Morning Time for Prayer and Bible Reading

The morning time is an wonderful time to be with God in the Bible and prayer.  Jesus loved the morning time for prayer and Bible reading.

Morning time is an awesome time to connect and be with God in the Bible and prayer.

Just before the day gets started, take time in the morning to connect with God, the source of our life and our strength. He is the one to strengthen us through the whole day.

Consider these encouraging Bible verses on prayer in the morning.

Psalms 55:17—“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.

Mark 1:35—“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

Martin Luther Speaking to God in Prayer as a Friend

Martin Luther spoke to God in prayer as a friend.

Veit Dietrich, also known as Vitus Theodorus was a German theologian, writer and reformer. Theodorus was a close friend of Martin Luther. Theodorus, talking about Luther, said, “I overheard him in prayer, … with what life and spirit did he pray! It was with so much reverence as if he were speaking to God, yet with so much confidence, as if he had been speaking to his friend.” God wants us to be men and women of prayer.

Two Trees, Chorazin Israel

Two Trees, Chorazin Israel

God Uses People Like Gideon with Little Faith

God even uses people with little faith. Do we ever wonder why God put us in some situations? Well Gideon also wondered.  Look at this Bible passage. Gideon almost gave up, until the Lord spoke to him. And after the Lord spoke, Gideon had trouble believing God.

Judges 6:13-14
And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? ’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”

Judges 6:16
And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Multnomah Falls Oregon

Multnomah Falls Oregon

Gideon still did not believe what God said, and so asked for a “sign”. The Jews also asked for a sign at the time of Jesus. Both situations were considered evil in the Lord’s eyes since they did not just take God at His word. But it’s hard to do that, and Gideon being a man of faith, well sort of a man of faith, really did not fully believe God’s word. So Gideon asked several times for a sign. Notice that God did not rebuke Gideon, but sort of went along with his crazy requests. So Gideon really did not have that much belief and faith in God, but God still used him just as he was.

In the New Testament The Lord Jesus put up with a lot of failures and unbelief from His disciples. He put up with Peter, Thomas and more. Well the point is, God puts up with us just the way we are, and still let’s us work with Him for His Kingdom.

Love Endures

Our encouraging Bible verse is Corinthians 13:4,  Love endures, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.

Rose in Spokane, Washington in September

Rose in Spokane, Washington in September

The photo is a Rose from our front yard of our home in Spokane, Washington. The flower is looking fresh because my dear wife took care of the garden. I just pushed the button on the camera.

This word “endures” means, that in spite of difficult times, we continue on. We do not give up for any reason, and we keep the relationship fresh, open and loving.

Martin Luther on Prayer

In reading about Martin Luther, I was impressed with his perception of the Bible and his appreciation of prayer. He loved the Bible and loved prayer.

Martin Luther declares that all Christians can appear before God and pray just as the Bible says. He is echoing Peter in the Bible, so prayer is not reserved to a certain class of people.

Here is a quote from Martin Luther where he is talking about every believer being a king and priest to God. Think about the two place in 1Peter in the Bible where Peter talks about every believer being a priest before God. 1 Peter 2:5, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Nor are we only kings and the freest of all men, but also priests for ever, a dignity far higher than kingship, because by that priesthood we are worthy to appear before God, to pray for others, and to teach one another mutually the things which are of God. For these are the duties of priests, and they cannot possibly be permitted to any unbeliever. Christ has obtained for us this favour, if we believe in Him, that, just as we are His brethren, and co- heirs and fellow kings with Him, so we should be also fellow priests with Him, and venture with confidence, through the spirit of faith, to come into the presence of God, and cry “Abba, Father!” and to pray for one another, and to do all things which we see done and figured in the visible and corporeal office of priesthood.

But the principle went still further; for it vindicated for the laity the possession of spiritual faculties and powers the same in kind as those of the clergy. All Christian men are admitted to the privilege of priesthood, and are “worthy to appear before God to pray for others, and to teach one another mutually the things which are of God.”

— from First Principles of the Reformation (95 Theses) by Martin Luther a resource from Olive Tree.

My Top Prayer Blogs

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon

Abide in me, and I in you — Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon

Here are my top or recommended prayer blogs:

Morning Prayer – Encouraging Bible Verses

Prayer is Talking and Connecting with God

Awesome Morning Prayer Time Video

John 15:4-7. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches:He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.