A Call to Prayer

 

I spent time in prayer this morning in concern that the unscriptural teaching of a few and the indifference of the majority will bring us all under God's judgment. I prayed, "Lord, are we failing to stand firm against things that are reprehensible to You?  If so it is  because we like our comfort, standing against opposition is distressing, and we are programmed to be 'nice.' Forgive us for failing to stand up for You when we ought to."

In response to this was the clear direction that I am not to fight in this particular battle, and then Exodus 14:14 came to mind: The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.  

There may be times when we are called to wage battle.  But even more often our feelings get hurt because someone disagrees with us, and we end up fighting to justify ourselves.  It is then that civil war breaks loose, brethren against brethren, until we are willing to pierce and wound over issues that are not related to the ones we began arguing about in the first place.  

Prayer is powerful. Always precede and undergird action with prayer.  We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, this too needs to precede action.  

We must teach our children what is true, repeating the truths often, holding family discussions regarding the fallen state of the world and familiarizing them with the ways the enemy twists God's truth.  We  need to pray for our brethren, speak the truth gently and in love, and pray, always pray, in recognition that God's love and prayer are weapons of our warfare.  When we pray, we are fighting, making war on spiritual forces of evil in a way much less likely to cause inadvertent damage to God's work in the sensitive hearts of those who need His saving grace.  

The Lord doesn't need our power; He is all-powerful. We are called to His love and to prayer.  Father we lift those who are misguided by the world's deceptions and pray for their salvation.  Show us how to pray, how/when/if to fight, and most of all teach us how to love with Your love.  Lord unite us in You, in Jesus' Name we pray.  

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These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9