LIFE LESSONS

 LIFE LESSONS DRAWN FROM THE FIRST ARTICLE (1)

From this story, we could see Chioma's lifestyle of Prayers. Prayer is a lifestyle. As Christians, we must pray. There have been many beliefs about prayer. Some people believe that if you don't shout loud and roar in prayers, you've not prayed. Of course, there are some times that we go into those realms but it's not all the time. Sometimes, our heart communications to God can be the prayer. When God looks into your heart, he should see that you are praying. However, it's also not all the time that we will speak in our hearts to God without our mouths saying anything. Most times we speak out; because God wants to hear our voices. We are his children, just like a father would want to hear his child call him dad. God wants to hear us talk to him.

Prayer is an art that needs to be understood. It is a governing force. It is an attitude. It is a character. It is life. So, how do you live? You live simply by breathing. If a man stops breathing, then we can say that that man is dead. Prayer is more than just uttering words or groaning, prayer is a communication. It is simply communing with God as a believer in Christ, using the name of Jesus; following God's standards and God's principles. There are many forms or kinds of prayers. Only one kind was buttressed in this story; the prayer of intercession. 1 Timothy 2:1 'I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.' This verse clearly tells us that there are different kinds of prayer. I trust God to explain some things in which I trust God that you'd be blessed.

 We could see Chioma's intercession on behalf of her family members and people around her. Prayer of intercession is praying to God on behalf of someone, some people, nation(s) or continent(s). It is very vast. You can interceed for anyone. Scripture says for all men. How can you do that? It tells us that there is more to prayer than what we have been thinking.  Chioma prayed to God for her family and people around her and things changed for good. An intercessor must be selfless. You don't pray for someone simply for the direct gain you'd derive from them. Even if there's "nothing" to gain, you will still pray for them. But, of course, there is always a reward for a labour done in God's kingdom. Hebrews 6:10 - For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Intercession is a labour of love and must be done out of love for it to be accepted. So, you can check your reason for your interceeding for that person. Is it because you love him or her or you are just doing it to fulfil a mandate or an obligation? Or, let's just do it. They said we must pray for one another, and you don't love the person you are praying for. When Moses prayed to God for God not to destroy the people of Israel, it was his love for the people that moved God. God saw his nature in a man like this and couldn't go any further in his plan to destroy them. Likewise, Abraham prayed to God for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah not to be destroyed and asked God if he would still destroy the nation if ten righteous people were to be found. It was this love that he had for them that propelled him to continue to interceed and made God to continue to listen and hearken unto his prayers. So, when God said, through Jesus Christ that " love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you and despitefully use you", he meant what he said because it is possible. It is the kingdom principle. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. It is a basics in God's kingdom. 

I hope we have been cutting out from these explanations, what prayer entails. Love. Love God. Love one another.

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