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Don't Stop Praying


              Do you ever wonder why we pray?  Do we think we can tell God how to run the world better?  Is the God of the universe in need of our advice? 
              Obviously, God is not in need of advice from us mere mortals.  Still, He invites us to pray.  He tells us to nag Him in prayer!  He says he is attentive to our prayers.  Jesus recommends that we pray persistently, like our life depends on it. 
              Earlier this spring, it surprised me when I recognized that I had buried my spiritual gift of prayer.  I do pray every day, throughout the day, and every evening.  My prayers had become mostly about connecting to God—which is a good reason to pray.  I also focused on covering my family and ministry prayer.  However, I had not been asking for specific requests consistently and determinedly.  
              Luke 18:1-8 has become a personal invitation for me to keep on praying even if it doesn’t seem that the subjects of my prayers are important to God.  He doesn’t want me to give up on prayer just because I can’t see how my pryaers are changing anything.  He wants me to pray and not stop praying!
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.  He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
          Why does God want me to nag Him in prayer?  He said that He is speedy in answering prayer.  I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks God’s definition of speed and mine are totally the opposite.  It seems that praying has a huge effect on my heart.  Praying seems more about me having a right heart than about getting God to do something.  Prayer changes me, especially when I don’t stop praying even though what I am praying for seems impossible.  What is the longest time period that you have prayed for the same thing?  Are you praying for the 40 days before the election?  How has your time of prayer effected your heart?  Are you coming to peace in your heart no matter how God answers your prayer?    
              The parable Jesus told reminds me that God listens to my prayers.  He wants me to pray.  He doesn’t get bored when I pray for the same thing over and over.  When I keep on praying, it assures me and Him that the subject of my prayer is important to me.  It is the result of unwavering prayer that my heart is strengthened. 
              I’m asking very specific and seemingly impossible prayers:
1.       Every American Christian will humble themselves and pray for our nation to honor God.
2.       Our country will stop legislation that dehumanizes our people.
3.       Our country will stop legislation that would expand abortion laws into late pregnancy.
4.       Our country will increase our productivity within our land.
5.       Our country will take legal action against criminal activity in the banking industry.
6.       Our world will be protected from Nuclear War.
         Will my prayers make a difference?  I know they will make a difference in my soul.  I will not stop praying because it is my connection to God.  It is what helps me recognize that God has His reasons for the answers I receive.  I know that my prayers have great value to God.  I want Jesus to find that there is faith on earth!  I want Him to be pleased that I have not forgotten where to express my concerns with my prayers first and then with my vote.

Copyright © 2016.  Deborah R Newman  teatimeforyoursoul.com  All Rights Reserved.
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