"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD HELPING US TO PRAY"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD HELPING US TO PRAY"

1st Chronicles 17:25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.

Some explanatory thoughts/application/questions and a prayer:

As David was beginning his reign as King, and following the Lord and seeking to establish the nation in a way that was pleasing to the Lord, he wanted to build a house for God. But, the Lord told him not to. And, David was accepting of that.
And, in the process of wanting to build a house for God, but then being directed not to, a relationship of prayer was staring to take place in David's life with the Lord. That's what's told us in this verse.

1. God reveals His will to His servants.
1st Chronicles 17:25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house.

David had wanted to build a house for God, and was ready to do it. In fact, the prophet Nathan encouraged him to go forward with this plan. But, shortly thereafter, God spoke to Nathan, and told him to go back to David, and to say, "No" don't build the Lord a house.

So, in here is simple example of God showing or revealing His will to one of His servants, and He will do the same for you as well.

2. God's will sometimes is a green light, and sometimes it's a red light.
1st Chronicles 17:25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house.

Not only did God tell David, not to build him a house, but that He would build David a house. So, here you have on the one hand a red light, "don't build the house for God" and on the other hand, "I will build you a house David"

God is the Lord, and we are His servants. And, His will is always best. Father does know best, that's for sure. If it's a green light, than we ought to walk through that intersection or door that God has opened, and if it's red light, than, without grumbling or complaining etc, we ought to put the brakes on, and just back up, re-group, and see what God has for in the day's ahead. Either way, God is at the controls, red or green, it makes no matter, because it's God's will.

3. God's people as the case was here with David, are called servants.
1st Chronicles 17:25 .....Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.

David referred to himself as "Your servant" The word servant as it's used here, means, a bondman, a slave, one in subjection, a worshipper. We have such a wonderful gift from God in Jesus Christ. He not only will save us from our sins, but than, calls us to give our lives to Him as servants. Placing ourselves in subjection to Him day by day. What better master is there to serve than the Living and true God.

4. God's servants, though servants have the great blessing of being able to talk directly to God.
1st Chronicles 17:25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.

Prayer is really in one sense a response to God. That was the case here. God had revealed His will to David, and David was than communicating back to God. He was praying. Prayer is talking to God. That's as complicated as it gets. God's people can actually talk to Him. And, David had found it in his heart to pray before God,

God can work in any life, and they can have the same testimony as David did here, to talk to God.

5. God's servant David was finding in his own heart, "to pray before You"
1st Chronicles 17:25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.

David was finding this in his own heart. To pray before God. Imagine for just a moment if you will, what a blessing it is when God finds one of His children wanting to talk with Him. It must be more of a blessing than we can realize. But, this desire in the heart of David to pray is one that can be in your heart as well. You can ask God to put this desire in your heart, and you can be sure that you will wake up one day, and start realizing, "I'm wanting to pray and talk to God, this is becoming important in my life, I understand it's something very helpful in my life and ministry"

Some questions:

1. Do you have what we call a prayer life?

2. Have you had a prayer life in the past, and it's somehow slowly wound down to near non existence?

3. Do you know that you can ask the Lord to renew this desire to pray, and He will do it?

4. Will you pause right now, and ask God to begin working in your life to make you a servant of God who wants to pray, and does pray?

A prayer:

Father, here we are right now praying. And, it's our prayer first of all to say thank You for Your many, many blessings in our lives And, secondly, it's our prayer to say would You help us to want to pray. And, would You work in us, so that prayer becomes as natural to us as breathing is to our lungs. Thank You for loving us Father, and wanting to communicate with us.
We want to become men and women of prayer. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.