Heartfelt Prayer

Bible Reading For Friday 19 March 10:
Judges 3
Judges 4
Judges 5

Thought For Today “Heartfelt Prayer”

Judges 3:9-10

9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.


The Israelites had done evil in the sight of the Lord and when their harvest cropped up they quickly realized the error of their ways. There are times when God will allow the results of our wrong choices to come to pass in order that we might make the BEST choices next time.

The good news is that God doesn’t forsake us in moments like that. Just as He was with the prodigal son while in the “far country”, He will be by our side helping us to come to ourselves. The Holy Spirit is to be praised and thanked for persistent wooing and love. He produces in each of the “need” for something better. As stated before, this need for God in our souls is planted in our spirits by God. Psalms 42 gives a detail account of heartfelt prayer to God. Until we see our real need we won’t plead!

Israel, the Bible says, quickly realized their sin and turned to God in repentance for His mercy and grace. Verse 9 says they CRIED unto the Lord, which means they finally realized their deep need of God to deliver them. Where they were was not where they wanted to remain. The need of help propelled to seek God who has ALL POWER in His hands. He alone could turn the tide in their situation. They really needed “HIM”, and not only what they could get out of Him.

NOTHING in your life and mine will change until we realize our deep need of the Lord and desire to sacrifice to get it. When the need to be delivered is greater than the desire to remain addicted to “whatever”, we are responding to the goodness of God within us. God births the need to be free inside our hearts, then uses the study of the WORD and prayer to strengthen the WILL towards spirituality. When the will is encouraged and fed, it starves out the flesh and its cravings. A new power takes over the WILL and MIND!

God’s WORD has life changing power in it. This is why so many are steered away from study of the WORD. Anytime the WORD is heard or received, faith is increased, Romans 10:17. At the same time the WORD is proclaimed in ANY fashion, the devil is usually close by to steal it out of the heart. PLEASE READ Matthew 13:19-23.

As long as all four tires are operable, there is no need for the spare. If a tire goes bad, the “need” is created for something better. Reaching our destination isn’t abrogated, but simply suspended until the “need” or the tire is repaired. In most cases we call for “HELP”, a source outside of ourselves and who has experience in making the necessary repairs. There would be no need for a TV repairman to come and fix the tire. In this case we are SPECIFIC about who and what we “need”.

Israel had to learn that there was and is NO GOD like Jehovah! Isaiah 55 is a “must read” in order to fully understand heartfelt prayer and God’s response to it. Please indulge yourself in it and may our God continue to give you what you really need this day!