Daily Bread OCT/31/14 1 Peter 4:7 - Now the end of all things is near therefore be sober and watch through prayer. The first century church followed a custom that has been largely forgotten by both the Jews and the Church. There was a time in which those devoted to the Lord would pray three times a day, just as Daniel prayed (Daniel 6:10). It was a practice to pray at the time of the morning sacrifice (9:00 AM), at noon, and at the time of the evening sacrifice (3:00 PM): Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and He shall hear my voice (Psalms 55:7). There remains an indication of this practice in the New Testament as we observe the Holy Spirit being poured out on the day of Pentecost at about 9:00 AM (Acts 2:15). Also, there was an hour of prayer that the church gave themselves to at 3:00 PM, highlighted in Acts 3:1. Then finally, the time that Peter went to prayer by himself was at noon (Acts 10:9). Peter helps us to understand that it is through prayer that we are going to be empowered to keep a clear head and remain watchful during these last days as Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). We are reminded of what Jesus had told Peter and the others when He had asked them to pray the night that He was handed over to be crucified. Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray that they do not enter into temptation... (Matthew 26:41). Through the activity of prayer, we are strengthened and equipped to deal with the next temptation that we will be faced with when Satan comes with his deceptions and lies against the truth. Prayer is that spiritual place that God has given to us where we are empowered by the Spirit to interact with God. There is a glorious realm that one can discover in prayer that is testified of by Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. As Jesus was praying, the fashion of His countenance was altered and His raiment was white and glistering (Luke 9:29). There is a wonderful communion found in the place of prayer that God has provided to us by His Spirit. Through prayer, we are strengthened by the Spirit in our inner man, built up in our most holy faith, filled with the Spirit, and begin to speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; thus allowing Christ to dwell in us richly (Jude 1:20; Ephesians 3:16, 5:18; Colossians 3:16). Prayer is an activity of the Spirit that we are supposed to give ourselves to continually (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Today, let us come to the throne of grace by the Spirit of God, and allow God to hear our voice as we offer the sweet incense of prayer (Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8).
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 15:44:22 +0000