GospeLines Ministries® Daily Devotional for Monday, April 5, 2010
Have you missed any of our devotionals? Remember they can be found in the Archive section of our Website http://www.gospelines.com "Let Us Pray" Part 5 "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" Matthew 6:10 KJV Three tough questions: If we must pray before God's will is done, does that mean His will is sometimes left undone? The first question begs an answer to an even greater brain teasing dilemma: If God's will does not always prevail, doesn't that diminish His sovereignty? Finally, will persistent prayer change the mind of God? Those are questions we should be asking when we pray, "Thy will be done." Let's look at three groups who pray, "Thy will be done." Do you fit any of these? FIRST, there are those who say it in an attitude of bitter resentment. It is a statement of someone who believes they cannot escape from the inevitable and they're mad about it. Perhaps they have lost a child and through clinched teeth they mumble the words, "Thy will be done." This approach shows a lack of understanding about the nature of God. SECOND, people will say it in passive resignation. Whatever You want to do Lord I can't do anything about it anyway, "Thy will be done." This shows a lack of faith. THIRD, there are some people who say, "Thy will be done," with theological reservation. No pleading, no intensity, no passion. Theological reservation says, I don't really need to pray because it's all settled, it's all God's will, everything's God's will. People who have this viewpoint don't have much of a prayer life. If you pray as these three groups you are a fatalist.you have given up on prayer altogether. Beloved, there is a better way! If you pray as they do, you have no reason to storm the gates of heaven in the manner Jesus taught us in Luke18:1-8 NIV (please click here to read that passage) . God doesn't cause evil to happen in the world; He is not pleased with sin and the consequences of it, rather He tolerates it. We can change the course of history through prayer. Some sickness can be healed, untimely death can be overcome, nations can be rebuilt from the ashes of complacency, churches can be transformed, and families can be restored through persistent prayer! Hallelujah! We have a right to fight against certain situations in the world; to refuse to accept the way things are, and to pray persistently that God would do them the way they ought to be done. Praying "Thy will be done," in many cases is nothing less than rebellion. For example, Jesus never accepted the status quo, He said, "Oh Father, does it have to be this way? I rebel against this sinfulness, I rebel against the power of sin to take my life, I rebel against the necessity for bearing sin, I rebel against these things that violate the sanctity of Your holy universe." How about your prayer life? Are you praying "Thy will be done," because it isn't always being done? And are you persisting, not for some private or personal reason but because you cry out for God to be glorified? GospeLines Prayer: Father, if I am supposed to be a rebel with a cause, teach me how to fight against evil through prayer. Give me boldness when I pray "Thy will be done," not "que sera sera" acceptance of a bad situation. Help me to change the things I can and express a persistent righteous indignation about the evil things I cannot change. Give me patience to wait upon You to fix the latter. Amen and amen. Tommy Harrison www.gospelines.com 3 crosses Amen and Amen! _____________________________________________________ GospeLines is a non-profit Christian ministry, providing free devotionals, Monday through Friday, to subscribers around the world. If you are receiving this devotional as a forward from a friend, please use the link below to become a subscriber. 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