As winter ends and spring begins, so too does the Easter season. The life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ should be the focus of Christianity, not the Cadbury Bunny. Jesus Christ accomplished many things through his sinless life, death, resurrection from the dead, and ascension into heaven. One thing, among the many he accomplished is that we now have direct access to our Father God, any time, any place, for any reason, in the victorious name of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 14:15 I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also.
Praying with the spirit is speaking in tongues. We are instructed to pray with our understanding also. What is it to pray with our understanding?
We have direct access to God our Father, we are His children. He loves us with unconditional limitless love. No one loves us more than God! Knowing and believing this we should communicate with Him each day, let Him know we want to do His Word.
When you pray with your understanding you can pour your heart out to God. My prayer for you is that you will develop a deeper and more intimate relationship with God; prayer is important. It helps build your believing. You are claiming the promises of God.
My two daughters are always asking me to help with projects around the house; they would be foolish not to. They are trusting in me as a Dad to take care of their needs. What about God? He wants us to trust in Him and claim His promises.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.Psalm 103:1-2 1Bless the Lord, oh my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits.
When you pray, don't forget the benefits of God. God has already given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. Why not claim them?
2 Peter 1:3-4 3According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
All things equals what? All things, and they are already given unto us. When you are talking to God, talk to Him knowing He has already given them to you.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
In 1 Kings, Solomon comes before God with his petition, his prayer. Solomon had pretty big shoes to fill, his father David was the previous king. Solomon wanted an understanding heart to serve God's people.
1 Kings 7-13 7And now, oh Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my Father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to come out or go in.
Solomon was concerned he wasn't up for the task, he didn't know how to rule.
8And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for the multitude. 9Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 10And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11And God said unto him, because thou hast asked this thing, and has not asked for thyself long life: neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgement: 12Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 13And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
Solomon poured out his heart. He wanted to help and serve God's people. God was pleased and not only gave him an understanding heart but He gave him over and above what he had asked for. That's the kind of results we can and should expect when we pray.
Matthew 26:36 - 39 36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to besorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Do you see the heart here? Jesus Christ is pouring his heart out to his Father. The greatest and most powerful man to ever walk the face of the earth went uninhibited to his Father and let his request be made known. We are sons of God. We too can and should pour our hearts out to the Father.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
In closing we have seen that communicating with God via prayer is important. I exhort you to go to God and talk with Him each day. Build that trusting relationship and enjoy the fellowship with Him!