Skip to main content

God Calls

According to the Population Reference Bureau, world population has exceeded seven billion people. Of those about 33% classify themselves Christian meaning more than two billion claim a relationship with God.

I was taught God is big, but if all two billion Christians decided to pray simultaneously, could he handle it? Would mine get lost in the shuffle? I was also taught God was good, but after reading some stories in the Bible it seemed wise to fear him. Some laws required death by stoning when disobeyed and some people-Ananias and Sapphira, dropped dead for lying.

My parents taught me to pray as a young child-and I’ve maintained the practice. Yet I occasionally wonder how God keeps up with the numerous requests and whether disobedience in my life interferes with his answers.

David asked God to hear his prayer and was confident he would answer. Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. (Psalm 86:1)

God hears and answers the prayers of repentant sinners when they request forgiveness of their sins (Joel 2:32). And he is always ready to answer the prayers of his children but in his timing and according to his individual plan for us. Only unconfessed sin derails God’s answers (Psalm 66:18).    

God teaches through prayer. As we pray his Word with teachable hearts, God uses his standards to convict, convince and encourage us concerning our circumstances and choices. Prayer also provides opportunity to cry for God’s help. Faithfulness to God always brings opposition, but he promises never to leave or forsake us.

Prayer is an indispensable element of our worship. God speaks through the Bible, other believers and circumstances, but prayer is an essential method he uses to share his will. By practicing it, we grow deeper and stronger in our relationship with him.

Setting aside quite moments, maintaining a constant attitude of prayer, finding peaceful reposes, sharing with other believers and journaling God’s answers are helpful ways to enhance our prayer experiences.

Prayer: Motivate us to prayer, Merciful Father, when life takes us to the mountain and when it deposits us in the valley.

Receive these devotions in your email by entering your address on the blog sidebar and clicking submit.
Labels:

Comments

  1. ShandaApril 9, 2012 at 9:00 PM

    By practicing prayer, we grow deeper and stronger in our relationship with him: so true. I'm so thankful that we can never outpray or overload God!

    ReplyDelete
  2. ShebecomesApril 9, 2012 at 9:28 PM

    It is an amazing thing to have the ability to pray...that we have a direct way to communicate with God. And even more amazing is the fact that He hears our prayers, and that He moves in response to our prayers. If we could all learn to "pray continually"...what a life changing response there would be: in our own lives and relationship with Christ, and in the world!

    ReplyDelete
  3. DeniseApril 9, 2012 at 10:37 PM

    We should pray without ceasing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. joyApril 10, 2012 at 1:48 AM

    Prayer is the best cure for everything and there we can really feel that we are connected to God. Inspirational post:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lisa Lewis KosterMay 20, 2014 at 7:03 PM

    What a comfort it is to know that even if we did all pray at once, God could handle it!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Obeying God’s Schedule - Martin Wiles

Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” Matthew 9:22 NLT Schedules are made to be broken. According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test, I’m a judger. I like structure and organization. While I can be spontaneous on occasion, it’s not my preferred way of life. I’m also time conscious. I’ve been wearing a watch since I was in first grade. Schedules are important, and I like to be ahead of time for whatever the agenda holds. Keeping and checking off a list gives me an adrenaline rush. In college, I completed all my projects ahead of time. Some of these traits were inborn, but being the firstborn child and living with parents who had similar traits made it certain I’d be a judger.  John’s gospel, especially, makes it evident that Jesus journeyed on a divine schedule. Many were told not to tell that he had healed them or cast out their demons simply because Jesus didn’t want his ministry to end p...
16 comments
Read more

Bears or Gators? Believer or Non-Believer? - Melissa Henderson

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21 NIV   “What do you mean there are gators in the neighborhood?”  Moving from central Virginia to South Carolina's Lowcountry brought new adventures. Learning about alligators, blue skinks, armadillos, and other creatures led to excitement but also a bit of worry. One of the most interesting parts of living in a new state was adapting to the weather and different animals. Would we prefer the bears of Virginia or the gators of the South? As my husband and I became accustomed to the humidity and scorching heat of the Deep South, we began referring to ourselves as “South Carolinians.” We laughed as we noticed folks wearing long-sleeved shirts and coats when temperatures reached sixty degrees in the Lowcountry. In Virginia, that temperature was...
10 comments
Read more

Connecting to the Creator - Martin Wiles

It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Revelation 1:10 NLT I’ve done it all my life—whether I wanted to or not. Going to church was never an option. Dad was a preacher, and PK’s went to church … often. Our particular church tradition held services three times weekly, in addition to special activities on other days. I had to attend each one. After moving out, I had the option of going, but still went. When my parents made me go, I sometimes didn’t want to. But when I could stay home, I rarely did. Worship is what the apostle John did on the Lord’s Day. As he did, God spoke to him and told him to write things that would happen in the future. Things God’s people needed to hear and respond to. Beyond everything else, worship concerns giving God the glory and praise He deserves. He is our creator and deliverer, and we should celebrate that through worship. But worship involves us also. We have needs that require attention and decisions that deman...
1 comment
Read more