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Msg #549                Wed, March 11, 2009

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 (Psa 5:3)  "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up."

Prayer is powerful!  Prayer is the one of the most powerful and effective things we can do with our time…with our voice.

Do you believe that?  It is true, it really is!  I fear that many of us have lost sight of the wonder of our access to God and the true effectiveness of prayer. 

• If someone were to offer you a hundred billion dollars in exchange for your prayer life – you would be a fool to take it.  For prayer is more effective than the largest sum of money. 
• If the most powerful political connections were offered to you in exchange for your prayer life – again, you would be a fool to take it. For the connection we have in prayer is greater!
• If access to the wisest and smartest people in the word was offered to you in exchange for your prayer life – it would be foolish to accept it.  The access to God is far greater, He is far wiser and His wisdom better.

Prayer to God is greater in its effectiveness, its access to the wisdom and will of God, and constant openness to His presence. 

Again…pause and consider, do you believe what I just wrote above?  If any of those things were offered for your prayer life, would you take it?  The sad reality…some of you already are.  What I mean is that you look to money, power and wisdom in the world, far lesser in amount that those spoken of above – but are not looking to the Lord, not praying!

James puts the reality of this before us in the most simple way:

Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (Jas 4:2)

Consider what James is saying…there are things we could have, there are things God would do in us and through us…but we don’t have them, because we are not praying.   Please stop…and consider this. There are things we don’t have, because we don’t pray.  Maybe we are looking to other sources, ineffective sources.  There are things God would do in and through you…but you don’t ask.

With this in mind, can I draw you again to the verse above, that describes David’s commitment to prayer.

One – He was committed to prayer. 

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord

For David this was a solid decision, a firm commitment.   He tells the Lord that He would, not that He might, but with firm dedication, he tells God that He would hear his voice in prayer in the morning.   We find that David was a man who was constant in his prayer life …morning, noon and night.  David’s prayer life was not just half hazard – he was committed to spend that time with the Lord, especially as he began his day.  I think of others like Daniel who also lived such consistent commitment.  Daniel 6 tells us that he prayed three times a day…and never missed.  I am drawn to this type of dedication, and I call you to be committed to prayer today.

Second – He was focused in prayer. 

In the morning I will direct it to You

David directed his prayers to the Lord.   Some wander in prayer, not realizing that they are talking to God – the God who is all powerful, mighty and holy.  Some are truly talking to themselves and not to God (Luke 18:11).   In a group, some are talking to the others with them – seeking to impress or even give a “message in prayer” to others.  This is folly.  Prayer, real prayer, is intentionally directed to the Lord.  It is to seek to press before the Lord, and in His presence. 

Third – He was expectant in prayer. 

And I will look up. (Ps 5:3)

David knew what you need to know…God answers prayer!   So David knew that as he prayed, he would look up, he would look for God to answer and to work.  How about you?  Do you see God answer your prayers?  Do you even expect Him to?  God delights in answering our prayers…when we really pray.  Real prayer is expectant prayer.  Real prayer looks for God to respond.  It is not just running through a mantra or a spiritual discipline.  It is a relationship what we know and we expect God to answer….and He does.

Can I call you today…to be a person of prayer – committed, directed and expectant! 

Jim

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