Serious Praying

Saturday, August 11, 2018

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

Daniel 10:1–3

If we are honest, we must admit that a vast majority of the prayers offered, both in our churches and in private are surface prayers. They follow the accepted forms and use the language to which we have grown accustomed, but there is little fervent intensity in praying. We are greatly blessed, especially here in America, with both more freedom than Christians have enjoyed through the centuries and more material blessings. As a result, we sometimes fail to depend on God and become self-reliant. This has a definite impact on the way we pray.

If we recognized that even with prosperity and freedom abounding we are still utterly reliant on His help for every part of life, our prayers would change. Rather than casually going down a prayer list, we would pour out hearts to God, pleading for His help and asking Him to work in and through our lives in a mighty way. That kind of praying doesn’t just change us—it changes everything around us. “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

We have been given access to a resource beyond human limits or even human understanding. God’s power and resources have been offered to us to do His work if we will but ask for them. Yet too often we do not pray seriously.

Today's Growth Principle
The more seriously we regard and practice prayer, the more powerfully we see God work.

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 84-86

PSALM 84

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

¹ How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! ² My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. ³ Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. ⁴ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. ⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. ⁶ Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. ⁷ They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

⁸ O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. ⁹ Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. ¹⁰ For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. ¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. ¹² O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

PSALM 85

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

¹ LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. ² Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. ³ Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. ⁴ Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. ⁵ Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? ⁶ Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? ⁷ Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

⁸ I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. ⁹ Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. ¹⁰ Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. ¹¹ Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. ¹² Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. ¹³ Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

PSALM 86

A Prayer of David.

¹ Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. ² Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. ³ Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. ⁴ Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. ⁵ For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. ⁶ Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. ⁷ In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

⁸ Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. ⁹ All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. ¹⁰ For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. ¹¹ Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. ¹² I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. ¹³ For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. ¹⁴ O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. ¹⁵ But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. ¹⁶ O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. ¹⁷ Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

New Testament Reading

Romans 12

CHAPTER 12

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: ⁵ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; ⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; ⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. ⁹ Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; ¹¹ Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; ¹² Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; ¹³ Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. ¹⁵ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. ¹⁷ Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. ²¹ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 12

¹ Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. ² A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. ³ A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. ⁴ A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. ⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. ⁶ The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. ⁷ The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. ⁸ A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. ⁹ He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread. ¹⁰ A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. ¹¹ He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. ¹² The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. ¹³ The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. ¹⁴ A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him. ¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. ¹⁶ A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame. ¹⁷ He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. ¹⁸ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. ¹⁹ The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. ²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. ²¹ There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. ²² Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. ²³ A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. ²⁴ The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. ²⁵ Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. ²⁶ The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them. ²⁷ The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious. ²⁸ In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.