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Pastor's Blog September 10, 2020
"The Privilege of Prayer II"
{Scroll over scripture reference to read the scripture or reference.
Since the subject of prayer in "Steps to Christ" has come up, some people might be wondering, "Okay pastor, if a regular prayer life is such an integral part of having a relationship with Jesus, how do I actually go about praying?" I think this is an important question on the part of Christians.
Prayer is quite simple and you can easily, completely, and truthfully pray when you merely talk to God. Nevertheless, like any relationship, praying WELL does not come so simply, because it takes time to learn how to communicate with God - to express yourself to God and to hear what God says to you in prayer. So in Ellen's words, how do you engage in a life of "prevailing prayer" (66; 1977 edition)? Our friend Ellen gives thirteen principles for engaging in the prayer life, and for the next month we'll be looking at these together.
First, Ellen points out that we must "feel our need of help" from God (65). We find ourselves in need on a daily basis, but only God can meet our needs and fulfill our requests; the very fact that we have needs at all is the evidence that we need God's sustaining aid, and is a witness to the fact that the Lord loves to meet those needs (65-66).
Second, acknowledging and confessing our sins to God leads to answered prayer - not because God refuses to listen to us until we confess our sins, but because the Lord Jesus longs to save and cleanse us with his blood, and it is only when we recognize our sinfulness that we will ask Jesus to save us from our sin (66).
Third, we must pray in faith, because faith is absolutely essential in prayer (66). Faith is not giving mental assent to the existence of a spiritual reality; rather, faith is an attitude, decision, and disposition of the heart to trust in God, hold to his promises, and rest in the assurance of his continued and unabated love for you, simply because God has shown himself trustworthy, a keeper of his promises, and the very source of your assurance and blessing (66-67). Faith is not presumption that God will always give you what you want, but a knowledge that God is love and your great Redeemer (67).
Finally, we must be willing to forgive others and extend to them mercy as part of the fullness of our request for God's mercy and forgiveness to us (67).
Friends, I encourage you to practice these prayer principles for the next week.
(*) Steps to Christ, Chapter 11— The Privilege of Prayer, 1977 edition
God Bless.
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
