I don't have a theology of "answered prayer," but
with all my heart I believe Scripture calls us to empty ourselves of ourselves
and to draw near to God, laying on His altar everything it means for us to be who we are. In the simple act of prayer
human beings express the deep need to turn to God in all things.
In Genesis 4:26 we learn of the time people began to pray and call upon the name of the Lord. Cain had killed his brother, Abel, and a man
named, Lamech, confessed that he had killed a man for wounding him in some way
and had killed a boy who had struck him (Genesis 4:23). The murderous ways of
the human heart were underway. Then,
though we are not given the reason, except for the context in which it is
explained, people began to pray. It was
a dangerous world and some folks had the wisdom to call out to God.
It is still a dangerous world. We still need men and women who call upon
God.
In 1913 E. M. Bounds released a book called, Power
Through Prayer, in which he says,
What the Church needs today is
not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods,
but men and women whom the Holy Spirit can use – men and women of prayer, men
and women mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but
through people. He does not come on machinery, but on people. He does not
anoint plans, but people – people of prayer.
In Matthew
21:13 Jesus said “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house
of prayer…" (NASB). In 1
Corinthians 10:31 the apostle Paul calls the church to live for the glory of
God and he summarized it this way, "Whether,
then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"
(NASB). The apostle Peter said to the
Church, "You…as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy
priesthood … You are … a royal Priesthood …a people for God's own possession,
so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light … you are the people of God …" (I
Peter 2:5, 9-10).
As people of Jesus we are present in the world to live and
move and have our being in God. The
Church is the living Temple of the Living God.
Stephen, using the prophet Isaiah as his source, reminded the people, "The
Most High does not dwell in houses
made by human hands; as the
prophet says: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?" says the Lord. Or what place is there for My repose? ‘Was it
not My hand which made all these things?" (Acts 7:48-50. Isa.
66:1).
Being the living Temple of God, which is a house of prayer,
it is crucial in this house of prayer that we glorify the name of God.
Our passion is to praise the name of God.
Our craving is to live for the glory of God.
Our aim is to obey God for God's glory.
Our pursuit is the will of God for His glory.
In short, we are a people of prayer.
The Bible says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God" (Philippians 4:6, NASB). Jesus went so far as to say, "Whatever
you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the
Son. If you ask Me anything in My name,
I will do it" John 14:13-14
(NASB)
EVERYTHING IS FOR THE GLORY OF
GOD ~~ EVERYTHING!
When we pray may our prayers be God-centered and
God-glorifying. Psalm 19:14 says, "Let
the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer"
(NASB).
May God's will be done.
