“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2 NIV)

Many years ago, when I was a fairly new follower of Christ, someone invited me to the front of a meeting and asked me to pray. I had never done that before! My mind suddenly went blank. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity and couldn't think what to say. I eventually mumbled a very short something or other and quickly returned to my seat.

It’s okay to ask for help

When we wonder about prayer, it should be reassuring to know that even a disciple of Jesus asked Him for instructions about how to pray.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1 NIV)

Jesus taught about prayer

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matt. 6:5-13 NLT)

What others have said about prayer

“Prayer is not a hard requirement – it is the natural duty of a creature to its creator, the simplest homage that human need can pay to divine liberality.” – Charles Spurgeon

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." - Martin Luther

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13 NIV)

God works through people to get things done

He used Moses to deliver the Hebrew children from bondage. He used Noah to deliver His people and creatures from the great flood. He used Esther to save the Jewish people from destruction. And many more examples throughout the Bible.

The great commission

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20 NIV)

Be doers for God

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:22-25 ESV)

Yes, this means you!

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 ESV)

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Col. 1:29 ESV)

Therefore

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Col. 3:23 NIV)

“God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" — Hudson Taylor

“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses!! Moses!” And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’” (Ex. 3:4 NIV)

The world is filled with bushes of all kinds, but this one stood out from the others because God was in it. The burning bush continued to be on fire without being consumed by the flames. (Ex. 3:2).

When God is in a human life, that person can become “on fire for God”, so to speak.

Could it be you?

God is looking for anyone willing to commit to Him.

“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chron. 16:9 NIV)

“For God does not show favoritism.” (Rom. 2:11 NIV) 

“Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.” (Acts 10:34 NIV).

Therefore

“Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord. When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. Share with God's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.” (Rom. 12:11-13 NIRV)

“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.” - Charles Wesley

“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 17:6 NIV)

Keep your prayers simple, and don't babble

If you want clear answers you can't be fuzzy with your requests.

When you pray, speak plainly and clearly to God. 

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” (Matt. 6:7 NIV)

Present your requests to God in every situation

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6 NIV)

Watch and pray

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41 NIV)

"Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" - Corrie ten Boom

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45 NIV)

Watch what you put into your mind

Your brain is like a computer and is programmed by what you feed into it. You program your brain by choosing what to look at and listen to, which influences your thinking. This includes the TV shows and movies you watch, the magazines and books you read, the content of your social media, and even the people you choose to socialize with. All this will affect your thinking and what you do.

You must constantly guard your heart from destructive input!

• Watch what you allow yourself to think about

“For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” (Prov. 23:7 NASB)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Prov. 4:23 NIV)

• Watch what you say

Your mouth is the speaker for your heart. Your words can only reflect what your brain is already thinking about. If your thoughts are evil, out of your mouth will come evil words. If your thoughts are good, then good words will come out. You cannot behave inconsistently with your thoughts!

“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45 NIV)

• Make corrections

When you catch yourself saying the wrong kind of things, stop and make corrections with the Word of God as your guide and adjustment tool.

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3 ESV)

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Prov. 21:23 ESV)

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:15-19 NIV)

Saying thank you!

I heard a story about a woman who had searched for, found, and thanked the many who had responded to a horrific accident she had been in ten years before. What was amazing to see was the reaction she received from those she thanked. Many of them were moved to tears. One of them said they had never been thanked before! Can you imagine that? In all those years they must have helped a great number of people in crisis, yet not one had bothered to go back and thank them!

Only one in ten thanked Jesus

Jesus had healed ten lepers but only one came back to thank Him! Jesus noticed and said, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”  (Luke 17: 18-19 NIV)

A promise

There is a hidden promise (blessing) in the passage at the top of the page you may have missed. Notice that the one leper who went back to thank Jesus received something extra from Him; Jesus said, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” Scholars have noted that while the other nine lepers received healing from their leprosy, only the tenth leper, who expressed praise, was made "whole."

God’s will is for you to thankful in all circumstances

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18 NIV)

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:17 NIV)

Therefore

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalms 13:5-6)

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV)

It’s a done deal

The passage above says two times that He “has given us” everything we need. And notice that It is written in past tense. That’s because it's already done, and very importantly it says you “may participate” in what He has given and tells how: through knowledge. There’s an often quoted axiom, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” But that’s wrong! What you don’t know can and will hurt you!

How many of God’s promises do you know and apply?

Many believers are struggling because they don't know the many thousands of promises in the Word of God, there to cover every possible need or problem. But, if you don’t know them, you can’t benefit from them. One of the devil's tactics is to distract God's children from knowing them.

The millionaire who died under a bridge!

I heard a story about a man found dead under a bridge in a major city who had died of starvation and exposure. When they ran his fingerprints to see who he was, they discovered that his family had been searching for him because he had inherited an estate worth millions of dollars; unfortunately, he died without knowing he was a millionaire.

In a similar way

Many Christians suffer lack unnecessarily through their ignorance of how wealthy they actually are as God’s children, by not looking for, finding, and applying by faith the many promises He has placed in His Word to supply their every need. 

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19 NLT)

Therefore

“But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:25)

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12 NASB)

Life has its challenges – press forward through them!

Shortly after purchasing our first house, we decided to build a deck off the back porch. I had never built a deck before, so I went to a friend of mine, a home builder, to ask him for some advice. He said, “Do you know what you want your deck to look like?” And I said, “Yes, I do.” He then replied, “Great! Now just get started and build it!” I said, “But I have never built a deck before!” And he said, “The main thing is to make your plan. Get all the materials you need. Then get started and keep working at it until it is completely done. “That’s it?” I said, “What if I run into problems?” And he said, “Every job has problems! That's just the way it is. But you can't allow anything to stop you. You solve problems as you discover them. Then, you eventually get to the end with a completed project.”

So, I did exactly what he said and built my first deck. Yes, I did run into a few problems along the way and figured out a solution for each one.

It's pretty much the same with anything you need to get done

 Whether it's something at home (building a deck), at school (assignments), at work (job projects), or at play (sports or hobbies), it's the same process. You need to know what it looks like (envision it). You need a plan (steps needed to do it). You need to collect the materials to do the job. You need to get started. You need to solve problems as you discover them. And, most importantly, you need to keep working at it until it gets completely done. 

Therefore

Keep pressing forward! “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14

Some interesting epigrams about perseverance

·      There aren't any hard-and-fast rules for getting ahead in the world - just hard ones.

·      You don't have to lie awake nights to succeed. Just stay awake days.

·      There is no poverty that can overtake diligence. -Japanese proverb

·      By perseverance the snail reached the Ark. – Charles Spurgeon

·      Triumph is just "umph" added to try.

You’re already blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ!

As a born-again believer, you are already greatly blessed, so praise God!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3 NIV)

Notice that the above verse says He “has blessed us” (past tense), because God has already done it! It's totally accomplished! Finished! Done!

Every one them!

Notice that the second part of the above verse says that He's provided you with “every spiritual blessing in Christ.” That means all of them have been given to you without exception. There are no blessings excluded! That’s right, you get them all! The entire group! The total amount.

Therefore

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 NIV)

“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2 NIV)