15 lines
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15 lines
4.5 KiB
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<html><head><title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">December 22</div></div>
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<h1>Praying Without Ceasing to the God of All Grace</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>The <b>God</b> of <b>all grace</b>…<b>pray without ceasing</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 5, '10-10');">1 Peter 5:10</a> and <a onClick="return mV('1Th', 5, '17-17');">1 Thessalonians 5:17</a>)</div>
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<p>These two biblical phrases are ideal correlations. The <b>only</b> way that we can live as God intends is by <b>grace</b>. Our <b>God</b> is the <b>source</b> of <b>all grace</b>. We draw upon God's grace through <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. <b>Prayer</b> is the <b>most appropriate expression</b> of humility and faith. We pray, because we <b>need God's help</b> (thereby, expressing humility). We pray, because we <b>believe God will help us</b> (thereby, exercising faith). Consequently, <b>praying without ceasing</b> is a simple, yet profound, way to relate rightly to the God of all grace.</p><p><i>"<b>Pray without ceasing</b>."</i> This command does not require the incessant recitation of prayers. Rather, it is a call to a prayerful way of living: "<b>continuing steadfastly</b> in <b>prayer</b>" (<a onClick="return mV('Rom', 12, '12-12');">Romans 12:12</a>). Praying without ceasing is primarily an attitude of the heart. To pray without ceasing is to have the inner man humbly dependent upon the Lord, while consistently addressing actual prayers to the Lord.</p><p>Paul was such a man of prayer. The Lord was definitely the object of his expectations: <i>"the Lord Jesus Christ, <b>our hope</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Ti', 1, '1-1');">1 Timothy 1:1</a>). In addition, he <b>consistently</b> offered prayers unto the Lord: <i>"<b>without ceasing</b> I make mention of you always <b>in my prayers</b>…do <b>not cease</b> to give thanks for you, making mention of you <b>in my prayers</b>…<b>without ceasing</b> I remember you <b>in my prayers night and day</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom', 1, '9-9');">Romans 1:9</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Eph', 1, '16-16');">Ephesians 1:16</a>; and <a onClick="return mV('2Ti', 1, '3-3');">2 Timothy 1:3</a>). Notice also, Paul's prayers included recurring prayer for others. Those who live by grace develop hearts of intercession, praying that others might enjoy the grace of God as well.</p><p>It is common among the spiritual examples of Scripture to find lives of prayer. David was clearly one who prayed without ceasing. A great portion of his Psalms are prayers to the Lord. Some Psalms testify of his habit of prayer. <i>"<b>Evening</b> and <b>morning</b> and at <b>noon</b> I will <b>pray</b>, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Psa', 55, '17-17');">Psalm 55:17</a>). Jeremiah was a man of prayer. <i>"O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction…Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved…Give heed to me, O LORD, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me!"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jer', 16, '19-19');">Jeremiah 16:19</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Jer', 17, '14-14');">17:14</a>; and <a onClick="return mV('Jer', 18, 19);">18:19</a>). Daniel was also a man of prayer. <i>"He knelt down on his knees <b>three times</b> that day, and <b>prayed</b> and gave thanks before his God, <b>as was his custom</b> since early days"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Dan', 6, '10-10');">Daniel 6:10</a>). Likewise, those who truly live by grace increasingly become people of prayer.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">O God of all grace, I want to live in humble dependence upon Your abounding grace. Teach me to express humility and faith in a life of unceasing prayer. This I pray through Christ Jesus my Lord, Amen.</div></div></div><div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/12/1221.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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