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Ephesians 6:18 - Praying in the Spirit.

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit 
on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and 
requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep 
on praying for all the Lords people. 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   Breathe in. Breathe out. Each tiny breath 
holds my full attention, as if it were something 
as awe-inspiring as the Grand Canyon at sunrise 
or as unexpected as a whale breaching from the 
ocean. And it is. Some things are just so 
miraculous, so impossibly wonderful, that you can't help 
but stare. A grandson, three days new, is one of 
them. 
   My cell phone sits on the table, set on 
silent. Email waits on my computer, unread. 
Deadlines are pushed back. Breakfast is forgotten. I 
cradle baby Oliver in my lap, and the warmth of his 
little body, not yet unfurled from nine months of 
life "on the inside," relaxes me more than a day 
at a spa. This is joy. 
   But it stirs up memories of the last time 
I simply sat and watched someone breathe. It 
was my mother, a little over a year ago, the 
night she died. I watched her breathe in, breathe 
out. Until she didn't anymore. That moment, and 
this one, feel so similar, so strikingly sacred. 
   When my emotions run deep, I don't have 
to remind myself to pray. God's Spirit does it 
for me. If I'm overwhelmed by joy, pain, grief, 
fear, or awe, offerings of thanks and praise, 
pleas for help, or longings too profound to be put 
into words spill out of me as effortlessly as 
conversing across the kitchen table with someone I 
love. What could be more natural than sharing the 
deepest moments of this life with the One who gave 
it to me? 
   Dear Lord, teach me how to pray more 
openly, passionately, and regularly - talking to You 
with the same ease I feel when I speak to anyone 
I love. by Vicki Kuyper [Walking in Grace 2021 
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] 

COMMENTARY

Practicing the Presence
   How do I live in Gods presence? How do 
I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and 
his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows 
familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you 
and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Here 
are a few ideas: 
   Give God your waking thoughts. Before you 
face the day, face the Father. Before you step 
out of bed, step into his presence. I have a 
friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed 
onto his knees and begin his day in prayer. 
Personally, I dont get that far. With my head still 
on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer 
God the first seconds of my day. The prayer is 
not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on 
how much sleep I got, it may not even be 
intelligible. Often its nothing more than Thank you 
for a nights rest. I belong to you today. 
   Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend 
time with him in silence. The mature married 
couple has learned the treasure of shared silence; 
they dont need to fill the air with constant 
chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being 
silent with God. Be still, and know that I am 
God (Ps. 46:10 NIV). Awareness of God is a fruit 
of stillness before God. 
   Give God your whispering thoughts. 
Through the centuries Christians have learned the 
value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can 
be whispered anywhere, in any setting. 
   Imagine considering every moment as a 
potential time of communion with God. By giving God 
your whispering thoughts, the common becomes 
uncommon. Simple phrases such as Thank you, 
Father, Be sovereign in this hour, O Lord, 
You are my resting place, Jesus can turn a 
commute into a pilgrimage. You neednt leave your 
office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where 
you are. Let the kitchen become a cathedral or 
the classroom a chapel. Give God your whispering 
thoughts. 
   And last, give God your waning thoughts. 
At the end of the day, let your mind settle on 
him. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to 
God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him 
about the hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his 
strength. And as you close your eyes, take assurance 
in the promise: He who watches over Israel 
will neither slumber nor sleep (Ps. 121:4 
NIV). If you fall asleep as you pray, dont 
worry. What better place to doze off than in the 
arms of your Father. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional 
at maxlucado.com]  

ILLUSTRATION

   My friend Carole has experienced 
significant losses. She and her husband went bankrupt. 
Then one of her daughters was killed by a drunk 
driver. A hurricane destroyed her home, and later 
cancer claimed her husband and son-in-law within a 
year. 
   Carole acknowledges these events and the 
pain they've caused her, but she refuses to cling 
to that pain. She realizes that doing so would 
only steep her in discouragement, and that's no 
way to live. 
   Carole is one of the most upbeat women I 
know. Her love for Jesus radiates from her face, 
and her words reflect the depth of her 
relationship with Him. She truly knows what it means to 
practice living in His presence. 
   When I visited her recently, Carole told 
me that her mother had always been an upbeat 
person too. "I learned it from her," Carole said. 
"Every morning when she woke up, she'd say, 'Good 
morning, Lord. What wonderful things do You have 
planned for us today?' That invited His presence and 
set the tone for her entire day. No matter what 
happened, she knew that He was sovereign." 
   Since my conversation with Carole, I've 
sought to practice the same ritual. I find that it 
sets my mind and heart in a place of eager 
anticipation. No matter what the day holds, Jesus holds 
me. I will rejoice and be glad in His presence, 
His power, and His promises. 
   What's the first thought that enters your 
mind when you wake up? If it's anxiety about the 
day, then retrain your thoughts to focus on Jesus 
through the simple prayer in Psa. 118:24. by Grace 
Fox [Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by 
Guideposts and Zondervan] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

   "When all else fails" How would you 
finish this thought? Maybe like this: When all else 
fails  I can always pray. It's like one of 
those emergency panels in a building with the sign 
that reads, "Break glass in case of emergency." 
But you'd better make sure it's a real emergency 
before you do it. Yes, prayer should be your last 
resort. But it should also be your first resort - 
and all your resorts in between. In today's 
Scripture, Paul writes, "Pray in the Spirit on all 
occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests  
Be alert and always keep on praying for all the 
Lord's people." 
   Turn again and again to the Lord, with 
prayers that are specific, on the spot, detailed, 
and out of the box. Pray when you pass an 
accident on the highway. Pray when you get into your 
car and out of it. Pray when a face floats into 
your mind. Pray when the Spirit nudges, and then 
pray some more. You can never pray too much. 
   Lord Jesus, I see people on their iPhones 
everywhere I go - walking, driving, waiting - whatever. 
I want to be attached to You like that - 
talking to You in an airport, in a mall, in a 
restaurant, and on my bed at night when the pain won't 
retreat and the morning won't come. The more I pray, 
the sweeter life becomes. [A Spectacle of Glory 
by Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

Ephesians 6:18 - Pray in the Spirit.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180503-1057.html 

Ephesians 6:18 & Jude 1:20 - Pray in the 
Spirit. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040429-1045.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides: 
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor 
(recent): https://www.revelationnow.com/ 

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio (recent): 
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/ 

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657