OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2016
THEME: THE SURE SOLUTION
Memorise:
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Read: James 5:13-16
5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
MESSAGE
Prayer is a means of communicating with God, it is primarily offered by addressing God directly in the name of Jesus. Prayer may include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament. The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and commends a life of prayer that is characterized by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in God's ability. It is important to note that prayer plays an important role in our quest to access more of God's glory. It is a ladder we can climb to enter into God's presence. The more you pray, the more of His presence you will encounter, leading you into more of His glory. At the mount of Transfiguration when the Lord moved His prayer gear to a higher level, He saw Himself in the presence of His Father and His clothes shone God's glory (Luke 9:29). After this experience, Jesus returned to the domains of men, empowered to gain Glory over men, demons and challenges that came His way. Prayer is the sure answer and the ultimate solution to all problems and challenges of life. God commanded us to pray in Jeremiah 33:3 by saying:
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
Through the instrumentality of prayer, there is no problem too big that cannot be solved; the issue is: many people are too lazy to pray their way into God's presence to enable them access the level of glory they require to reign over Satan, situations, circumstances and their fears. Wake up! Rise up in prayer and begin to pray your way into His presence today! Bear in mind that evil judgements and all manner of calamities always befall those that do not pray. God wants His children to develop the habit of praying always, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: "Pray without ceasing"; Romans 12:12 talks about "...continuing instant in prayer"; and Luke 18:1 says, "...men ought always to pray and not to faint." Children of God have no excuse for operating a prayer-less life. James 4:2 says:
"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."
The Word of God makes it very clear that the failure of many among the people of God is not due to laziness, lack of ambition, or poor preparation, but due to a lack of prayer.
According to 2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray..."
Many personal problems of individual Christians and some corporate challenges in the Body of Christ will turn to testimonies if only God's people will pray.
Prayer Point:
Father, please rekindle the fire of prayer in my life in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 7-9
Psalms 66:10-20
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there.
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