Prayer: The great disappointment

Key verse(s)/quote(s):

“Prayer is the breath of faith. Prayer meetings are the lungs of the church.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

“Prayer is always the preface to blessing. It goes before the blessing as the blessing’s shadow. When the sunlight of God’s mercies rises upon our necessities, it casts the shadow of prayer far down upon the plain.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

“When we come to God in prayer, we do not come hypocritically like play actors seeking the applause of men, nor mechanically like pagan babblers, whose mind is not in their mutterings, but thoughtfully, humbly and trustfully like little children to their Father.” - John Stott

“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. ” - Psalm 34:15

Key takeaway(s):

1. There are a few items that can result in God turning His ear away from our prayers:
   • Injustice
   • Disobedience
   • Selfishness
   • Pride
   • Sin
   • Lack of faith
2. Praying to an all-knowing (omniscient) God still makes sense as it benefits us in a number of ways
3. Some quick prayer tips:
   • Focus on God - not yourself
   • Find a prayer partner
   • Know His Word
   • Ask the Spirit to help you
   • Seek and serve His kingdom

Overview:

Prayer is arguably the most fundamental of Christian practices and yet it is rarely studied or correctly understood. It is also central to an individual’s walk with God as one seeks to discern God’s will for their life and yet we often lack clarity on some real questions that may cross our minds …

Me Interrupted

“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”

- A. W. Tozer, The Root of the Righteous (Camp Hill, Penn.: Christian Publications, 1986), 137.

Today’s sharing comes in the form of an audio file. I may be getting lazy but I figure mixing up the type of communication method may make it less boring and perhaps fits more of the personal nature of this reflection. I will try and do this on occasion so it isn’t just long portions of text you have to read

The below are two items I reference in the above audio file.

Click here to read the “Cast Down” Our Daily Bread devotional.

Thanks and God Bless,

- Sumair