DELIGHT IN WORKING THE WORD

03/31/2023

"God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to Him..." Proverbs 28:9 MSG

Do you remember when your mama told you do something and you asked her why? And by the look on her face, you knew she was saying, “honey say it one more time!” In other words, your mama didn’t want to hear a sound from you until you did what she told you to do.  God sometimes says this to us. He may say it in a different tone, but the same message—do as instructed.

As a young Christian, I had neighbors who could have used that—advice--do as He has instructed. These folk will wake up at midnight, praying for breakthrough; yet, they will spend the whole day bitter and gossiping about others.

However, I later realized that they did not receive anything from God.  Had they done what God whispered in their ears to do; walking in love and pursuing peace with one another, the screaming at God would have been unnecessary. Am I then suggesting that we shouldn't pray? Certainly not! Because prayer is the lifeline of the Christian. Yet, it is no substitute for obeying God's Word. As vital as prayer is in the life of a believer, it can become ineffective and stale before God. The prophet Samuel had to say to King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22, "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." Because King Saul failed to do as God had instructed him, his sacrifice was useless before God. 

Imagine a fellow praying for a financial miracle, and as he prayed, he heard God say, “go walk in love and pay your tithe" But instead of doing as instructed, he ignored the instruction and continued to pray. Do you think that this fellow will have his miracle? I don't think so because the manifestation of miracles  are tied to us doing the Word.  Proverbs 28:9 says, "God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him.."

As you pray and fast today, be mindful of what God is saying. Scan your spirit for the Word and when you get a hold of it, DO IT QUICKLY. Remember, God is more pleased with you doing His Word than you praying and asking Him to do it. After all, it's the doer of the Word that lives victoriously in the face of daunting challenges.

Be blessed!

Faith-Filled Confession:

My ears are inclined to hear God's voice today, and my heart is positioned to obey. As I obey, I see the Word manifest in all that concerns me, in Jesus' name, Amen.

One Year Reading Plan: Judges 1-2; Luke 7:1-30