Praying With or Without Words

Have you every prayed a prayer that was wordless . . . with tears . . . lifting a burden to God with groanings too deep for words?

Of course, Jesus taught us to pray with words – words express the thoughts and feelings of our hearts. With words we express our appreciation and gratitude to God. With words we convey our sorrow for sins committed. With words we make requests for God’s blessing on others as well as for our own personal needs.

We can also pray without words – “The Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26). As the Spirit moves in our hearts, Jesus Christ finds in our hearts the motions of our non-verbalized prayers and expresses them to the Father. Praying without words like this is also true prayer.

Let’s say your computer breaks down. You’re not a computer genius, and if you’re really stuck, you phone the repair shop – the Geek Squad – to see if they could tell you what is the problem and if you could do anything about it.

You quickly discover, however, that you don’t even know how to describe what isn’t working right. You don’t know the names of the parts or what is specifically wrong. You just know you computer doesn’t work.

So the repair shop sends out a computer technician. While working on your computer, he also calls the shop. Unlike you, however, he knows how to describe what is needed. He uses words you don’t understand, but the person at the shop does, and soon your computer is repaired.

Your need is met because someone came and communicated to headquarters in words you could not express.

That is what the Holy Spirit does for us. When we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit knows precisely what we need and prays in a language the Father understands perfectly.

Superlatives best describe God

“Superlatives” describe something of the highest possible excellence – of the highest order, quality, or degree – surpassing or superior to all others.

Superlatives best describe God.

•    God’s greatness is “unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3).
•    God as sovereign is “Most High” (Daniel 4:17).
•    God pardons “freely” (Isaiah 55:7).
•    God gives life “to the full” (John 10:10).
•    God’s judgments are “unsearchable” (Romans 8:33).
•    God’s gift of salvation is “indescribable” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
•    Christ’s riches are “boundless” (Ephesians 3:8).
•    God’s love “surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19).
•    God is able to do “immeasurably more” (Ephesians 3:20).
•    Jesus is exalted to the “highest place,” his name is “above every name” (Philippians 2:9).
•    God’s peace “transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

These superlatives describe God, and they don’t describe anything but God!

Darkest Periods

“I can look back at my darkest periods and realize that these were the times when the Lord was holding me closest. But I couldn’t see his face because my face was in his breast – crying.” ~ John Michael Talbot

Taxes

During the Christmas season, a Sunday School teacher asked his students: “Now, who decreed that all the world should be taxed?”

A student said: “The Democrats!”

Do you have a Quiet Center?

Do you have a quiet center in your life?

For many of us our life motto seems to be, “When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.” God, however, invites us to be still and know that he is God (Psalm 46:10).

Be still: Let go. Relax your grip. End your struggle. Unclench your fist.

Be still: Pause. Step back. Let go of panic. Release your anxiety.

Be still: Quit struggling. Stop fighting. Shut out the noise. Get rid of distractions.

Be still: Quiet your heart. Cease striving. Quit racing around. Don’t sweat it.

Be still: Recognize God’s presence and power. Breathe.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

The Power of God's Word!

Thomas Brooks said, “The Word of the Lord is a light to guide you, a counselor to counsel you, a comforter to comfort you, a staff to support you, a sword to defend you, and a physician to cure you. The Word is a mine to enrich you, a robe to clothe you, and a crown to crown you.”

E. Stanley Jones added, “The Bible redirects my will, cleanses my emotions, enlightens my mind, and quickens my total being.”

Charles Colson stated, “Nothing has affected the rise and fall of civilization, the character of cultures, the structure of governments, and the lives of the inhabitants of this planet as profoundly as the words of the Bible.”

A.T. Pierson realized, “While other books inform, and some few reform, this one book transforms.”

And my favorite – Martin Luther declared, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.”

The Bible is God’s written revelation to us! It’s inspired! It’s alive! It’s powerful! It changes lives!

God will stand with you!

The apostle Paul said, "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength" (2 Timothy 4:17).

Do you know what that means to have God stand by your side?

It means that the person of Jesus Christ comes alongside you in your pains and puts his hand on your shoulder.

He puts his arm around you to hold you up. He lets you lean on him when you feel wobbly. He allows your tears to fall on his shoulder.

He is an understanding friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” He will weep together with you, and he will wipe away the tears. He will help you stand up strong.

God will stand with you!