Have you ever wondered if there's a special way to pray? At a time of need, you can just shout out the name of Jesus, and that gets his attention. But if you think about it, what should our prayers be like? In the Word, it gives us some ideas. Prayer and praise go hand in hand. Even the Lord's prayer praises God's Holy name before getting to the need of the prayer. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
When we don't put God first, to give him the credit that He deserves. Our prayers aren't being heard. It's like you're speaking to the wind. Learning to pray like the Lord's prayer by giving praise shows God that you respect and love all he does for you.
Let's look at King Nebuchadnezzar's prayer in his dream of a tree and what he did in Daniel 4:2-3 where King Nebuchadnezzar says, It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. Notice how many times he says the word "His." Because he's giving all the credit to God, as it should be.
Then a year later, we have the same king speaking in Daniel 4:29, as King Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
He became very proud of himself, didn't he? My how things have changed. Even though it's a small paragraph, you can notice how often he says, "I and my," he's taking all the credit for himself and giving none of it to the Lord. And the Lord's response was immediate in Daniel 4:31. Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
King Nebuchadnezzar's horrible dream came true, and he was dethroned. But once he repented and saw the errors of his ways, he was put back into power. So we not only see how praise should always be before petition, but we see God's grace in forgiveness.
This shows me how little we have to do with our destiny. We forget that God gave us all our talents, brains, business sense, creativity, and healing we have received. God created us and gave us these gifts and the passions in our hearts, so we could use them for his good. Showing our gratitude to him should be part of our everyday lives. When we take credit for all the good in our lives, we forget to also take responsibility for the bad that happens too.
My life has changed from when I wasn't very grateful and complained. To now, I give thanks daily. God has done a work in me, and I'm seeing significant changes in my life. Since praising God for everything that happens in my life, I've noticed changes in my attitude, as well as my livelihood. It's hard to be grumpy when you're so grateful. When we are grateful, we receive God's peace, and that is something I never want to go away. So many things that have been wrong eventually became right. It doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen. Life is too short to not give God the credit for the good things that happen in your life. He deserves it. So start your day off with praise and thanksgiving to Him for helping you through your everyday life, and you will see God work in wondrous ways.
Let's pray,
Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for your amazing Word that teaches us how to get through each day. Even in times of trouble, Lord, we thank you for being with us and helping us get through our troubled times because we know that all things are possible with you. Every day we wake up, Lord, we will turn our face toward you and give you praise. Thank you for always guiding us through our lives. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray. Amen.
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