Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Effective prayer”
Our Bible verse for today: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Don’t forget who God is, and who you are to Him.”
To pray effectively it’s essential that we come to God remembering who He is, and who we are to Him.
In my personal Bible study I’m currently reading through the Old Testament book of Isaiah. As I always do, each month I go through my days with our devotional theme for the month held lightly in the back of my mind. That way as I read the Bible and other Christian books, as I write sermons and Bible studies, as I pay attention to news reports and as I listen to conversations, I’m constantly picking up thoughts and ideas for the devotional messages.
As I’ve been reading through Isaiah in recent days I’ve been shocked to discover how many of the verses and passages apply to the subject of effective praying. For instance, consider this passage from Isaiah 41:9-13:
“I took you from the ends of the earth, from the farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.”
God spoke those words specifically to His chosen people, the nation of Israel, but they are true for you and me too. He called you to be His own. You are His servant and He has a plan and a purpose for you. So do not fear, for He is with you. Do not be dismayed, for He is your God. He will help you and strengthen you. He will uphold you with His powerful right hand. The enemies who come against you are also coming against Him, and that’s bad for them. The problems you’re facing, He intends to help you with, and that’s good for you. So do not fear, for He is committed to helping you.
That’s the God you have come to in prayer. He is powerful, He loves you, He is committed to your best interests, and He is determined to help you. Got it? Now you’re ready to pray.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 