Praise the Lord, Grace & Peace great people of our “Great God”…JESUS!

As I began to reflect on how I have been warring in the Holy Spirit this week throughout the night, early morning hours, and continuing throughout the day subconsciously. I choose to condition myself through prayer by faith, because I believe God for the present and future victories afforded me, through the power of prayer! Therefore it is only apparent through these experiences that I render this excerpt concerning fervent perpetuation in going to the throne of Grace to obtain help in the time of need!  Hence for this Golden Nugget  I would like to provoke the thought “You Better Strive to Keep Your Prayer Line OPEN” My premise scriptures to provoke further gospel provocation are as follows:

1Th. 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Luke 18:7 Andshall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

My brothers and sisters praying without ceasing is the way to relate rightly to the God of all grace. Jesus called his Saints to live in this prayerful manner, when He told a parable that contrasted a godless human judge with God, our righteous judge.

Jesus’ primary message would be that men should persistently pray at all times. Then He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Jesus’ illustration involved a wronged widow who was appealing for help from an unjust judge. At first, the judge had no interest in assisting her. However, in Luke 18:4-5 when she persisted, he relented and gave her relief.  “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.” The ungodly judge granted her relief, although he was not motivated by the fear of God nor by compassion for man. His action was merely self-serving. Jesus then contrasts the holy motivations of our loving God, who will certainly respond to the needs of His chosen ones, as they call upon His name ceaselessly according to Luke 18:7  “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him?”  Our Lord Jesus Christ hereby encourages us to pray without ceasing. GOLDEN NUGGET!

Saints notice that Jesus’ call to a life of persistent prayer was commended to us by His own example.  Mark 1:35 “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”  Please notice that early in the inspired recordings of the ministry of Jesus, that His habitual practice of prayer is noted. At times, Jesus was up before dawn for extended prayer with the Father. On another occasion, He prayed through the entire night.  Luke 6:12 “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”  In addition to His rich private prayer life, Jesus prayed regularly in public (corporate prayer) as well. Matt. 11:25; Luke 9:16; and John 11:41-42.. “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes . . . Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them . . . Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me.” If Jesus, the Son of God prayed habitually, how clearly are we to do the same thing!

My brothers and sisters notice what Apostle Paul writes in his epistles Eph. 6:18 ” praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”

I believe in the context of Eph. 6:10-11 it is showing us what has been appropriated by faith concerning the powerful spiritual resources that are ours in the Lord. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.“  These heavenly provisions are put on by looking to the Lord unceasingly in prayer: praying always. This constancy in prayer can be done with all prayer and supplication. God has arranged many appropriate ways for us to pray to Him: such as, confession, repentance, request, thanksgiving, rejoicing, praise, adoration, and more. Note however, that every type of praying is to be done in the Holy Spirit.  For did not Paul tell us in Rom. 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should PRAY for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints a ccording to the will of God.

 Saints this should not be an anomaly, as in all areas of life, we must depend upon the Holy Spirit. He will grant us guidance and wisdom for praying according to the will of God.

I am convinced that Godly praying also includes spiritual alertness which affords us to be watchful to the end. Isn’t it amazing that when prayer is especially needed, how we can seem to get lethargic and slumber. Do you remember in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the disciples lacked the alertness and the urgency concerning the great need to pray!  Jesus emphasized in Mark 14:38  “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation“

Again, this supports my premise of our need to be led by the Holy Spirit, as it pertains to “with all perseverance.” Praying requires all kinds of spiritual persistence. Praying amounts to demanding spiritual labor (as a pastor…Lord knows you can’t get around it). The Holy Spirit must sustain us in God’s strength, if we are to engage in prayer to the extent that our Lord often desires. This call to persevering prayer involves all types of battles and needs, that others are facing! Hence it must entail with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. It is not wrong for us to cry out to God concerning our own needs. Our Lord invites us to do such. Phil. 4:6  “Let your requests be made known to God” This is how the Lord uses us in the lives of people near and far through this wonderful avenue of intercession!  Wow, notice the vision for prayer given here is quite expansive: “Praying always . . . all prayer . . . all perseverance . . . all the saints.” GOLDEN NUGGET!

Notice Saints,  Paul goes on to say inCol. 1:9-10  “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to PRAY or you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him.

I am trying to get you to see that the Lord calls us in various ways to pray without ceasing. Every day in every way, every issue of life is to be engaged through continual, Spirit-led prayerfulness, Eph. 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit”

The Apostle Paul prayed consistently for the Saints at Colosse.. 1Th. 4:3; 1Th 5:18 “I do not cease to PRAYfor you.” God’s will was the primary issue the Holy Spirit impressed Paul to pray about: “to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will.” Such praying will ultimately lead people into the word of God, where the will of God is revealed ( please start to pick your bible up and read it!)”This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you“. Truly understanding God’s will require heavenly insight: “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Of course, this is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, John 16:13 “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth“

My brothers and sisters the Lord just does not inform us of His will merely for our curiosity. Knowing God’s will, leads to living God’s will that we may have a walk worthy of the Lord, in an effort to fully please Him. Our Lord desires that we walk in a manner that is appropriate for identifying with Him and this great gospel of grace. Php. 1:27-28 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.”Only let our conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. He wants us to be interested in what pleases Him, not what pleases self or the world,  Eph. 5:10  “proving what is acceptable [well-pleasing] to the Lord“ The Lord wants to work in us the heart seen in King David. Psa. 40:8 “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart “

Saints we have been provoked to exercise prayer; Heb. 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

If we are going to live by grace, we must relate rightly to the God of all grace: namely, by walking in humble dependence; I have learned that perpetual, Spirit-led prayerfulness is the basic way to express our humility and faith to the Lord. How fitting it is, then, to consider God’s invitation to pray before the throne of grace.

The throne where we are invited is the throne of God, that was revealed to the Apostle John. Saints noticed what he said inRev. 4:2. … “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne” This honored King of the universe is the Creator of everything, exercising His sovereign will by His infinite power. “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” Rev. 4:11. This is a throne of everlasting holiness, as declared constantly by angelic creatures.  Rev.4:8 “And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come.”  Saints I want you to know that for the godless this will become a throne of judgment. Rev. 20:11-13, Rev 20:15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it . . . And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God . . . And they were judged, each one according to his works… And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.“

If this throne were only characterized by sovereign power, holiness, and judgment, we could never approach it with any expectation of receiving a blessing. Yet, only those who will humbly embrace and value this privilege will come to the throne of grace in PRAYER during the time of need. My brothers and sisters “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace to tell him all about our problems and situations that we may be renewed daily to fulfill our chosen call until His return! This is why “You Better Strive to Keep Your Prayer Line OPEN” Have a “JESUS DAY“