Fostering the Attitude of Trust 2

1 Thessalonians 5:17

SUBJECT: Cultivating the Christian Attitude of Trust

THEME: We can foster the spiritual attitude of Trust by praying without ceasing; infusing prayer with communion, confidence, and consistency!

INTRODUCTION: Our aim here is to expand further on the attitude of trust. We have examined how our prayers must be infused with communion with the Most High as an exercise of trust. Now, we need to explore the role of confidence in prayer noting how this demonstrates trust also. Referring to trust The Dictionary of Bible Themes adds this definition,

Trust: Reliance on and confidence in a person. Scripture affirms the total trustworthiness of God, especially in relation to his promises to his people. Christian faith is, essentially, trust in the person and character of God.^[1]

For us believers, trust rests soundly on the person and character of the Almighty. God is the proper object of our confidence; He presents us with every convincing argument of his unique trustworthiness and anything he says or promises can be taken as true, reliable and fully credible. Again trust is not some philosophical consideration for the intellectually elite to debate in the ivory towers of academia; no, trust is most relevant to life and certainly to a robust Christian experience.  

So then, how may we improve our trust in Jehovah God? One way to practice and cultivate trust/confidence in God is to “pray without ceasing” (1Thess. 5:17).

RELEVANCE: As Christians our inner life is deeply important to God and our spiritual welfare—attitudes, motives, and behaviors are equally weighty aspects of our growth in grace. Doing the right things and being the right person should be in harmony. Certainly, our inner lives are to be consecrated to the glory of our Lord God.

FOSTER THE ATTITUDE OF TRUST THROUGH PRAYER  

1Thes 5:17, Pray without ceasing.

Recall the Lord Jesus’ promise, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. ²² And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.^[2]” (Matt. 21:21-22). 

Prayer and trusting God should be viewed as constituent parts of one whole. Much like neutrons, protons and electrons belong to a single atom. Meager prayer formalities empty of real trust/faith in God are powerless and ineffectual! So, how may be continue to build trust into our prayers?

Thesis: We can foster the spiritual attitude of Trust by praying without ceasing; that is infusing prayer with communion, confidence, and consistency!

LESSON:

I.               Foster the Attitude of Trust through Prayer Confidence

A.    Another Reason for Praying without Ceasing is Unwavering Confidence!

B.    Prayer Confidence is an Exercise of Trust

                                                  1.     Confidence in a faithful person is well placed; we cherish no fears that God will betray our expectations, disappoint or let us down as long as we pray his will.

                                                  2.     The Scriptures challenge us often to pray with confidence in the Lord…to cry out to him in faith and unflappable trust.

a.      Mark 11:22-24, And Jesus answering saith unto them, ^sHave faith in God. ²³ For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. ²⁴ Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.^[3]

b.     1 Tim 2:8, I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. ^[4]

c.      1 John 5:14-15, And this is the confidence [boldness and courage even in intimidating circumstances] that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵ And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.^[5]

d.     James 1:5-7, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.^[6]

                                                  3.     Prayer confidence stems from extensive trust in the character, competency, and counsel of God. Can we justify our doubting and reluctance to stand on God’s promises? When was the last time we privately or publicly claimed a promise of God’s Word in prayer?

C.    God is Worthy of our Trust 

                                                  1.     The Almighty Lord God is the true object of our trust.

a.      Prov. 22:19-21, That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. ²⁰ Have not I written to thee excellent things In counsels and knowledge, ²¹ That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; That thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?^[7]

b.     Prov. 3:5-7, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths. ⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and ^odepart from evil.^[8]

c.      Psalm 62:7-8, In God is my salvation and my glory: The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. ⁸ Trust in him at all times; ye people, Pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.^[9]

                                                  2.     The fear of God leads to trust. Pr 14:26.^[10]

                                                  3.     There are concrete grounds for trusting in our Father-God

a.      Trust in God’s power and strength Ex 14:31; 2Ti 1:12 See also 2Sa 22:1-3 pp Ps 18:2-3; Ps 9:9-10; 115:9-11; 144:1-2

b.     Trust in God’s unfailing love Ps 13:5 See also Ex 15:13; Ps 17:7; 21:7; 33:18; 52:8; 147:11

c.      Trust in God’s salvation Isa 12:2 See also 1Sa 17:37; Ps 22:4-5; 40:2-3; Isa 25:9

d.     Trust is nurtured by God’s revealed truth. Pr 22:19-21 See also Ps 18:30; 119:42; Pr 30:5; Jn 12:36; 14:1-3^[11]

                                                  4.     Why don’t we trust God more often than we do? Do we secretly doubt his power or ability to deliver? Are we too proud to need him?

                                                  5.     Why don’t we believe God will answer our prayers? Are we afraid that we are only setting ourselves up for a letdown? Do we think ourselves selves self-sufficient...independent?

                                                  6.     Why don’t we commit our needs to God with confidence? Are we afraid his love is insufficient to move him to meet our needs? Beloved, if God is worthy and deserving of our full confidence then why don’t we immediately run to him or turn to him? Do we trust ourselves more…than our Almighty Father-God?

                                                  7.      6929 Putting Down Whole Weight

To celebrate an old man’s seventy-fifth birthday, an aviation enthusiast offered to take him for a plane ride over the little West Virginia town where he spent all his life. The old man accepted the offer. Back on the ground, after circling over the town twenty minutes, his friend asked, “Were you scared, Uncle Dudley?” “No-o-o,” was the hesitant answer. “But I never did put my full weight down.”^[12]

D.    Faith in God can Achieve Great Things

                                                  1.     Faith in our heavenly Father can move unmovable obstacles. Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. ²² And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.^[13]” (Matt. 21:21-22). 

                                                  2.     The Lord literally looks for opportunities to show himself strong in the affairs of his people! 2 Chron. 16:9, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.^[14]

                                                  3.     It is wisdom to commit the hard cases to the Father with full confidence. Drug attics are drug free because of him; violent offenders are now given to nurturing and treasuring others because of him; vagrants are transformed to productive citizens because of him; lairs have become people of integrity living and speaking the truth because of him. Financial needs are met, loneliness is replaced with family, friends, and church, and heartbreak is healed and strong enough to trust again. Keep praying for that lost love one, that prodigal daughter, that nearly worthless husband, that wife who medicates her emptiness by spending money you don’t have…commit them to the Lord in prayer. Believe him for the impossible.

                                                  4.     God still makes everything possible—all options remain on the table! Matt. 19:26, But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.^[15]

                                                  5.     NOTHING is impossible with God! Luke 1:37, For with God nothing shall be impossible.^[16]

                                                  6.     1499 Epigram On Faith

a.      Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.

b.     Faith is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable.—David Lloyd George

c.      A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.—Spurgeon

d.     Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will!^[17]

E.    Trusting God involves giving Control to God (Matt. 26:36-42)

                                                  1.     The relationship between trust and control must be considered: if we trust God more then we will need to control less. Lord Jesus fully illustrates what it means to trust God and his will completely at Gethsemane. You see, control is God’s place and trusting him with control is our place. Have you surrendered to his will and plan like the Lord Jesus did?

                                                  2.     How do we do this? How do we give control to God?

a.      Acknowledge God’s perfections and constantly affirm these realities to yourself

b.     Give him space to execute his will in his timing

c.      Refuse to give way to your fears, worries, anxieties, or your need to achieve/produce certain results or outcomes

d.     Use prayer to help you manage your associated stress or the risks associated with committing the matter with the Lord. The Lord Jesus clung to the Father in prayer during his most stressful moments. His sweat was mingles with his blood as he worked through the bone-crushing pressure of Calvary in his immediate future. He consciously choose to trust and prayer was his method to cope with the associated stress!

e.      Be open to change or different outcomes than originally anticipated; acknowledge that God has the freedom to do his work. The Lord Jesus wanted the will of the Father above all else.

f.      Be willing to live or even die under divine authority and wisdom; fear, worry, and anger are inappropriate responses to God’s control. Daniel faced down hungry lions by trusting God with control. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the roaring fiery furnace by trusting control with God! Clearly, the Lord Jesus trusted God’s wisdom and authority yielding his entire being to God’s control at Calvary and in the resurrection. See also Hebrews 11:35-40 for more examples of unflappable trust in God’s sovereign control.

                                                  3.     6924 Cromwell’s Secretary

Oliver Cromwell’s secretary was dispatched to the continent on some important business. He stayed one night at a seaport town, and tossed on his bed, unable to sleep.

According to an old custom, a servant slept in his room, and on this occasion slept soundly enough. The secretary at length awakened the man who asked how it was that his master could not rest.

“I am so afraid something will go wrong with the embassage [business of the envoy],” was the reply.

“Master,” said the valet, “may I ask a question or two?”

“To be sure.”

“Did God rule the world before we were born?”

“Most assuredly He did.”

“And will He rule it after we are dead?”

“Certainly He will.”

“Then, master, why not let Him rule the present, too?”

The secretary’s faith was stirred, peace was the result, and in a few minutes both he and his servant were in sound sleep.—Gleanings^[18]

F.     Trusting God involves real Obedience (Heb. 11:8-10)

                                                  1.     Obedience is marked by confidence

                                                  2.     Obedience is marked by courage

                                                  3.     Obedience is marked by commitment; Abraham cast all caution to the wind and confidently and courageously committed himself and his family to God’s plan—he believed God and his radicle obedience proved it.

                                                  4.     6925 Hudson Taylor’s Discovery

On June 25, 1865, James Hudson Taylor at thirty-three came to the great crisis of his life. The locale was Brighton beach on the south coast of England. There on a quiet Sunday morning he took a step of faith in response to a simple spiritual principle he had just discovered. He was surprised that this truth had so long eluded him. “If we are obeying the Lord, the responsibility rests with him, not with us!” Months of struggle were over, and the way ahead was clear. To obey the Scriptures and trust God to be faithful to his pledged Word was not rash.

Throwing caution and tradition to the winds, Hudson Taylor formed the China Inland Mission.—Arthur F. Glasser^[19]

CONCLUSION:

The second attitude the Apostle Paul prescribes for individual believers, Christians collectively and for entire congregations is to, “Pray without ceasing” (1Thes 5:17). Beloved, this is the expressed plan of God for us all in Christ Jesus. Yes, God commands this because it honors him, and it is wonderfully beneficial to us temporary and eternally. Your attitude matters to God because it often includes your emotions, intellect and behavior! We can foster the spiritual attitude of Trust by praying without ceasing; infusing prayer with communion, confidence, and consistency! Our prayers must not be reduces to mere rituals where we “say our prayers,” but never reach heaven. No, a thousand times NO! God invites us into sharing life with him through the sweet excellent communion and confidence of dialog with him. Why not take him up on his offer to engage him by praying without ceasing?

What about your prayer habits? Do you pray without ceasing? God fully expects us, his children, to engage him and come to him in prayer regularly. Do you enjoy communion with your heavenly Father? Do you cry out to him with confidence? Do you trust him implicitly and explicitly? Beloved, a pervasive trust in the Almighty is an essential attitude to cultivate. Please do not allow dull routine and mere rituals to rob you of a vibrant and fruitful life with our Father at the center of it!

---

^[1] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.

^[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 21:21–22). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mk 11:22–24). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Ti 2:8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[5] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Jn 5:14–15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jas 1:5–7). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[7] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Pr 22:19–21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[8] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Pr 3:5–7). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[9] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ps 62:7–8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[10] Torrey, R. A. (2001). The new topical text book: A scriptural text book for the use of ministers, teachers, and all Christian workers. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[11] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.

^[12] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1526). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

^[13] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 21:21–22). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[14] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 2 Ch 16:9). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[15] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 19:26). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[16] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Lk 1:37). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[17] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 405). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

^[18] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1525). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

^[19] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1525). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

Fostering the Attitude of Trust

1 Thessalonians 5:17

SUBJECT: Cultivating the Christian Attitude of Trust

THEME: We can foster the spiritual attitude of Trust by praying without ceasing; infusing prayer with communion, confidence, and consistency!

RELEVANCE: our interior life as Christians is vitally significant to our spiritual welfare—attitudes and motives like behaviors are equally weighty aspects of our growth in grace. Doing the right things and being the right person should be in harmony. However, sometimes it is necessary to do right and trust that our hearts will catch up in a reasonable amount of time. You may recall, an attitude is “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior.” Attitudes include our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors; all of which are to be consecrated to the glory of our Lord God. Trust is an crucial attitude to foster.

INTRODUCTION: Our focus today is on the attitude of trust. Consider this weighty observation about the importance of trust from Harvard Business Review,

We think of trust as precious, and yet it’s the basis for almost everything we do as civilized people. Trust is the reason we’re willing to exchange our hard-earned paychecks for goods and services, pledge our lives to another person in marriage, cast a ballot for someone who will represent our interests. We rely on laws and contracts as safety nets, but even they are ultimately built on trust in the institutions that enforce them. We don’t know that justice will be served if something goes wrong, but we have enough faith in the system that we’re willing to make high-stakes deals with relative strangers (Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss; Harvard Business Review, Begin with Trust, from the May–June 2020 Issue).

Certainly, trust plays a major role in our society and personal experiences. But from a biblical perspective what is trust? W. Grudem, author of Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Theology says, “Trust: an aspect of biblical faith or belief in which we not only know and agree with facts about Jesus, but also place personal trust in him as a living person” (Pg. 1256). In the NT, there is an insistence upon placing personal faith/trust in the living Christ to establish a relationship with God (Rom. 10:9, 14; 6:8; Acts 14:23; Gal 2:20; Phil 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:8). Trust is absolutely fundamental to our relationship and communion with the Most High! Trust does not end or expire in relevance after initial conversion. It remains an integral part of the Christian experience.

1493 Setting The Sails

When Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary, first went to China, it was in a sailing vessel. Very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship was becalmed [stationary], and it was slowly drifting shoreward unable to go about and the savages were eagerly anticipating a feast.

The captain came to Mr. Taylor and besought [asked or begged] him to pray for the help of God. “I will,” said Taylor, “provided you set your sails to catch the breeze.” The captain declined to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling in a dead calm. Taylor said, “I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails.” And it was done.

While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at the door of his stateroom. “Who is there?” The captain’s voice responded, “Are you still praying for wind?” “Yes.” “Well,” said the captain, “you’d better stop praying, for we have more wind than we can manage.”

—Oriental and InterAmerican Missionary Standard^[1]

The great missionary, Hudson Taylor knew God could be trusted with his welfare and the ministry God had so entrusted to him. Full of unwavering confidence in God’s power, wisdom, love, grace, and providence, the missionary cried out to God in prayer and God answered in a mighty way. How may we develop a ubiquitous—ever present and pervasive trust in God? One way to practice and develop confidence in God is to “pray without ceasing.”

FOSTER THE ATTITUDE OF TRUST THROUGH PRAYER  

1Thes 5:17, Pray without ceasing.

Recall the Lord Jesus’ promise, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. ²² And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.^[2]” (Matt. 21:21-22). 

Prayer and trusting God belong together like flowers to the spring season and like a melody to a song. While mere prayer rituals devoid of trust/faith in God are patiently useless, the prayer of faith can move massive obstructions and immovable obstacles to see God’s plan executed still. We must trust the Most High to realize the difference he makes in any circumstance. This kind of trust literally invigorates our prayer communion!

Thesis: We can foster the spiritual attitude of Trust by praying without ceasing; that is infusing prayer with communion, confidence, and consistency!

LESSON:

I.               Foster the Attitude of Trust through Prayer Communion

A.    An Obvious Reason for Praying without Ceasing is Communion!

B.    Prayer Communion is an Exercise of Trust.

                                                  1.     Communion is sharing or exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings on a mental and spiritual level. We commune deeply and confide transparently with those we trust. It is hard to use the word commune with reference to a stranger, yet the Lord God is virtually a stranger to many of us. Yet, he designed prayer, at least in part, for intimate communion with him.

                                                  2.     The Lord Jesus advocated for secret prayer with our Father! Saying, And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. ⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him (Matt. 6:5-8).^[3]

                                                  3.     Jesus advocates for prayer communion and not mere lifeless rituals! Prayer is dialog or a personal conversation with God; we speak most transparently and deeply with the Lord when we truly trust him. While public prayer is prescribed in other passages, God places extra emphasis here on the importance of being personal, yet reverent, with our heavenly Father. Do you get personal with God? Do you trust him enough to make things that are valuable to you vulnerable to his actions?

C.    What Does “Pray” Mean? (1Thes 5:17)

                                                  1.     The Apostle Paul says to, “Pray without ceasing” (1Thes 5:17). The word “pray” here means to speak to or to make requests of God. It implies enjoying and valuing his company and Presence...conversation involving speaking and listening. Speaking confidently with a much treasured Friend is the idea.

                                                  2.     It is not racing through a laundry list of requests, but entrusting serious concerns and real needs to Him who cares like no other. Our Father God wants us to come to Him as often and continually as possible...as frequently as opportunities present themselves...seizing seasons to be with Him. Come to him to speak and make requests; to be with him.

                                                  3.     4522 How Praying Hyde Prayed

Dr. Wilbur Chapman wrote to a friend: I have learned some great lessons concerning prayer. At one of our missions in England the audience was exceedingly small; but I received a note saying that an American missionary was going to pray for God’s blessing down on our work. He was known as Praying Hyde. Almost instantly the tide turned. The hall became packed, and at my first invitation fifty men accepted Christ as their Saviour. As we were leaving I said, “Mr. Hyde, I want you to pray for me.”

He came to my room, turned the key in the door, and dropped on his knees, and waited five minutes without a single syllable coming from his lips. I could hear my own heart thumping, and his beating. I felt hot tears running down my face. I knew I was with God. Then, with upturned face, down while the tears were streaming, he said, “O God.” Then for five minutes at least he was still again; and then, when he knew that he was talking with God there came from the depths of his heart such petitions for me as I had never heard before. I rose from my knees to know what real prayer was. We believe that prayer is mighty and we believe it as we never did before.—Gospel Herald^[4]

                                                  4.     Yes, Beloved, speaking with God is a wonderful privilege…an awesome time of communion with the Most High. Do we treasure prayer like this?

D.    What Does “Without Ceasing” Mean? (1Thes 5:17)

                                                  1.     It refers to frequent and regular prayers from a consistent prayer life. “Without ceasing” literally does refer to non-stop activity, but this is not possibly the meaning here because that disregards and automatically negates all the other commands in this passage. This is living with an attitude of prayerfulness and the ability to connect with God at any time.

                                                  2.     This is not continuous uninterrupted prayer. There is zero counsel to abandon normal life, duties and responsibilities in order to pray all the time without ever stopping. As an individual this is impossible, but a congregation or a band of believers can maintain ceaseless prayer. Perhaps we all have been a part of a 48 hour prayer vigil involving many participants.

                                                  3.     However, continuing in prayer communion is a definite expression of trust and confidence in the Lord’s love, character, wisdom, and power! Prayer is powerful because it is rooted...deeply rooted in a concrete trust in the awesome character of God and the precious Word of God. To hang on to God in prayer…to cling to Him refusing to entertain any other options are serious evidences of a well-founded trust. To utter and mean it when we say, ‘Your will, O’ Lord, on earth as it is in heaven.’ To yearn for His will above all…to cry out to God passionately…to hang on to the Lord while hot tears race down your cheeks are activities of unwavering trust in the Lord above all else.

E.    What Does No Prayer Communion Look Like?

                                                  1.     Obviously, no prayer communion is the opposite of prayer communion. If communion is partly rooted in trust, then no prayer communion is based on no trust.

                                                  2.     We are far too casual about prayer…so little reverence and respect for the Almighty Father. We don’t commune with people we do not respect.

                                                  3.     We have made prayer about ourselves…instead of insisting upon the will of God and the advancement of his purposes in this world. Do we really believe we know better than him? It is difficult to commune when ‘it’s all about you.’

                                                  4.     We pray primarily when we have an emergency…so few cherish a healthy habit of prayer personally and corporately. We only want God exclusively for difficult situations, but we do not want him involved with our lives. Then when life goes left we are angry with him because he did not prevent it. It would be shameful to discover how many Christians actually engage God daily in prayer.

                                                  5.     We cherish what we want from God more than we cherish time with God…we permit our dreams and goals to supersede relationship and fellowship with the Almighty. Our God is simply not the priority….

                                                  6.     We excuse our prayerlessness because we are busy and lead demanding lives with challenging schedules. Such confessions reveal poor planning and misplaced priorities. Our self-important veneer is just one crisis away from being shattered. God does not have your attention, and you really have no place for him. What will it take to get your attention again?

                                                  7.     We really don’t believe God will bother with our requests; we see him as indifferent and uninterested…we view God as distant, disengaged, and disinterested…much like ourselves. We have become practical Deist…or even worst practical Atheists. We have come to believe that God will not do anything at all…so, why bother praying? Others feel God is too weak to make a difference or too uncaring to be bothered with, so why pray? Some have even come to doubt whether God, if he does exist, even matters. Such misrepresentations of the Almighty are scandalous to say the least.

                                                  8.     I believe we need to repent of our irreverence, selfishness, irregularity, prayerlessness, materialism, powerlessness, idolatry, and indifference! Remember, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). Beloved, it is time to make this right with the Almighty Father. May the Lord revive a love for him in each of our hearts that will result in frequent communion with Him as Almighty Father God!

CONCLUSION:

God says to us through the great apostle in 1Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” Yes, referring to frequent and regular prayers from a consistent prayer life—continuous communion with the Most High Father. We can foster the spiritual attitude of Trust by praying without ceasing; infusing prayer with communion, confidence, and consistency! Such an attitude must be fostered, nurtured, cultivated, developed, and trained until it becomes a normal part of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. What I started in this article I will finish in the following to give you the full content of this meditation.

As you may recall my family and I were privileged to serve in Germany as missionaries to our US military stationed there. God gave us some special years of ministry that I will always cherish. Sweet times with him in the study is one of my grandest personal memories from those years. God also gave us the incredible gift of faithful praying friends there in Germany. Fellow missionaries striving to reach precious people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They really believe God and live on their knees. Still today every week my friend in Germany reaches out to remind me to submit my prayer requests because Friday Prayer time is on their schedule. I wish to say, I deeply cherish their prayers to the Father for my family and me. I cannot count the number of times their prayerfulness strengthened and steeled me against the challenges. May God Almighty increase their number exponentially!

I do not get to see my pastor very often during the year. It has been that way for several years now. That is simply how it is in our itinerate ministry. Our work is typically somewhere else…in another city…with a different congregation or with a different church planter. Whenever I do see him and speak with him he assures me that he has been faithfully praying for our family. Occasionally, he will send a text to let me know he is consistently praying for us as we serve. I deeply cherish his prayers.

I share these accounts because prayer communion is their attitude. It’s a part of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They faithfully and consistently carry others before the throne of grace seeking their help and spiritual welfare. They pray and pray and pray some more. Every day at designated times, and as needs arise they instinctively fall to their knees and cry out to God. Some have special prayer engagements throughout the week and the calendar year. They intentionally sustain communion with the Most High and count it a blessing to enter the presence of God.

Beloved, we all must choose to hang on to God in prayer...to cling to Him refusing to entertain any other options. Continuing in prayer with unwavering trust in God’s great heart and mighty arm. This is serious evidence of a well-founded trust in the Lord. To utter and mean it when we say, ‘Your will, Almighty Lord God, on earth as it is in heaven.’ To yearn for His will above all...to cry out to our Father God passionately...to hang on to the Lord while hot tears race down our cheeks are activities of unwavering trust in the Lord above all else. 

So, what might this look like in our experiences? Continuing in fellowship and sweet communion with God must start somewhere…right? Call God up early in your day and keep Him on the phone throughout your day! You may need to pause the conversation periodically, but keep him on the line. Resume the conversation as many times as you need and as much as you desire. He is available to you 24/7; therefore, pray without ceasing. Your relationship with God will deepen and become more meaningful as this sweet attitude of trust takes shape through prayerfulness.

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^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 403–404). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

^[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 21:21–22). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 6:5–8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[4] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 1035–1036). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.