THEME: WHY WORRY WHEN YOU CAN PRAY
MEMORISE:
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Acts 9:40
READ: John 11:41-44
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that Thou hast heard Me.
42 And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me.
43 And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
MESSAGE:
In Philippians 4:6, the Bible enjoined believers to avoid worry, but to rather present their requests to God through supplication and thanksgiving. The result of this spiritual exercise is in the next verse:
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
We cannot do without prayers. lf Jesus as powerful as He is, could do nothing without prayer during his earthly ministry, then every Christian must have an effective prayer life. When Jesus got to the tomb of Lazarus, He did the same thing Philippians 4:6 commands us to do: with thanksgiving, He prayed and made His request known to God. Apostle Peter also engaged the power of prayer when confronted with the loss of a member of the Church in Lydda. That prayer of faith brought Tabitha back to life, to the glory of God. (Acts 9:36-40).
I travelled to my hometown not long after I was ordained as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. On getting there, the villagers prevailed upon me to look into how the deplorable road leading to the community could be fixed. Humanly speaking, it was an expensive project for a pastor of my means to undertake. So, I looked up to God in prayer, like the Psalmist said in Psalm 121:1-2. A few weeks later, the Lord answered my prayer. He moved the government of the time to award a contract that got the road fixed.
The reason many children of God do not have answers to their wishes is that they have not asked. James 4:2 says:
"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."
Beloved, God is concerned about your needs. Don't be envious of others who are getting answers. Only prayer can solve your problems. Like the elder brother of the prodigal son, many Christians are zealous in the work of God but fail to make their requests known to Him. The elder brother accused his father of being partial whereas alI he needed to do was ask, because alI the father had was his (Luke 15:31). Don't short-change yourself. Ask in faith today!
ACTION POINT:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7).
HYMNAL: Pass me not, o gentle Saviour.
1. Pass me not, o gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Saviour, Saviour,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.
3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.
4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
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