Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Pray, Pray, Pray... Job 41-42; Ephesians 1

May the mumbling commence!

Don’t want to pray for your tormentors?  Join the club.  But, before we jump the gun too fast, read how Job prayed for his “friends” who tormented him through his time in the valley of the shadow of death.  Read from Job chapter forty-two:

After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was.  Now take seven young bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was." 
So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer. 
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! (Verses 7-10)

It was Job’s prayer for his friends that restored his fortunes.  Job received twice as much as he had before this valley experience!  Pray for your tormentors and receive rich blessing from the Lord.  Let us meditate on that thought this Holy Week.

How should we pray?  Read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians from Ephesians chapter one:

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for Christians everywhere, I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.  I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people. 
I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.  Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.  And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church.  And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence. (Verses 15-23)

Constant prayer for our fellow brothers and sisters – it’s what we’re called to.  Pray for wisdom and understanding.  The goal is that we might know God better.  Pray for the light of Christ to reveal the wonderful future that awaits us.  It’s a rich and glorious inheritance.  Believe and receive incredible power from on high.

Christ is King!  Hallelujah!  Let’s walk in his Way… the way of obedience and constant prayer to the Lord God.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out


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