For the year of 2023 I committed to read the devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. *  I had read it before, and it is one of my favorites.   God uses people to encourage people and O.C. encourages me, so I am grateful to the Lord for his life and the fruit it bears. I often take notes and talk to God as I read this devotional.

From the journal . . . .  November 2023

My Utmost for His Highest, November 8, “The Unrivaled Power of Prayer.”   Lord, the point is we don’t know how to pray.

We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 NKJV

Unutterable? God.  Holy Spirit prays for us. Hmm. Lord, I’d like to know what He says. Wow.

He prays for us!

He does groanings. He makes unutterable speech. Is that prayer language? I have an active part in that, but I hate to think I don’t get special prayer from Him unless I open my mouth.

And God Said to Me:

You pray to Me for your children privately and Holy Spirit prays like that. We know what you and they specifically need.

Lord, it kind of makes me think I don’t really need the prayers of other believers because it can’t get any better than You praying!

You are to pray for one another and share one another’s burdens.

Gal 6:2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. NLT

I’ve told you to pray for people everywhere.

1 Timothy 2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them.

You don’t have to understand how it all fits together. I am pleased when you show your love for people by praying. You have authority to pray because of what I have done, and you have insight because of the Holy Spirit working in you.

The Holy Spirit tells you whose name to write on the check and for how much.  It is signed in My name and God the Father provides the resources.

Wow Lord. That gives a little direction for prayer. Funny about the ‘check’ analogy.  I like it!

Lord, it is so reassuring that You give us instructions on how, what, where and why to pray!

Matt6:9-13 Lord’s Prayer

Rom 8:34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Matt 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Eph 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

You are a perfect teacher in all Your instructions and also a perfect Father always praying for us!  Thank You Lord.

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

*My Utmost for His Highest, Updated Edition Copywrite@1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association Ltd