Why the Results Fail. 2. Why the Results Are Delayed. 3. The Great
Outside Hindrance, or, the Relation of Prayer to Satan.
Why the Results Fail
Breaking with God.
God answers prayer. Prayer is God and man joining hands to secure some
high end. He joins with us through the communication of prayer in
accomplishing certain great results. This is the main drive of prayer. Our
asking and expecting and God's doing jointly bring to pass things that
otherwise would not come to pass. Prayer changes things. This is the great
fact of prayer.
Yet a great many prayers are not answered. Or, to put it more accurately,
a great many prayers fail utterly of accomplishing any results. Probably
it is accurate to say that _thousands_ of prayers go up and bring nothing
down. This is certainly true. Let us say it just as bluntly and plainly as
it can be said. As a result many persons are saying: "Well, prayer is not
what you claim for it: we prayed and no answer came: nothing was changed."
From all sorts of circles, and in all sorts of language comes this
statement. Scholarly men who write with wisdom's words, and thoughtless
people whose thinking never even pricks the skin of the subject, and all
sorts of people in between group themselves together here. And they are
right, quite right. The bother is that what they say is not all there is
to be said. There is yet more to be said, that is right too, and that
changes the final conclusion radically. Partial truth is a very mean sort
of lie.
The prayer plan like many another has been much disturbed, and often
broken. And one who would be a partner with God up to the limit of his
power must understand the things that hinder the prayer plan. There are
three sorts of hindrances to prayer. First of all there are things in us
that _break off connection_ with God, the source of the changing power.
Then there are certain things in us that _delay, or diminish_ the results;
that interfere with the full swing of the prayer plan of operations. And
then there is a great _outside_ hindrance to be reckoned upon. To-day we
want to talk together of the first of these, namely, the hindrances that
_break off connections_ between God and His human partner.
Here again there is a division into three. There are three things directly
spoken of in the book of God that hinder prayer. One of these is a
familiar thing. What a pity that repugnant things may become so familiar
as no longer to repel. It is this:--_sin_ hinders prayer. In Isaiah's
first chapter God Himself speaking says, "When you stretch out your
hands"--the way they prayed, standing with outstretched hands--"I will
shut My eyes; when you make many prayers, I will shut My ears."[12] Why?
What's the difficulty? These outstretched hands are _soiled!_ They are
actually holding their sin-soiled hands up into God's face; and He is
compelled to look at the thing most hateful to Him. In the fifty-ninth
chapter of this same book,[13] God Himself is talking again. Listen
"Behold! the _Lord's_ hand is not shortened: _His_ ear is not heavy."
There is no trouble on the _up_ side. God is all right. "But"--listen with
both your ears--"your _iniquities_ ... your _sins_ ... your _hands_ ...
your _fingers_ ... your _lips_ ... your _tongue_ ..." the slime of sin is
oozing over everything! Turn back to that sixty-sixth Psalm[14]--"if I
regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me." How much more if
the sin of the heart get into the hands or the life! And the fact to put
down plainly in blackest ink once for all is this--_sin hinders prayer_.
There is nothing surprising about this. That we can think the reverse is
the surprising thing. Prayer is transacting business with God. Sin is
_breaking with God_.
Suppose I had a private wire from my apartments here to my home in
Cleveland, and some one should go outside and drag the wire down until it
touches the ground--a good square touch with the ground--the electricians
would call it grounded, could I telegraph over that wire? Almost any child
knows I could not. Suppose some one _cuts_ the wire, a good clean cut; the
two ends are apart: not a mile; not a yard; but distinctly apart. Could I
telegraph on that wire? Of course not. Yet I might sit in my room and tick
away by the hour wholly absorbed, and use most beautiful persuasive
language--what is the good? The wire's cut. All my fine pleading goes into
the ground, or the air. Now _sin cuts the wire;_ it runs the message into
the ground.
"Well," some one will object, "now you're cutting us all out, are you not?
Are we not all conscious of a sinful something inside here that has to be
fought, and held under all the while?" It certainly seems to be true that
the nearer a man gets to God the more keenly conscious he is of a sinful
tendency within even while having continual victory. But plainly enough
what the Book means here is this:--if I am holding something in my life
that the Master does not like, if I am failing to obey when His voice has
spoken, that to me is sin. It may be wrong in itself. It may _not_ be
wrong in itself. It may not be wrong for another. Sometimes it is not the
thing involved but the One involved that makes the issue. If that faithful
quiet inner voice has spoken and I know what the Master would prefer and I
fail to keep in line, that to me is sin. Then prayer is useless; sheer
waste of breath. Aye, worse, it is deceptive. For I am apt to say or
think, "Well, I am not as good as you, or you, but then I am not so bad;
_I pray._" And the truth is because I have broken with God the
praying--saying words in that form--is utterly worthless.
You see _sin is slapping God in the face_. It may be polished, cultured
sin. Sin seems capable of taking quite a high polish. Or it may be the
common gutter stuff. A man is not concerned about the grain of a club that
strikes him a blow. How can He and I talk together if I have done that,
and stick to it--not even apologized. And of what good is an apology if
the offense is being repeated. And if we cannot talk together of course
working together is out of the question. And prayer is working together
with God. Prayer is _pulling with God_ in His plan for a world.
Shall we not put out the thing that is wrong? or put in the thing the
Master wants in? For _Jesus'_ sake? Aye for _men's_ sake: poor befooled
men's sake who are being kept out and away because God cannot get at them
through us!
Shall we bow and ask forgiveness for our sin, and petty stubbornness that
has been thwarting the Master's love-plan? And yet even while we ask
forgiveness there are lives out yonder warped and dwarfed and worse
because of the hindrance in us; yes, and remaining so as we slip out of
this meeting. May the fact send us out to walk very softly these coming
days.
Walking In Gods Blessings From This Day Forward!
ALL ARE COMMANDED TO PRAY--PRAYER THE GREAT MEANS OF SALVATION, AND
Posted by
Matthew
comments (1)
Prayer is nothing else but the _application of the heart to God_, and
the interior exercise of love. St Paul commands us to "pray without
ceasing" (1 Thess. v. 17). Our Lord says: "Take ye heed, watch and
pray." "And what I say unto you, I say unto all" (Mark xiii. 33, 37).
All, then, are capable of prayer, and it is the duty of all to engage in
it.
But I do not think that all are fit for meditation; and, therefore, it
is not that sort of prayer which God demands or desires of them.
My dear friends, whoever you may be, who desire to be saved, come unto
God in prayer. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that
thou mayest be rich" (Rev. iii. 18). It is easily to be obtained, far
more easily than you could ever imagine.
Come, all ye that are athirst, and take this water of life freely (see
Rev. xxii. 17). Do not amuse yourselves by hewing out to yourselves
"broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jer. ii. 13). Come, hungry
souls, who find nothing that can satisfy you, and you shall be _filled_.
Come, poor afflicted ones, weighed down with griefs and sorrows, and you
shall be comforted. Come, sick ones, to the great Physician, and do not
fear to approach Him because you are so weak and diseased: expose all
your diseases to Him, and they shall be healed.
Come, children, to your Father; He will receive you with open arms of
love. Come, wandering and scattered sheep, to your Shepherd. Come,
sinners, to your Saviour. Come, ignorant and foolish ones, who believe
yourselves incapable of prayer; it is you who are the most fitted for
it. Come all without exception; Jesus Christ calls you all.
Let those only refuse to come who have no heart. The invitation is not
for them; for we must have a heart in order to love. But who is indeed
without heart? Oh, come and give that heart to God, and learn in the
place of prayer how to do it! All those who long for prayer are capable
of it, who have ordinary grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is
freely promised to all who ask it.
Prayer is the key of perfection and of sovereign happiness; it is the
efficacious means of getting rid of all vices and of acquiring all
virtues; for the way to become perfect is to live in the presence of
God. He tells us this Himself: "Walk before me, and be thou perfect"
(Gen. xvii. 1). Prayer alone can bring you into His presence, and keep
you there continually.
What we need, then, is an attitude of prayer, in which we can
_constantly_ abide, and out of which exterior occupations cannot draw
us; a prayer which can be offered alike by princes, kings, prelates,
magistrates, soldiers, children, artisans, labourers, women, and the
sick. This prayer is not mental, but _of the heart_.
It is not a prayer of thought alone, because the mind of man is so
limited, that while it is occupied with one thing it cannot be thinking
of another. But it is the PRAYER OF THE HEART, which cannot be
interrupted by the occupations of the mind. Nothing can interrupt the
prayer of the heart but unruly affections; and when once we have tasted
of the love of God, it is impossible to find our delight in anything but
Himself.
Nothing is easier than to have God and to live upon Him. He is more
truly in us than we are in ourselves. He is more anxious to give Himself
to us than we are to possess Him. All that we want is to know the way to
seek Him, which is so easy and so natural, that breathing itself is not
more so.
Oh, you who imagine yourselves incapable of religious feeling, you may
live in prayer and in God as easily and as continuously as you live by
the air you breathe. Will you not, then, be inexcusable if you neglect
to do it, after you have learned the way?
http://budurl.com/7zy5
the interior exercise of love. St Paul commands us to "pray without
ceasing" (1 Thess. v. 17). Our Lord says: "Take ye heed, watch and
pray." "And what I say unto you, I say unto all" (Mark xiii. 33, 37).
All, then, are capable of prayer, and it is the duty of all to engage in
it.
But I do not think that all are fit for meditation; and, therefore, it
is not that sort of prayer which God demands or desires of them.
My dear friends, whoever you may be, who desire to be saved, come unto
God in prayer. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that
thou mayest be rich" (Rev. iii. 18). It is easily to be obtained, far
more easily than you could ever imagine.
Come, all ye that are athirst, and take this water of life freely (see
Rev. xxii. 17). Do not amuse yourselves by hewing out to yourselves
"broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jer. ii. 13). Come, hungry
souls, who find nothing that can satisfy you, and you shall be _filled_.
Come, poor afflicted ones, weighed down with griefs and sorrows, and you
shall be comforted. Come, sick ones, to the great Physician, and do not
fear to approach Him because you are so weak and diseased: expose all
your diseases to Him, and they shall be healed.
Come, children, to your Father; He will receive you with open arms of
love. Come, wandering and scattered sheep, to your Shepherd. Come,
sinners, to your Saviour. Come, ignorant and foolish ones, who believe
yourselves incapable of prayer; it is you who are the most fitted for
it. Come all without exception; Jesus Christ calls you all.
Let those only refuse to come who have no heart. The invitation is not
for them; for we must have a heart in order to love. But who is indeed
without heart? Oh, come and give that heart to God, and learn in the
place of prayer how to do it! All those who long for prayer are capable
of it, who have ordinary grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is
freely promised to all who ask it.
Prayer is the key of perfection and of sovereign happiness; it is the
efficacious means of getting rid of all vices and of acquiring all
virtues; for the way to become perfect is to live in the presence of
God. He tells us this Himself: "Walk before me, and be thou perfect"
(Gen. xvii. 1). Prayer alone can bring you into His presence, and keep
you there continually.
What we need, then, is an attitude of prayer, in which we can
_constantly_ abide, and out of which exterior occupations cannot draw
us; a prayer which can be offered alike by princes, kings, prelates,
magistrates, soldiers, children, artisans, labourers, women, and the
sick. This prayer is not mental, but _of the heart_.
It is not a prayer of thought alone, because the mind of man is so
limited, that while it is occupied with one thing it cannot be thinking
of another. But it is the PRAYER OF THE HEART, which cannot be
interrupted by the occupations of the mind. Nothing can interrupt the
prayer of the heart but unruly affections; and when once we have tasted
of the love of God, it is impossible to find our delight in anything but
Himself.
Nothing is easier than to have God and to live upon Him. He is more
truly in us than we are in ourselves. He is more anxious to give Himself
to us than we are to possess Him. All that we want is to know the way to
seek Him, which is so easy and so natural, that breathing itself is not
more so.
Oh, you who imagine yourselves incapable of religious feeling, you may
live in prayer and in God as easily and as continuously as you live by
the air you breathe. Will you not, then, be inexcusable if you neglect
to do it, after you have learned the way?
http://budurl.com/7zy5
Peace of Mind Spiritual Healing Program - Ways to Soul's Nourishment and Perfection" Body:
Posted by
Matthew
comments (0)
Peace of Mind started a Spiritual Healing program to combat problems usually could not be solved by traditional methods. The program consist of 4 stages; Signs - Diagnosis, Healing - Treatment, Protection and Purification. Along with the book, the program comes with Healing videos and audios, transliteration of prayers and Black Magic Self Help Quiz
Spiritual Healing is your ultimate weapon to boost your immune system and have a peace of mind and soul for good mental and spiritual health.
Now that I have your attention, I’m going to open your eyes with a very simple, easy to practice Self Spiritual Healing Techniques.
Peace of Mind - Spiritual Healing Program, with God's help, are arranged merely for the development of your spiritual powers that are consist of easy to practice Self Spiritual Healing Techniques, for healing of your broken life, protection against such evil attacks, intellectually based on excellent and logical philosophy. Through simple ways, these techniques will fortify your faith and spirituality such that each minute's engagement with them is equivalent to a year of worship. You will feel , purification, light, happy, feeling you have more energy walking towards God's Straight Path.
An hour of it can compete with sixty years of accepted worship, according to the sincere reporter, peace and blessings of God be upon him.
The program highlights: Based on the truth contained in these course sections, with which readers will be intimately acquainted, with God's assistance they will succeed in correcting all their inward and outward defects and faults. They will even, through most inclusive and simple methods, attain extensive access to good guidance toward individuals and society.
Mankind succeeds in removing his natural, traditional, or social wickedness when he identifies the root cause as promoting evil, and restrains it. He should, contrarily, efficiently strengthen the root cause for goodness and seek to intensify it.
Indeed we will not succeed in this process unless we methodologically understand the mentioned truths. And this Spiritual program will achieve just that. This is a healing guide book for spiritual warfare against wickedness, sinfulness, we got in or we have been put in by beings around us.
QH- Peace of Mind spiritual healing is based on the premise that no one can be truly healthy unless their mind, body and psyche are indeed operating in one sympathetic unit.
It is not enough to alleviate physical symptoms of illness or injury; to be completely healed one must also address the mental and spiritual symptoms as well.
What makes QH- Peace of Mind spiritual healing so unique from modern medicine is that spiritual healing addresses not only issues of the body, but of the mind and spirit as well, treating all three of these human phenomena as one cohesive unit.
What Problems Can QH- Peace of Mind Spiritual Healing Help?
Spiritual healing and prayer can have significant physical benefits.
QH- Peace of Mind Spiritual Healing helps people overcome substance abuse, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, are based on spiritual healing principles with help of God.
By working through the spiritual effects of past events, unhappy memories, childhood abuse, trauma and other factors that can cause substance abuse, the program offers people a way to not only kick their physical habit, but also heal the underlying issues that may be leading to that abusive behavior in the first place. By focusing on forgiveness, acceptance and understanding, QH- Peace of Mind spiritual recovery program offer some impressive statistics for success.
The QH- Peace of Mind spiritual healing topic is a popular one for scientific study, and more and more doctors and scientists are beginning to validate that spiritual healing in many of its forms can be an effective tool in creating a healthy and whole human being.
This healing kit and course is a MUST for victims of black magic, spiritual attacks, evil eyes, and curses. For more information please visit:
http://bit.ly/1e3dzI
Spiritual Healing is your ultimate weapon to boost your immune system and have a peace of mind and soul for good mental and spiritual health.
Now that I have your attention, I’m going to open your eyes with a very simple, easy to practice Self Spiritual Healing Techniques.
Peace of Mind - Spiritual Healing Program, with God's help, are arranged merely for the development of your spiritual powers that are consist of easy to practice Self Spiritual Healing Techniques, for healing of your broken life, protection against such evil attacks, intellectually based on excellent and logical philosophy. Through simple ways, these techniques will fortify your faith and spirituality such that each minute's engagement with them is equivalent to a year of worship. You will feel , purification, light, happy, feeling you have more energy walking towards God's Straight Path.
An hour of it can compete with sixty years of accepted worship, according to the sincere reporter, peace and blessings of God be upon him.
The program highlights: Based on the truth contained in these course sections, with which readers will be intimately acquainted, with God's assistance they will succeed in correcting all their inward and outward defects and faults. They will even, through most inclusive and simple methods, attain extensive access to good guidance toward individuals and society.
Mankind succeeds in removing his natural, traditional, or social wickedness when he identifies the root cause as promoting evil, and restrains it. He should, contrarily, efficiently strengthen the root cause for goodness and seek to intensify it.
Indeed we will not succeed in this process unless we methodologically understand the mentioned truths. And this Spiritual program will achieve just that. This is a healing guide book for spiritual warfare against wickedness, sinfulness, we got in or we have been put in by beings around us.
QH- Peace of Mind spiritual healing is based on the premise that no one can be truly healthy unless their mind, body and psyche are indeed operating in one sympathetic unit.
It is not enough to alleviate physical symptoms of illness or injury; to be completely healed one must also address the mental and spiritual symptoms as well.
What makes QH- Peace of Mind spiritual healing so unique from modern medicine is that spiritual healing addresses not only issues of the body, but of the mind and spirit as well, treating all three of these human phenomena as one cohesive unit.
What Problems Can QH- Peace of Mind Spiritual Healing Help?
Spiritual healing and prayer can have significant physical benefits.
QH- Peace of Mind Spiritual Healing helps people overcome substance abuse, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, are based on spiritual healing principles with help of God.
By working through the spiritual effects of past events, unhappy memories, childhood abuse, trauma and other factors that can cause substance abuse, the program offers people a way to not only kick their physical habit, but also heal the underlying issues that may be leading to that abusive behavior in the first place. By focusing on forgiveness, acceptance and understanding, QH- Peace of Mind spiritual recovery program offer some impressive statistics for success.
The QH- Peace of Mind spiritual healing topic is a popular one for scientific study, and more and more doctors and scientists are beginning to validate that spiritual healing in many of its forms can be an effective tool in creating a healthy and whole human being.
This healing kit and course is a MUST for victims of black magic, spiritual attacks, evil eyes, and curses. For more information please visit:
http://bit.ly/1e3dzI
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Prayer changes everything
Pray and pray until something happens