Quote from Forum Archives on March 1, 2006, 1:36 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

Try out the new website at www.theburningbush.net

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The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 847 new subscribers since November 1, 2005!!

03.01.06

We MUST Pray

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose
heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor
regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying,
'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while; but
afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual
coming she weary me.'" Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.
And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him,
though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them
speedily. - Luke 18:1-8a.

Have you ever talked to your car? I have to confess that I have talked to a
car before when it didn't do what I thought it ought to do. Such as when the
car wouldn't start or it left me stranded on the side of the road. Maybe my
car would have performed better if I had given words of encouragement and
lavished praise on my car as nearly half (47%) of those in Britain are
reported to do. At the beginning of a trip, those car owners who talk to
their vehicles are said to give verbal encouragement to their cars and when
they are at the end of their trip, they give the vehicle praise. A survey
has reported that 40 per cent of car owners in Britain believe their car has
a personality and 19 per cent were even concerned about the feelings of
their car. Maybe they have watched "Herbie, the Love Bug" too many times?

I do have a suggestion for what to do instead of giving encouragement to a
vehicle before started on a trip and what to do upon ending a trip. Instead
of talking to your car, talk to God. Ask God for your vehicle to perform
well and for protection during the trip and the day. Upon ending the trip,
give praise not to the car but to God. In "Experiencing God" Henry Blackaby
tells of how with a car in poor condition he drove hundreds of miles to
mission churches. He says that the car was prayed there and back each time.

Of course, prayer should be at the forefront of things to do every day. The
apostle Paul did say in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we should "pray
continually (NIV)" ("pray without ceasing" - KJV and NKJV). In Luke 18:1 the
phrase "ought to pray" does not quite communicate the emphasis that should
be on prayer. "Ought to" should be translated as "must" and then the phrase
would be rendered, as "they must always pray."

The parable in Luke 18 that Jesus relates is an encouragement to never give
up on prayer. We have been in a drought in the area where I live and we are
praying for rain. The rain needed to break the drought has not yet come.
However, you must not give up in praying whether for rain or for other areas
of life because even Elijah had to pray seven times before a cloud the size
of a man's fist was seen (1 Kings 18:42-45).

We have been given a great privilege to enter into the presence of the
thrice holy (Revelation 4:8) and One true God (Hebrews 4:15-17) when we pray
in the Name of Jesus (John 16:23). Remember we not only "ought to pray" but
we "must" pray. Also, the next time you watch "Herbie the Love Bug" remember
it is... just a movie.

Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

PRAYER REQUEST: I continue to covet your prayers for healing from chronic
infections which are hindering my ability to write and minister. Thank you!
Ed Wrather.

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