Daily Readings at Southeast

  DAY 7: SEEKING FORGIVENESS THROUGH PRAYER Did you know that un-confessed sin could keep God from hearing your prayers? It's not that He doesn't want to hear us; it's just that God, in His perfect holiness, cannot come near to sin. The sin must first be removed. David prayed in Psalm 66:18, "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." In other words, if we practice sin habitually without repentance, God will not hear us. Of all the promises for answered prayer, here's a promise for God not to answer prayer. Sin is serious business to God, and therefore should be serious business to us. If there's anything clogging the channel of prayer in our lives then we need to come to the Lord, confess our sins, and receive forgiveness. Throughout Scripture, sin is described as a disease that produces spiritual death. It is no wonder, then, that the psalmist cried out, "Wash me thoroughly God!" When we are honest about our own...

  DAY 6: STRENGTHENING YOUR FAITH THROUGH PRAYER I love Jeremiah 33:3. I've heard some people call it "God's telephone number." Promises like this one contained throughout God's Word give us assurance and confidence that, when God's children pray, the Heavenly Father listens. He invites us to come to Him. That is a staggering thought isn't it? God hears our prayers. While most of us have been told all of our lives that God answers prayer, that fact just blows right by us most of the time. Think about this: if it is true that God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, is interested in hearing from us and answers our prayers according to His perfect will for our lives, then that is the most amazing thing we could possibly experience! And that's why it is absolutely ludicrous that we don't pray as we ought to pray. It is encouraging to know that we are not heard because of the language of our prayers, the length of our prayers, or the logic of our pra...

  DAY 5: HEARING FROM GOD THROUGH PRAYER We all know that a sound relationship is a two-way street. Likewise, so is a proper prayer relationship. Prayer should be a conversation, a dialogue between a child and a Father, between a friend and a Heavenly Friend. So we must make sure that we take time to listen. As important as it is to pray and to record our prayers, it is every bit as important to listen to the Lord. In Scripture, young Samuel understood how to stop and listen for God's voice. He didn't pray, "Listen, Lord, for your servant is speaking." No, he prayed, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening!" (1 Samuel 3:10) It will do us well to follow suit. It's a difficult concept to define, this idea of "hearing" the voice of God. But this much I know to be true: When we pray, asking for God's guidance, He is faithful to direct our steps. He might open or close a door. He might speak to us through a friend. He might prompt in us some...

  DAY 4: KNOWING GOD THROUGH PRAYER The verse above gives us an incredible glimpse into the prayer life of Nehemiah. These powerful words reveal Nehemiah's steadfast belief in the power of God. He's able to pray with conviction because he knows that his God is in control. Even as Nehemiah learned of the destruction of Jerusalem's walls and faced the seemingly impossible task of rebuilding them, he knew that God was still on His throne. In the same way, knowing God builds your trust in Him. It is through knowing God that our eyes are opened to see ourselves, and the world around us, from His perspective. If you want to know God in a deeper, more meaningful way, if you want to grow in your relationship with Him, start with prayer. As you begin to discern the character of God through prayer, you will realize that God can handle any problem in your life. Do you believe that? God is bigger and greater than any situation, any crisis in your life! That's what Nehemiah believed...

DAY 3: THE COMMAND TO PRAY In Luke 11:2, as Jesus was about to instruct the disciples on how to pray, He began with, "When you pray." Notice that Jesus said, "when" and not "if." We are commanded to pray. Prayer is a demonstration of our obedience to God. It is one the essentials of the Christian life. Prayer is also an opportunity to receive from our heavenly Father all that He desires to give. It is amazing to me that we struggle in the area of prayer when God has promised so much. When you and I arrive at heaven's gate someday, no doubt we will be shocked by our lack of faithfulness as it relates to prayer. We will see firsthand the vast storehouse of blessing God had reserved for us, if only we had asked for His intervention in our lives. "You do not have because you do not ask." James 4:2 reads. What a fitting reminder to pray while we still have life left to live! Indeed, nothing good, nothing great, nothing lasting, nothing holy can ev...

DAY 2: THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER How many times, when faced with a difficult situation, do we manipulate, plan, scheme, dream, and yet do not pray? Sometimes we'd almost rather do anything than pray. Why pray when we can worry about it? Why pray when we can try to figure it out ourselves? We must change our way of thinking about prayer to realize that it is not an obligation; it is an opportunity. Prayer is not just a requirement; it is also a privilege and an invitation to experience the power of God. Prayer is spiritual breathing - our normal and natural experience in Christ. The word "pray" that Jesus uses throughout the New Testament is the most simple and basic of all the words for prayer, and it means to "wish forward" or "to desire onward." God wants to hear the desires of our hearts. God wants to hear what's on your heart! He wants to hear your desires and your dreams. He wants to hear about your failures as well as your successes. You can pr...

  DAY 1: THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER At its core, Christianity is all about the relationship between God and those whom He created. But because God is spirit in nature, we can't relate to Him as we would a friend whom we can see and hear and meet for coffee on a Tuesday afternoon. No, the way we commune with God - the vehicle for fellowship with Him - is prayer. In the same way you would foster a relationship with another human through quality time and communication, you can strengthen your relationship with God by communicating frequently with Him through prayer. You can learn of God's character through prayer. You can learn of His preferences, His plans for your life, and His activity in the world by prayer. And it is by prayer that you can play a role in His ushering heaven down to earth. Too often we view prayer as transactional - we pray only when we need God's help with a specific problem. For example, a loved one becomes ill or we run into financial trouble so we call out ...