PRAYER, OR WELL RATHER THE POWER THEREOF

Prayer, or well rather the POWER thereof

What has Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach told us to do if / when we NEED anything?  Well, He tells us to pray and ask the Father for these things in His Name according to – John 14 “And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13 KJV, see also Matthew 7:7, Mark 11:24 and Luke 11:9 too!  Note, moving forward to John 16:26 Jesus clarifies His instructions on this, declaring that it isn’t He who will be interceding with the Father for us, rather that we have a DIRECT LINE to the Father, by prayer through Him, Christ Jesus our Lord.  I also want to throw in little side-bar note here also found in John 14, Jesus said – “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 KJV  See footnote ^[1] below.

Next, let’s look at what James has to say about prayer, “Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” James 5:16 (AMP)  KJV says “…prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  So, who among us is RIGHTEOUS then?  Dare I say… “We are!” (that is if we be followers of / believers in Jesus / Yeshua)

Before we explore this *righteous* question further, please indulge me whilst I share a very simple insight from a Rabbi friend.  He asked a question as we draw ever closer to Passover, “Who is it that lead the Jews out of bondage in Egypt?” was his query.  Ponder this for a moment, if you will, as we return to the *righteous* one as described in James 5:16.  Who then is *RIGHTEOUS* among us?  Well, God’s (Christ’s) Holy Word tells us, straight up!

See Romans 3:19 through 24 tells us –

“19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Righteousness Through Faith

 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:19-24 NIV 

Also see 1 Corinthians 1:30 and also 2 Corinthians 5:21, ‘Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach who had no sin, was made to be sin by God the Father, so that we would become the righteousness of God.’ 2 Corinthians 5:21 paraphrased

Thus, as Paul told the Church in Rome, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1 Hebrew Names Version (HNV).  This is really cool, and incredibly GOOD NEWS folks!  NO Condemnation, wow!

Oh, and before I forget, the query from above: “Who lead the Jews out of Egypt?”… any takers?  Hint we’ve been talking about Him all evening!  Hey, by the way, would you like to know the one true God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach?  Please read on.

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace” 

How does one get to “know” Jesus?  Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelations 3:20 NIV]  How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything, anything at all?  Well because the Bible tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” [Romans 10:9-10 NIV]

And for those of you who say to me, I can’t be bothered reading the Bible, “it’s confusing” or “it’s a waste of my time”, may I draw your attention to what the Bible says about wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” [Proverbs 9:10 NIV]

If nothing else, PLEASE read two chapters from the Bible – (don’t own one, sorry NO excuse, if you’re reading this, you can access this: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&version=NIV) John 3 and John 14!

John 3:16 says:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Well that’s it, that’s Da Bauz’s Take on, the POWER of Prayer – this 1^st day of April 2012 © 2012, All Rights Reserved. wr (Da Bauz, Christian Zionist “creationist” too)

Footnote [1] – What is / are Christ’s “Commandments”?  According to Matthew,

“36 Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light--which are heavy?]

    37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).

    38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.

    39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

    40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40 (AMP)