Deliverance and help, guidance and grace were assured to those who called upon God and committed their way unto Him. (Google image, Seeing the Old Testament through Jesus' eyes)
Nothing was too hard for the Lord, and nothing was impossible to those who prayed. Some of the passages are overwhelming in their challenge to prayer. Here is one:
"Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and His Maker: Ask Me of the things that are to come; concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands, command ye Me (Isa. 45:11). Prayer passes from entreaty to command.
There is no limit to the possibility of prayer, and the old Testament confirms and attests the promises by examples and demonstrations of its power.
Our Lord speaks with the same illimitable speech. His word is, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matt. 7:7-8).
He gave prayer a new basis, a new confidence, and a new range. For He gave us its reason the fact that God is our heavenly Father.
Prayer is a child's petition. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him" (Matt. 7:11).
There is one saying of Jesus that is even more startling than that of Isaiah. "Therefore," says He, "I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24).
"Whatsoever Ye Shall Ask in My Name"
The promise to prayer reaches its climax in the Upper Room on that memorable night of revelation and tragedy. He declared Himself to be the basis of Prayer. They were to pray in a new way. They were to pray in His name, and they would be heard for His sake.
As there are seven words on the Cross, so there are seven words concerning prayer in the fellowship of the Upper Room. They gather up and complete the whole revelation of the Scriptures, and enlarge and certify the promises of God.
It would seem to be sacrilege not to quote them in full for no other words can compare with them.
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will
I do, that the father may be glorified in the Son. If ye
shall ask anything in My name, I will so it" (John 14:13-14).
"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you" (John 15:7).
"Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed
you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your
fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in My name, He may give it you" (John 15:16).
"And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you
again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no
one taketh away from you. And in that day ye shall ask
Me no question" [marg. R.V.].
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of
the Father, He will give it you in My name. Hitherto have
ye asked nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall receive,
that your joy may be full . . . In that day ye shall ask in
My name" (John 16:22-26).
What extraordinary promises these are that are pledged to prayer in the
name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They abound in universal and unconditional terms. All things, whatsoever ye ask!
name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They abound in universal and unconditional terms. All things, whatsoever ye ask!
Prayer reaches its highest level when offered in the name which is above every name, for it lifts the petitioner into unity and identity with our Mediator Himself.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let's pray-
Father, as we examine Your Book, the Bible, we're finding incredible things promised to prayer! Deliverance and help, guidance and grace were assured to those who called upon You, and who've committed their way to You.
We see that there is no limit to the possibility of prayer, which the Old Testament confirms and attests to with promises by examples and demonstrations of its power.
The promise to prayer reaches its climax in the Upper Room on the memorable night of revelation and tragedy, where Jesus declared He was to be their basis of Prayer.
His disciples were instructed to pray in a new way: in His name, and that they would be heard for His sake. It would give them new confidence to the fact that You were their heavenly Father.
We acknowledge these are extraordinary promises, and that as believers, we are privileged to now pray in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's name!Amen.
~ Oswald Chambers: "It is a deep instruction to watch how natural virtues break down. The Holy Spirit does not patch up our natural virtues, for the simple reason that no natural virtue can come anywhere near Jesus Christ's demands. God does not build up our natural virtues and transfigure them, He totally recreated us on the inside. 'And every virtue we possess is His alone.'
As we bring every bit of our nature into harmony with the new life which God puts in, what will be exhibited in us will be the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus, not our natural virtues.
The supernatural is made natural. The life that God plants in us develops its own virtues, not the virtues of Adam but of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ can never be described in terms of the natural virtues."
(p. 323 of Devotions for MORNING and EVENING with OSWALD CHAMBERS, 1994 edition)
Today's links by Dr. James Dobson:
Parents: Do You Have Your Child's Heart?
Raise Your Kids With Jesus
Today's next 5 posts of 100 things Our God Is . . .
21. The Author of Salvation
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22. Full of Power
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23. A God Who Raises the Dead
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24. A Quickening Spirit
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25. Mighty to Save
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Upcoming posts:
Enjoying Wonderful Things
16th- Saturday's post by Merlin Carothers#21 In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
19th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick
#22 For the Sake of the Name
21st- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
The Choice
23rd- Saturday's post by Max Lucado
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| Springtime tulips |
Helpful ways the Lord helped me in my marriage
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