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Topic: LEGITIMATE PRAYER
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Matthew Henry wrote, as posted by Carol Swenson quote:
Sinful habits, that are become as it were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, are separated and cut off by this sword.
Yes, that's true, I've become a little sweeter and I've become more honest and more merciful and helpful to the poor than I used to be, thanks, not only to the Word of God, but also by the counsel of Jesus from heaven to the Holy Spirit in me and from there to my spirit. But it has taken "a few" years to get those results.
And given the wrong set of circumstances, I can still revert surprisingly quickly to the "way I used to be", even after all these years of reading the Word and more recently listening more to the Holy Spirit.
I'm now interested in prayer, I'm interested in other Christians, I'm interested in reading Christian books and listening to Christian music, and I'm interested in admitting to God that "I just sinned right there".
As Matthew Henry wrote quote:
[quote]Sinful habits, that are become as it were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, are separated and cut off by this sword.
Yes, but it took a number of years for some of these things to happen: a little sweeter now, and walking more uprightly.
love, Eden
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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posted
AMEN WildB!
Hebrews 4:11-16
Observe the end proposed: rest spiritual and eternal; the rest of grace here, and glory hereafter; in Christ on earth, with Christ in heaven. After due and diligent labour, sweet and satisfying rest shall follow; and labour now, will make that rest more pleasant when it comes. Let us labour, and quicken each other to be diligent in duty. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God. When God sets it home by his Spirit, it convinces powerfully, converts powerfully, and comforts powerfully. It makes a soul that has long been proud, to be humble; and a perverse spirit, to be meek and obedient. Sinful habits, that are become as it were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, are separated and cut off by this sword. It will discover to men their thoughts and purposes, the vileness of many, the bad principles they are moved by, the sinful ends they act to. The word will show the sinner all that is in his heart. Let us hold fast the doctrines of Christian faith in our heads, its enlivening principles in our hearts, the open profession of it in our lips, and be subject to it in our lives. Christ executed one part of his priesthood on earth, in dying for us; the other he executes in heaven, pleading the cause, and presenting the offerings of his people. In the sight of Infinite Wisdom, it was needful that the Saviour of men should be one who has the fellow-feeling which no being but a fellow-creature could possibly have; and therefore it was necessary he should actual experience of all the effects of sin that could be separated from its actual guilt. God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, Romans 8:3; but the more holy and pure he was, the more he must have been unwilling in his nature to sin, and must have had deeper impression of its evil; consequently the more must he be concerned to deliver his people from its guilt and power. We should encourage ourselves by the excellence of our High Priest, to come boldly to the throne of grace. Mercy and grace are the things we want; mercy to pardon all our sins, and grace to purify our souls. Besides our daily dependence upon God for present supplies, there are seasons for which we should provide in our prayers; times of temptation, either by adversity or prosperity, and especially our dying time. We are to come with reverence and godly fear, yet not as if dragged to the seat of justice, but as kindly invited to the mercy-seat, where grace reigns. We have boldness to enter into the holiest only by the blood of Jesus; he is our Advocate, and has purchased all our souls want or can desire.
(Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Eden
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posted
Cornelius Stam wrote, as posted by WildB quote:
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name...At that day ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me..." (John 16:24-27).
Thus today we pray directly to the Father in the name of the Son.
It is interesting that in spite of the above verse saying that we should pray to the Father and in the name of the Son but not to pray to the Son, it is interesting that I, and numerous others also, often pray to the Son.
And I was wondering if that was because the Bible also says:
John 5:22
For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son.
Do I therefore tend to pray more to the Son than to the Father since the Father has committed all judgment to the Son? I think so, and it is amazing how many Christians do pray directly to Jesus instead of to the Father, as the scripture says we're supposed to do.
Cornelius Stam continued quote:
Our prayers, however, are often faltering and sometimes the way is so dark before us that we do not even know what to ask for. ...
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb.4:16).
On the other hand, I think that people would have to pray much less if they listened more to the counsel of the Holy Spirit for their daily lives.
It is because people are NOT listening adequately to the Holy Spirit's counsel, that their lives get in trouble and they "have to pray". Had they been listening to the Holy Spirit better, the Holy Spirit would have led them into greener pastures, and not to the edge of a cliff:
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not lack.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
So generally I think that if a Christian is doing a lot of praying, that Christian must not be listening to the counsel of the Holy Spirit much.
love, Eden
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WildB
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Member # 2917
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posted
by Cornelius R. Stam
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Prayer, in Old Testament times, was based upon a covenant relationship with God, or it was an appeal to His revealed nature as merciful, gracious, etc. Today it is based upon the redemptive work of Christ, whose death opened the way for us into the Father's presence. This is why acceptable prayer today is offered "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ". With our Lord's departure from this world in view, He said to His disciples:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name...At that day ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me..." (John 16:24-27).
Thus today we pray directly to the Father in the name of the Son.
Our prayers, however, are often faltering and sometimes the way is so dark before us that we do not even know what to ask for. Thus Paul declared: "We know not what we should pray for as we ought" (Rom.8:26). But he was quick to follow this with the declaration:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom.8:28).
This is why the Apostle Paul encourages God's people:
"Be careful [anxious] for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God:
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil.4:6,7).
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb.4:16).
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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