Day 12
|
 |
Is there a need in your life that you are standing for in faith? Take it to the Lord again today in prayer and thank Him for the answer. Be persistent in your prayer, knowing that:
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. —James 5:16b
Three of the keys Jesus gives for seeing answers to prayer can be summed up as: Be persistent, be purposeful and be personal.
The first key is persistence, which means to hold fast to, or hold onto tightly. God wants us to hold on tightly to His promises in prayer. Don't let disappointment cause you to let go of your faith. If we call on God, He promises to answer! But we must wait on the Lord and let Him answer our prayers in His perfect timing.
The next key is to be purposeful. The Bible says one of the reasons we haven't received God's best is that we haven't asked Him, or we ask with the wrong motives (James 4:2). But God wants us to share our hearts with Him. He wants children who are willing to dream His dreams.
The most important key to effective prayer is a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. Remember, it takes time to develop a close friendship. You can start by involving God in the details of your life and learning to recognize His faithfulness even in little everyday challenges and events. Develop a plan of Bible reading and prayer that works for you. Pray for family and friends who may not know Jesus. And be sure to thank Him when the answers come!
As you remain persistent and purposeful in your personal relationship with the Lord, you will see the answers to prayer come.
|
|
Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
—Lamentations 3: 23-25
|
|
|
