TAKE TIME TO PRAY

TAKE TIME TO PRAY
I got up in the morning
And rushed right into the day.
I had so much to accomplish
I didn’t have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled around me
And heavier came each task.
I whined “Why doesn’t God help me?”
He said “You didn’t ask.”
I groaned and shouted and grumbled,
I tried every key in the lock.
I cried “Why doesn’t He open?”
He said, “Son you didn’t knock.”
So, I got up early in the morning
And paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
I had to take time to pray.
Author unknown

In our mad rush that we call life and living we rarely have time in the day to do what we truly want to
do. We think that we will achieve success in life by straining and striving and working harder and longer,
at least that was what I was taught when I was growing up. But, when I became a Christian and started
understanding that with God I would be much more successful than trying to achieve my goals by myself
I started changing my ways and making room for God in my life. The funny thing was, the more I prayed
and put God first the more successful I became.
Psychologists and even leadership in the Denominational Churches say that it doesn’t matter who or
what you pray for as long as you pray. They say that it is good to get it off your chest and they say that
we shouldn’t expect an answer. I am here to tell you that this just is not true! It does matter who you
pray to AND you should expect answers to prayer!
There is a record in the Old Testament that corroborates the fact that it does matter who you pray to.
Elijah was a prophet of God. He had been hiding for three years from the King of Israel because the King
was an evil King, was worshipping idols and caused the people of Israel to worship them as well. God
told Elijah to go to the King of Israel and, finally after three years of hiding, get the matter straightened
out. Elijah goes to the King and has to confront the four hundred and fifty prophets of the idol Baal. One
man against four hundred and fifty! Both sides are going to pray to their gods. Elijah to the One True
God and the four hundred and fifty to Baal. According to the psychologists and others it shouldn’t
matter who these men prayed to the result should be the same…nothing. However, for these men this
was a matter of life and death. At the end of that day someone would lose their life and it all depended
on their God hearing their prayer.1 Kings 18:17-40 (KJV)
17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that
troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have
forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal
four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount
Carmel.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the
LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a
word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s
prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and
cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and
lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God
that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it
first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name
of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any
that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god;
either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and
must be awaked.
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the
blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering
of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto
him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto
whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about
the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and
said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the
third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet
came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that
thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thyword.
37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that
thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the
stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the
God; the LORD, he is the God.
40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they
took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
As a Christian it is imperative that God hears our prayers and not only hears, but answers our prayers.
Thankfully He promised to do just that.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Matthew 21:22 (KJV)
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.
Psalm 37:5 (KJV)
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
One of the facets of committing your way to God is praying to Him.
There are hundreds of references in the Bible of men and women who prayed to God and how He heard
them. I have just picked a few.
Psalm 28:6-7 (KJV)
6 Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my (King David) supplications.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore
my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Psalm 66:19-20 (KJV)
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Acts 10:1-4 (KJV)
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the
Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the
people, and prayed to God alway.3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him,
and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him,
Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
2 Timothy 1:3 (KJV)
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have
remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
Philemon 1:4 (KJV)
4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
God is always with you and He always hears your prayers.
Proverbs 15:29 (KJV)
29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
Philippians 4:6 (KJV)
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God.
1 Peter 3:12a (KJV)
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers.
As you make time for God in your life and pray to Him you will find out that there is a God in Heaven
that He does hear you and that He will deliver you from your adversities and give you the desires of your
heart.