PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS

By Rev. F. Jay Pearson

Philippians 4:6-7
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.

Being careful or anxious for nothing requires trust and faith in the Lord. To trust him you need to know who he is and that he rewards those who seek him.

Isaiah 26:4
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

With trust and faith, we can share our burdens with the Lord.

Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

After be careful for nothing we are told in everything which means simply what it says, in everything. The next question is, how do we let our request be made known unto God? By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. I don’t read anything about demanding or claiming, but that we let the Lord know by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving our desire or plea. And let me say, I think it is common courtesy to greet someone before we ask them to do something for us. God certainly deserves our greetings, praise and recognition as our creator, before our request. Supplications mentioned in the Bible are usually preceded by prayer. I think of the account in the garden.

Luke 22:41-42
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

It is grace that we receive anything from the Lord. It would be great to keep that in mind as we pray and make our supplications before the Lord.

1 Peter 1:18
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1 Corinthians 6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

I recently was made aware of something new to me, or something I had never considered about prayer and supplication. Last Sunday after church I received a message in social media from an old friend of mine. I had not heard from him since my early Wyoming days some 40 years ago. He messaged me a picture of his new grand-baby and ask me to call. I did and we talked of music, guitars, work and his recent health failings. He lost his leg to diabetes and was now doing pretty good with therapy and his new prosthetic leg. He was more concerned about his grandchildren and his prayers and supplications for them. Like me he is in his mid-seventies. His concern was that when he passed there would be no one to pray for his grandchildren and wife that could match his earnest desire and prayer for them. But now he was more at peace after receiving a call from another friend that told him God was eternal and knew his prayers and was faithful to fulfill them in accordance to his will. When he shared his new-found peace with me, a light popped up in my thoughts: There is no expiration date on our prayers and supplications. God doesn’t have to have perfect recall. He doesn’t forget in the first place. I think about Zacharias as one example of a much earlier prayer answered.

Luke 1:13
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Luke 1:18
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

That prayer of Zacharias must have been some years before. Our prayers have no expiration date. Answers and fulfillment will be according to God’s will. God even answers prayers from folks that don’t have the Holy Spirit, he is no respecter of persons. He chooses who to hear and who to answer and when and how to answer.

Acts 10:1-4
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

As a result of Cornelius’s obedience, he and all his house received the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10:44-45
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Prayers and supplications are recorded with God. It might be a shock to you one day when you have a prayer answered that you completely forgot about praying for with years gone by. Remember, God is faithful, and he doesn’t wear hearing aids like I do and respond with a blank stare when ask him something. Seriously, address your prayers with thankfulness and respect, knowing that he is the Lord God and will reward you as you diligently seek him. Be patient, trust, have faith, and wait on the Lord. He remembers even when you don’t. There are no expiration dates on our prayers and supplications.

Amen

Presented 6 March 2022 in French Settlement, Louisiana

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PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS

By Rev. F. Jay Pearson