Look Around You & PRAY
Last night when I returned home after the last class of the day, I settled myself on the couch with my laptop resting upon my lap, preparing myself for a Zoom call with one of my students. I clicked on “start” and began the on-line session; soon he joined me in the video conference. We discussed his research topic, his research for credible sources, the parts necessary to an annotated bibliography, the research proposal format, and then we settled into the most important part of our conversation—His Life.
I asked him about his grade in the class (one that was lower than it should be), and I inquired why.
Then he spoke of his load of classes, his future spring load of classes, and his future summer load of classes. So, I asked him why. It was in that moment when I realized his financial concerns about paying for his university study and his concern about not being a financial burden upon his family back home.
I asked him two simple questions:
- May I place your name on my prayer list?
- May I pray for you right now before we end this call?
What does the Word of God say about prayer? Does the Bible encourage God-fearing people to pray? Do the unbelievers place their hope in prayer, when someone who believes and trusts God, lifts them in prayer?
PRAYER!
Does prayer contain power?
Does prayer bring peace?
Does prayer offer hope?
Does prayer stop judgment for a season?
Does prayer, lifting the lost to LORD, lead others to see Jesus?
PRAYER!
Who are we praying for today?
How often are we praying?
Are we praying continuously throughout our day?
When someone asks us to pray—Do We PRAY?
When someone places a need before us, do we stop right then, right there—to PRAY?
Yes, most assuredly the Holy Scriptures are filled with examples of PRAYER. See just one verse with me found within the book of Ephesians.
“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all saints.”
(Ephesians 6: 18 NASB)
PRAY—in the Spirit of GOD.
PRAY—on every occasion.
PRAY—lifting all kinds of prayers.
PRAY—speaking requests to the LORD.
Be alert at all moments of every day for opportunities to lift—PRAYERS to GOD.
PRAY—Always Keep on PRAYING!
PRAY—Looking for reasons to lift the LORD’S people in PRAYER.
- When we see someone & take notice of him—PRAY!
- As we drive down the street and pass by a person (even a stranger) who catches our eye—PRAY!
- Whenever we look outside our house windows and see the neighbor’s home and consider who lives in that house—PRAY!
- If we see a child at play—PRAY for that child!
- As we walk down the sidewalk and pass beside a person—PRAY, lifting him to the LORD.
- Whenever we hear a siren’s sound—PRAY for the one in distress and for the one racing to help.
- As we shop and make our way toward the check-out line—PRAY for the clerk who collects our money.
- When we go out for a meal—PRAY for the waitress who serves us our food.
- PRAY—praising GOD for who HE is, thanking HIM for the way HE moves in our lives.
- As we face pain—PRAY, lifting requests for GOD’S mercy to endure the pain.
- PRAY—as we face the times when Satan fires his fiery darts our way.
- PRAY—during times of the devil’s temptations, thanking GOD for HIS deliverance.
Look Around You & PRAY!
See the people God has placed into our path.
PRAY!
For the man, For the woman, For the child.
Just maybe—YOU & ME—We might be the only ones PRAYING specifically for them today!
“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
(James 5: 13-18 NASB)
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”
Today—Look Around You &—PRAY!