Humility

Humility is an indispensable requisite of true prayer. It must be an attribute, a characteristic of prayer. Humility must be in the praying character as light is in the sun. Prayer has no beginning, no ending, no being, without humility. As a ship is made for the sea, so prayer is made for humility, and so humility is made for prayer.

The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds .

Philippians 2:6-8 (HCSB)
⁶  who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.
⁷  Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form,
⁸  He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

Prayer Warriors,

It's amazing, when you think about it, that the God of the universe would come and take on a human body. It said, " He emptied Himself and to the form of a slave." Jesus, whom willingly  limited himself to the likeness of man. Yet still God, he choose to come as a baby dependent on  another human being. He set His rights aside, He now was subject to time, place and human limitations. 
God, who existed before the foundations of the world.

He humbled himself even unto death. I remember thinking to myself, well the Lord had to die. He created us and man sinned so He was our only way out. Oh, how I was mistaken. I truly didn't understand the cross. Yes, He was the only one that could pay that price, a perfect lamb but He still didn't have to do it. I was the one that had sinned, and still does and yet He went willingly, lovingly so that I, you could have eternal life.

When we come to Him in prayer in humility, may we empty ourselves of are pride because if never answers another prayer, He has already done enough! 

Blessings,
Christina  

Trust

The trust which our Lord taught as a condition of effectual prayer, is not of the head but of the heart. It is trust which “doubter not in his heart.” Such trust has the Divine assurance that it shall be honored with large and satisfying answers. The strong promise of our Lord brings faith down to the present, and counts on a present answer.

Do we believe, without a doubt? When we pray, do we believe, not that we shall receive the things for which we ask on a future day, but that we receive them, then and there? Such is the teaching of this inspiring Scripture. How we need to pray, “Lord, increase our faith,” until doubt be gone, and implicit trust claims the promised blessings, as its very own.

This is no easy condition. It is reached only after many a failure, after much praying, after many waiting, after much trial of faith. May our faith so increase until we realize and receive all the fullness there is in that Name which guarantees to do so much.

Our Lord puts trust as the very foundation of praying. The background of prayer is trust. The whole issuance of Christ’s ministry and work was dependent on implicit trust in His Father. The center of trust is God. Mountains of difficulties, and all other hindrances to prayer are moved out of the way by trust and his virile henchman, faith. When trust is perfect and without doubt, prayer is simply the outstretched hand, ready to receive. Trust perfected, is prayer perfected. Trust looks to receive the thing asked for—and gets it. Trust is not a belief that God can bless, that He will bless, but that He does bless, here and now. Trust always operates in the present tense. Hope looks toward the future. Trust looks to the present. Hope expects. Trust possesses. Trust receives what prayer acquires. So that what prayer needs, at all times, is abiding and abundant trust.

The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds .

Prayer Warriors,

I love the words of  E. M. Bounds in how he brings trust and prayer together. Yes, it is with much prayers and waiting that I realize,  that I forgot to bring trust into my prayers. How I know, its because when I walked away, I say to myself, " I hope he answers that." or " That's OK if he doesn't." I've already lost trust in one I'm praying to.

 Proverbs 3:5 (HCSB) 
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 

I pray that we would ask the Lord to increase our faith, so we can trust in Him with all our hearts. Lean not, on what is going on in our lives, the trails we face, or relationships that are or have been destructive but TRUST in our Lord. The one who redeems, restores, renews. He has saved, changed and transformed lives and He will continue to do so. Trust in the one who holds heaven and earth in the palm of His hands. 

Blessing,

Christina