“Say to this mountain, be removed . . and not doubt in your heart!” Mark 11:23
“The power of faith is the essential partner to prayer.”
My thoughts today are about “the privilege of prayer and the power of faith.”
Ever wondered why something that costs you nothing, takes as little or much time as you choose, and can be done anytime or anywhere still finds so few people who regularly take full advantage of its opportunity and possibilities? All God requires is that you pray and believe.
I have wondered why. I wonder if the following questions are an answer to such obvious indifference and neglect. Is it because we assume there is some special way you have to do it for prayer to work? Is it because we don’t really believe that we are talking to someone who is listening? Is it because we are not convinced that praying makes any noticeable difference? Is it because we don’t see more immediate results? Is it because we save prayer and faith for only those really bad things, really big things? Is it because at other times we think we can handle life by ourselves? Any yes answers as you read those? That may be your problem.
Most answers that people give for not praying are just excuses. People often use the excuse of their busyness, or not knowing what to say or how to pray, but are those likely to be the real reasons? Yet the same person finds time for what they think important or beneficial to do; you certainly know how to converse with others, and prayer in its simplest form is honestly conversing with God, and then listening for His impressions in your heart and thoughts.
I think that maybe the real issue may simply be a failure to trust that God cares, that God hears, that God will act on your behalf. Prayer is normal and natural to the way that God created you; you have the need for companionship and communication with your Creator – your Father. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT.
Prayer is the means God has given you to personally experience His nearness and to communicate your desires, needs, questions, love and thanks, and to see His caring and faithfulness in your life and situations. Jesus said, “Pray without ceasing . . men should always pray, and not give up (doing so).” 1 Thessalonians 5:17/Luke 18:1 NIV. Jesus just seems to assume that you would appreciate the practical, powerful privilege of prayer.
The power of faith is the essential partner to prayer. The Bible couples these two when describing “the prayer of faith.” See James 5:15 NIV. Today’s verse introduces this power when you pray and believe. See Mark 11:22-25 NIV. Hebrews 11:1/6. Believe what? That God will give you whatever you want? I don’t think so. Is that really how you would expect prayer and faith to work? I think faith is the very practical sense when you believe that God will give you what He knows is best for you and serves His purpose in your life and others’. Read 1 John 5:14 NIV.
My prayer for you today is to seek every occasion to draw closer to God in prayer.