Lord, in the morning you will hear me; in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.
Psalm 5:3
What a beautiful example of prayer David presents here. I can hear his desperation in the preceding verses as he calls on God to – listen, consider, and pay attention all before he is praying. He is specific with God as to when he will be praying and he is boldly expectant of an answer, declaring his commitment to wait. The rest of the prayer (4-12) bears witness that he prays in accordance with God’s will, as he expresses knowledge of what God doesn’t accept and what he rewards. These are all very important parts of prayer …
the desperation showing he understands his need for God …
calling on God to listen reveals David isn’t just interested in praying but in talking to God (it’s about the relationship not the religious act) …
the specific time indicates his seriousness …
and the term, “I will wait expectantly”, indicates commitment and trust, which is our focus today …
The first part, “I will“, is a commitment, the evidence of our trust. The second part, “wait expectantly“, indicates how he will wait. While there is something to be said about leaving our requests at Jesus’ feet, trusting Him to answer, it’s the expectation that keeps our eyes on God. It doesn’t mean we stop and wring our hands or pace the floor while we wait, but simply that we are aware that we have asked something of God and are anticipating its arrival. This combination of commitment and expectation is also what keeps us coming back – asking, seeking, knocking – and what moves our heart to rejoice when we receive the answer.
16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another.
20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,
John 1:16/Ephesians 3:20
Verse 20 is actually the closure to Paul’s prayer, which you can read in verses 14-19, where Paul prays specifically for the benefit of the Gentiles (v1), that they would know the power that comes from the Spirit living in them, that because of their faith Christ would dwell in their hearts where the roots of their faith would grow deep and strong, that they would be able to comprehend the magnitude of God’s love through Christ, and “be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God Himself.”
When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles[… When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 [I pray] that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 3:1, 14-19 NLT
At the end of Paul’s prayer (v20) he declares that God is able to do more than we ask or even imagine. He knows that the strength believers have – comes not from themselves but from the Spirit God has placed within them – and, because of this, he moves forward in verse 21, with a call that God be glorified in the church and in Christ Jesus. So confident is Paul in what God can do that he commits all he asked of God to God for the glory of God.
to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:21
We have been invited to approach God’s throne boldly and with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), – and yet, so often it seems we come shyly before Him praying timidly. According to 1 John 5:14, we are able to ask anything according to His will and know that He will hear us. So, what is it you need to pray about? Pray for it – pray according to His will, pray with confidence, pray boldly, pray believing, and pray faithfully – and then watch expectantly to see what God does.
He’s a big, all-powerful, all-knowing, always-present God so let’s not limit Him. Let’s pray BIG prayers in Jesus’ Name. Yes, His answer may not look like what we envisioned but His vision is perfect and His ways are perfect and much better than we can conceive – and He is poised and prepared to do more than we ask or even imagine!
As John so beautifully put it in John 1:16, from God’s fullness [believers] have received “one gracious gift after another. which is best defined as “grace upon grace”. Knowing this led me back to read Ephesians 3:19 again, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Do you see it? Bear with me for a minute and allow me this paraphrased version – “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the [grace] that comes from God.” In other words, Jesus is the full expression of God’s love for us, He, Jesus, is the grace of God poured out on us – for is it not by grace that we have been saved through faith? He cannot give us anything greater than Christ – nothing we ask is too difficult for Him – so I say again, don’t limit God! Pray big prayers, pray according to His will, pray with confidence, pray boldly, pray believing, and pray faithfully – and then watch expectantly to see what God does.
For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith…
Ephesians 2:8
Call to Action:
Does a doctor’s appointment have you concerned? Pray for peace to quiet the fear.
Is there a “river” you need to cross that seems impossible? Ask Him to part the waters or to show you the way around it.
Is there a “storm” brewing around you? Ask Him to silence the winds and waves.
Is a friend in trouble? Ask God to rescue them.
Don’t just ask – BELIEVE HE IS ABLE – not just able to do what you’ve asked – but exceedingly more than you’ve asked or even imagined!
Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.
1 Kings 18:21
I hope you’ll read the whole passage today to have a fuller picture and understanding of what Elijah was up against and how amazingly God responded to Elijah’s prayer for the people, God’s people, to renew their allegiance to God! It’s important to note, Elijah wasn’t concerned with the people thinking he was the greatest – his concern was for the people’s indecisiveness and he urged them to make their decision – God or Baal. When they wouldn’t respond the challenge was put forth.
Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 24 Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”
1 Kings 18:22-24
While the prophets of Baal did it their way calling upon the name of Baal and following their prescribed rituals, shouting louder and louder when he didn’t answer and then mutilating themselves, as was their custom. Yet, despite their frenzied behavior and efforts there was still no answer from Baal. So Elijah began his turn in the challenge, and he went to great lengths to set up the altar and prepare for what he expected the LORD to do. Then he did the strangest thing, instead of doing everything to assure the fire would start, he instructed the people to pour jugs of water on the offering and in the trench around where the offering lay. Seemingly crazy and definitely risky in the eyes of man but further proof of Elijah’s hope and trust in God. For this act insured that when the fire started it would be totally from the true, living, powerful LORD, the God of Elijah. Once everything was ready, Elijah prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His request was for God’s glory and for the people to return to the true and living God – and God responded, meeting if not exceeding Elijah’s requests.
Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!”
1 Kings 18:38-39
Call to Action:
Pray believing
Pray for the sake of God’s glory and the rescue/redemption of God’s people
Prepare for the answer you’ve sought
Ask and expect God to answer and stand out of the way to watch Him work
Like with so much of Scripture it is easy to zoom in on the verses of hope and joy and the “good parts” of God’s story – but we can’t fully understand or appreciate these verses if we don’t know why the hope or joy or deliverance taste so sweet. Take for instance, Jeremiah’s words in verse 19 – he remembers the afflictions and wanderings, the bitterness and the awful conditions he had endured – the taste of it all was still fresh in his mind – but why? What had been happening that was so bitter and brought so much depression? We could go back through the history of God’s people to fully see and comprehend how things were as Jeremiah records, but for the purpose of today’s passage it will suffice to simply look back to the first of Lamentations. You see, the book of Lamentations begins with Jeremiah mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction – The Temple was destroyed, the people were defeated and taken captive and his sorrow ran deep. So deep was his sorrow that the entire book is saturated with it. Even chapter three still finds him expressing words of lament but with one difference – a glimmer of HOPE! So where did his hope come from in the midst of all the sorrow and devastation? Why, when God’s people were still waiting for deliverance, did he find reason to HOPE? This is what we must not miss in order to truly share in the hope Jeremiah speaks of as we find ourselves waiting for the Lord and His deliverance. Read what he writes in verses 19-21, notice the depth of his despair and then it’s like a light bulb goes on – and he declares, “But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:
[I] Remember my impoverished and homeless condition, which is a bitter poison. 20 I continually think about this, and I am depressed. 21 But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:
Lamentations 3:19-21
What Does He Call to Mind? Why Does He Have Hope?
We don’t have to look far to find out. It happened just after remembering the days of his own impoverished and homeless condition – which could just as easily have led him away from the Lord. Instead, he purposefully “called to mind” the goodness of God which led him to HOPE in the LORD. He chose to remember God’s kindness, compassion, and faithfulness – and then he once again declares his hope in the LORD.
The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. 23 They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! 24 “My portion [security, hope] is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him.
Lamentations 3:22-24 NET
You see, what Jeremiah realized, and what we would be wise to learn from him, is that by remembering the “goodness of God” we will be led to hope and hope will move our heart, as it did his, from despair to ‘trusting in God, seeking Him, and waiting patiently for His deliverance.” It seems to me the key was in a change of focus – he went from “continually thinking about” his past and problems or misery to choosing to remember God’s goodness.
So, what are you waiting on today? Provision for a need? Wisdom for a decision? Healing? Whatever it is, fix your thoughts on the goodness of the Lord, determine to “call to mind” what He has done for you already and let those truths move you to HOPE, and from that hope may you ‘trust in him, seek him and wait patiently for His deliverance. In the meantime, rest and delight in knowing that His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great!
Want more? Be sure and visit Love God Greatly for the Wednesday blog.
Week 4 Preview of Love God Greatly’s, The Importance of Prayer
Looking Back
Last year we looked at these same verses around this same time of year and here’s what I wrote that day in response:
My daughter gave birth to her first child this weekend, my first grandchild. What a wonderful gift from God that has filled our family with rejoicing! As my mother said, “He’s the beginning of a new generation.” My father, who recently passed away, would have certainly been rejoicing over this little guy. He would have been rejoicing in the hope of him knowing the Lord and the hope of God using him for great things would have been at the top of his list. It strikes me how fitting this is with today’s lesson about “rejoicing in hope”, specifically in the “Hope of God’s glory”. God’s glory, as defined by Bibleref.com, “is Himself and all that is His”. As God’s children, we have the great privilege of HOPE – not a hope that something may happen but of the expectation that it will happen. An expectation that comes from believing in Christ without seeing – and trusting in the promises associated with our faith. The hope of eternity, the hope of peace and grace and mercy, the hope of forgiveness! We rejoice in the HOPE of His love come down every Christmas, and in His death, burial and resurrection with baptisms and every communion we partake of. As God’s children we have HOPE and when we truly understand the foundation of our HOPE we will be moved to rejoice in the goodness of our God and all that is His – and this my friends – should have a great effect on how we pray.
Looking Ahead
Sweet to look back on memories like this – sweeter still is the HOPE that is renewed by what God has done in the past that has demonstrated His love and faithfulness to His children.
Week 4 promises to be interesting, as we will journey through both the Old and New Testaments, covering some passages that reveal “How God Answers Prayers”. On Friday we will look at one of my favorite Ephesian passages, which proclaims that God is able to do more than we ask or even imagine – Talk about HOPE!
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20 NLT
I invite you to join me daily and pray that you will find the journey to be a source of delight and an encouragement to your soul. Jeremiah said it like this – “[God], Your Words were found and I ate them and Your words became to me a source of joy and the delight of my heart -” Jeremiah 15:16.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.
Romans 8:26-27 NET
I remember the first time I read this verse, well – at least the first time I read it with any understanding and appreciation for what it says. That day was more than three decades ago and even though I’ve experienced many seasons of stifled prayers since that time the truth is still as sweet and refreshing today as it was then. When emotions or tiredness or life bogs us down – we may want to pray but find that no words will come, or when words come but they are all jumbled up because mind and heart are a jumbled mess of trials or temptations and we just aren’t sure how to pray – this is the truth that allows us to sit quietly before God knowing His Spirit is at work on our behalf – by and for God’s will. That’s a powerful truth and a privilege of prayer that we must not miss. God, so wants to interact with us – and He so wants us to be confident and able to rest in Him that in His sovereign knowledge and provision He provided a means for us to pray even in our weakest moments, or greatest temptations, or deepest griefs. Whether we are so physically tired we can’t think, or so spiritually weak we don’t know if we even want to pray – God made a way. Not only does His Spirit teach us and remind us of everything He has said (Jn 14:26), He takes our groans, our unutterable words, our aches and pains of heart, mind, body, and soul and He delivers them to God on our behalf – and He does this because God willed it to be so. – Why? Because, as Peter wrote, God cares for us – (1 Peter 5:7). So, here I was studying this verse again – so familiar to me that I can say it in my sleep and claim it often in those moments of unformed words, which are all too-frequent now – yet I found myself once again making notes like I had never read or understood it before. I’m looking back at those notes now and here’s the one that jumped off the page at me – actually it’s been on my mind everyday for the last 6 days … “Just because we don’t know how or what to pray doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray – We may be silenced by our emotions or distracted by our season of life but we can still sit quietly before Him – trusting Him to know our hearts and minds as His Spirit intercedes on our behalf.”
” Just because we don’t know how or what to pray doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray – We may be silenced by our emotions or distracted by life but we can still sit quietly before Him – trusting Him to know our hearts and minds as His Spirit intercedes”
Inspired by The Importance of Prayer, a LGG Study, w3d2
Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:13-15; SOAP: 1 John 5:14
I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
Once upon a time …. God lived in a temple built by human hands. His presence was behind a curtain and accessible only through an earthly priest. God’s people would come to the temple to worship as they had been instructed and to offer sacrifices of the blood of animals. Their sacrifices were atonements to pay for all the ways they had broken the laws that God had given them – no matter how hard they might try to keep the law as God desired – it was an impossible feat. The earthly priest, who was allowed to pass behind the curtain once a year, would make sacrifices on behalf of himself and the people year after year because their’s was not an everlasting atonement.
“The veil in the temple was a constant reminder that sin renders humanity unfit for the presence of God. The fact that the sin offering was offered annually and countless other sacrifices repeated daily showed graphically that sin could not truly be atoned for or erased by mere animal sacrifices. Jesus Christ, through His death, has removed the barriers between God and man, and now we may approach Him with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:14-16).”
Gotquestions.org
However, in time, God sent forth His only “begotten son” to become an atonement that would forever cover the sins of all those who believed in him. The atonement did not come easy, not only did God give up His one and only son, the son had to be born as a human and dwell among men. He took on the form of a servant and He loved like no one had loved before. He called others to follow him and performed miraculous acts of compassion through healing. He walked among the pious, devoutly religious, and sinners. He was questioned, ridiculed, and eventually sentenced to death – though no wrong could be proved against him.
Though he had faced all the temptations known to man – he was a man without sin. He was hung upon a criminal’s cross and He was crucified. A crown of thorns was used to mock his claim to be ‘king of the Jews’. He was stripped of his clothes, spit upon, and tortured beyond our understanding – all so that God’s plan would be accomplished. This plan, His plan, was born out of His love and His desire to dwell among men. It was a plan to save people from their sins – not through the sacrifices of animals over and over again but through His son who met all the requirements of a perfect sacrifice, a once and for all sacrifice. He was the true and spotless ‘Lamb of God’.
Remember the curtain… the one that stood between man and God … the one that was a constant reminder of sins that separated man from God? Well, when the son died, he proved to be the true and spotless lamb, for when he died the curtain in the temple, where God lived, was torn in two. It was not torn by human hands but miraculously from the top to the bottom – torn as a symbol that the wall between God and man was forever removed.
The size and thickness of the veil make the events occurring at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross so much more momentous. “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51a). … So, what do we make of this? What significance does this torn veil have for us today? Above all, the tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus’ death dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins. It signified that now the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and Gentile.
Gotquestions.org
From that time forward, even to this day, the son’s blood covers all the sins of every man, woman, and child – from every tribe, nation, and tongue who believes in him, the son of God. Believers are adopted into God’s family and given the full rights of sons and daughters of God. As such, they are no longer separated by a curtain but are invited to approach God – to come before Him – with confidence that when they ask anything according to His will He will hear them and answer accordingly.
I haven’t posted weekend reflections for a while now but decided I would this weekend. As I was typing them out, this passage from James came to mind – may it be a help and encouragement to you as we continue on this Journey through God’s Word –
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25 NLT
REFLECTIONS FROM WEEK 2 OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER –
What do we learn when we see how Jesus took time out of His day to get away and pray?
How to anger and unforgiveness hinder your prayers?
How was the power of prayer exhibited in Acts 9:40? What does this teach us about the power of prayer?
When we pray for ourselves and others, what is one thing we should pray for based on Ephesians 3:16?
Why is it important to abide in Christ? How can we do this when we pray?
If you missed any of the posts for week 2 you can find them at the following links –
Inspired by a LGG Bible Study, “The Importance of Prayer”, w2d5
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8; SOAP (5)
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit because apart from me you can accomplish nothing”
John 15:5 NET
Jesus is teaching His disciples that He is their source of life ; and He goes on to say that they [the disciples] are the branches. He doesn’t stop with that analogy though, but continues the lesson that gives them the key to being a healthy – thriving “branch”, which is to abide, or remain in Him. In the context of the analogy it might sound like this – ‘the one who remains attached to Me – and I remain in him – bears much fruit …” or the evidence of Christ in us – Galatians 5:22-25)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. \
Galatians 5:22-25
As for the little clause, “and I in him“, is a given fact, for Christ said – “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20. And, of course, in John 14:18 He told them that He would send the Holy Spirit so that they would not be orphans, in other words He wouldn’t leave them alone. Jesus made it clear that He will always be with us – the choice is ours – to stay the course of a true disciple, remaining attached to Jesus, the “True Vine” – or not. Note the passage from Galatians defines those who“belong to Christ” [a true disciple] as having “nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.” He then identifies the disciples who belong to Him as ones who live by the Spirit, and encourages them to follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of their lives.
Oh Father, may we choose well in our walk of faith, holding fast to the eternal life to which you have called us and about which we have declared before many witnesses in our churches and neighborhoods, at our jobs and to our families. Lord let us not falter but help us to faithfully keep in step with the Spirit – so that in all things we do and say – fruit will abound – disciples will multiply and You will be glorified! In the mighty name of Jesus – Amen!
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,
Ephesians 3:14-16
To understand the “reason” that Paul talking about when he kneels before the Father we need to look back at the previous verses, specifically verse 12 where Paul writes about coming before the Father with boldness and confidence. “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” He continues the thought here by putting it into practice. He kneels before the Father to pray. He continues on by uniting Himself to the Father in name and then praying according to His glory. He prays specifically for strength and power, but notice how even Paul’s requests draws the focus to the Father as he acknowledges the power would come through God’s Spirit. What a powerful and God honoring prayer that we would do well to model. I couldn’t help but think of another verse as I was writing – one that is most likely very familiar to you as well.
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
1 John 5:14-15
The above comments were written when I was soaping this verse a year ago. My observations this time around were very much the same but also included the following:
looking back to verse 1 for insight to the phrase, “For this reason”, which could also include his opening words – “For the sake of the Gentiles”. focusing on the goal to reach all people with the Gospel message.
Noting, as I have before, that the posture of kneeling is believed to be a gesture of attributing lordship to God
However, perhaps the best additional nugget of truth was a deeper look at his particular prayer that they be strengthened with power through His Spirit, “in the inner person”. As noted above, Paul was drawing the focus to the Father and acknowledging the power would come from His Spirit, but how sweet is this last little phrase that serves as a reminder that “it’s who’s on the inside that makes us strong and able.”
Without His Spirit living in us we would not remember or understand what has been written in His Word – John 14:26
We would not be able to approach His throne – certainly not with confidence and boldness 1 John 5:14-15
We would not be able to claim with Paul, that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us – Phil 4:13
We would not have everything we need for a godly life or be able to participate in the divine nature – 2 Peter 1:3-4
We would not be able to claim the promises of benefits in this life and in the life to come – 1 Tim 4:8
We would not know peace of mind and heart – John 14:16-30 (27)
Sweet stuff – right? These are the truths we must cling to, they are the truths that should move us to live and pray as Paul did. They are the truths we should share with others
Father, help us not just to come boldly but to come with confidence and not just to come with confidence but with the distinct purpose of reaching all people with the message of the Gospel. Help us to live and to pray in the Spirit – to continually be growing and straining toward the righteousness you desire for Your children – for we are called by Your name – saved by the blood of Your Son, and filled with Your Spirit in who we are made strong and able! – Amen, In Jesus’ Name –
Heres a little line from a song that came to mind as I was writing … “My God is so big so strong and [able] there’s nothing that He cannot do …” May it get stuck in your head and lived out in your life and prayers.
It strikes me how fitting this is with today’s lesson about “rejoicing in hope”, specifically in the “Hope of God’s glory”. God’s glory, as defined by 
Me From the Inside Out 