PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

1Thess. 5:17

Morning Meditation 9/6/2012

Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Someone has said, “Prayer is the oil that keeps the believer always running smoothly on the rails of truth.”

Psalms 16:8, "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

There is a title on Psalm 16 called, “Michtam of David.” The word “Michtam” is defined by Easton's Dictionary: “The root of the word means to stamp or grave, and hence it is regarded as denoting a composition so precious as to be worthy to be engraven on a durable tablet for preservation; or, as others render, "a psalm precious as stamped gold," from the word kethem, "fine or stamped gold."

In this prayer David prays, “PRESERVE me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.” So this is a prayer where God is to be sought in prayer for preservation. This can be looked at in two ways. First, it can refer to preservation in this life. David had great need for preservation in this life because he spent much of his life as a hunted man. Saul hated David for no reason. David had the opportunity to kill Saul more than once and refused because he said that Saul was the LORD'S anointed. Read 1 Sam. 24:1-6. So he let Saul live and TRUSTED GOD for his protection.

Second, it could mean preservation in the life to come. Psalms 37:28, “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” Man was not created for time but for eternity. Man in general lives on this earth and it would hardly enter his mind to ask God to preserve him in a life to come because he does not believe. However, this prayer is as common as the sunrise for the believer. The thief on the cross prayed, “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” This is a prayer for preservation.

Then one of the most outstanding statements that David makes in this psalm, and a truth that is necessary to apply for one to pray without ceasing, is in Psalms 16:8, "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

I go into the office of many preachers. One of the things that you will find on most desks is a picture of his wife and children . . . and grandchildren!!! He keeps his family ever before him. And this is a good thing. It is easy for a preacher to become so busy he forgets his family. Tragedy is likely to come to that home.

This is the idea that David has in mined. The LORD is never out of his mind. This means that in every thing he does, he is mindful of the LORD'S will.

He ends this Psalm in verse 11 by saying, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life . . .” This is not a prayers this is a DECLARATION of faith. Then he says, “in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” This looks beyond the tomb. This refers to resurrection and exaltation into the presence of the Lord. Heaven is a place of extreme joy.

The greatest joy to be had by the Christian in this life is to live in personal revival. The joy that has no measure will only come when one passes into the presence of the Lord at death, the rapture, or the resurrection.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White