DEVOTED TO PRAYER

Luke 16:13 NASB95

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

BE DEVOTED TO PRAYER!

I’ve read how Martin Luther was so busy that he had to devote four hours every morning to prayer and it drives me further under the pile of guilt and inadequacy in my prayer life.

The Greek verb means to adhere to, persist in, be devoted to, or hold fast to something

It is often used with reference to prayer in the New Testament. As the early church waited for the promised Day of Pentecost, we read, Acts 1:14

Acts 1:14 NASB95

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Later, Luke sums up the activities of the Jerusalem church Acts 2:42

Acts 2:42 NASB95

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

When the apostles sought to find seven faithful men to take care of the problem of meeting the needs of the widows, they explained Acts 6:4

Acts 6:4 NASB95

“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Paul instructed the Ephesians 6:18

Ephesians 6:18 NASB95

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

“Perseverance” translates the noun that is related to the verb, “be devoted to.” In Colossians 4:2

Colossians 4:2 NASB95

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

And, although he does not use the same word, Paul expresses the same concept in 1 Thessalonians 5:17

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB95

pray without ceasing;

The Greek word translated “without ceasing” was used of a hacking cough and of repeated military assaults. So the idea is not that we pray every waking minute, but that we keep coming back to prayer again and again. We are relentless in prayer.

So these verses tell us that prayer is not to be a little segment of our lives, where the extent of our praying is to bless our food before meals or to pray with our kids as we tuck them into bed. Rather, prayer is to permeate all of life.

WHAT MOTIVATES ME TO PRAY?

God’s Mercy Motivates Me To Pray

As I’ve mentioned, Romans 12:9-21 is built on Romans 12:1-2, which is founded on Romans 1-11. It is because of God’s many mercies as spelled out in chapters 1-11 that we present our bodies to God as living sacrifices. Because of His mercies, we should be motivated to draw near to Him in prayer. As we saw in Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” If the Father paid that great price to save us and if the Son is at His right hand interceding for us (Rom. 8:34) and if the Holy Spirit is helping us by praying for us with groanings too deep for words (8:26), that motivates me to pray. The author of Hebrews puts it this way (Heb. 4:14-16):

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

God’s Word Motivates Me To Pray

The more I read of God’s word the more I know about how great and awesome my God is and that leads me to offer prayers of praise. In God’s Word I realize how weak and feeble I am and how much I fall short and sin. I realize how much I need God and so that drives me to pray. I read of God’s grace and mercy and that is found in Jesus Christ and that makes me want to offer prayers of thanksgiving. When I read about people of faith it reminds me that they could only do what they did because of the strength that they found in God and that causes me to pray for the strength which only God can provide.

My Overwhelming Need For God Motivates Me To Pray

Everyday I am aware that I need God. I cannot do life on my own without God. I need his strength, His guidance, His forgiveness, His mercy, His love, His comfort. I need God! If you understand that you need God it will drive you to pray more often. I struggle day to day with raising my children, I struggle with being a good husband, I struggle with setting a good example. We all struggle with something and the drives me to pray more.

God Working Through Our Prayers Motivates Me To Pray

James 5:16 NASB95

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

previously in verse 15 James says a prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. Prayer changes things and through my prayers for others powerful things can happen. sick can be healed, strength can be provided, help can be given, love can be shared. Do you believe that your prayers makes a difference in other peoples lives? Why else we tell people I’m praying for you when they are struggling or going through difficult times. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.

WHAT CAN I DO TO BE MORE DEVOTED IN PRAYER?

start of simple

Set Prayer Times.

It is so easy to get up and just get going and get lost in your schedule. Daniel 6:10

Daniel 6:10 NASB95

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

Daniel had a habit of praying three times a day and I think that is wonderful. set you alarm on your phone to go off 3 times a day. If your at home set your alarm there. Use your watch or whatever. When it goes off commit to drop whatever you are doing and spend sometime in prayer.

Pray What You Read.

Bible reading and prayer go together. when you read something that talks about God’s attributes pray prayers of praise. When you read about things you need to change in your life pray for God’s strength. When read about God’s goodness give Him thanks. When your read and realize you have sinned against God pray for forgiveness.

Keep A Prayer Journal.

Write down your prayers. Write down what you prayer for. Keep a list of prayer request and take note of answered prayers and how they were answered (sometimes they are answered in ways we never would have thought of). a Prayer journal is great to go back and look at from time to time to see what you were focused on and to see where your prayer life has grown and taken you.

The more we commune and talk with God the closer our relationship with God will become and the more time we spend with Him the more devoted to Him we will become and the more devoted to Him we become the more we can accomplish for Him in this life. May God bless all of us as we strive to be more devoted to God by being devoted to prayer!

BE DEVOTED TO PRAYER!