God's Generosity and Reward through Prayer

Tip! One warning you should bear in mind in the matter of prayer is the negligence of this great resource. We often neglect prayer until we get into some major trouble; and then suffocating with fear, we rush into some shallow appeal to God only to realize that our prayers are not accepted which is due to the fact that we do not even believe that those very prayers would be accepted in the first place.

Psalms 78:19-20, 29 "Yes, they spoke against God: They said, 'Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?'...So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them their own desire."

IS this not always the cry of unbelief, Can God? While the triumphant statement of faith is: God can! What a difference is formed by the collocation of words! Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? God can spread a table, even in the wilderness, and in the presence of our enemies our cup can overflow. Can He give bread also? He can satisfy the desire of every living thing, by the opening of His hand. Can You do anything for us, our child is grievously possessed by the devil? If you can believe, all things are possible to them that believe.

The wanderings of the Israelites for forty years were due to the fact that they looked at their difficulties and questioned if God could overcome them. Amongst the people, only Caleb and Joshua looked away from the Canaanites and their fortified cities to Him who had brought them where they were, and had guaranteed to remove them.

Some people speak of Giants with a capital G, and forget to magnify the power of God. No wonder that they account themselves as grass-hoppers, and lost heart! Let us not forget that we are sons and daughters of God, "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Compare these two verses Numbers 13:33 "There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." Romans 8:17 "and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.")

Tip! Talking to God - This is the one on one type prayer - where we converse with God to develop our relationship with him. We may ask him to help us in areas that we need spiritual, physical or emotional support.

Look back on the past; see what God has done for you; remember He is pledged to finish what He has begun. If He gave water, He can certainly give bread.

Tip! What really determines the effectiveness of our labor for Christ is the measure of our faith and the fervency of our prayers. If our faith is poor and our praying is indifferent; how can we expect to achieve much for Him?

"They did eat, and were well filled." When we are poor and needy, we are likely to be humble in our prayers. But if suddenly our lot is changed, and there is abundance instead of poverty, how often there is a change in our behavior. We are apt to become self-indulgent, and forgetful of the needs of the world. Instead of remembering that we are still God's pensioners, we magnify ourselves as though we were exclusive owners. Probably this is why God keeps some of us in poverty, for no greater temptation could befall us than to find ourselves with riches. In this way He answers our daily prayer, "Lead us not into temptation!"

God is more concerned about our growth in faith (God can!) then He is about our success in this life.

PRAYER

We thank You our heavenly Father, for the new mercies of each returning day, for all that You have given to us, and not less for that which You do withhold. May we be receptive of all things that pertain to life and godliness. In Jesus' name AMEN.