"Pray Always"
Prayer is the lifeline of every Christian, the very thing that keeps us in covenant relationship with God.
"For in many things we all stumble." (James 3:2). And "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (I John 2:8) And further "if we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (I John 1:10) Without prayer we would be separated from God without hope; but by the grace of God "If we confess our Sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:7) Continuous action, as the windshield wipers on our car continues to knock the rain off, as long as we leave them turned on; so it is with the Christian that "prays without ceasing." (I Thess. 5:17) The blood of Christ continues to cleanse him from all his sins. We must not let our prayers become a form of cold lifeless words, for "God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24) The spirit being the mind as is set forth very plain by Paul "For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers." (Romans 1:9) And "I of myself with the mind, indeed serve the law of God." (Romans 7:25) Therefore it follows, when we pray in order to have the blood of Jesus to continue to wipe away our sins, all of our mind must be involved and not just mere lip service. Further we must have a deep desire for every petition we take before the throne of God, as set forth by the example of Paul: "my hearts (mind) desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved." (Romans 10:1) When we pray for anything without a real desire in our mind, we are not praying, but mocking God and showing complete disrespect for the blood that is to continue to cleanse us from all sin.
We must truly humble ourselves as little children in approaching the throne of God, realizing He knows what is best for us, for "God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God, and what so ever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight." (I John 3:21-22) "The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." (James 5:16) Elijah's prayer follows to show the power of prayer for the individual that is right with God. May God help us to continue in prayer, realizing that he hears all the prayers of the saints. Let us awaken in the morning and pillow our head at night in prayer through Jesus, knowing that his blood continues to cleanse us from all sin.
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