Praying God's Heart

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

One of the first lessons about prayer that we learn as children, and subsequently teach our children, is that we pray for other people. We "beseech" God on the behalf of others. The Bible calls this type of prayer supplication. And, it is all through the Scriptures. James instructs his congregation to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16). Paul similarly writes, "pray continually; give thanks for in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:17-18). And, Jesus in his great high priestly prayer prays for his disciples (John 17:6-19) and "those who will believe in me through their message" (John 17:20-24). 

In 1 Timothy 2, Paul instructs Timothy to pray for all people, particularly those in places of authority. And, he says that this type of prayer is an act of worship. It is appropriate for men and women "who profess to worship God" to pray in such a way. We are to pray for each other and our leaders so "that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" and that "all men" might "be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." In other words, our "requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving" are essentially for the purpose of "Thy kingdom be come" (lives of holiness and peace) and "Thy will be done" (all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth). 

Is this the end desire of our prayers of worship? Do we find ourselves praying for the opportunity to live lives of peace and holiness? I know that I find myself praying for peace, but do I do so in order to live a life of godliness? of holiness? Or, do I pray for peace in order to live a life free of any discomfort? Likewise, do we pray for the salvation of all men? is this the desire of our heart like it is the desire of the Lord Jesus' heart?  

As we pray today, let's make a conscious effort to pray for "everyone," even those in authority. Pray for the President. Pray for the Congressmen. Pray for the Senators. Pray for the Assemblymen. Pray for the Governor. Pray for the Councilmen. Pray for the Elders. Pray for the Deacons. Pray for your Pastor. Don't just pray generally for them. Pray for the purposes of God -- for peace that we may live lives of godliness and holiness and that all men might be saved, for God's desire to become reality. Pray "Thy Kingdom come." Pray "Thy will be done." 

Helpful Bible Passages: 

2 Thessalonians 3

John 17

Luke 11:1-13

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Thy Kingdom Come

Thy Kingdom Come...

Matthew 6:10

A king’s kingdom has two aspects. There is the actual territory over which he reigns as well as the activity of his reign. When Jesus teaches us to pray, “Thy Kingdom Come,” he has in mind both aspects of God’s kingdom. We are to pray for God’s kingdom to be actualized here on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, we are to pray for Christ’s return and the establishment of his kingdom here on earth -- “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly” (Rev. 22:20). Also, we are to pray for the activity of the Lord Jesus’ reign to be realized in the hearts and lives of men and women. We pray that our hearts and minds will be found in submission to the reign of the all glorious king, the Lord Jesus Christ. But we don’t just pray this for ourselves. We pray it for all men and women. We pray that Christ’s kingdom will come in such a way that all men and women will submit to his reign. 

What does this reign of Christ look like? It is a reign of both grace and glory. It is possessed in the following characteristics: the completion of all that is good, communion with God, sweet communion with all the saints, incomprehensible joy, honor and dignity, blessed rest and eternal life. 

As you pray today, focus your attention on the kingdom of God. Pray for it to come. Pray that God will bring it both physically and spiritually. Examine your life and see if you are indeed submitting to the active reign of Christ. Has the kingdom of Christ impacted your life? Does your life reflect your place in God’s kingdom? If it doesn’t repent and seek the grace of Christ and his kingdom. Pray that others will come to know the blessings of life with the king. Pray that God will use you to further extend his kingdom. Pray that he will use you to be an agent of his reign. Plead with God for the return of Christ Jesus. Plead with God for the souls of men.

Helpful Bible Passages:

Hebrews 2:5-18

Revelation 21-22

Psalm 2

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Prayer's Priority

Hallowed be Thy Name

Matthew 6:9

In our prayers, the most important thing we can do is to petition God to make his name holy. The reason for this is two-fold. First, God is not inclined to do anything that does not make his name holy. He is holy and seeks to be known as holy. Our prayers, which petition him “to hallow” his name, do not ask him to do anything contrary to his character. Second, we get our priorities right. John Piper writes, 

“God wills to make great things the consequence of our prayers when our prayers are the consequence of his great purposes. Bring your heart into line with the jealousy of God to hallow his name, and you will pray with great effect. Let your first and all-determining prayer be for the hallowing of God’s name, and your prayers will plug into the power of God’s jealousy.”

“To hallow” means “to consecrate or make holy.” What does it mean to “hallow” God’s name? We hallow God’s name by believing in him. Our faith in him gives him glory. Also, we hallow God’s name by fearing God above men. We stand with God regardless of what others may think about us. Further, we hallow God’s name by keeping his commandments. Obedience brings glory to the great name of God. And finally, we hallow God’s name by praising and glorifying his name. The worship of God proclaims the greatness of his glory.

As you pray, seek the hollowing of God’s name above all else. Ask him to make his name known throughout the world. Pray that God will give you the faith to trust him. Ask God to give you a heart that reveres him above all other things. Pray for obedience in Christ. Ask God to give you a Christ-honoring and God-glorifying heart of worship. May God’s name be hallowed forever!

Helpful Biblical Passages:

Numbers 20:1-13

Isaiah 8

Leviticus 22:31-32

Leviticus 10

A Father and His Children

This, then, is how you should pay: “Our Father in heaven…”

Matthew 6:10

When one of Jesus’ disciples asked him to “teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), Jesus began to teach, saying, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…” Think about that for a minute. Jesus says, first, that our prayer is directed to our Father and, second, that our Father is the God of the universe (he resides in heaven). We are God’s children. We can approach him as children approach their father. Have you ever seen a father and his young daughter talking and goofing off? The daughter has her father’s full attention, and he looks at her with gentleness, love and grace. The young girl is embraced in the warmth of her father’s smile and encouraged by the serenity and safety of her father’s tenderness. She makes herself vulnerable, and that vulnerability is an incredible thing. So it is with God and us. The great blessing of prayer is that we can come to our Father in his grace and mercy extended to us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our great Father smiles upon his children. We can be vulnerable with him, for he is a safe refuge. Our relationship with him makes us sing along with Paul,

“Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

Take time to contemplate just what it means to be called a child of God. Think about the great love that the Father has for you to make you his child, the sacrifice that it took in Jesus. “Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1). Thank God for this wonderful identity. Approach him early and often. Come to your Father in heaven as often as you can. And, come with vulnerability, pouring your heart out to him.  

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Relevant Bible Passages:

John 1:1-18

John 15:1-17

Romans 8:1-17

Ephesians 1:3-14

A Forgiving Spirit

This, then is how you should pray... Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive their sins, your Father will not forgive our sins. 
Matthew 6:9,12,14

In all of his teaching on prayer, Jesus gives nine general requirements of acceptable and right prayer. The first is a forgiving spirit. Christians must be willing to forgive. In teaching us to pray, he says that our own forgiveness from God depends upon our forgiveness of others. This makes perfect sense. How can we expect to approach the throne of God requesting forgiveness of our sins while harboring bitterness toward someone within our own hearts?  We can’t. The Father cannot wholly forgive us if we are not willing to give him all of us that there is. To hold back our forgiveness of others means to hold back some of ourselves from God. But, to be fully forgiven means to fully forgive by giving our whole selves to glory of God. Martin Lloyd-Jones says it best, “The man who is truly forgiven and knows it, is a man who forgives.” 

Think to yourself today as you pray about those, perhaps, whom you haven’t forgiven. Maybe it is a brother, or a father, mother or sister. Maybe it is someone who hurt you while you were still a child. Maybe its a co-worker or an estranged friend, or just maybe it is you. Confess your struggle to forgive to God and seek the grace of his Spirit to forgive those who have hurt you, and even to forgive yourself. “It is idle for us to say that we know God has forgiven us if we are not loving and forgiving ourselves” (Lloyd-Jones). Ask the Father to show you how greatly he has forgiven you. And then work to forgive. “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). 

Helpful Bible Passages:

Proverbs 17:9

Matthew 18:21-35

Colossians 3:1-17

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Praying with a Pure Heart

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

I cried to him with my mouth, 

and high praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

the LORD would not have listened.

But truly God has listened;

he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalm 66:16-19

WOW! What a great day it was to simply adore God. I pray that your mind was as captured as mine was as I contemplated the awesome greatness of God. His love, His mercy, His grace, His power, His glory, His eternality and His righteousness are simply incomprehensible, but incredibly joyful to get lost in. 

As we contemplate and worship the great God who is, we are (or, at least I am) all the more aware of the necessity of a pure heart as I approach His glorious throne of righteousness. The seat of effective prayer is a pure heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). 

A pure heart is granted to us by God’s grace on the virtue of the Lord Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice. Our response to this gift of grace is faith and repentance. The Psalmist cried out to God in faith (v. 17) and repented of his sins (v. 18). He did not cherish iniquity in his heart. His inward heart matched his outward cry. Anything less is hypocrisy. And, God does not hear the prayers of hypocrites. The child of God puts away the sins of the flesh and seeks the glory of God and his gracious gifts, all of which are obtained by prayer. God will answer the prayers of his penitent children. 

Examine your heart as you pray today. Ask God to reveal his character to you and to shine light of his righteousness into the dark recesses of your heart. As your sins become known, confess them, claim the sacrifice of Christ in place of them and turn from them. Pray for God’s help so that you may give him thanks for his grace and serve him more.

Scripture Readings: 

Psalm 51

James 4:1-12

Romans 6-8:1

John 1:29-35

Psalm 24

Colossians 3:1-17

Adoring God

Then I (King Nebuchadnezzar) praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;

His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.

He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven

And the peoples of the earth.

No one can hold back his hand

Or say to him: “What have you done?”

Daniel 4:34-35 (NIV)

“To adore” means to love and respect someone deeply. But, when it comes to God, “to adore” takes on its highest meaning, “to worship.” Consider the following explanation. We might admire someone who walks a tightrope between two skyscrapers, idolize a rock star (American Idol), adore our mothers, revere a person like George Washington, but we worship the Lord Almighty.

·      Admire suggests a feeling of delight and enthusiastic appreciation.

·      Adore implies the tenderness and warmth of unquestioning love.

·      Idolize is an extreme form of adoration, suggesting a slavish, helpless love.

·      We revere individuals that command our respect for their accomplishments or attributes.

·      Worship connotes an excessive and uncritical respect.

The Bible is full of prayers of adoration, prayers of worship., prayers of an excessive and uncritical respect and devotion to God. Here, Nebuchadnezzar praises God for his eternal dominion, his glorious accomplishments and power, and his endless attributes. As we begin February, a month devoted to prayer, let’s spend some time adoring God. Take time today to worship him in your heart, to utter his praises, to sing of his glory with the lips of your heart. Use some of the following biblical passages to get you started, and then let the Holy Spirit move your soul.

Daniel 4:34-35

Revelation 4-5

Psalm 103

Psalm 19

2 Samuel 22

2 Chronicles 6:14-15