God Answers Prayer
By Melissa Ringstaff
From Chaos to Calm : Day Seven
God Answers Prayer
Scripture Memory: “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:10
Photo Credit: Andreas Krappweis
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Have you ever felt that when you pray God does not hear you? I think if people understood how powerful prayer is, they would use it as a first defense instead of a last resort.
There is so much more to prayer than simply taking your pleas before God. Prayer not only offers us a chance to lift up our concerns, ours fears, and our requests to God; it offers us a chance to have a relationship with Him.
When we pray, we have the opportunity to hear God’s voice more clearly in our hearts. God wants us to spend time with Him each day. When we pray our faith is strengthened, our attitudes are adjusted, and our prayers are laid before the Father. I love the acronym ACTS for praying:
Adoration. When we bow our heads, the first words we utter should praise His holy name. How mighty and glorious HE is!
Confession. After our praise and adoration, we should be thinking about our own sins. How have we messed up this time? We need to repent and wipe the slate clean. We need to ask forgiveness on a daily basis. Ask for help each day so that you will be better prepared for the temptations coming your way.
Thanksgiving. You have been so blessed! Acknowledge the blessings God has bestowed upon you. Thank Him for the riches in your life.
Supplication. And finally we can lift up our petitions before God. Whether we are praying for a family member who is lost, praying for our own attitudes, praying for our children, asking God to help in daily matters and concerns – He wants us to bring our worries to Him.
This is where our Scripture Memory for today comes in. Re-read the prayer of Jabez again. And think about it for a moment. Notice specifically the final part of the verse which says, “And God granted him that which he requested.”
Jabez was in need of God’s divine help. We are not told much more about this man. We know his mother bore him in pain (verse 9) and called him Jabez which means sorrow. We also know that he was more honorable than his brothers. His prayer is listed in the midst of a long record of genealogy. Yet, there was something special about this man that stood out causing his prayer to be recorded.
God answered the prayer of Jabez and He wants to answer your prayers, too! God wants to bless your life. Prayer is so important. Don’t negate the importance of your Morning Manna. You need that time with God, alone and in the quiet.
If you have not committed large numbers of Scripture to your memory, you need to begin. When you have God’s Word hidden in your heart, it is like carrying around the “Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” We are told to put on the armor or God and His Word will help us in our daily battles.
His Word will also help us in our prayers. If we use Scripture promises in our prayer time, our prayers will be made that much stronger. So continue to use your prayer journal. Write your verses down in the journal. Read them each morning. Hide them in your hearts. Use them in your prayers. And trust that, like Jabez, your prayers will be heard and God will grant you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
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Home Queen
August 9, 2011 at 4:57 am (652 days ago)Thank you Melissa for this interesting lesson. I know this acronym A C T S , and find it very useful for praying.
As I think we have already mentioned here, God knows our prayers before we even say or think them. That is truly wonderful! ” What a Friend We Have in Jesus” is the hymn I associate with this lesson.
I know now why you call this series “From Chaos to Calm”….