Psalm 109:4

December 11, 2015

Psalm 109:4... In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer...

There are many examples in the Bible where was powerful and effective. Moses talked with God quite often. Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom and Gomorrah. And of course, Daniel prayed. Prayer is an essential part of our walk with God. Prayer is both easy and difficult. It is so basic, yet so elusive. Prayer takes little effort yet can be so painstaking. A great man once prayed in agony and sweated blood when he prayed.

Jesus prayed to his Father quite often and for many hours at a time. Often he went alone to pray. Sometimes he prayed with a crowd. He prayed for his food. He prayed for the benefit of those listening. He also prayed for people to be healed. In Matthew 6, we are taught how to pray.

What makes our prayers effective? Does it depend on us? Are we required to live a certain way or will God just give to us everything we ask? First let me say that we need to be honest and sincere. We also need to be willing to pray diligently, not giving up, like the widow seeking justice form the unjust ruler. But what I want to stress is what James says in chapter 5 verse 17, "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Daughters, I plead with you, be women of prayer. Your future family will need a strong woman of prayer; your husband, your children. It is so crucial to a successful family. Your mother is amazing. She has grown into a lady who loves the Lord and has a close relationship to him. She comes from a nominal spiritual family, but she has taken it deeper. I see God speaking to her to understand difficulties in my life and she asks me if I am okay when I am feeling down... Only God could have told her and  only because she is close to him.. A and K, to have powerful and effective prayers you need to be righteous, to live right. Let the Bible define right living, not today's church. When you walk the scriptures, you will find yourself close to God and you will commune with him and he with you and will will find the peace that transcends all.

~Dad