Who should take advantage of prayer? 

 We ought to say, “Everybody should take advantage of the opportunity to pray to the heavenly Father.”  However, many do not, and there are those who may be guilty of offering worthless words to our God.  Let’s look specifically at those who need to take advantage of prayer.

The lost

You might think that these are the very people that would be the last to pray. Truth be known, every saved person was looking for the truth, seeking divine help. As Jesus put it, if you seek you will find (Matt. 7:7). Petitioning to the Father for help in finding answers is why He is there. He will help those who are looking, since He does not want any to perish (II Pet. 3:9). Cornelius was lost, but the fact that he was saved from his sins shows there is no doubt his prayers to God helped him find the way (Acts 10:2, 4, 11:14-16).

The humble

There is no question that people need help in this world. But pride prevents many from seeking assistance (I Jn. 2:16). Those who recognize the greatness of the Lord, will humbly go to God in prayer (Lk. 18:13). This isn’t being done in an arrogant, demanding way. To do it in that way will profit nothing. One can hardly consider self as being righteous by being haughty. And we know it is the prayer of the righteous that accomplishes much (Jas. 5:16).

 The thankful

When one counts their blessings, they know who it is that is responsible for them, and the grateful want to express it (I Thess. 5:18). Whether it is for finding the truth, have a hope of heaven, or even for good health, our God deserves to be thanked often (Col. 3:15). When it comes to prayers, no one ought to be at a loss for things to say, especially when one thinks about all their blessings.

The worshipper

Al saints worship God (Jn. 4:24). You can sing praises to our great God, but you can also praise Him in prayer. Telling the Father how great He is, is something Christians want to do (Acts 4:24-30). When you read through the book of Psalms, you learn the many ways you can acknowledge God’s greatness. As the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent being, we should never run out of words to glorify the God almighty.

The dependent

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, the Lord wanted them to ask the Father to help them frequently (Matt. 6:9-13). With His children always needing daily bread and deliverance from constant temptations, going to God in prayer is just part of our lives. Those who think they can get by without help will pray less… or not at all. But for those totally dependent upon the Father…they will pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17).

The penitent

When a Christian realizes they’ve sinned, they are full of so much sorrow, they know that it must lead to repentance (II Cor. 7:9). God is faithful and just to forgive those who ask for forgiveness (I Jn. 1:9).  Without the avenue of prayer, we would be in a terrible state. The question is: Do you take advantage of the privilege of prayer? If not, you should!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Chuck

How can we know?

Last week, we received a Bible question through our website. “How do you know if you have the truth??” What a great question! To answer this, we need to turn to the Lord. Jesus stated two important facts. First, the truth has been given (John 16:13; John 14:6). Second, we can all understand the truth (John 8:32; Eph. 3:3-4). If we do not accept these facts, then we cannot know whether we have the truth.

Could someone believe that they have the truth and still be wrong? Yes. Many people think they understand the scriptures and have eternal life, but they do not (John 5:39-40). This shows that the word of God can be mishandled (II Pet. 3:16). Christians are instructed to rightly divide the word of truth (II Tim. 2:15). But the question remains – how can we know if we have the truth?

Identifying truth requires careful examination. Only those who seek will find (Matt. 7:7). We need to study the scriptures diligently (Acts 17:11) and consistently (II Cor. 15:5). Self-deception is prevalent, so we must be extremely careful (James 1:22). We must exercise humility and be willing to admit when we are wrong (Acts 18:24-26). We must also be consistent and handle all of the word of God properly, not “most” of it (I Pet. 4:11).

When determining whether someone has the truth, pay attention to how they handle scrutiny. Those with the truth must be willing to accept questions (I Pet. 3:15). Refusing to discuss what we believe should raise a red flag. Instead, those who think they have the truth should welcome questions as opportunities to confirm the truth. Over the years I have found many people who claimed to have the truth but called open discussions “wastes of time.”

Friends, we need to accept the fact that most people in the world will reject the truth. Accordingly, we should not let the small number of God’s faithful followers discourage us (Matt. 7:13-14). There is truth, and we must never stop seeking it.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Chuck