Daily Notes : Let us pray

There are many scriptures in the bible that teach us about prayer. As Christians we are commanded to pray but not every Christian knows what prayer is, how to pray and how prayer works. I have learned from my conversations with other Christians that prayer can be an exciting time which brings joy and hope to the heart, but for others it can be a difficult moment to do. In my view it is not simply because they do not want to pray but because they don’t know how to pray and they see themselves inadequate or aren’t good enough to come to God in prayer.

It is interesting to learn in the Gospel of Luke 11:1-4 that the disciples of Jesus asked Him to teach them how to pray but not to do a miracle. They learned that Jesus spent so much time alone to pray before he started his days to minister and perform many miracles. There are many Christian books that teach believers how to pray with many forms of prayer. I have read a few books and I found them rather confusing. It is important for us to understand about prayer according to the Scriptures. For some years I prayed because I felt that I had to, otherwise I didn’t feel like I was a good Christian. Now I have a better understanding about prayer through reading and studying the Scriptures.

Prayer is the way we communicate with God and God communicates with us through His Holy Spirit. It is so important to our spiritual life like a heart to our physical body that pumps and circulates blood to our whole body so it can function properly. We position ourselves to listen, to receive and to respond before God.

These three points below have helped me to develop my prayer life.

1/ PRAY WITH FAITH AND IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”(Ephesians 6:18)

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20).

We come to God with all kinds of prayers and requests which help us to build our faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. While he was in prison St Paul urged and encouraged the church in Ephesus to keep their faith and to be alert against all kind of spiritual destruction on the church. We are also commanded to pray for one another as people of God.

2/ GIVE OURSELVES TO GOD

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people .“ (Ephesians 1:18)

This is a wonderful prayer of St Paul for the church in Ephesus. His prayer for the people of God to have a heavenly wisdom and revelation of Jesus Christ and His salvation. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to give light and understanding of the glory of Jesus.

Prayer begins with God and it doesn’t begin with us. This means that our understanding about God and His perfection shapes our mind and enriches our thoughts. Our God the Father in heaven is loving and just God, who will always open to our prayer. We should learn to give all truth about us and truth within us. We don’t need to think about how God will respond to our prayer. It is not our part to know how God works, but it is our part to trust Him.

Prayer involves speaking and listening to God. Often we do not need to say many words because God already knows what we are going to say. He knows our thoughts and desires. In my understanding, listening to God more with our spiritual ears in prayer is better than speaking. The Spirit of God will remind us scriptures that we need to read and to understand which can help our prayer.

You may have this question now, if God knows everything then why do we have to pray? I believe it is because God wants to have communion with us as His children. God has purpose/work for us in His Kingdom.

3/ BE PERSISTENT AND TRUST GOD WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE PRAYER

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

“ My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways” declared the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than yours and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55: 8-9)

It is easy to say in prayer to God “ May Your will be done “, but in reality it can be very difficult to believe when life is tough. We may come to God with some burdens in our heart/mind so we think, we know how to resolve our problems by asking God to do something for us.  The Scriptures say God’s thoughts and ways are not ours, therefore we must learn to acknowledge His sovereignty as God who has control and power over everything. It gives me peace knowing that God is in control over my life so whatever the outcome of my prayer is, it works together for my own good.

Practical notes

If you find it difficult to pray, may I suggest to you first thing is to learn to sit in quietness. You don’t need to say anything but you can say for example: “ Father here I am in quietness ready to hear what you have to say”. Spirit of God help me to hear and to receive from the Lord. You may want to read a few  scriptures or a daily devotion bible reading by the help of  the Spirit of God who can give you understanding.  As you do this daily you will gain understanding about the scripture which will gradually influence and shape your thinking, your view, your speaking and definitely your prayer. It will nurture your faith and build up your confidence in God. I truly believe this will help you to grow spiritually and develop your prayer life by the grace of God.

 

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Daily notes : A simple prayer

Tell God as it is, say to Him :

I am not living this room until my soul is at rest. If there is anything in my heart that hinders Your work, show it to me Lord and I repent for the things that are ungodly. Father I know you love me…

Catatan harian :  Doa yang  singkat (& sungguh sungguh )

Katakan pada Allah Bapa apa adanya, katakan padaNya:

Aku tidak akan meninggalkan tempat ini sampai aku merasakan ketenangan dalam jiwaku. Kalaupun ada hal2 yang menghindari pekerjaanMu Allah dalam hidupku, tunjukanlah padaku, aku bertobat akan hal-hal yang tak kudus dan tak berkenan dihatiMu. Aku tahu Tuhan engkau mengasihiku ….

Daily notes : When God breathed the breath of life

When God breathed His Spirit on Adam He gave Adam life and purpose. But when Adam fell into sin the relationship between God and Adam was cut off.  There is no other way to bring humanity back to Him but through the cross of Jesus Christ.  Here on the cross God reconciled Himself to the world in Christ Jesus.  At the Calvary God and man were united, as God sacrificed His own Son for the punishment of sin and for redemption of the world. With His precious blood Jesus paid the punishment of sin and on the third day He rose again. Death has no power over him. He had conquered death forever!!  So you and me and all who believe can receive the salvation by faith and all eternal promises in Christ Jesus.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”( Romans 5 :1-2)

Catatan harian : Pada saat Tuhan menghembuskan nafas kehidupan

Pada saat Tuhan menghembuskan nafas  kehidupan pada Adam, Dia beri Adam kehidupan dan tujuan hidup. Namun pada saat Adam jatuh dalam dosa hubungan suci antara manusia dengan Allah terputus. Manusia tidak lagi dapat hidup dalam keintiman dengan Pencipta. Namun Tuhan yang begitu Pengasih telah merekonsiliasi ( mendamaikan)  hubungan tersebut dengan kematian Kristus di kayu salib. Tuhan Allah sendiri turun ke dunia dan menjelma sebagai manusia. Dia mengirimkan AnakNya yang tunggal untuk mati di kayu salib untuk membayar segala dosa manusia dan memberikan keselamatan pada dunia. Umat manusia tidak akan mampu membersihkan dan menyucikan diri mereka sendiri dari dosa … Di kayu salib itulah Tuhan dalam Kristus bertemu dengan umat  manusia sehingga mereka yang percaya akan dapat menerima keselamatan hidup…. Melalui kebangkitan Kristus sudah menjadi bukti bahwa kematian tidak memiliki kuasa atas diriNya sehingga engkau dan aku yang percaya dapat hidup dan menerima segala janji-janji Allah yang abadi dan sempurna .

“Sebab itu, kita yang dibenarkan karena iman, kita hidup dalam damai sejahtera dengan Allah oleh karena Tuhan kita, Yesus Kristus. Oleh Dia kita juga beroleh jalan masuk oleh iman kepada kasih karunia ini. Di dalam kasih karunia ini kita berdiri dan kita bermegah dalam pengharapan akan menerima kemuliaan Allah” (Roma 5 :1-2)

Daily Notes : He is able to reach you

No matter how deep the pit a man falls into, God’s hand is long enough to reach him and take him out. You may think that you have gone too far and no one can save you, but Jesus can and He will if you believe Him. All you have to do is just call on His name (Jesus) and ask for help. His love is endless and eternal.

Catatan harian : Dia mampu menjangkaumu

Sedalam apapun lubang atau jurang  seseorang jatuh  kedalamnya, tangan Tuhan cukup panjang yang dapat menjangkaunya and membawanya keluar dari tempat tersebut. Mungkin engkau berfikir bahwa segalanya sudah terlambat dan  tak ada yang dapat menolongmu, namun Yesus mampu dan akan menolongmu apabila kau percaya. Yang kau harus lakukan adalah memanggil namaNya (Yesus) dan meminta tolong. KasihNya tak akan berakhir dan berlangsung selamanya.

Daily notes : Depend on God

In Christ Jesus we lack nothing and the fullness of God cannot be measured by our own ability or other people’s opinion. We are created to depend on God completely in everything we do. Our strengths and weaknesses are for God to work on in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we shouldn’t compare ourselves to other people, we shouldn’t try to become someone that we are not created for…

Catatan harian: Bergantung pada Allah

Dalam Kristus tak ada kekurangan, keutuhan/kepenuhan Kristus dalam hidup kita tak bisa dinilai dengan kemampuan diri atau pendapat orang lain. Kita diciptakan untuk bergantung sepenuhnya pada Allah. Segala kekuatan dan kelemahan yang kita miliki adalah hal yang Tuhan kerjakan dalam hidup kita melalui kuasa Roh Kudus. Oleh karena itu tak seharusnya kita membandingkan diri dengan orang lain atau mencoba menjadi seseorang yang Tuhan tidak pernah ciptakan dari awalnya.

Daily notes : It is impossible

No-one on this earth can live a Christian life by his own strength, it is impossible and it is out of human ability. It is something can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We may have promised God many times to be good and perfect but we have always failed. We should stop trying to be good or perfect in His eyes but rather allow the Spirit of God to fill us, lead and change our lives.

Catatan harian: Sangatlah tidak mungkin

Tak ada seorangpun di dunia ini yang dapat menjalankan kehidupan Kristen dengan usaha dan kekuatannya sen diri. Hal itu adalah sesuatu yang tidak mungkin dan di luar jangkauan kekuatan manusia.  Mungkin sebagian dari kita sudah sering berjanji pada Allah untuk merubah hidup kita untuk menjadi suci dan baik dimataNya namun sering kali pula kita jatuh dan gagal. Kita harus berhenti berusaha untuk menjadi orang terpandang baik dan sempurna namun berikan kesempatan bagi Roh Kudus untuk mengisi dan membimbing dan merubah hidup  hidup kita…..

Daily notes : Jesus’ peace in our heart

We cannot prevent negative thoughts from coming to our mind but we can respond to them by exercising faith (having faith) in Christ Jesus and declaring the Word of God. The Word of God has power over everything we are facing and thinking about. By declaring and believing the Word of God all worries, doubts and anxieties will gradually go away. In my experience when I am declaring the Word of God (the scriptures) the Spirit and the Word point me to Jesus who gives assurance that everything is going to be alright and the most important is He is in control over everything I am  facing in my life.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105)

Catatan harian : Damai sejahtera Yesus di hati kita

Kita tak dapat mencegah pikiran2 negatif yang datang namun kita dapat meresponnya /menghadapinya dgn iman dalam kristus dan mengikrarkan firman kebenaran Tuhan. Maka segala keraguan, ketakutan dan kekhawatiran perlahan-lahan akan segera pergi, karena Firman Allah berkuasa atas segala hal yang kita hadapi dan kita fikirkan. Dari hal-hal yang telah saya alami pada saat saya mengucapkan firman Tuhan, maka Roh Kudus dan firman itu sendiri mengarahkan segala perhatian saya pada Tuhan Yesus Kristus yang memberikan ketenangan hati bahwa segalanya akan baik dan yang paling penting sekali adalah bahwa Dia berkuasa atas apapun yang saya alami….

Firman-Mu itu pelita bagi kakiku dan terang bagi jalanku ( Mazmur 119:105)