Psalm 141:2 says:
2Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
The phrase "let be set forth" is the Hebrew word, "kuwn", which means: to be firmly established, to be directed aright, to be securely determined, to be enduring. "Before You" is the Hebrew word, "paniym", which means: in the face of, in front of, in the presence of. I believe that David, facing some very serious situations, wanted to make sure that he presented his urgent prayer in a way that was acceptable to the Lord (as incense) and based on the Word so as to have the desired and lasting results. I believe that we should treat prayer in this same way! Yes, prayer is simply communicating with the God of the Universe in many ways, BUT, there is a proper way to pray to be pleasing to the Lord AND to make sure we have those prayers answered! Hebrew 11:6 says:
6But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
1 John 5:14-15 says:
14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
These are all vital things to do in order to KNOW that you have your prayers answered! God WANTS to answer our prayers even more than we want the answers! We simply have to find out the proper way to pray and then stand in faith that our prayer-answering God is ALREADY sending the answer! AMEN! There are many other things we could cover about prayer, but doing these things we've talked about today will get you on the road to getting EVERY prayer answered!
I love the Gospel of John! Verses 1-5 says:
1IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.2He was present originally with God.3All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.4In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.5And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
In the beginning, the WORD (JESUS) already WAS! He WAS God, He IS God, He will always BE God! BUT, He is also, now and forever more, a MAN! He will stand forever as a resurrected man!, with a resurrection body, bearing the scars for eternity that PROVE BEYOND DOUBT that our God is an AWESOME, LOVING, PROVIDING, PROTECTING GOD! The One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! The God of Creation! The God of our Salvation! PRAISE HIM! HALLELUJAH!
Shalom in him!
