Devoted to sharing the Word of God - in uplifting, informative and encouraging posts.
" It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63

Tuesday 28 May 2019

Prayer without Ceasing ~ Simply as if Breathing


“Think As Jesus Taught.” 
By Oswald Chambers.
“Pray without ceasing.” I Thess. 5:17

"We think rightly or wrongly about prayer according to the conception we have in our minds of prayer. 
If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. 
The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on. 
We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect joint with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. 
Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life. 
Beware of anything that stops exclamatory prayer. “Pray without ceasing,” keep the childlike habit of exclamatory prayer in your heart to God all the time."
********
I loved this devotion. Of course there is more than one aspect to prayer, we were possibly were taught, as I was as a very young Christian: 
ACTS = Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication
This prayer is Supplication, requesting, interceding, pleading, beseeching... and yes, exclamatory!

I think such prayer is like "texting" God, not in a disrespectful or demanding way, but simply a cry for help!
If your child uses poor grammar when they've a really urgent need - do we correct grammar or attend to the need?

Prayer without ceasing, contains a fervency, a spirit of urgency, and even to vocalise it is not needful. 
A breathed prayer.. an ongoing deep, heavy, overwhelming burden for someone contains this breathed prayer.
If we lack this level of intimacy in our prayer life, perhaps we've become rote-like in our prayer.
Performing the mechanics is not prayer.
Prayer is Spirit-breathed, it is not hollow, or a vacuum.
If we see as God sees, we will be burdened, we will cry out, plead for mercy, for salvation for this or aid for that one.
We will yearn, we will ache in and through every fibre of our being.. for this may be an overwhelming sorrow or another such great burden.
To see circumstances or people as God sees, we must feed on the Living Bread, the very Living, God-breathed Word of God. 
In Jesus is life, and life abundant, free for all eternity by simple childlike faith in His sacrifice for us.
Childlike faith for salvation, and childlike heart for breathed prayer to our Father, in Jesus name. 
Such fellowship and prayer gives off such an odour of sweetness that delights the Heavenly Father.

As a dear prayer warrior, Brother Mac said:
"Prayer is Power, it brings about the Mighty Action of the Almighty."
The Lord Jesus frequently drew apart to pray, to commune with His Father.
May we follow His example.
 Give us grace, Lord, thus to do.
******
May our dear Father God bless all who read this. I'm deeply burdened at the moment, as perhaps are you. If you are, I agree with you in your aching heart-felt prayers, at the throne of grace, where we find "grace to help in time of need". (Heb.4:12).

When I read the Oswald Chambers blessing on prayer this morning I wanted to share it. 
We are still HERE, dear ones, because our God has a work for us to do.
The greatest thing we can do is pray.
One for another.
Without ceasing. 
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x. 
*** may I please suggest you read all of Oswald Chamber's post link here?
For brevity I did not put all in, but its VERY pertinent in its entirety. 
I'm conscious long posts can be overwhelming to some.

4 comments:

Cheryl said...

I am so thankful for you and your precious posts. I haven't been able to keep up as much as usual lately. Oh, when you speak of having a heavy-burdened heart, I surely understand. I think often of one of my dear Mom's favorite songs, "What Should We Do Without Jesus?" I don't know what we would do without our dear Intercessor and Savior and Friend. I completely understand what you are saying about prayer. I tell my family that sometimes I don't know where my prayers end and where they start because I am crying out to the Lord so much throughout the day. He is my constant hope and stay. Thank you for the comfort and encouragement I always find when I come to visit you here, sweet sister. God bless you and work out the heavy burdens in your life and show you His miraculous, marvelous power, in Jesus' name.

Marilyn Mathis said...

Prayer is such a special thing. We can talk to the God of the universe and know that He hears and answers us!. I'm teaching in prayer in Bible Study now. Andrew Murray gives what is needed for prayer to be acceptable to God. 1. It must be to the glory of God 2. It must be in full surrender to His will 3. It must be in full assurance of faith, 4. It must be in the name of Jesus and 5. It must be with perseverance. I also like to add that we need to be specific when we ask anything from God so we can point directly to His answer. And He DOES answer. Love your posts, Shaz. Hugs

Conniecrafter said...

It is so good to know that no matter where we are physically or in our life that we can come to God with anything at any time and he is there, waiting for us to speak to him and share what is on our hearts, he wants that relationship with him that only comes through prayer. May your faith that he has your well being at the top of his priority get you through this time.

Sunshine Country said...

Thank you for this encouraging post. I've been learning more about prayer in recent times, and recently had been reading a couple different books - "Answers to Prayer" by George Mueller (which I've found very encouraging many times), and "The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer" by Andrew Murray. It's so easy for me to become discouraged when the answers don't come when I think they should, but hard as that is, I've been finding the delays to be a time and way that God sanctifies us...for does it not cause us to search and try our ways to be sure that we are in His will, truly desiring His will, and submitted to and asking according to His will? It's a very humbling time as well, and God promises to give His grace to the humble. Praying for you again, and hope you'll be encouraged. I've myself been struggling so much alternating between having good days and very discouraged, burdened days...so I can relate. "... David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." 1 Samuel 30:6