Daily Devo
P.R.A.Y.
By: Kelly Russell
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Pray without ceasing… 1 Thessalonians 5:17
You may recall the wilderness story of God providing manna to the Israelites. This miraculous “bread from heaven” was sent daily for physical nourishment and as a reminder of God’s presence.
Now, we look to Jesus as our daily “Bread from heaven.” The Bible teaches a lot about our daily needs. We learn that sacrifices were given daily. Work is to be completed daily. Souls were saved daily. God bears our burdens daily. Believers take up their cross daily. And disciples of Christ seek the Lord daily. We do this because yesterday’s manna doesn’t sustain us today. Even Jesus withdrew to solitary places, d-a-i-l-y, to be refreshed and restored.
God designed us to abide in Him. Jesus said that man doesn’t live on bread (manna) alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. This can be through the written Word or supernatural Word. One of the first examples of a dialogue between God and His creation is when He spoke to Adam, saying, “Where are you?”. We call it prayer. Familiar examples in scripture are, call out, cry out, inquire of, press into, ask, seek, and knock. Sometimes, prayer has no words, just heavy burdens.
There are various formats that can guide our prayer life. I’ll share one God gave me:
Pause: Discipline yourself to stop the busyness. Be still in the presence of God. Ask Him to quiet your soul and give you ears to hear.
Reflect: Ask yourself if you are modeling the character of Christ in your life. Which areas do you need to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? Consider what God has allowed in your life to change and teach you.
Agree: God will highlight unbecoming conduct, and so will the devil. Acknowledge where you’ve not aligned with God’s Word. Confess your sin. Receive correction and cleansing. Cling to the promise that nothing can separate you from God’s love.
Yield: You are called as a living sacrifice for God—His holy temple. Release pride to understand and control. Surrender your heart to God's authority. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead every step.
Because we are spiritual beings in a physical body, prayer is how we connect with God. Not only do we pray daily, but “without ceasing.”, meaning “without intermission.” The essence of prayer is faithful dependence. It’s constant, unbroken fellowship through humble obedience. A believer who seeks the Lord first pleases a God who first loved them.
Remember this, friends: Pray because you get to, not because you have to. Make your requests known to Him, but also, let God make Himself known to you.
Read: Psalm 68:19, Matthew 4:4, Romans 8:26