Ephesians 6:18 - Praying in the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit
on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and
requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep
on praying for all the Lords people.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Breathe in. Breathe out. Each tiny breath
holds my full attention, as if it were something
as awe-inspiring as the Grand Canyon at sunrise
or as unexpected as a whale breaching from the
ocean. And it is. Some things are just so
miraculous, so impossibly wonderful, that you can't help
but stare. A grandson, three days new, is one of
them.
My cell phone sits on the table, set on
silent. Email waits on my computer, unread.
Deadlines are pushed back. Breakfast is forgotten. I
cradle baby Oliver in my lap, and the warmth of his
little body, not yet unfurled from nine months of
life "on the inside," relaxes me more than a day
at a spa. This is joy.
But it stirs up memories of the last time
I simply sat and watched someone breathe. It
was my mother, a little over a year ago, the
night she died. I watched her breathe in, breathe
out. Until she didn't anymore. That moment, and
this one, feel so similar, so strikingly sacred.
When my emotions run deep, I don't have
to remind myself to pray. God's Spirit does it
for me. If I'm overwhelmed by joy, pain, grief,
fear, or awe, offerings of thanks and praise,
pleas for help, or longings too profound to be put
into words spill out of me as effortlessly as
conversing across the kitchen table with someone I
love. What could be more natural than sharing the
deepest moments of this life with the One who gave
it to me?
Dear Lord, teach me how to pray more
openly, passionately, and regularly - talking to You
with the same ease I feel when I speak to anyone
I love. by Vicki Kuyper [Walking in Grace 2021
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
Practicing the Presence
How do I live in Gods presence? How do
I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and
his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows
familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you
and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Here
are a few ideas:
Give God your waking thoughts. Before you
face the day, face the Father. Before you step
out of bed, step into his presence. I have a
friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed
onto his knees and begin his day in prayer.
Personally, I dont get that far. With my head still
on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer
God the first seconds of my day. The prayer is
not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on
how much sleep I got, it may not even be
intelligible. Often its nothing more than Thank you
for a nights rest. I belong to you today.
Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend
time with him in silence. The mature married
couple has learned the treasure of shared silence;
they dont need to fill the air with constant
chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being
silent with God. Be still, and know that I am
God (Ps. 46:10 NIV). Awareness of God is a fruit
of stillness before God.
Give God your whispering thoughts.
Through the centuries Christians have learned the
value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can
be whispered anywhere, in any setting.
Imagine considering every moment as a
potential time of communion with God. By giving God
your whispering thoughts, the common becomes
uncommon. Simple phrases such as Thank you,
Father, Be sovereign in this hour, O Lord,
You are my resting place, Jesus can turn a
commute into a pilgrimage. You neednt leave your
office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where
you are. Let the kitchen become a cathedral or
the classroom a chapel. Give God your whispering
thoughts.
And last, give God your waning thoughts.
At the end of the day, let your mind settle on
him. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to
God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him
about the hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his
strength. And as you close your eyes, take assurance
in the promise: He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep (Ps. 121:4
NIV). If you fall asleep as you pray, dont
worry. What better place to doze off than in the
arms of your Father. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional
at maxlucado.com]
ILLUSTRATION
My friend Carole has experienced
significant losses. She and her husband went bankrupt.
Then one of her daughters was killed by a drunk
driver. A hurricane destroyed her home, and later
cancer claimed her husband and son-in-law within a
year.
Carole acknowledges these events and the
pain they've caused her, but she refuses to cling
to that pain. She realizes that doing so would
only steep her in discouragement, and that's no
way to live.
Carole is one of the most upbeat women I
know. Her love for Jesus radiates from her face,
and her words reflect the depth of her
relationship with Him. She truly knows what it means to
practice living in His presence.
When I visited her recently, Carole told
me that her mother had always been an upbeat
person too. "I learned it from her," Carole said.
"Every morning when she woke up, she'd say, 'Good
morning, Lord. What wonderful things do You have
planned for us today?' That invited His presence and
set the tone for her entire day. No matter what
happened, she knew that He was sovereign."
Since my conversation with Carole, I've
sought to practice the same ritual. I find that it
sets my mind and heart in a place of eager
anticipation. No matter what the day holds, Jesus holds
me. I will rejoice and be glad in His presence,
His power, and His promises.
What's the first thought that enters your
mind when you wake up? If it's anxiety about the
day, then retrain your thoughts to focus on Jesus
through the simple prayer in Psa. 118:24. by Grace
Fox [Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
CLOSING THOUGHT
"When all else fails" How would you
finish this thought? Maybe like this: When all else
fails I can always pray. It's like one of
those emergency panels in a building with the sign
that reads, "Break glass in case of emergency."
But you'd better make sure it's a real emergency
before you do it. Yes, prayer should be your last
resort. But it should also be your first resort -
and all your resorts in between. In today's
Scripture, Paul writes, "Pray in the Spirit on all
occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests
Be alert and always keep on praying for all the
Lord's people."
Turn again and again to the Lord, with
prayers that are specific, on the spot, detailed,
and out of the box. Pray when you pass an
accident on the highway. Pray when you get into your
car and out of it. Pray when a face floats into
your mind. Pray when the Spirit nudges, and then
pray some more. You can never pray too much.
Lord Jesus, I see people on their iPhones
everywhere I go - walking, driving, waiting - whatever.
I want to be attached to You like that -
talking to You in an airport, in a mall, in a
restaurant, and on my bed at night when the pain won't
retreat and the morning won't come. The more I pray,
the sweeter life becomes. [A Spectacle of Glory
by Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Ephesians 6:18 - Pray in the Spirit.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180503-1057.html
Ephesians 6:18 & Jude 1:20 - Pray in the
Spirit.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040429-1045.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(recent): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
