The Bible is teaching us of the rightful time, or instances, when we should pray. For one, we have to pray regularly; God commanded the Christians to pray day and night.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:17 (KJV) says,
Pray without ceasing.
What does that admonition mean? How are we going to pray without ceasing? Does it mean that we will devote all our time in praying, and we will no longer do other things, like working for a living, for instance?
This is how 2 TIMOTHY 1:3 (KJV) explains it:
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
To pray unceasingly means to pray night and day. Meaning, before going to bed, or when you wake up the next morning, or before you start doing anything that you have to do on a given day, you need to pray first. If you were able to accomplish everything that you need to accomplish, bear in mind that you were able to do it because God helped you. So, it is but proper that you pray to Him, thank Him, before you go to sleep.
The Lord Jesus Christ urged the apostles to always pray, and He showed them what fervent and constant prayers can do through a parable.
LUKE 18:1-7 (KJV) says,
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was a city judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said to himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
The Lord Jesus Christ narrated this parable to point out to the apostles that, if the unjust judge yielded to the continual supplication of a widow, all the more that God would listen to the prayers of His people. He said, “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”
It is an established truth in the Bible that Christians pray day and night.
Aside from praying before and after sleeping, there are also other instances that we are supposed to pray. We also have to pray before eating.
1 TIMOTHY 4:4-5 (KJV) says,
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Today, we can eat even the foods that the Israelites had been prohibited from eating like pork, for example. The Israelites had been prohibited from eating so many things, but during the time of the early Christians, the Apostle Paul taught them that, “every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused.”
In our time, in the Christian dispensation, God no longer prohibits us from eating meat. I just wonder why those who practice vegetarianism refuse to eat meat and fish when the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, ate fish with His apostles when He was still here on earth! Not only the vegetarians, but even other religions in our time prohibit the eating of beef and pork. The word of God says, we can eat meat now. Only, we have to pray before eating. Ask God to bless the food that you are going to eat and practically everything that you are going to ingest.
We also ought to pray in times when we are heavily laden, when we are in a very difficult situation and we have nowhere to go, when we are troubled by so many problems and we do not know anymore what to do. These are the times that we need God’s help; these are the times that we need to pray.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 (KJV) says,
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
In life, we have our own cares and worries. We worry about so many things – problems, hardships, illnesses, finances, etc. But the word of God is very comforting and very reassuring. We need not worry about anything but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
So, each time that you are beleaguered by problems and worries, pray to God. And if you are a servant of God, you ought to pray at any opportune time, in any situation. Always be prayerful.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
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