Prayer

man praying over the Bible

Don’t bargain with God. Be direct; Ask for what you need.
Matthew 7 v 7 (The Message)

How many books have you read to help you pray? Or how many quiet times have you started? God didn’t make this hard. No need to read anything other than Matthew 7 v 7. You can try to qualify with other verses from the Bible, but I like this one.

I have found in my life that God doesn’t complicate things, he simplifies. He wants to make things easy for us, just ask for what you need, you don’t need to bargain, you don’t need to wrap things up in fancy language. God doesn’t mind a shopping list but then even a shopping list can be a conversation:

God, I really need a car at the moment. I’ve got this new job and travelling to work is difficult – oh by the way, thanks for the job. That was cool, I really felt your guiding hand as I talked my way through the interview. But now I got the job, can you get me a car please? Ferrari would be nice!
I would love a sunny day tomorrow. I’m tired of all the rain. I find it hard to get up and walk the dog. Any chance of sun tomorrow please?

I hope you see prayer can be direct and a conversation.

Enjoy your day, God is waiting to hear from you.

Jesus is the true and better Adam, Tim Keller

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,” now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.”

Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

The Bible’s really not about you—it’s about Him.