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You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
James 4:3
3 Ye ask <aiteo>, and <kai> receive
<lambano> not <ou>, because <dioti> ye ask <aiteo>
amiss <kakos>, that <hina> ye may consume <dapanao> it upon
<en> your <humon> lusts <hedone>.KJV-Interlinear
3 You ask and do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.NASB
Bible doctrine and prayer are the components of our two-way
dialogue with God.The written word is
God speaking to each of us, and our prayer is our conversation with God.
In our current dispensation, there is no other form of
communication between us and God.No
dreams, no hearing of voices, no visions, no messenger angels, nothing but the
written word which we study and thereby hear God through His written message in
the scriptures.
Residence in fellowship is our online link with God.When in fellowship we are inside of Gods
will, we are standing (as it were) in the presence of God, we are inside of His
temple, protected by His fortress, and so forth.Our spiritual life operates only while we are
resident in fellowship.Thus, prayer
functions only while we are in fellowship.
When we commit sins and are out of fellowship, then
our spiritual life becomes off-line, shut down, out of sync, we are standing
outside and out of view of His presence, we are imitating unbelievers, so to
speak, by operating in the world just as they do.
Prayer is our mechanism for making requests of God.However, there are prayer rules which must be
followed, otherwise our prayers are not heard or acted upon.
And remember, that Gods overall policy is to do that
which is best for us, not what we ask for.
Rule number one.You must offer your prayers while in fellowship.Any prayer offered while out of fellowship,
is not received.Perfection does not
lower itself to the levels of imperfection, and being out of fellowship is in effect
a state of imperfection.
No unbelievers' prayer is ever heard, with one
exception, and that is the moment of their belief in Christ.Salvation faith is in effect a prayer to the
Father and He accepts that faith prayer and always grants salvation.That is divine policy - no exceptions.
And remember again, God always gives you that which is
best for you, and compatible with His grace policy, and divine plan.
So, human history takes precedent in prayer.The details over your entire life takes
precedent over your present moment.You
may want something now, but that might interfere with something else in your
later life, which would be better for you.
Prayer must be in sync with history.You cannot ask for the rapture now, because
of your own selfish interest or misery now.
You cannot pray for someone else, to do or not do
something.That interferes with their
right to make their own decisions.
You cannot pray for anything that is from the sin
nature.You cannot pray for anything
that is incompatible with Gods grace policy.You cannot pray for anything that is inconsistent with truth.
Far too often people will pray for their own selfish
interests, which have nothing to do with the function of their spiritual life.
But the biggest error that people make in prayer, is
the error of being out of fellowship.The second biggest error, is the error of not advancing in their
spiritual life, and thus not being familiar with Gods divine plan and policy,
or not being oriented properly to life, to God, or to themselves.
And so the vast majority of all prayer, never gets any
higher than the ceiling.
And even when you are in fellowship, and have substantial
spiritual growth, your prayers must be compatible with Gods plan for human
history, must be compatible with truth, must be compatible with Gods plan for
your life, and must be in your best interest (and perhaps of people around you),
in Gods view, not yours.
All prayer must be offered while in fellowship.
All prayer is directed to the Father, and to no one
else.We do not pray to Jesus, to Mary,
to birds, to angels, to wolves, or to the moon.
All prayer must be offered in Christ's name.Jesus Christ is our only means of approach to
the Father.There is no other means, or
method, or path of access.
And when you do not follow these requirements of
prayer, then you are wasting your time. The more you advance in your spiritual life,
the more effective your prayer life will become.The more you lack in your spiritual life, the
less effective your prayers will be.
Now is the time to post a prayer.
End Of Lesson
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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