Striving to pray always is our conscious choice to let God in. With God there, right in front of us, all our excuses fail. Commentator Albert Barnes makes some interesting points on Revelation 3:20: (b) that we recognise the right of him who dwells in the house to open the door to us or not, as he shall please. Kinsey Cline Of course, we believe prayer is important. Regarding the apostle Paul’s words “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), many people interpret them as constantly speaking to God and consider it a very difficult thing to accomplish. Since vengeance is God's alone, they know He will judge their oppressors, but as they wait for deliverance, persevering prayer will be their refreshment and supply of patience. Those with weak faith are sinful (Romans 14:23) and are promised death (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23). Do we want to be in God's Kingdom enough to walk His way of life entirely, regardless of what God may demand of us? Luke 21:36 indicates the answer could be, "Yes.". Conversely, considering the implications of John 17:3, Jesus gives a chilling judgment to the virgins who fail to overcome: "I do not know you" (Matthew 25:12). 16 Rejoice evermore. Both parables depict a person granting a request because of his selfish motives. It is the same in any family. As we see sin abounding in the nation and world, we have all the more reason to exclaim, "Pray without ceasing," because it is only by God’s mercy ...read more. Before conversion, this world and its influences were molding us into an anti-God form. We do not need to know the details; it could be any grievance. 21 Test all things; () hold fast what is good. Then I read a description of prayer from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Praying without ceasing means our heart should always be ready for prayer. When this occurs, it is a good time to pray for the will and power to do the right thing (Philippians 2:13). We are not just to note the problems we see but to overcome them. Get real. Generally, the relationship between God and the Christian is weak and must be rebuilt, requiring considerable conversation, prayer, at all times of the day. He flat out refused to give him any bread for his visiting friend, lest his sleeping wife and children be disturbed. Some people wonder if there is really any need to pray. The means to do this is through “praying perseveringly” to God who can—and will—respond. I would be doing nothing but praying which is great but then I wouldn’t be able to work or do anything else. Is it to us? This prayer is to be "without ceasing," implying constancy (Colossians 4:2) and perseverance (Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Luke 18:1).This is not a mere precept "capable of fulfillment in idea, rather than in fact" (Jowett); but it is an exhortation to live in a devotional frame of mind. We must seek and build it through cooperative association with and because of Him and our Lord and Savior. Tell Him what He already knows. To him, prayer was a life-and-death issue. “We have constant need of prayer, therefore, in the same way that we need air to breath. Prayer is one of the greatest gifts and privileges we have as Christians. Make that literal by listening to worship music. She offers free monthly prayer prompt calendars at kellyostanley.com and calls small-town Indiana her home. Psalm 4:4 (Contemporary English Version,CEV) emphasizes the seriousness of examining ourselves: "But each of you had better tremble and turn from your sins. Yet, if you are like many Christians who don't know how to do that, a life of sustained prayer can be a struggle. Praying without ceasing is of great importance to us Christians. This is why after prayer, after spending time in the presence of God, people can feel peace, joy, or confidence. It is the best way for us to communicate with God, gain the Holy Spirit’s work, stay away from … Nor can we use others as examples, saying, "They are doing it, so what is the big deal?" John W. Ritenbaugh How often are we in contact with God throughout our day? Actually, Jesus is contrasting the faithfulness of our loving God to the cynical, self-serving, unrighteous judge. As you sing along, offer it to God as your prayer. Is there another sign—a less visible one—that perhaps only God sees? Consider this scenario: A person spends the entire day walking from Point A to Point B with his best friend. This prayer is to be "without ceasing," implying constancy (Colossians 4:2) and perseverance (Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Luke 18:1).This is not a mere precept "capable of fulfillment in idea, rather than in fact" (Jowett); but it is an exhortation to live in a devotional frame of mind. We must also decide how to respond to other people and how to respond to our own emotions and attitudes. Why do we not seek God for every decision, every thought? Hebrews 11:39 declares that all of those named or implied in the chapter obtained a good testimony through faith. Those who prove their diligence by doing these things are the ones rewarded with the faith to overcome (I John 5:4). It’s God’s gift of his time to be available for conversation at any time of day or night. These facts lead to the conclusion that "watch" in Luke 21:36 has little, or perhaps even nothing, to do with watching world events. Here’s the good news. The "praying always" that Jesus commands in Luke 21:36 affects every part of our Christian lives. This is why after prayer, after spending time in the presence of God, people can feel peace, joy, or confidence. But today? We are to come to understand that if a request is not granted immediately, God may be testing us, teaching us patience, or working out a purpose we cannot see. "God is Love" A literal translation of those three words, en pantí kairoó, would be "in all times," and many Bible translations have chosen to use similar wording, such as "at all times." (Contemporary English Version). In… - Pray without ceasing. This verse also suggests that godly character is not really the result of battling temptation, a battle we are powerless to win on our own. It is the tool that God gives us to be in constant contact with Him so that we can truly bring every thought into captivity, under the control of God (II Corinthians 10:5). God says of Enoch in Genesis 5:24: "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Just be real. Yet, if we fail to exercise discipline, He will not. Because of the Bible's obviously high regard for Daniel, it is reasonable to assume that his attitude about prayer played a significant part in deserving the label of "righteous." But don’t take back the weight of the worry. It was most true, his dearest friend was the Lord Jesus, and family prayer was an important engagement; and so he withdrew for awhile to the family altar, and in that respect prayed without ceasing. And secondly, we would find it hard to keep that up for an extended period of time. How does a Christian "pray always"? Notice another illustration of the power of presence. Blessing and Admonition. On the other hand, they can also feel humbled and chastened because God has led them to remorse and repentance. A person who exercises character exercises faith. Overemphasizing that meaning of this verse has overshadowed its real message, perhaps the most important survival instructions Jesus gives to Christians living at the end. 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