February 23, 2021 CAC Living Water Devotional : Topic - THE PRAYER GOD CANNOT ANSWER (II)
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LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Tuesday, February 23, 2021.
THE PRAYER GOD CANNOT ANSWER (II)
Read: Mark 11:2-25
Mark 11:2-25 And said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.
If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’”
And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it.
And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”
And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go.
And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.
And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.
And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.
And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.
And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.
And when evening came they went out of the city.
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.
And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
MEMORISE:
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. (John 9:31)
EXPOSITION
Another prayer God won't answer is the one we pray that is not in agreement with the will of God for us (Jn.8:29; 1 Jn.3:21-22;5:14). As discussed yesterday, prayer has principles to follow before we can get answer to it from God. If we violate these principles, God will not answer, to it from God. If we violate these principles, God will not answer, though He hears us. We shall discuss two more of these principles that if anyone violates, God will turn down his prayer.
One important principles of prayer is the principal of faith. ESV:Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mk.11:24). It is the will of God for us to pray with faith. Unbelief hinders prayer. In your prayer, you must be bold enough to pray to God, your heavenly Father, as a child talks to his father (Heb.4:16). God is always ready to answers your prayers, if you believe that promises in the Bible with faith before you will be able to receive the fulfilment from Him (Heb.4:2).
Another principle of prayer is the principle of forgiveness. ESV:And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark.11:25). It is the will of God for us to forgive our offenders before we start praying. Failure to forgive hinders prayer (cf. Matt.6:14-15; 18:21-35;Eph.4:32; Col.3:13). We are 100 percent perfect before God, yet, He graciously forgive our imperfections. Therefore, it behoves on us to overlook the offences our fellow ones commit against us. It is mandatory for us to forgive our offenders rightly from our hearts, whether they ask for it or not, if we want God to listen to our voices in prayer.
PRAYER POINTS
1. My heavenly Father, help my unbelief for me to enjoy Your goodness and benefits of the kingdom through prayer.
2. Lord, create in me a new heart to learn to forgive my offenders from my heart.
3. Lord, let there be revival of proper prayer life in our churches as of old.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Leviticus 22:23-24:9; Mark 3:23-4:9
Reviewed by Muyiwa Abodunrin (Muyilight)
on
February 22, 2021
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