"PRAYING AT ALL TIMES!"

Ephesians 6:16-20                                   (ESV)
"16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD,
18 "PRAYING AT ALL TIMES" in the SPIRIT, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, MAKING SUPPLICATION for all the saints,
19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."



The WORDS we enunciate speaks volumes about who we are in the SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD.  It is liken to a billboard declaring we are SPIRITUALLY mature, or unfortunately immature, to the world.  Once we espouse said WORDS, they can never be unsaid, for they are there for eternity!  Maybe that is why King Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before GOD, for GOD is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore LET YOUR WORDS BE FEW"!

From time to time you can hear people use the phrase "It's time to talk with the LORD", or something similar.  Even I have used these WORDS in my speech.  According to scripture, these WORDS can be a billboard saying we haven't been "PRAYING AT ALL TIMES" as we are instructed to do in Ephesians 6:18.  The SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST lives within my body (John 17:23; Romans 8:10-11) and I should reflect that constantly!  Do I live for HIM constantly?  Not until I get to Heaven will I be able to achieve that, but that should be my goal.

And it's not as if we don't have enough things to pray about.  Just in the few verses above the Apostle Paul shows us MANY items he was praying for.  Number one, that we should "in all circumstances take up the shield of faith".  That should be enough to keep me busy for awhile!

While King Solomon, the wisest king who ever lived (2 Chronicles 1:12) and he wrote LET YOU WORDS BE FEW, the Apostle Paul gave a different view when he wrote "PRAYING AT ALL TIMES", for he knew when we pray for the SUPPLICATION of others we are exhibiting CHRIST-LIKE traits, for JESUS was ever thinking about supplying our needs!  We should always strive to be CHRIST-LIKE as HE demonstrated a LOVE for others in everything HE did!  And HE did so because HE was in constant contact with THE FATHER by "PRAYING AT ALL TIMES"!

FATHER IN HEAVEN, my prayer is that I will be a man of FEW WORDS and that those WORDS be chosen wisely, especially when it comes to speaking to YOU!  May I develop a mindset of "PRAYING AT ALL TIMES" and totally TRUST in YOUR guidance and direction in my life.