The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his101/insp95.arj/INSP95.TXT

Text File | 1989-08-22 | 13KB | 271 lines

                               THE

                <E>LECTRONIC <L>IBRARY E<X>CHANGE


                        DENVER, COLORADO

                       BBS:  303-935-6323


                ==============================


     This booklet is not copyrighted.  It may be reproduced if
such reproduction is done in the spirit in which it was given.  It
may not be reproduced and sold at any price nor may it be used in
any way other than for its intended purpose.  This notice must
likewise be posted with any reproductions and the text cannot be
altered in any way.

     Additional copies are available upon request from THE
EKKLESIA.  It is also available on computer disk in wordperfect
and ASCII formats along with a number of other articles.  Braille
and audio cassette versions are also available free to anyone
blind.  Call toll free:  1-800-426-2466 Extension 210959.





                           **********




                          THE EKKLESIA


                         P.O. BOX 19454

                     DENVER, COLORADO  80219









            ========================================

                         DIAL-A-PRAYER


                               By

                          Phil Scovell



     Have you ever noticed the different responses you get from
people who dial the wrong telephone number?  When they are told,
"No, I'm sorry.  You've dialed the wrong number," some slam down
the phone, some cuss, some experience brain-lock; maintaining
connection and breathing heavily into the mouth piece, others
insist they dialed correctly, "So quit playing around and put
Shirley on the phone."  Funnier yet is what happens next.  Usually
they immediate redial your number again.  When they have been
informed, for the second time, they have misdialed, they then get
good and mad!  Most of us pray like that.
     For years I prayed religiously for at least forty-five
minutes each day.  I had my little list and prayed over each item
faithfully.  If I was in a hurry, I could breeze through my list
in twenty minutes; but admittedly I did not feel quite as
spiritual afterward.  I, like the dedicated phone dialer, was
doing everything I knew to do; yet not getting through.    No
matter how long, how often, how faithful, or how sincere we may
be, if we dial/pray incorrectly; even if we get the correct number
of digits, we will still be unable to receive an answer.
     About this time, many Christians stomp their foot and
confess:  "I'm doing the best I can."  That may certainly be true
but Father God is not obligated to answer prayers based on "your
best."  He promises, however, to answer any and all our prayers
based upon His best - His Word..."If you abide in me, and my
Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be
done unto you;" (John 15:7-8).  If we proclaim that such is
unfair, we are just as wrong as the person who dials the incorrect
phone number and then blames the person on the other end.  Stop
complaining about always getting the wrong number and learn how to
"REACH OUT AND TOUCH" your Heavenly Father.
PETITIONING


                         I JOHN 5:14-15

     And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if
     we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: And
     if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know
     that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

     Most interpret this to mean, "Well, maybe He will and maybe
He won't."  Or, "I'll pray about it for awhile and if I don't get
my answer, well then, it just isn't God's will."  That is blaming
God when it is we who have dialed incorrectly.  The passage
concludes with, "and we know that we have the petitions that we
DESIRED."  Jesus said, "You shall ASK what you will, and it shall
be done unto you;" (John 15:7).  These two words, "desired" and
"ask" are the same Greek word.  Both passages, I John 5:14-15 and
John 157,, say that WE are to ASK and if we do so, not only are we
assured an answer - "and it shall be done unto you" - but we can
likewise pray with "confidence" - boldness.
     The problem most of us face when praying is what does it mean
if we don't receive an answer?  "Well, it must not have been God's
will or I would have gotten my answer?"  Is that how you dial a
friend on the phone?  Do you dial and then, if there is no answer,
assume they did not wish to talk to you?  Do you give up and say,
"Well, I'm never going to call that person again.  They just don't
want to talk to me."  Then why pray that way?  If God does not
answer a particular prayer right away, why would we assume He is
disinterested in doing so; especially when He said He wanted to
answer our petitions?   What happened to faith?  Stop being
paranoid.  Just keep praying and claiming His promises.  He said
He would answer.  If you do not have faith when you pray, don't
dial His number...it will look like He, God, is not home or that
He is not interested in hearing from you.
ILLUSTRATION
     The first time I applied for a business loan, I discovered:
1:  I was asking for more than they were willing to lend, and 2:
my request was made according to my terms; instead of the bank's.
When the loan officer explained the bank's terms, I reapplied and
secured a loan.  Knowing the bank's terms and asking according to
those terms made the difference.  So it is with God.  We either
ask according to His terms or experience rejection and
frustration.  If we, on the other hand, are willing to conform to
His terms for asking, we can petition Him with great confidence -
boldness.  Thus, interpret I John 5:14 as:  "And this is the
confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing
according to His (terms), He hears us."
     The word "petitions" in I John 5:15, "and we know that we
have the "petitions" that we desired of Him," is also found in one
of Paul's epistles.
                         PHILIPPIANS 4:6
     Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
     supplication with thanksgiving let your"requests" be
     made known unto God.

     The word "requests" is the same Greek word translated
"petitions" in I John 5:15.  Thus we discover God's terms for
asking:  "Prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving."
PRAYER
     It is amazing how often we pray without ever really praying.
We tell Him all about the problem and how difficult it is for us.
We inform Him on just how worried we are that things are not going
to turn out.  We remind the Lord that He did not do too well the
last time we asked Him for help - probably because we're such a
poor Christian - and we even doubt that He will do much this
time; but, bless God,  we ask nevertheless.  So much for praying.



     If we are going to petition God, we must ask.  The word for
"prayer" in Philippians  4:6 means exactly that - to ask.  The
Greek word (proseuche) for "prayer" simply means to pray.  Its
prefix, (pro), means (forward) or )in front).
DIALING #1
     Calling long distance has been made convenient with "dial 1"
service.  The days of requiring the assistance of an operator are
nearly gone.  Now we simply press #1, followed by an area code,
followed by the seven digit number.  When you pray, REMEMBER to
"dial #1."  Do not forget the (pro) of prayer - in front - where
God is.  Place the God of answered prayer "in front" where He
belongs.  Turn from the natural realm where the problem resides,
and step into the supernatural where God, who is Spirit, lives.
It is there, in the spiritual realm, where our petitions are
presented before our Heavenly Father.  Remember, however, to be
sure to put on the whole armor of God as you do so.  [See Eph.
6:10-18 for instructions].  As we do so, we will be spiritually
giving conception and God will thus give life, answer, to our
prayer.
SUPPLICATION
     Following conception, there is a period of gestation -
development - which precedes birth.  If prayer, petitioning, is
spiritual conception, supplication is that period of gestation and
should be maintained until the answer is given - bORN.  This
period of time, the time of supplication, is Scriptural
confirmation.
     When a mother conceives, she has nine months in which to
CARRY her child.  Her body changes physically because she now has
different needs chemically.  Her emotions shift because of
hormonal changes.  She eats differently and watches her diet.
Wise moms abstain from certain foods and activities to provide the
fullest protection possible for the growing child.  Adequate rest
and proper sleep ADDITIONALLY play an important roll as the baby
develops.  This period of gestation is, spiritually speaking,
supplication.  and it is only the beginning.

     After conceiving in the spiritual realm, it will take
diligent watchfulness if that petition, prayer, is ever to be
born.  Again examining Ephesians 6:10-18, we see that we are doing
spiritual battle when we pray.  We are additionally commanded:
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for
all saints."  The "watching", protecting, is supplication.  It is
during that period of gestation, development, in which we take
God's Holy Word and confirm His promises.  Such agreement with God
is what Jesus was teaching His disciples in John 15:7-8:  "If you
"abide" in me, and my Words "abide" in you."  This word, "abide,"
is translated elsewhere in the King James Version as (abode,
dwell, remain, tarry, continue, endure, present), and (stand).
Such is the nature, character, of "supplication."  Protect your
petitions by confirming the promises of God's Word perpetually.
How long should you practice such prayer?  Until you receive an
answer!
THANKSGIVING
     If you get the idea that personal responsibility is ended
when you receive an answer to your prayers, think again.  Paul
said that when such petitions were made, it was to be done by
"prayer, supplication, and with thanksgiving."  This giving of
thanks is available to every Believer for the expressed purpose
of protecting that petition until maturity - fruition.  This
"thanksgiving" is an attitude of spiritual contentment.  How can
we be spiritually content when the answer has not yet come?  By
faith!
     Many Christians express concern over giving thanks in advance
of any answer not yet experienced.  This attitude of contentment
is not thanking God for an answer not yet received.  It is
thanking God for being the God of every circumstance.  It is
appreciating God for having the power to answer our requests.  It
is the utilization of God's promises in the spirit of agreement.
It is seeing, knowing, that God hears and answers the prayers of
His people.  the expression of such spiritual contentment
demonstrates our faith.  The greek word for "thanksgiving" means
the usage of grateful language.  Hence; worship.  Worship god
during the period of gestation.  It is perhaps our most powerful
weapon as believers.
     It is amazing how often a baby, then a child, and finally a
teenager, tries to kill themself during the various stages of
growth development.  Falling during the weeks of learning to walk,
cracking their head on the corner of the coffee table, rolling
down the stairs, getting bitten by the dog, scratched by the cat,
and stung by a bee all contribute to their early education.  Later
they discover touching hot stoves, crashing bicycles, falling
from trees, stepping on rusty nails, breaking bones, stapling
fingers together, hammering thumbs, scraping knees, and rolling
off top bunks as useful tools for increasing their knowledge of
life as growing children.  Then it gets worse.  Parents spend most
of this time simply trying to protect their children from doing
great bodily harm to themselves.
     How far are you willing to go to protect your prayers?  How
much time are you willing to spend in worshiping god as you wait
for your petition to be answered?  When it is answered, how much
time is generally spent in praise and adoration of the God who
heard and answered your request?  If this aspect of petitioning is
overlook or neglected, the Devil, who comes to steal, kill, and
destroy, will rob us of many blessings.  Show spiritual
contentment when you petition God.  Exercise  thanksgiving.
IT'S RINGING
     I caution you not to consider these three steps, prayer
supplication, and thanksgiving; as a prayer formula by which you
can twists God's arm.  Simply think of them as the "elements" of
prayer and be careful to incorporate them in your petitioning of
the Heavenly Father.  It's like dialing long distance:  First
press #1, [prayer].  Next the area code: [supplication]. and
finally the number: [thanksgiving.]  He's never busy, and, once it
starts ringing; never hang up!  By the way, it's toll free; call
often.

                           END OF FILE