Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Effective prayer”
Our Bible verse for today: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” Isaiah 55:1-2 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Your Father in heaven cares deeply about you and He wants you to come to Him with your requests.”
As I noted yesterday, in my current reading of the book of Isaiah I’m discovering it to be a rich treasure trove of insights regarding effective prayer. How we think about God, and how we think about the ministry of prayer, determines how we will pray. Isaiah helps us to gain a clearer and more accurate understanding of who God is, what He is like, and who we are to Him.
In Isaiah 55:1-2 we read an invitation issued by God to us through Isaiah. Essentially He is inviting us to come to Him to talk about our needs and concerns and requests, and to have them met. We are to come to Him with the understanding that He cares, that He has what we need, and that He is eager and willing to help us.
Jesus spoke of this great truth also, as did the Apostle Paul. Here are just three examples from the New Testament.
Jesus said: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11
Paul wrote: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
And of course, in case you are tired and suffering and struggling, there is always that great invitation from Jesus in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
The point is that when we come to God in prayer we are welcome. He wants us there and He is happy we have come to Him. To paraphrase a lesson John Eldredge teaches in his book “Moving Mountains”, we don’t come to our Father in heaven as orphans, sitting outside the city gates begging and pleading for His help. Nor to we come to Him as servants, tentatively making a request of the Master and hoping we’re not annoying Him.
Instead, we come as much loved children who are heirs of our Father’s kingdom and entitled to a share of the blessings contained within the household. And our Father is more than happy to share them with us.
That understanding should shape the way we pray. God is happy you have come to Him; He is deeply concerned about every aspect of your life and wants to be involved in it; and He is eager to meet your needs in the way that is best and at the time that is right. So go ahead and talk to Him about everything that is going on. He wants you to.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 