Your Daily Devotional for July 15, 2007

 

July 15,  2007

 

 

The Product of Our Prayers

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

 

Hebrews 11:4-6

 

 

It is recorded that the great missionary to Africa, David Brainerd, prayed for one tribe so fervently that he would sweat even in cold weather. As we saw yesterday, we must have faith that God will answer our prayers as we bring our requests to Him. Faith is our way of showing Him that we place our confidence and trust in Him to answer our prayers. As we have faith in God when we pray, we will see three things.

 

First, God will be pleased. As we see in Hebrews 11:5, Enoch's faith pleased God, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." God is pleased when we trust Him to answer our requests.

 

In the same manner, when we do not have faith in Him, He is displeased. Hebrews 3:12 says, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." God desires that we would please Him through our faith. Do you desire to please God? He has shown us in this verse that He is pleased when we have faith in Him! When we take our requests to Him in faith, He is pleased.

 

Second, when we have faith in God, we can have victory. We see in 1 John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." God tells us that in order to have victory in our lives, we must have faith in Him!

 

The writer E.M. Bounds once said, "Prayer projects faith on God, and God on the world. Only God can move mountains and only prayer moves God." God desires to do mighty things through our lives, but we must first come to Him in faith.

 

Last, we will see that faith is rewarded by God. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." God promises to reward our faith as we trust Him!

 

The late Adrian Rogers, a Baptist pastor, once said, "God honors faith because faith honors Him. Therefore faith is a moral response to the faith of God. Faith gives pleasure to God." God is pleased by our faith, and He has promised to bless us and give us victory as we trust Him.

 

Is there something in your life that demands earnest prayer? We all have situations in our lives that require God's help. Take your situation to God and have faith in Him. Let Him work through your request because of your faith in Him.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

Psalm 13-15 • Acts 19:21-41

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