, please help me do it right…”

What are you facing today? Do you need to pray this little prayer too? Heavenly Father, whatever we do today, let us do it right! Help us to be a good witness to Your love and faithfulness. When people look upon us, let them see You and what You have done for us. In the mighty Name of Jesus, Amen!

The Rule of Six

Here in the UK, the government have now introduced a new rule known as “The Rule of Six,” which means that outside of work or other specific situations, no more than six individuals should meet together. This is an attempt at preventing further spread of COVID-19 which is on the rise across the country right now.

Some have questioned the new rules, accusing the Government of having no science to back this up. While true, there are no scientific papers to support the idea of six people being anything other than an arbitrary number, it is more a practical decision. Previous rules were somewhat confusing about who could meet and when. The premise of the Rule of Six is to simplify things. Sadly I don’t think it has achieved that.

Our family is a family of six, which means we cannot all meet up with any other person or group. Some point to the absurdity of being able to work with a group of seven people but then not being to go out to lunch with them.

It is all rather easy to criticise the Government in this situation. They cannot get it right for trying. No one wanted a lockdown, and yet they were criticised for not locking down sooner. There is obvious contradiction in their seemingly random approach, encouraging us to eat out one minute and stay home the next. I do want to point out what a difficult job the Government have and it is right that we believers pray for them continually.

This is all well and good, but not exactly my usual approach to blogging. Typically I stick to the Bible and leave politics out. I make no comment here on the new or previous rules, and so turn to the Scripture in our uncertain times.

Whether deliberately or otherwise, a great sense of fear was created around this virus. We have never locked down before, and many – rightly – understood this to mean how serious the situation was. The subsequent consequences to the economy pose an equal or even greater threat, so steps are being made to try to undo the damage. Fear is not so easily dismissed as it is created.

We were not created for fear. In fact, we see that fear was the very first negative experienced by Adam and Eve after the Fall of humanity.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool[c] of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”[d] 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Genesis 3:8-10 (ESV)

Having eaten of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve realised they were naked. They were just as naked before, but now, for the first time, took their eyes off of God and turned them on themselves. Sin entered the world, and the first emotion they felt was fear. There is no evidence of fear prior to this.

The Bible has much to say about fear – far more than I can ever say in this one short post. Suffice it to say that fear is not what God wants for His people. Fear often stops us obeying the Lord or doing what we know is right. Sometimes we fear other people and so don’t fully serve God, frightened of people’s judgement or criticism.

Many places in the Bible tell us not to fear. It does not necessarily mean do not feel the emotion of fear, but rather, do not allow the fear you feel to stop you doing what you know is right.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

So how do we conquer fear? How do we master it in these fearful times? I could write a whole book on the subject, but hope these few points help.

We must start from the point of understanding that God does not want us to be afraid. Fear is a very real and powerful emotion at times, but we must harness it, not allowing it to drive us but instead God’s Spirit. As you act and speak this week, ask yourself if the words or deeds are driven by fear or the Holy Spirit.

We must pray through fear. Fear is not an easy foe at times, and so we must stand firm in prayer and draw on the strength of God. If you are facing a particularly frightening time, then please do seek God more and more. Often the thing we fear becomes tiny and insignificant as we compare it to the splendour and majesty of our God!

My final suggestion is to think through the consequences or outcomes of what you fear. For example, a couple of weeks ago I faced a situation which was quite scary. I knew it was coming and was getting anxious about it. As I thought about it however, I realised if it did not work out as I wanted, there were virtually no consequences. at all. Fear and worry about it was a major waste of energy. We play the “What if?” game which can be mentally draining. Many of the things we fear though have little consequence, and even fewer have eternal ramifications.

The world we live in can be a frightening place at times, but you do not face it alone. Fear can be beaten, and we do so in the strength of our Lord. What do you fear right now? Talk to God about it and fight that fear!

Prayer and Sovereignty

A couple of years ago, I was challenged about my view of God’s Sovereignty. I once believe that He did not control all things, but rather had delegated some control (for want of a better term) to humankind. Yet, a careful look at the Bible made me question this view, and ultimately dismiss it. God is in control of all things, directing and holding everything together.

You can read my posts on that subject here – Wrestling with the Sovereignty of God, and – The Sovereign God.

Taking the view that God does indeed have supreme sovereignty and controls everything that happens leads to some very difficult questions. The problem of evil for instance, how can evil exist within God’s will? This is a subject for another day, and is by no means a straightforward one.

Another question relates to prayer. If God controls and directs all things according to His will, then what role does prayer play? The Apostle Paul wrote Romans 9, where he discusses sovereignty, yet also wrote Romans 10 which encourages us to pray. Clearly Paul saw no contradiction.

I have been reading a book on sovereignty this week, and the subject of prayer was briefly discussed in a chapter I read last night. The author did not say what I am about to, but certainly inspired my line of thinking.

Prayer is not about getting God to do what we want. Rather, prayer is God asking us to align to His will and purpose.

Let me explain with an example: football (or soccer for our American readers!).

When I line up a shot in a football game, and kick the ball with all the precision and accuracy I can muster, and it goes towards the corner flag (not the goal), my teammates do not run forward, grab the goal and move it to the corner so that I score! Imagine that for a moment, and how silly it sounds!

Instead, when I play football, I must kick the ball towards the goal. The goal never moves nor does it grow or shrink. I need to get that shot on target and it does absolutely no good to shoot anywhere else on the pitch.

How does this apply to prayer? Well, often we pray and are expecting God to move. We give Him our list of wants, and we are waiting on Him to make it happen. This is akin to shooting at the corner, and expecting the goal to move.

As God is Sovereign, He will do His will and His will only. When we pray, if we are praying for something outside of His will, then it will never happen. Similarly, if we pray in His will, we can be certain it will come to pass.

Why pray then? If God will do His will alone, then our prayers cannot change that. If I pray in God’s will, it will happen, but certainly would have happened independent of me. Likewise, if I pray outside of His will, it will never happen no matter how elequont or frequent my prayers. Prayer is just a waste of time right? Absolutely not!

Take the Lord’s Prayer – we pray “Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” This is a prime example of a waste of breath if we are asking for God’s will to be done. If sovereignty holds, then God will keep His own will no matter what. Yet this prayer is not a request! We are not asking for God’s will to be done, as it certainly will be. Rather, we are praying in recognition and agreement with that! It is not a request but acknowledgement! God’s will is done on Earth as in heaven, and we rejoice of that fact!

God wants us to recognise the fact that His will is good, pleasing and perfect (see Romans 12:1-2). When we accept that, why would we pray for anything else other than His will?

Prayer is not about taming God and getting Him to do what we want. It is about humbling us, and changing our mindsets such that we want all that He plans to do. We pray, “If it be your will…” so that we recognise and accept that God’s will is best for us.

Understanding this, I’ll admit, very difficult truth, provides us with extreme security. We may want one thing or another, yet if it does not happen we know that it is because God did not will it. That means He has a different purpose in mind. Too many of us do not think about the long game, only about our immediate comfort.

I say all of this absolutely realising that many of us are going through some very difficult, even life-threatening things. How dare I say people facing such things are in the midst of God’s will? The objection usually comes down to the fact that no loving God could ever allow us to go through such suffering. I humbly submit that this is a human way of looking at things, and we cannot begin to fathom what God has in mind. I can say with 100% certainty that no matter what you are facing today, it is not because God does not love you. Jesus went to the cross and died for you, that’s how much He loves you! No matter what you are facing, do not let go of that cross and knowing your Saviour bled and died for you!

So, we pray in humble submission to God’s will and purpose. We pray to surrender to God and what He wants for our lives. We are free to ask for whatever we wish, understanding that only His will shall be accomplished.

I close with this. Prayer is not primarily about asking God to do things for us, it is about building our relationship with Him. Our praise and thanksgiving should always outweigh our petition. God is love, and He loves you, and He loves to hear your prayers and loves to answer them according to His good, pleasing and perfect will. Amen.

Consider My Groaning?

Today I share a video message thinking about prayer, “groaning” and biblical meditation. The focus of the video is Psalm 5:1, which says:

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.

Psalm 5:1 (ESV)

And in another translation:

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

Psalm 5:1 (KJV)

Hope you enjoy the video!

Sometimes the preview loads upside down, apologies! It will play just fine!