Category: Hannah

A Heart Matter

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11 KJV).

Today’s Scripture, believe it or not, lies at the heart of prayer.

Like innumerable other Christian subjects, prayer is terribly misunderstood. Superstition thus lurks in this realm. Since not considered dispensationally, prayer is usually such an unspeakable burden, a taxing exercise with mysterious and often unexpected results. Little wonder so many stumble therein!

As God has already spoken to us through His Word, the Holy Bible, so we now speak to Him through prayer. Prayer, of course, must be “Pauline” if it will have the impact Father God intended. The only way our prayers can be Pauline is if our doctrine is Pauline—harmonious with what the Lord says to us through the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 3:1,2). We cannot force God to do something He is no longer doing. Yanking verses from other dispensations, claiming prayer promises God never gave us, is a sure way to wind up a bitter opponent of Christianity!

God the Holy Spirit speaks in Romans through Philemon, then we read and store or believe that information with the heart (cf. today’s Scripture). Psalm 62:8 comments: “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” Prayer is heartfelt communion with Father God—not mindless repetition of denominational proclamations!

Watch how Hannah prayed: “And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:12-15). She read God’s Word to her—particularly the Mosaic Law—and she prayed according to it. Scripture was in her heart, and her prayer was the pouring out of her soul. This led to the birth of the Prophet Samuel.

Brethren, our prayers will be equally powerful when we pray the Pauline way!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should Christians celebrate Valentine’s Day?”

Praying Like Elijah #11

Saturday, February 28, 2015

“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months” (James 5:17 KJV).

Why did Elijah pray like this, what was so special about his prayer that God answered it, and how can we have our prayers answered of God?

All too often today prayer is reduced to mere posture and procedure—kneel at the railing, or enter your prayer closet, cross your heart, close your eyes, bow your head, use prayer beads or prayer wheels, and recite what you have read in a prayer book. Dear friends, prayer at its fundamental level is none of those things. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Are you going to stay kneeling literally every moment? Should your eyes be closed every second? Is your head to be bowed 24 hours a day, seven days a week? If prayer is kneeling, closing eyes, and bowing heads, then yes, yes, and yes. The truth is, prayer in the Bible is not some formalistic practice, so no, no, and no!

When barren Hannah prayed to the LORD, she told the priest Eli, “I have poured out my soul before the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:15). David wrote to Israel, “Ye people, pour out your heart before him” (Psalm 62:8). Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” The “heart,” our soul, our innermost being, is that which we use to believe God’s Word. Prayer is speaking to God what is in our hearts, and if we have studied and believed our Bible, then we will be speaking to God what He told us. Again, this is consistent view of prayer, regardless of dispensation.

Brethren, we are to be constantly reminding ourselves of Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. “Meditate on these things” (1 Timothy 4:15). “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7). Day in and day out, we should be thinking about God’s Word to us, reminding ourselves of what He said to us. This is Pauline prayer. This is answered prayer….

Our special edition 125th Bible Q&A: “Should we observe the Lord’s Supper?”