6-6-10
Dear TC-HOP Family,
Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:6-7 when He states that, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”. Last week we began to look at reasons why the Lord would say that prayer is the first priority for His house. First, that we would know Him and make Him known. It is through prayer, communication with Him, that we get to know Him, and thus through knowing Him, make Him known to others.
Another reason why His house should be a house of prayer is that He, God, is great and greatly to be praised! As you pray, take time to meditate on the vastness, the ingenuity, and the beauty of the universe, and then think about the One who created it all.
“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.” (Ps. 48:1, 96:4, 145:3, I Chron. 16:25); for He is to be feared above all gods and His greatness no one can fathom. “God is the builder of everything,” (Heb.3:3); “When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars…(Ps.8:3), “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,” (Ps.33:6). Read again Job 38-40, and take time to meditate on the awesomeness of God, what He has done and continues to do throughout the universe.
Meditate too on the thought of thousand of prayers being heard and answered at once by one mind. Ps. 65:2 says, “O You who hear prayer, to you all men will come.” Meditate on the character, the beauty, and the promises of this One who humbled himself, took on flesh and died for us, while we were still sinners. “The word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” (Jn.1:14) Meditate also on the many wonders He has done through history and in your own life. Our worship and prayers begin to make sense in the light of these reflections on the greatness of God.
His house shall be called a house of prayer because of the many promises regarding prayer. Here are just a few:
God will give us wisdom as we ask Him for it. (James 1:5-6)
God will give us the Holy Spirit if we ask Him for it. (Luke 11:13)
God will forgive us if we ask for it. (I Jn. 1:9)
God will heal us if we pray in faith (James 5:14-15; Ps. 103:3)
God will give us the nations if we ask Him. (Ps. 2:8)
God will release speedy justice when we cry out day and night.(Luke18:7-8)
God will release His End-Time judgments through our prayers (Rev. 5:8, 8:1-5)
Christ will return in response to our cries. (Rev. 22:17; Matt. 23:39)
To quote E.M. Bounds; “Mighty is the power of prayer. Wonderful are its fruits. Remarkable things are brought to pass by men of prayer. Many are the wonders of prayer performed by the Almighty’s hand. The evidences of prayer’s accomplishments almost stagger us. They challenge our faith. They encourage our expectations when we pray.” I encourage you this week to begin to make your house, your life, a house of prayer, for who He is, what He has done, and for what He is yet to do.
Come join us this week at the TC-HOP as we corporately seek the Lord.
Blessings,
Gary