We talked last Sunday, from Psalm 141:1-4, about prayer originating in our heart. In other words, prayer starts internally. From there it goes to the mouth or lips. This, we said, was the internal manifesting itself externally. Prayer starts inside and then goes outside. The mouth and lips is the means or mode of communication in which we pray. So, prayer does not have to be verbal (mouth and lips) but simply needs to be communicated. We see this in Scripture. Both Gen 24:45 and 1 Sam 1:13 are examples of non-verbal prayer. I told you that prayer can be manifested externally and communicated by your lips (verbally), by your thoughts (non-verbally), or even by your service (your actions). I told you about the lady in the Children’s Ministry in VA who was working, I thought, way to hard and I worried about her. Then she explained her service was a way in which she was praying to God. One of our prayers as church leadership right now has been that we would be a real community more and more. Part of community, if you remember the community sermon series we did, is unity, dependence, and commitment. So, we have been praying that this congregation would be unified with each other, dependent on each other, and committed to each other. Last weekend 4 men of this church gathered together to go help two Trinity families deal with the mess still left behind from the ice storm we went through. These men gave their time and served their community by cutting tree limbs and cleaning debris. What was this act if not the external manifestation of our prayer for this church? These men did not sit and pray in the sense of which we unusually associate prayer. However, these men went out and externally manifested the prayer of Trinity’s leadership; much like the lady in VA did through serving in Children’s Ministry. What started in the heart, a desire for community among Trinity, welled up in service and a willingness to serve God and others. There is prayer manifesting itself! Praise God... Do the things that start internally in your heart manifest themselves externally? What is your prayer life really like? By the way, Jesus often prayed to be in the will of God...but His prayer didn’t stop with the simple manifestation of words (verbal prayer) did it? He also did the will of God. The same can be said of all of the apostles. We have many things that Paul prayed for recorded for us in Scripture. And we see Paul manifesting those prayers through his own actions and service. I LOVE PRAYER. But I am a believer that prayer should not stop with our words. Prayer can be lived! So, again, how do the things that start internally in your heart manifest themselves externally? What is your prayer life really like? I want to challenge this church to get on its knees and pray. But then get up off our knees and live out our prayer through another way of praying; through actions and service. With that thought in mind now think of that question from the Casting Crowns song I started this prayer series with: What if His people prayed? Amen... His Peace, Matt Stuffel
Posted on: Thu, 23 Jan 2014 17:09:36 +0000
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