Pray Without Ceasing

Thought For Today - February 22 - -
Pray Without Ceasing
By: Robert A. Searles

Before God can truly work in us and through us, we must confess and depart from every known sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin, but before the blood can cleanse us from all sin, all our sins must be brought before him and laid at his feet We may have already put every sin under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we may think that we are justified, and sanctified in the sight of God, and fit for the master's use, and we may very well be except for one besetting sin which keeps us from having the power of God in our lives, and being effective for God. That is, the sin of neglecting to pray.

Jesus said, I will know if you love me if you keep my commandments. He gave the commandment that men ought always to pray without ceasing. Without ceasing means without ever stopping. Always means always. So, the command from Jesus is that if we love him we will never stop talking with him night or day. 

It is a very definite sin to cease praying ,or to let there ever be a moment in our lives when we are not in direct communication with God. Samuel, considered it sinning against God when he ceased to pray. He said: "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and right way....." 1 Samuel 12: 23.

If anything enters our mind that obstructs or hinders our communication with God, that thing has become an idol, and should not be there. When our minds are cluttered with things rather than thoughts of God, our mind is at work on these things, and we are really praying to a god that cannot save.

 "Assemble yourselves and come, draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save." Isaiah 45: 20.

Jesus said: "watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation" Math 26:41 Watching in prayer and constant communication with God keeps us from falling into temptation. In Luke chapter 11:1 the disciples did not ask Jesus to teach them how to pray: they asked him to teach them to pray. Jesus said: "men ought always to pray." Luke 18:1. "Pray without ceasing" 1 Thes 5:17. "I will that men pray everywhere." 1 Tim 2: 8.

Praying without ceasing is having God a part of everything we do. Always talking with God in our innermost being while carrying on whatever activity we have to do in our practical lives.
If you were talking with your friend on the telephone, it would not be too difficult to hold the receiver to your ear with one hand while stirring the soup, as it were, with the other. We must do the same with God if we want his power and blessing. Let us ask for cleansing from neglecting to pray. - -