ARE WE REALLY TO EXPECT ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS TO GOD? AND ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PRAY AT ALL?

Jesus took time away from everyone to go to the mountain to pray. He also taught the disciples the manner in which to pray, which we call the Lord’s prayer today: “Father, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come…” (Matthew 6: 9-13). In the midst of this prayer, there is the familiar words: ‘give us this day our daily bread’ (Matthew 6:11).

Here we are shown our need of dependence on God for everything, He is the giver of every blessing, physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, relationally. It also reminds us of Jesus’ words: “I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger”. (John 6:35). So we are to thank Him for all His gifts, specially the greatest gift which is Him, salvation through Jesus Christ. So we should pray the Lord’s prayer everyday as an initiation to our daily prayer time!

Also it is good to pray effectively because you might be the person the Lord uses to answer your own prayers . One time I found myself praying for the nation, and asked the Lord to send the archangel Michael and his angels to the hellholes of the U.S. government. Well, about six months later I got a job at a U.S. Air Force Base and if I have been close to hell, that’s where it was! So you would better be ready to be sent out as a laborer in answer to such prayers!

And I have seen the fervent prayers of the godly elder grandmas being answered almost immediately. It seems their prayers get answered all the time and exactly as they were requested! I believe the secret is in the fervency and perseverance that comes from the heart. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16. Of course, I know they pray with the wisdom of the elder and so they are more likely to see life’s circumstances according to the will of God. When I really know God has given me a promise for my life, I always ask for help in prayer from these dear persons! So I pray in this New Year’s time, that You teach each of us to pray and that You send each of us some of those dear elders to help us pray through the promises You have given us!

KESELAMATAN LEWAT YESUS KRISTUS!

Pas sejarah Kristen berkembang, nama ‘Yesus’ dikenal sebagai ‘Yahweh adalah Keselamatan’. Dari gagasan Perjanjian Lama tentang Tuhan, Penebus, Pembebas, Tuhan, makna-makna ini dipindahkan ke Yesus dan bagaimana orang-orang Kristen percaya pada-Nya. 1 Tentu saja, nanti, kita ngeliat sekarang Yesus sebagai Pembebas dan Penebus dari dosa dan kegelapan rohani, yang menumpahkan darah di kayu salib untuk membayar dosa-dosa kita, jika kita percaya! Dan bahwa Dia adalah satu-satunya jalan ke Tuhan! Terus Dia adalah Juruselamat kita!

Kita sekarang perlu punya pengalaman lahir kembali untuk punya hubungan dengan Dia! Di Yohanes 3:3,16 dibilang: “ ‘Yesus menjawab dan berkata kepadanya, ‘Sesungguhnya, gue bilang kepadamu, kecuali seseorang tidak lahir kembali, dia tidak dapat melihat kerajaan Allah’….’Karena Tuhan sangat mencintai dunia yang Dia kasih Putra tunggal-Nya, supaya siapapun yang percaya ke-Nya kagak binasa, tapi dapet kehidupan yang kekal.’ bilang: “Yesus bilang ke dia, ‘AKU adalah kebangkitan dan kehidupan. Orang yang percaya sama gue, meskipun dia mati, dia akan hidup. Dan siapapun yang hidup dan percaya pada gue, tidak akan mati selamanya. Lu percaya kagak?’ “

Jadi kita perlu percaya dan bertobat dari dosa-dosa kita untuk sekarang punya hubungan dengan Tuhan yang hanya datang melalui pengalaman lahir kembali dengan Yesus Juruselamat dan Tuhan kita! “Awal dari kehidupan Kristen membutuhkan pengakuan atas keberdosaan diri sendiri dan tekad untuk meninggalkan cara hidup yang berpusat pada diri sendiri.”2

CATATAN

1Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright dan J.I. Packer, eds., Kamus Teologi Baru, (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988), 610.
2Millard J. Erickson, Teologi Kristen, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006),959.

Ucapkan DOA BERIKUT BIAR JADI LAHIR KEMBALI:
“Yesus gue percaya lu mati di kayu salib,
menumpahkan darah-Mu untuk pengampunan dosa-dosa gue;
Dan bangkit lagi di hari ketiga!
Gue tau gue orang berdosa. Tolong maafin gue dari dosa-dosa gue;
Tolong masuk ke hati gue!
Datang dan jadi Juruselamat dan Tuhan hidup gue!
Makasih Yesus”