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The Word of God says:

Zechariah 12:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications.

Romans 15:30 (NASB) ³⁰ Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

My reflections on the Word of God:

I read a recent tweet from Rick Warren where he said every project should have a genesis and an exodus.

Well, after arriving in Alaska forty-five years ago, we will be leaving in a few days to return to Louisiana. I will be shutting down the computer, and disconnecting my cable service. The closing on the sale of our home in Anchorage will occur on Thursday morning.

We will be off-line for a few weeks. After that, we expect to return to sharing the Word of God with you daily.

In our focal passage for today, the Apostle Paul recognized the need for having people praying for him. If Paul needed prayer, I certainly stand in the need of your prayers as we leave Alaska, and take up our new assignment from our Lord in Baton Rouge. My needs are quite similar to the needs of Paul, except I am not in chains.

Ephesians 6:19-20 (NASB) ¹⁹ and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 (NASB) ¹ Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;² and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I ask You to strengthen us and encourage us to be more consistent and faithful in praying for one another.

Father God, I pray that we will learn to see problems in our life as God’s raw material for performing a miracle if we will take our problems to the Lord in prayer.

I will continue this ministry of prayer and the ministry of the Word of God, and I will be praying for the Lord to enlarge my circle of influence. Although I will be off-line, in my communication with my family and friends for a brief period, I am never off-line with our heavenly Father.

1 Thessalonians 5:25 (NLT) ²⁵ Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.

What a Friend (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php?t=h&n=789

The Word of God says:

Romans 8:26-27 (NASB) ²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

My reflections on the Word of God:

My grammar checker flagged our focal passage as a long sentence. It may be a long sentence; However, I would not dare change it. This passage is an encouragement to every intercessor.

The intercessor, in his or her wisdom, is never able to do alone what they can do with the aid and the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

I thank the Lord that we are never alone when we pray. What a relief that is. The Holy Spirit comes to the aid of the intercessor. Notice how the Holy Spirit comes to our aid. He helps us in our sufferings and in our groanings.

Romans 8:18 (NASB) ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:23 (NASB) ²³ And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Hold on, it gets even better. Not only do we have the Holy Spirit within us interceding for us, but also we have Jesus at the right hand of the Father in heaven interceding for us.

Romans 8:34 (NASB) ³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I pray that the encouraging words that we have reflected upon today will quicken a desire in our hearts to be more consistent and faithful in praying for others.

Father God, the times that we are living in begs for intercessors to stand in the gap for a lost and dying world.

Lord, when You look for someone who will pray, may You find in Your church those who are willing to be intercessors on behalf of those who are suffering and groaning.

Father God, send down from Your throne in heaven a revival of prayer in the hearts of Your people. Lord, may each of us be empowered by the Holy Spirit within us, and Jesus who is both in us, and at Your right hand.

Sweet Hour of Prayer (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Sweet_Hour_of_Prayer/midi/

The Word of God says:

Luke 18:1 (NASB) ¹ Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,

Luke 18:8 (NASB) ⁸ “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today we continue to focus on the topic, “Revival of Prayer”. When we started our focus on this topic, we started by looking at prayerlessness, and called it sin, the way Samuel saw it. Let us review the scripture reference in 1 Samuel, and add one from Job.

1 Samuel 12:23 (KJV) ²³ Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you.

Job 15:4 (KJV) ⁴ Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

Our focal passage for today leads me to reexamine my own prayer life. The sin of prayerlessness is a terrible sin against God. We sin against God when we say we don’t have time to pray. When we say we are too busy working for God to have time to pray.

God’s Word tells us, “I am with you”. But, when we don’t pray, we are saying to God that I don’t need your presence because I am too busy working for you.

I recall the verse of a song that we sing in the church; but we give it only lip service. When is the last time you have done what this verse says.

“O the pure delight of a single hourthat before thy throne I spend,when I kneel in prayer, and with thee, my God,I commune as friend with friend!”

Prayer brings us into the presence of God. And with His presence, we experience His power. God’s presence brings victory. Let us bend the knee, and confess to God our sin of prayerlessness.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

O God, I pray that You would convict and convince Your people, the church, that prayerlessness is a terrible sin, and that it is robbing the church of Your miraculous power.

Father God, show us that we cannot experience victory without Your presence, and without unceasing prayer.

Victory in Jesus (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Victory_In_Jesus.html

The Word of God says:

1 Samuel 12:23 (NIV) ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.

My reflections on the Word of God:

In this passage, the focus is upon the faith and the faithfulness of God’s servant Samuel. It shows the confidence and faith that he had in His great God. Samuel knew that God could do anything but fail. The God that Samuel trusted in and prayed to was also a compassionate and forgiving God.

1 Samuel 12:16-18 (NIV) ¹⁶ “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!¹⁷ Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the Lord to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”¹⁸ Then Samuel called upon the Lord, and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel.

The people stood in awe because they had witnessed the power of God. The people stood in awe of Samuel because of His devotion to God, and His confident faith in God. The people then asked this man of God to pray to God on their behalf.

1 Samuel 12:19 (NIV) ¹⁹ The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

Samuel’s response to the people should be an encouragement to each one of us today. The God that Samuel served is the same God that we serve today. In view of God’s grace and glory, it is a sin for us not to be people of prayer.

1 Samuel 12:20-22 (NIV) ²⁰ “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.²¹ Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.²² For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I pray that this example of Your faithfulness in the past in dealing with Your people will quicken our hearts to be faithful and unceasing in our prayers for others.

Lord, help us to see prayerlessness as You see it. Lord, Your servant Samuel saw it as a sin against You if he was to cease praying for Your people.

Lord, I thank You that You are a God of grace and glory. I am so thankful that nothing I will ever face is beyond the reach of prayer.

God of Grace and God of Glory (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/godgrace.htm

The Word of God says:

Zechariah 12:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications.

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today I will be using scriptures from the prayer guide of an email group that I am a member. The subject for this week is “Revival of Prayer”.

The noted writer and prayer warrior, Andrew Murray, says the following about this topic, “The church and the world need nothing as much as a mighty Spirit of intercession to bring down the power of God on earth … Pray for the Spirit of intercession to bring a great prayer revival”.

There are times when God’s Word applies to all of God’s children. Our focal verse shows one of those times.

Zechariah 13:1 (KJV) ¹ In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

I believe that God wants to pour out His Spirit on the church today. He waits for His people to call upon Him in prayer. The Sovereign Lord desires that everyone would receive the blessing by meeting His conditions for revival.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) ¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Lord, I join with my brothers and sisters that are members of this large prayer group in seeking Your face in praying for revival.

Lord, if revival comes to our churches, it will have to come from above, from Your hands. Lord, look into our hearts, see our need, and pour out the Spirit of intercession to bring a great prayer revival by Your people.

Open My Eyes, That I May See (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Open_My_Eyes_That_I_May_See.html

The Word of God says:

Isaiah 62:1 (NIV) ¹ For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.

My reflections on the Word of God:

In our focal verse for today, we see the prophet call out to God on behalf of His people. The prophet was not hesitant to call out to God in prayer by claiming the promises of God. He was so sure of God’s promises, and the provisions and power of prayer, that He invited others to join him in prayer.

Isaiah urged the watchmen and all of God’s people to join him in prayer. There is power in united prayer.

Isaiah 62:6-7 (NIV) ⁶ I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest,⁷ and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

David, the psalmist, was another servant of God who prayed for the peace of Jerusalem. We should view his call to prayer as one that is an invitation to us to pray also.

Psalm 122:6 (NIV) ⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I am so thankful that You hear and answer the prayers of Your believing people. Lord, I am so thankful for the invitation to pray, and for the promises for those who accept the invitation to pray.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) ³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Standing on the Promises (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Standing_on_the_Promises.html

The Word of God says:

Proverbs 10:8-9 (AMP) ⁸ The wise in heart will accept and obey commandments, but the foolish of lips will fall headlong.⁹ He who walks uprightly walks securely, but he who takes a crooked way shall be found out and punished.

Proverbs 1:5 (AMP) ⁵ The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that he may be able to steer his course rightly]—

Proverbs 9:9 (AMP) ⁹ Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man (one upright and in right standing with God) and he will increase in learning.

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today’s focal passage reminds us of the importance of the heart. What is in our heart will determine how we live our lives.

Luke 6:45 (NIV) ⁴⁵ The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

In our focal passage, we see a general principle of life. A wise person is teachable. This results in the wise increasing in learning.

One of the keys to learning is the ability to listen. The wise person listens, and becomes wiser. The fool cannot stop talking long enough to learn anything.

Proverbs 10:8 (NIV) ⁸ The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that You will give me a pure heart so that I will be teachable.

Lord, help me to learn to listen so that I may learn, and grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Help me to guard my heart and control my tongue.

Purer in Heart, O God (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/p/u/purerinh.htm