PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

i was reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 today.. "Pray without ceasing."

Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica to encourage them in waiting for the Lord's return. To encourage them to stay faithful in a hostile world. Not much has changed in the world since then. We too need the encouragement that the Word of God brings.

What does praying without ceasing mean? What does it look like? i have a few ideas. i think it looks a lot like walking a holy and righteous life. i think it is the result of taking every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ. Of seeking God early, every day, while he can be found. It is hearing what God has to say to us, all day, every day.

Pastor Scott said today that he knew a brother who's lips were always moving in prayer, all the time, whenever he saw him. i think this is praying without ceasing.

i think that praying without ceasing is not giving Satan any opportunity to reach your heart. Absolutely none. If that means you carry one scripture with you all day, then it is the one that will keep him out. If you give God thanks all day for everything, then a heart focused on God will keep him out. Whatever form of rejoicing, worship and praise to God you carry with you, you stay faithful to it all day, every day. Pray without ceasing, being a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, ALL day, EVERY day.

This time of fasting has shown me, among other things, how separate from the world we who follow Christ really are. There is a world of activity, thoughts, words and actions, going on all around us that we are just not a part of. We have an eternal perspective, a God perspective. We are here in this world as physical bodies, but we are engaged in a spiritual battle that the world for the most part, thumbs its nose at. We battle, with God in us, for the eternal fate of peoples souls. We cry out to our God for his power and might to work through us as we engage each one in the battle, wherever we are. We are broken and beg for God's mercy to reach the lost before it is too late. Before his return.

We need to pray without ceasing, to sanctify, make holy, the Lord God in our hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks us a reason of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15)

Fear of the Lord...that moral gut wrenching, pit of the stomach dread, that you would rather die than be displeasing unto our God. Amen.