The greatest weapon ever designed

Luke 11:1-4

From the day Cain killed Abel, his brother, mankind has sought to devise weapons to hunt with, to protect ones way of life, to go to war against others.  From the beginning it has occurred to me that a rock on the ground is not dangerous, but when David faced the Philistine Goliath and put the rock in his sling it became a giant killer.  So is it true about all this fuss over ammunition, a bullet has the same effect as the rock without the sling, and like the gun without a person, both it and the sling have never killed anyone.  As followers of Christ, or pagans this truth holds firm, and one would be wise to listen to what God said to Cain in Genesis 4:7, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”  Folks it’s sin not guns, it is sin that puts anger and hate into a persons heart, it’s sin that puts pride and greed in a persons heart, and yet, we have the ability in Christ to rule over it.

I bet you are wondering how any of this ties to the request of the disciples, asking Jesus to teach them to pray?  If the question came up what is the greatest weapon ever invented, what would your answer be, the atom bomb, if so, you would be so wrong, it is prayer?  The atom bomb can kill and destroy, but prayer can change a loser into a winner, prayer can give life to one dying, prayer can add years to a person’s life, prayer can change eternity for a person, or a nation.  Where the atom bomb can only kill and destroy prayer has no limits, and Scripture is very clear on this in James 5:13-16, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”  

  

You can read Luke 11:1-4 or Matthew’s account in chapter 6:5-14, but like the rock or the bullet it needs the sling or the gun to make it of greater value, so does prayer to the person who knows what is required.  Husbands 1 Peter 3:7 gives us a prayer killer “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”  Mathew 6:5, a prayer killer is to be like the hypocrites and stand up and pray to be heard or seen by others.  Matthew 6:7, is another prayer killer; those who pray empty phrases as many religious folks do, thinking they will be heard for the length of their prayers.  Doubt also is a prayer killer, listen to James 1:5-7, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

If you desire to be a user of the greatest weapon ever designed for mankind look to Jesus, for in Matthew’s account, chapter 6:9-14, we are given information on how to use this mighty weapon.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice