OPERATOR...GIVE ME JESUS..ON THE MAINLINE

Greeting and Salutations O Ye Praying people...

In 1950 Mr. William Spivery had a song hit called OPERATOR...which was later recorded by Manhattan Transfer.  The premise was calling heaven to talk to Jesus.

OPERATOR (written by William Spivery)

Operator...Give me information...Information
Give me long distance...Long distance
Give me heaven...Operator...Information
Give me Jesus on the line...Operator
Information...I'd like to speak to a friend of mine
Oh prayer is the number...Faith is the exchange
Heaven is the street...And Jesus is his name
Operator, Information...

The old joke is...if you call heaven from America... it is a long distance call...but call heaven from Jerusalem... then it is a local call.  Of course...we are talking about PRAYER....COMMUNICATION WITH GOD.

Another song about connecting with Jesus in prayer....that we would sing back in the 70's...is JESUS ON THE MAINLINE

JESUS ON THE MAINLINE (written by Norman Hutchins)

Jesus is on the mainline,tell Him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline,,tell Him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline,tell Him what you want. Jesus is on the mainline...tell Him what you want.

NOTE:  The chorus went...Call Him up...Call Him up...Tell Him what you want.(repeat this three times and then end with Jesus On The Mainline Now).  Then you would go on to tell Him what you want. "If you want salvation...tell Him what you want...OR...If you want the Holy Ghost...tell Him what you want...OR...if you want a healing...tell Him what you want...etc.  and then end with Jesus on the Mainline now.

Some would say that these songs were selfish, greedy, self indulgent prayers...asking for things and consuming on their lusts...BUT...I don't think so.  God's heartbeat is one of a giver and a rewarder and it PLEASES GOD.

"And without faith it is impossible to pleas Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and tat He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (not just passively inquire)."
(Hebrews 11:6)
 
I like this picture of my son Phillip praying.  It reminds me of Jesus' with His words..."Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
(Matthew 26:41)

God is Pro-Prayer.  He wants us to come to Him for our needs and wants. 

"Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you NEED...BEFORE...you ASK Him." (Matthew 6:8; Matthew 11:23))

Jesus said..."If you ABIDE in my...and my Words ABIDE in you...ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH...and it shall be done for you." (John 15:7)

The key is ABIDING ...us in Him and His WORDS in us.  This thing called ABIDING in not just a passive inquiring...and then giving up...it is a CONTINUATION in Jesus and His Words.

ABIDE:  menō (men'-o)=A primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): - abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.

 

The usual Modus Operandi for many praying people is...to shot gun blast heaven with request and when they get no answers immediately...they assume that it is either not God's will for them...or that there is no God and we are speaking to air.  Neither is true. Again the key is continuing in Jesus...and then continuing in HIS WORD.  His WORD is truth and His will in a matter.  This is a safeguard for asking for selfish things. 

 

This picture is from the opening of the movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.  The scene is one of various people praying for a man named George Bailey...as the prayers ascend upward...the house is seen from a heavenly perspective...as the prayers...hit heaven and set things into motion for George. 

Mr. Emil Gower: I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father.
Giuseppe Martini: Joseph, Jesus and Mary. Help my friend, Mr. Bailey.

Ma Bailey: Help my son, George, tonight.
Bert: He never thinks about himself, God, that's why he's in trouble.
Ernie Bishop: George is a good guy. Give him a break, God.
Mary: I love him, dear Lord. Watch over him tonight.
Janie Bailey: Please, God, something's the matter with Daddy.
Zuzu Bailey: Please bring Daddy back.

These prayers sets things into motion...angels are dispatched...and there is a process of the prayer of being answered.  Sometimes there is a lapse of time between the POINT OF PRAYER...and the POINT OF PROVISION...between the REQUEST...and between the ANSWER.

Daniel was a prayer warrior.  In Daniel 9:21 we see..."While I was STILL SPEAKING...in PRAYER, then the man (angel) Gabriel, whom I had seen in a vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering.  And he GAVE ME INSTRUCTION and talked with me, and said O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding.  At the beginning of your SUPPLIATIONS the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for your are highly esteemed, so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision." (Daniel 9:21-23)

NOTE: Verse 20 shows Daniel's attitude during this prayer..."Now while I was SPEAKING and PRAYING and CONFESSING MY SIN...and the sin of my people Israel, and PRESENTING MY SUPPLICATION before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God." (Daniel 9:20)

Another incident of prayer with Daniel speaks of a DELAY in the answer to prayer. 

"In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message/word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.  In those days I Daniel, had been mourning for THREE ENTIRE WEEKS (21 Days).  (Daniel 10:1-2) 

21 Days later...the angel rolled in with a word. 

"And he said to me, O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.  And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.  Then he said to me...Do not be afraid, Daniel for FROM THE FIRST DAY THAT YOU SET YOUR HEART ON UNDERSTANDING THIS and on humbling yourself before your God...YOUR WORDS WERE HEARD...and I HAVE COME IN RESPONSE TO YOUR WORDS.  But the prince of Persia was WITHSTANDING (standing opposite) me for 21 DAYS...then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.  Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future." (Daniel 10: 11-14)

NOTE:  Just because you DON'T see an answer to prayer...does not mean that the prayer was NOT HEARD...or that the prayer was DENIED.  There may be warfare between angelic princes...one to prevent the prayer...the other to deliver the prayer.
 
Jesus...when He was teaching on prayer...told His follower to "HAVE FAITH IN GOD...CONTINUALLY"
(Mark 11:22 The Amplified Bible)

Jesus begins to speak of mountain moving faith in the area of prayer, and shows the connection between faith and prayer.

"Truly I say to you whoever SAYS (the prayer) to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea and DOES NOT DOUBT in his heart but BELIEVES (trusts in, relies on, clings to, adheres to) that what he SAYS (prays) is GOING TO HAPPEN, it shall be granted (answered prayer) him." (Mark 11:23)

After teaching it...He now clarifies "Therefore (because of what was just said)...I say to you all things for which you PRAY and ASK...BELIEVE (trust in, cling to, rely on, adhere to) that you HAVE RECEIVED (not going to...but have) them and they shall be granted you."  (Mark 11:24)

So...when you get on your Holy Phone...and the Operator connects you to the Heavenly Exchange... and you have Jesus on the Mainline...go ahead...tell Him what you want.  He knows what you need and are thinking even before you dialed the number. 

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

QUESTION:  Do you know God's Phone Number? 

ANSWER:  Jeremiah 33:3

WHAT?  "CALL unto Me...and I will ANSWER you...and I will TELL you great and mighty things...which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

Love and Dialed Up Kisses
Rodney "Jesus On The Mainline Now" Boyd