LENT- A time to look carefully at ourselves and our relationship with God.
A time to draw closer through spiritual disciplines.
What is the purpose of prayer?
TO GLORIFY GOD
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14:13-14 New International Version (NIV)
Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places. I want them back every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one.
Isaiah 43:6b-7 The Message (MSG)
God reveals His glory to us, bit by bit, in our lives, through our lives, from one situation to the next.
What should our response be when God responds to our prayers and reveals aspects of His glory?
To glorify God even more!
Of all the things prayer is and does, its greatest accomplishment — and its greatest joy — is that it allows us, His beloved children, to be part of bringing Him glory. To God be the glory!” – Stephen and Alex Kendrick, The Battle Plan for Prayer, p. 31
God is IS.
“If we could only understand what being in the presence of the Almighty is truly like, our mind wouldn’t be casually wandering. We wouldn’t be drifting in and out of sleep. We’d be fully alert and overwhelmed. All attention held captive. Stunned. Speechless. And when we did speak, we would be humble, reverent, and very careful what came out of our mouths.” – Kendricks, The Battle Plan for Prayer, pp. 34-35
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Deut. 4:24)
Hebrews 12:28-29
Prayer allows us to do three things:
1- Prayer allows us to intimately know, love, and worship God.
2- Prayer allows us to understand and conform our lives to God’s will and God’s ways.
Our Father, in heaven, hallowed is your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…
3- Through prayer we are in communion with God in order to access and advance His kingdom, His power, and His glory.
Prayer is not about prayer.
It’s about a Person – God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
All for His Glory!
God Almighty, help me never again forget that I am in Your awesome presence when I pray. Help me not to enter into it as a duty or a mindless activity, the mere repeating of tired words. But help me come with worship, with love, and with a true desire to experience You personally. Help me abandon my own agendas and self-assurances, wanting to be nowhere else except directly aligned with Your will. And may your kingdom flow right through this heart and home of mine, taking me wherever You want me to go. Amen.