1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 – “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”  NASB

As we continue our consideration of prayer and the reality that the one, we are praying to is The Living God I ask that we never lose sight of the reality that He is actively involved in our daily lives. 

God, the Living God is involved in our lives down to the most minute of details.  That is why Jesus could and would say in His Sermon on the Mount, “Look at the lilies of the field and the birds of the air…”  Insignificant creatures and things but worthy of God’s focus and attention. 

The God we see through His creation, that God, cares about the smallest details of our lives and our world.  That is foreign to the thinking of some, but that is God!  I contend that anything that causes even the smallest ripple of concern in the pond of our lives is enough for the Infinite Person, GOD to be concerned and take note of.  That is our God!   That is the one we talk to in prayer.

God is infinitely concerned about the care of His people and His creation.  We see that reality all through the Bible.  He sent ‘manna’ from heaven to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness.  We see God’s incredible provision in the life of Elijah.  This God, our God is Alive and is Alive in the areas that we think about and care about daily.  He cares about those things that trouble us.  He cares about those things we need to live.  He is there, always there and He is ALIVE!

I suggest that God is so concerned about everything that affects us that He initiated our Salvation.  That’s what Paul is saying, “He who has begun a good work in you…”  He began that work before time began.  He began that work before the creation of the earth and the universe.  God took the initiative and provide the pathway to Salvation.  That is Concern.  God made provision for us to be ‘Sozoed’ (put back together and made whole).  Now, in the Finished Work of Jesus, we have the total provision of God.  This is who we talk to in prayer.

I fear that, too frequently, we are attempting to talk God into doing what we feel He might be reluctant or not want to do.  We are trying to change His mind and sway Him to our desires rather than His purposes.  Too much prayer is virtually a ‘con-job’ and exercise in ‘attempted manipulation.’  That is not Prayer and is not Possible with God!

The Heart of Prayer begins in the revelation of The Living-ness of God.  As one preacher said, “The Is-ness of God.”  He is!  It begins in knowing that He is the Living God who is the Creator of all things.  He has all power, is all-knowing, and ever-present.  He is the glue that holds everything together.  He is!

He is Life!  He has made His covenant and has sworn by Himself that He will fulfill His Promises.  He is totally capable and willing to do what He Promised.  HE IS!  Think through your own personal history, recall the times and events where God demonstrated Himself strong on your behalf in a marvelous manner.  Let those thoughts return to the forefront of your mind.  He is the Living God and He has invited us to Pray!

If God did not mean it, He would not have invited us into the Throne Room via prayer.  He would not have said, “Ask, and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.”  If He did not mean it, He would not have Promised to Answer when we call.  Stop thinking of God as “out there” but realize that He is “in our hearts.”  Stop thinking of God in an ethereal manner and start realizing that He is the Living God who Hears and Speaks.  Talk to Him!  He is Listening.  Listen for His response, He is speaking!

God bless you as you embark on a new life of communication and communion with God, THE LIVING GOD!             

Have a Great Day!

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 – “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”  NASB

In studying and practicing prayer there are some vital principles and realities that must come to the front of the line.  One of the most significant is the reality that “God Is Alive!”  He is “The Living God!”  He is other than all the so-called Gods in the minds of man.  The declaration of the apostle Paul in Thessalonians holds the Key to real and effective prayer.  It reveals the undeniable and incredible truth that God Is Alive!  I contend that without that reality, prayer becomes senseless and futile. He must “be”, in our experience and understanding the Living and One True God or we are wasting our time.

I see a serious problem existing in the Christian community and it is revealed in many discussions regarding prayer.  It seems that frequently Christians speak and think of prayer in an ethereal fashion.  It is theoretical in too many minds.

People want to debate God, but God cannot be debated, He Is!  When it comes to prayer it is futile to discuss and debate the activity and practice.  You can talk about electricity, but when it comes to prayer, we are talking about touching it, not discussing it.  You do not debate electricity when you are touching it. 

In talking about prayer, we are talking about the “Aliveness of God.” He is the Living God!  What I suggest is that prayer is the activity of walking with God, experiencing God, and talking to God, expecting Him to talk back, hear, and respond.  That surpasses theory and moves into practice and practicality.

The Bible repeatedly presents God as THE LIVING GOD!  Therefore, we can no more debate God, than two fish could sit on the table and look at the aquarium and discuss water.  No, the fish don’t discuss water, they Live in It and Live by It.  That’s us in and with God!  In Him, we live, and move, and have being.  He is our life.  It is an exercise in futility to sit outside of God and debate him in our ivory towers and Utopian philosophical worlds.  We are “in” Him and He is “in” us.  That’s the heart of Christianity.

God is at work in our world and our lives.  He is the Living God and Lives in us.  We experience Him and do so preeminently in Prayer!  Prayer cannot simply be discussed it must be experienced.  In Prayer, we talk to God and He talks to us. That is Prayer!  God is the infinite, infallible, ultimate person and “in” Him, “by” Him all creation exists.  It is not Nature it is His Creation.

I am often amused at our attempt to describe God in human terms.  Nature is a human world.  What we live in is not nature it is God’s creation.  All that is comes forth from the hand of God.  All that is, is born out of the womb of God’s creativity.  If we read the Psalms, we discover they continually celebrate all that God is and all that He has done.  Everything depends on God.  The entire Book of Psalms is a celebration of God’s work.

I find it amazing that the Bible would declare that the frost and snow are the going forth of the Holy Spirit.  That brings us close to something that is happening.  If you look out of your window on a cold winter morning and see the snow, you can or should say, “The Holy Spirit has been at work.”

Everywhere we look, in this world, we see the fingerprints of God.  The scientist studies the footprints of God although they may not realize that is what they are doing.  The scientist can talk to us about the Laws of Nature, but what they are really talking about are the footprints of God.  That’s why I know the sun will rise and set each day because it is all in the hands of God.  He is the Living God! 

What does this have to do with Prayer?  It has everything to do with it, for as we realize that, in prayer, we are talking to the Creator, the Living God, the giver, and the Sustainer of Life, prayer takes on a totally different perspective.  

We need to dig a little deeper into this subject and hopefully offer some beneficial revelations in the next devotional.  Until then, may the LORD bless and keep you and make your way prosperous and joyous!  

Have a Great Day!