PRAYER ACCESS: Showers Of Blessings

Greetings Prayer Warriors...how's your prayer life?

Years ago...at Second Touch Coffee House in Columbia Tennessee...the Mule Day Parade was over...and people were streaming by the Coffee House and one of the guys working there was asking people... "Parade over?" The phrase had a double meaning...as he asked would you like to be..."Prayed over?" He actually had a few takers of the prayer.

Prayer is either the psychological gymnastics of a desperate people who have invented a Deity to invoke prayers to...to ease their guilty conscience and confusion about life...OR...it is a direct connection to the Creator of the universe...whose heart is moved by his creation coming to him.

I love the first picture of my son Phillip...saying a prayer...practicing what Jesus wanted the disciples to do...to WATCH...and PRAY. As you check out the photo...let us have a collective..."Awwwwwwwww."

Many people approach the Creator of the universe many different ways. The other day...I went into my shower...standing there with the hot water cascading on my head...and I began to prayer..."Father...I come to you...in the name of Jesus..."

It dawned on me that this is the standard formula that I use whenever I pray my prayers.

Of course...God can hear you if your back is against the wall in the face of another impossibility in your life... and all you can do to enter His presence is open your mouth and scream out:

HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He can also hear you when you are at your weakest moments...with no strength to barely get out of bed...and eek out a weak...heeelllp. I am always encouraged when I read the incident of the children of Israel...who were in bondage in Egypt...under the hand of the tasks masters...via the rule of the Pharaoh...as they "sighed/groaned because of the bondage...and they cried out; and their cry for HELP because of their bondage ROSE UP TO GOD...SO God HEARD their GROANING...and GOD REMEMBERED His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, ad Jacob. And God SAW the sons of Israel...and God TOOK NOTICE of them." (Exodus 2:23-25)


Prayers can be prayers of blessings...like Bruce Coble prayers over the people of Kenya...or prayers of practical needs...or prayers of desperation...or just intimate conversation with God...not asking for anything.

Now...back to me...praying in my shower. I love my Prayer Shower...kinda like a Prayer Closet with running water. "Father...I come to you...in the name of Jesus..." I began to think in terms of teaching...and breaking down this beginning to my prayers.

1. Father: Jesus taught His disciples to pray that way in what has become known as "The Lord's Prayer." Jesus said...pray this way..."OUR FATHER...who art in heaven..."I began to think how my Dad...passed away...but I still have a Father. I have a Father who cares for me....who has interest in what is going on in my life...and wants me to come to Him. I recently was working with a patient who happened to be of the Jewish faith. I noticed that his child would talk to him...by calling him "ABBA." I asked her about the name Abba...and she told me it was a term of endearment...and at the same time a term of respect. Whenever she would call him Abba...he would give her his attention...and respond appropriately to her. So does our ABBA FATHER.

2. I: Not only is the Creator of the universe...OUR ABBA FATHER...He is MY ABBA FATHER.
When Jesus was quizzing the boys about who other people were saying that He was...they responded by saying...some say you are John the Baptist, others, Jeremiah/Isaiah or one of the prophets. Jesus said...Who do YOU say I am? Peter responds...You are the Christ...the living Son of God. We are all...individually faced with that question...WHO DO YOU SAY I AM. I am the one coming in...via my prayers into His presence.

3. COME TO YOU: I may want Him to come down to my level...but really...before He comes down...I come to Him. He has already come down in the form of Jesus..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...and we beheld His glory as that of the only begotten Son of God." (John 1:1; 14) Now because Jesus came down...and experienced the D.B.R. (Death, Burial, Resurrection...nothing more.. nothing less)...we have access...the right to enter into His presence. As we choose to enter in...this PLEASES God...because we are entering by FAITH...and "Without faith...it is impossible to PLEASE Him... for he who COMES TO GOD...must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY SEEK Him (not those who passively inquire)." (Hebrews 11:6). So...I alert Him that I am coming in...Father...I COME to you....

4. IN THE NAME: A NAME...is a point of IDENTIFICATION. The identification is what you know about the one who is named what they are named. Jabez...whose name meant pain... called upon the GOD OF ISRAEL..because he knew that that name...the God of Israel...represented what he needed...ANSWERED PRAYER. He could have called on many polytheistic gods...who could do nothing for him...but he called on the GOD OF ISRAEL...the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD...who had MANY NAMES to identify His character and dynamic ability. Just the compound names alone...like Jehovah-Shalom (I Am your peace)...
Jehovah-Raphe (I Am your healer)...Jehovah-Jireh (I Am your provider)...all speaks of the nature and character of the God...who is OUR...and MY Father...and who I can come into his presence. The access...is by the NAME of someone.

5. JESUS: Jesus...God is Salvation...Emmanuel...God with us...is the KEY of access into the presence of God...because that name...the name above all names...the only name by which all men may be saved...the name that represents the way, the truth, the life...and the fact that no man COMES to the Father except by Him...is the name that I speak forth to start my prayers. (Philippians 2:9-11; John 14:6; Acts 4:12)

This access into the Father's presence...is by the blood of Jesus. "Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, b a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through THE VEIL...that is...HIS FLESH (D.B.R.)." (Hebrews 10:19-20)

Once I am into His presence...I can have conversation with my Father...with expectancy that He will speak to me...give me insight and wisdom...answer my prayers...etc.

NOTE: Don't be like Jimmy Stewart...in the movie...It's A Wonderful Life...as George Bailey... (see the last photo) and wait until your back is against the wall...before you pray. The opening of the movie...is a wonderful scene of people praying for George Bailey...as you see the prayers leaving planet earth up into the heavenlies...with the cause and effect of things set into motion for the answer.
Just like when the children of Israel prayed...and their deliverer and deliverance was already set into motion...so was in the movie. The answer was on its way...when George could not see an answer...and it even got worse before it got better (but that's for another time...another Rambling).

FINAL THOUGHT FINALLY...NO REALLY...FINALLY...

I am getting ready to get in the shower...and on purpose....to pray. Father...I come to you...in the name of Jesus.

Love and Showers of Blessings Kisses
Rodney "Talking To Abba Father" Boyd

THE SEEKER

Hello friends. Long time...no write. I have just returned from Guatemala... where the Lord was faithful. Before I went there...the Lord spoke a word...and gave me a vision. The word was found in Romans 1:11,12...where like Paul...I desired to come to the school to impart (give, share, impart, distribute grant liberally, encourage) some spiritual gift...so that they may be established. In verse 12 Paul clarifies what he means..."that is, that I may be ENCOURAGED TOGETHER with you by the MUTUAL FAITH...both YOU and ME." That did happen as we gave and received from each other. The vision was on of a world that was CONNECTED by WATER. I could see how one thing that everyone in the world has in common is the connectivity of the water ways...the rain...rivers, oceans, etc. They HOLY SPIRIT is represented by water...where Jesus speaks of thirsty people..."On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone THIRSTS...let him COME to Me and DRINK. He who BELIEVES in Me, as the Scripture has said...out of his HEART/BELLY will flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER." (John 7:38) Jesus clarifies what he meant when he said WATER..."But this He spoke concerning THE SPIRIT, whom those BELIEVING in Him would receive; for the HOLY SPIRIT was not yet given because JESUS was not yet glorified." (John 7:12)

This leads us to the purpose of this Rambling...THE SEEKER. It has been said that..."God is silent." Francis Shaffer says..."God is not silent...we are NOT LISTENING." I tend to agree.

The first collage that you see is a collection of pics...that touched me during my early days of following Jesus. This was during the times of what is known as THE JESUS MOVEMENT...or the JESUS REVOLUTION...where the followers of Jesus were called JESUS PEOPLE or JESUS FREAKS. This was before the current trends of Christian music called CCM...or Contemporary Christian Music. It was called JESUS MUSIC...or CHRISTIAN ROCK AND ROLL. One aspect of this revolution was a guy named Scott Ross...who in the 60's was one of New York City's top disk jockeys. When the Beatles landed in America they were met by the Scottish transplant Scott Ross. NOTE: For full details of the adventures of Scott Ross...read his book SCOTT FREE (this can be found on the CBN website in full form). Scott ended up marrying Nedra Talley who sang with Ronnie and the Ronettes (Be My Baby). She is the one on the far left. Together they started a place in Freeville New York called LOVE INN. This was a group of believers who lived community style. Phil Keaggy (my favorite guitarist) spent some time there. He was under Ted Sandquist who along with many talented members put out a couple of albums...one being IN THE COURTS OF THE KING. During this time...there was a teaching series done by Ted and Scott called A NEW SONG FOR A NEW AGE. It was about the heartbeat of worship...and the freshness of creativity in music/song. NOW...I said all of that to say this. One of the songs was based on Psalm 63. The Psalmist (David) wrote this when he was in the Wilderness of Judah...and was a song about joy in the fellowship of God.

O God...You are My God
Early will I SEEK You
My soul THIRSTS for You
My flesh LONGS for You
In a DRY and THIRSTY land
Where there is NO WATER
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary
To See Your POWER and GLORY

ENTER THE SEEKERS. Many people do not SEE God in their lives. They do not sense His presence. Since they are "sense people"...people who base everything on what they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste...they ASSUME that God is nowhere in sight. Hebrews 11:1 states..."Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do NOT SEE...and the conviction of their reality--faith perceiving as REAL FACT...what is NOT REVEALED TO THE SENSES." (Hebrews 11:1 The Amplified Bible) In Hebrews 11:6...we see that..."But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would COME NEAR TO GOD...must (necessarily) believe that God exists...and that He is the REWARDER of those who EARNESTLY...AND DILIGENTLY...SEEK Him out."
(Hebrews 11:6 The Amplified Bible)

When your back is against the proverbial wall...and when your spiritual throat is parched to the point of being unable to even swallow...the tendency is to rely on you physical experience...and to lose all hope...give up...and consider the revealed senses. I know for sure that is what I do.

I lose my focus...and I begin to REACT in the FLESH versus RESPONDING in the SPIRIT. The key...is to KEEP ON SEEKING.

To be a SEEKER...you have to do one thing....SEEK. In the Old Testament the word seek means to tread or frequent...to follow for pursuit...or search. IN the New Testament it means to worship...desire...endeavour...enquire...seek after. This is not a PASSIVE THING. It is not throwing up your hand when you don't see what you are seeking...but is a DILIGENT SEEKING not a PASSIVE ENQUIRING.

There are many verses of Scripture that speaks of SEEKING...here are just a few...

"The FOOL has said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works. There is non who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men TO SEE if there are ANY who understand, WHO SEEK GOD." (Psalm 14:1,2)

NOTE: At that time...three was...no, not one. Hopefully...as God looks our way...he will see us SEEKING...not GIVING UP.

"But SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God...and his righteousness...and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

NOTE: This is the end of Jesus teaching about provision. Instead of worry and anxiety...we are called to SEEK His Kingdom (His rule) and His Righteousness (His standard). The rest will take care of itself. I find myself seeking the kingdom of Rod...and end up with my wrongeousness. The cause and effect is worry, tension, frustration, anxiety, doubt and unbelief.

"Keep on ASKING and it will be GIVEN YOU....KEEP ON SEEKING...and you WILL FIND...KEEP ON KNOCKING...it WILL BE OPENED." (Matthew 7:7) In the same flow of teaching...Jesus talks about the TENACITY of ASK (A=Ask S=Seek K=Knock). Jesus continues..."For every one who keeps on asking RECEIVES...and he who keeps on seeking FINDS...and to him who keeps on knocking... IT WILL BE OPENED. (Matthew 7:8) Jesus continues on comparing our earthly mentality of giving...and how good will give good and advantageous gifts to those who KEEP ON ASKING. In Luke 11...Jesus says..."...how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ASK...and CONTINUE TO ASK.: (Luke 11:13) NOTE: Those who are seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit...don't give up...keep on keepin' on.)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

God's heartbeat is that of a REVEALER...to those who SEEK Him. In the parable of the sower/seed/soil...Jesus' disciples asked WHY He spoke in parables...where some did not understand. "And He said to them...To you it has been given to know the MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD...but those who are outside...all things come in parables...SO that...seeing they may see and NOT PERCEIVE...and hearing they may hear and NOT UNDERSTAND...lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven." (Mark 4:10-12). The kingdom and things of the kingdom are for WHOSOEVER...but it is for those who truly hunger and thirst...and SEEK...not those who would just PASSIVELY INQUIRE. So...........if you are hungry and thirsty...you will be filled and quenched.

Love and Seeking Kisses
Rodney "O Lord You Are My God" Boyd

PRAYER HINDERANCES

Greetings Prayer Warriors. Have you ever got down on your knees...looked up to heaven...and breathed out an earnest, heartfelt prayer...only to have the sensation that you have hit a brass ceiling?You are down on your knees being bombarded by the words that you have just prayed as they sprinkle down back on you like a shattered dream? Welcome to the world of prayer.

Sometimes...NOT ALL OF THE TIME...there seems to be a roadblock to your prayers. Hinderances seems to BLOCK your road to God...or at least God's road to you...with the ANSWER to your prayer. In this MCDONALDS/BURGER KING WORLD...we want it OUR WAY...NOW...and when the answer does not appear...we GIVE UP.

DISCLAIMER: This Rambling does not purport to have any personal knowledge of why YOUR prayers are not answered. I only speak from my personal experience with this thing called THE ART OF PRAYER.

In the book of James we are told that when we encounter various trials/temptations...we are to COUNT/CONSIDER IT ALL JOY. Why? Because we can KNOW that the TESTING OF OUR FAITH...produces what is known as ENDURANCE. This thing called endurance can...if we LET/ALLOW IT...to have a PERFECT RESULT/WORK...so that you can be (1) perfect or mature (2) complete (3) lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4). The next verse in James speaks of LACKING WISDOM. If you LACK WISDOM...you can ASK/PRAY of God...who GIVES/ANSWERS PRAYERS to all men generously and without reproach...and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

This ASKING/PRAYER...should be asked IN FAITH (the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen)...and without DOUBTING. If you be doubting...you be tossed around like the SURF OF THE SEA. In the words of the Beach Boys...SURFS UP!

The WISDOM that you are asking for...is in reference to the VARIOUS TRIALS that you are going through. You can KNOW if (1) You are being attacked by satan schemes (2) You shot yourself in the foot like Barney Fife (3) You are experiencing the effects of a cursed and fallen world (4) You are not doing anything wrong...but God is allowing you to be tested. Why would you need wisdom about why you are being tested? So...that you will know what to do in the middle of STUFF HAPPENING. You may need to: (1) Rebuke the devil and his schemes (2) Repent for shooting yourself in the foot by disobedience (3) Realize that it is raining on the just and the unjust and the storms come against both houses (built on rock or sand)...and you need to shore up and stand strong (4) Rejoice in the Lord always...and again Rejoice. You may need to learn the lessons and go on.

The reason that I took time to talk about how you can pray about and get wisdom on WHY you are going through various TRIALS...is that that same principle...will work in your PRAYER LIFE about HINDERANCES AND ROADBLOCKS...so you can adjust, repent, stand, or praise between the POINT of PRAYER------------------------------------------------------------->POINT OF PROVISION. When you pray...and you don't see anything happen...and you start to get nervous because you don't see or feel or experience anything...you tend to (1) GIVE UP or (2) TRY TO MANIPULATE and BRING THE ANSWER TO PASS. Again...this may not be YOU...but I sure know that I have run the gamut of PRAYER GAMES. With that in mind...here are some (not all) of the things that could be at the ROOT of your PRAYER PROBLEMS.

PRAYER ROADBLOCKS/HINDRANCES

1. SIN: I know for sure that it's not God's fault...so I do a SIN CHECKUP. I ask the Lord to shine His light on me...and reveal anything that I may be doing that needs a little Repent Action (R.A.) More likely than not...I already know what the sin is...I just need to 'fess up (aka cconfess)...repent...and get back on track. (I John 1:5-10)

2. PRIDE: When I am walking in pride (maybe about how God answers my prayers)...there is a RESISTANCE FORCE...and it AIN'T satan. It is God resisting the proud. The solution is to humble myself under the mighty hand of God...and He will lift me up at the PROPER TIME. When you are humble...there can be a time gap...from when I pray...and the answer arrives...and I don't get NERVOUS IN THE SERVICE. (I Peter 5:6-7)

3. NOT PRAYING GOD'S WILL: I may not say it...but I am thinking it...when I end my prayers....I end them with those 4 words that Jesus closed His model prayer...ROD'S WILL BE DONE. When we ask ANYTHING...ACCORDING TO HIS WILL...He HEARS us...in WHATEVER...we ASK. We can KNOW that He HEARS us....and that we HAVE the requests which we have ASKED from Him. The key... is ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. (I John 5:14,15)

4. SCHEMES: There are schemes, strategies, and deceits of the devil (little d)...that are AGAINST US. When we pray...we sometimes walk by SIGHT and not by FAITH...and we expend our energies on FLESH and BLOOD instead of the TRUE ENEMY...the enemy forces in the form of (1) despotism's (2) powers (3) master spirits/world rulers of THIS PRESENT DARKNESS (5) spirit forces in the heavenly (supernatural) spheres. We are called to (1) Be strong in the Lord (2) Be strong in the strength of His might (3) Put on the full armor of God (4) Stand against the scheme (5) Resist in the evil day (6) With all prayer and petition PRAY AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT
(7) Be on the alert with all perseverance and PETITION for all the saints. (8) Pray that utterance of the mystery of the death, burial, and resurrection will be spoken with boldness. (Ephesians 6:1-18)

5. ASKING AMISS: James states that YOU HAVE NOT...BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT. Well...asking is not my problem. I ask for plenty. There must be some other reason for why my ASKING is HINDERED. James answers that in the next stroke of the pen...You ask...and DO NOT RECEIVE...because you ask AMISS/WITH WRONG MOTIVES...so that you may spend it on your PLEASURES. Hmmm... MY pleasure versus HIS pleasure. (James 4:1-3; Hebrews 11:6)

6. NOT ABIDING: The word abide means to (1) stay in a given place, state, relation, expectancy (2) continue (3) dwell (4) endure
(5) be present (6) remain (7) stand (8) tarry. In John 15...we are called to ABIDE in JESUS...and JESUS' WORDS ABIDE in you. The cause and effect of ABIDING...is that we can ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH...AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU. I find myself NOT ABIDING...but WISHY WASHING...in and out of Jesus and His Word...and in and out of Jesus and His word in me. (John 15:7)

7. WIFE PROBLEMS: As I live in this macho man culture...where misinterpretation of husband/wife...man/woman...relationships abound...MY PRAYERS ARE HINDERED because (1) I don't live with Brenda in an UNDERSTANDING WAY (2) I don't treat her as a WEAKER VESSEL (3) I don't GRANT HER HONOR (4) I don't treat her as a FELLOW-HEIR of the GRACE OF LIFE. This was brought to my attention by a brother in the Lord named Benny Sumrall. He shared with me this verse...and told me he started to look at his wife Eva...as NOT JUST a wife...but a SISTER IN THE LORD...with authority, giftings, talents, etc. Sometimes we treat our wives one way... and our brothers in the Lord...and even our sisters in the Lord DIFFERENTLY. The cause and effect=HINDERED PRAYERS.

8. POOR PRAYER LIFE: I spend too much time in the ASKING MODE...instead of the INTIMACY MODE with the FATHER. Jesus set the tone as he would often draw away to a mountain or a CERTAIN PLACE...to get recharged and get clarity on directives from the Father. (Luke 6:12; Matthew 6:2-13; Luke 11:1-11)

9. QUE SERA SERA PRAYERS: In the Ruminator Sunday School Class...we call this DORIS DAY FAITH. It's where we pray something...and it does not immediately appear...we throw up our hands...and say...IT MUST NOT BE GOD'S WILL...so we QUIT. Que sera sera...whatever will be will be...the future's not ours to see...que sera sera...THY WILL BE DONE.. Jesus...after teaching (outlining) about prayer...and the WILL OF GOD...on EARTH...as it is in HEAVEN...to be tenacious in our ASKING. Keep on ASKING...keep on SEEKING...keep on KNOCKING. He then underscores this will parables about WEARING OUT judges and friends with REQUEST. How MUCH MORE will our HEAVENLY FATHER...GIVE (prayer requests and the Holy Spirit) to those who KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON? Again... I pray once...if there is no answer...it is either yes/no/not yet. I STOP asking...I STOP seeking...I STOP...knocking. (Luke 11:5-13; Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-7)

10. ANXIETY FACTOR: Anxiety chokes out faith. We are called to cast anxiety on Him...because He cares for you (I Peter 5:7). The range of what we are NOT TO BE ANXIOUS for ranges from NOTHING....to....EVERYTHING. We can take what we are anxious for... and put it in the NOTHING COLUMN...and then transfer the same list into the EVERYTHING COLUMN (because they are the same thing)...and then apply PRAYER PRINCIPLES including: (1) prayer (talking to God) (2) Supplication (humble specifics/petitions about the nothing/everything) (3) With THANKSGIVING...before you see any answers to the prayer. The CAUSE AND EFFECT...will be a PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING between the point of prayer and the point of provision. There will be a guard around your heart and your minds known AS PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING. The peace you understand is the absence of conflict, no war, no needs...but you can have peace when the storms swirls.

11. SOIL/HEART PROBLEMS: The seed in the Word of God...The soil is your heart. Sometimes...you need to pay attention to your heart/soil. The problem in NOT the seed. The seed has everything it needs in it to produce what it is designed to produce. You need to CULTIVATE the soil. The birds/satan arrives to steal the seed/word. Cause and Effect...no seed/no word....no faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (the yoke breaking...burden lifting...oppression removing power). Other soil corruptions includes no firm roots when the afflictions persecutions arise, thorns as the worries of the world, deceitfulness of riches, and desire for other things begins to CHOKE the WORD...and it becomes unfruitful. Sometimes when I pray...I have a HEART/SOIL CONDITION...that needs to be dealt with before...my prayers can be effective. The KEY to a GOOD HEART/SOIL... is found in Luke 8:15. The GOOD HEART/SOIL: (1) Have heard the Word (2) Is honest (3) Is good (4) Holds the seed/word fast (5) bears fruit (6) perseveres.
(Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-16)

FINAL THOUGHT...FINALLY

If this was a TOP TEN LIST...which it is not...I would of course ended with the #1 PRAYER HINDRANCE in my life is:

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME BABY...A L L A B O U T M E!!!!!!

As always...thanks for Ruminatin' and Ramblin' with Ruminatin' Rod. Until next time....

Love and Roadblock Removing Kisses
Rodney "Keepin' On Keepin' On" Boyd