DAY 15: THE WHY QUESTION I— WHY WE PRAY

THE RHEMA WORD FOR TODAY
(A DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH PREACHER SAM)

TOPIC: THE WHY QUESTION I: WHY WE PRAY
DATE: 15 SEPTEMBER, 2019
BIBLE READING: MATTHEW 6:5-13
MEDITATION/MEMORY VERSE: LUKE 18:1 (THE MESSAGE)
Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.

Prayer is an invocation and an act of supplication to God. That is prayer is a way of communicating with God.
From our Bible reading, we see Jesus saying, ‘When you pray…’ That is, we ought always to pray. If Jesus had said, ‘If you pray...’ that would be different; prayer would have been optional. But ‘When you pray…’ is an instruction.
But Jesus said later on, ‘When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God…… [For] your father knows what you need even before you ask’ (Matthew 6:7, 8). Now, if God knows what we need, then why pray?
Luke included in his account what led Jesus to say ‘When you pray…’
Luke 11:1
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”
This disciple understood that prayer is a pattern for fellowshipping, and so he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, teach us to pray…’
Back in Genesis, men began to call on the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26). The amplified Bible puts it this way:
... At that [same] time men began to call on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise and thanksgiving].
Hence, prayer is a mode of worship that invokes God. Adam did that before the fell.
So this disciple understood this, and probably he had been praying too because ‘at that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.’ But he noticed that Jesus had made prayer is lifestyle, and he saw the results that followed, and so he understood that it is not something we do casually. Thus, saying unto Jesus, ‘Lord, teach us to pray…’ Let’s see an instance.
Mark 1:35-39
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he travelled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.
If you read on to chapter 2 of verse 12, you will see other mighty results that followed.
Back to our question, ‘why pray when God knows what we need?’
Now understand this, prayer was not designed only for asking. Still looking at Luke’s account, prayer goes beyond just asking, there is a dimension of prayer that involves seeking.
Luke 11:9-10
So I say to you, ask and keep on asking, and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking [persistently], receives; and he who keeps on seeking [persistently], finds; and to him who keeps on knocking [persistently], the door will be opened.
Even the asking in verse 13 looks like seeking ‘…how much more will your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him.’
If your prayer is limited to just asking alone, then our prayer life will be insatiable. We need to move on to just mere asking, to the realms or level of seeking and panting after him.
So, basically, we pray so that we can have fellowship with God. Even when asking when he knows what we need, is actually to cause us to fellowship with him. He wants to use of faith (Mk. 11:22-24), because without faith it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6). And this faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Meaning as we speak to him, we should pay attention, even as He speaks, because communication involves two or more parties, speaking and the other hearing and also vice versa. This is fellowship! 
 
ACTION POINT: FROM THIS DAY, I CHANGE MY PATTERN OF PRAYING, AND ALSO MAKE IT MY LIFESTYLE
PRAYER POINT: SWEET HOLY SPIRIT, TEACH ME MORE OF YOUR WORD ON PRAYER.
PERSONAL READING: LUKE 11:1-13