E-votional for March 14, 2012

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9, 10


How would you like to pray in such a way that you are guaranteed that your prayer is God's will? Here are three prayers that are always God's will.

1. Save the sinner. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). If this is true, should we not fill our prayer list with the names of those who are far from God? Children, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, neighborhoods and communities and cities (such as the Carrollwood community) ought to be all over our prayers. We don't even need to add the tired old phrase "If it is Your will" to this prayer. It is God's will! Maybe part of this prayer is that we would be as willing as He is.
2. Bless and revive the church. "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6). Why would God not want to revive His church in Carrollwood? Throughout Tampa, throughout Florida, North America, and across the globe? Does He not want our congregation to become the hub of Holy Spirit ministry in the Carrollwood community? Again, we can drop "If it is Your will" from this prayer. It is God's will to bless and revive the church!
3. Glorify His Name. On the eve of His death, in the temple, Jesus prayed before the multitude, "Father, glorify Your Name." A voice from heaven responded, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again" (John 12:28). God doesn't glorify Himself when He glorifies His Name. Rather, His Name captures the glory and character of love. When God glorifies His Name, the attention is fully on Jesus. What better prayer can be prayed than to seek the glory of God, revealed in our midst, personally and throughout our congregation?

We cannot know God's mind for every need and name we scribble onto our prayer lists. But we can know his heart. Let us pour our hearts to Him each day, praying that our will becomes His, knowing that these prayers are His will.

Jesus. All.

(Adapted from The Chosen: God's Dream for You - "God's Three 'Always' Prayer," by Dwight K. Nelson, March 14, 2012).