Knocking on Heavens door.

James 1:5-8

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.


James 5:13-15

 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.


1 Peter 3: 7

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.


Isaiah 58- READ ME NOW!

Mark 11:24 

 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours

Matthew 6:7 

 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 

Luke 11: 9- 13

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

There SO many verses about praying to God our Father.  God says CALL on Him! He is not a slot machine. It is not a magic trick. There are reason prayers are not answered. (Check your motives, God's Will)  There are other things at work. But His word clearly says. Pray. AND without ceasing. Jesus himself Taught us how. Told us how important it was and modeled it for us.
It is one of the most difficult things to stick with. Something always happens that may hinder us from taking the time to pray. BUT once you start making it your routine. OH the freedom. The JOY. IT is immeasurable.



Here are some requirements for a successful prayer life.

A humble heart.
Wholeheartedness
Faith
Righteousness
Obedience

I take great JOY in praying for others.  It is a privilege to present my loved ones and even strangers to the throne of Our Great Big God. It takes my attitude and aligns it with something bigger than myself. It takes my heart and softens it to face the world. It allows to me to hear, listen and act the way He wants me to.  I challenge you to make great effort to get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning. Wipe the sleep from your eyes. And pray. Thanking Him. Praising Him. Confessing. Pray for others. AND then Just be STILL just listen. Just be quiet for a couple minutes and wait on Him! Let the Spirit of the Lord speak to you. I promise you will not be sorry you did!







Francis Chan