Reason With God

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REASON WITH GOD

God is willing to listen and reason with us. He likes to hear of our concerns. We just need to talk to him.

Scripture:
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 41:21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
It is important to converse and discuss our thoughts and feelings with Our Father.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Promise to Solomon and the Children of Israel

PROMISE TO SOLOMON AND JEREMIAH

God searches the hearts of man. He says, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” Isa 55:6

He made a promise to King Solomon.

And thou Solomon my son, know thou the God of they father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast the off for ever. (1st Chronicles 28:9)

Also in a letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the children of Israel which had been carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. The promise was that if their search for him was sincere he would be found.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

We also find these words in the Psalms.

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. (Psalms 22:26)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Our Father searches our hearts and knows who is sincere in their desire for truth and will reveal himself to those who are honestly seeking.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Jesus Prayed

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JESUS PRAYED

Prayer was a priority in Jesus’ life. We find three examples mentioned in the gospels where Jesus went off alone to pray. Each time he went up into the mountains. We discover that there were times when he prayed all night.

A person has to wonder, what did he talk about all night and how did he manage to go without sleep? How often have we prayed all night?

Prayer needs be a valuable part of our lives also.

Scripture:
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23)

And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46)

And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Prayer was a significant part of Jesus’ life and he often went off alone into the mountains to pray. Sometimes praying for the entire night.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Instructions Concerning Prayer

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INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING PRAYER

Jesus instructs us that we are not to pray to impress others, but are to pray privately to our Father and he will openly reward us. He wants us to talk to him, not in repetitive verses or statements, but from the heart. The expression, vain repetition, doesn’t mean that we are not to be persistent on a particular request, because in another parable we were told to be persistent, but that we are not to repeat words over and over, like repeatedly chanting empty words.

Scripture:
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matthew 6:5-8)

And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater damnation. (Mark 12:38-40)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
We are to pray privately; not repetitiously or to impress others.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.

Humility in Prayer

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HUMILITY IN PRAYER

Jesus stressed the importance of humility in prayer when he shared with us this parable. We see that the first man in the parable was self-centered and self-righteous. The second man was humble before God.

Scripture:
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Another example regarding humility in prayer is brought forth in the Old Testament book of Psalms.

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:” (Psalms 10:17)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
God will respond to and exalt those who come humbly before him.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Ask, Seek and Knock

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ASK, SEEK and KNOCK

Jesus explains to us that we are to ask and we will receive, to seek for an answer and we will find it. We are then instructed to demonstrate faith by tapping on the door and receiving the answer.

He gives us the example of how much we enjoy giving to our children, pointing out the fact that we wouldn’t consider giving them something dreadful. He continues on to say that our Father would not give us something terrible either in response to our requests. When we consider what pleasure we receive, giving to our children, we can identify more easily with him when he says how much he enjoys, in the same manner, giving to us.

Scripture:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.” (Matthew 7:7-11)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
We have learned that we need to ask, seek and knock and the answer will be given to us. Also that he doesn’t give us something bad anymore then we would give something bad to our own children.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Praying With Others

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PRAYING WITH OTHERS

Concerning praying with another individual or in a group, the same promises are available as with individuals who pray alone.

His promised presence amoung us when we pray together is a treasure. As with our individual prayers we should not neglect to always keep in mind the, “ifs”.

Scripture:
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If” ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

“If” ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and “bring forth fruit,” and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
When we gather together in his name he is there with us. And, (1) IF we abide in Him and He in us (2) IF we ask according to His will (3) IF we are doing His work by believing and/or bringing in fruit, we may ask anything and He will do it

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Faith and Prayer

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FAITH AND PRAYER

Jesus gives us two important elements concerning prayer in the book of Mark. We must have faith and believe.

From the book of Hebrews we see that faith pleases God and that a lack of faith displeases him.

Scripture:
Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24)

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
We must have faith and believe in order to have our prayers answered.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

Receiving What We Request In Prayer

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RECIEVING WHAT WE REQUEST IN PRAYER

In these few verses Jesus has assured us that our prayer requests will be granted if we do certain things first. The reason that He will do whatever we ask in his name is so that our Father may be glorified. He pledges to grant what is asked to those who abide in him and in his word.

These words are spoken to all of us, not just the disciples, or priests or preachers. It is to those who “bring forth fruit”. Jesus summed it up for us when asked “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:27-29) Belief is considered a work.

Scripture:
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
We have learned these facts concerning prayer. (1) IF we abide in Him and He in us (2) IF we ask according to His will and (3) IF we are doing His work by believing and/or bringing in fruit, we may ask anything and He will do it.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan