When does the Almighty punish those who are hid in Christ, what is necessary for us to do, or not to do, as those who have truly been born again for the Most High to cause some form of punishment to fall upon us?
It is an extremely interesting question and one worthy of your contemplation, one that has caused this letter to be written because of a short video I watched. It first brought to my mind this verse.
“Pray without ceasing.” (1st Thess. 5:17)
In this short video the young man stated that because he had neglected to pray first thing in the morning that therefore he had also neglected to put on the armor of God, and because of that, he had two “bad days” in a row.
Is our armor on all the time or not? Is it actually something that you can take off and put on at will?
But more than that, if you do not pray first thing in the morning, will the Living God, even in a small, almost insignificant manner, cause your day to go poorly?
Beyond that point my friends, what he was saying, perhaps even without his knowledge, was that if we do not pray God will punish us.
I personally cannot find any place in the Scriptures where anything that he said concerning this can be verified.
Are you hid in Christ? Then you will pray. Do you abide in Him? Then your prayers are heard.
To blame the Almighty for a “bad day” because we neglected to pray first thing in the morning is bordering on a works-based theology, not love for Him who first loved us.
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)
What does that word “fervent” mean to you? So intensely that perhaps drops of blood may even flow from your face, or continuously in faith? If I ask anything in His name, believing without doubt, and I do not receive my request, was it because I did not pray fervently, because there was a single, miniscule doubt, because of a possible sin in my life that I was not even aware of? If I do not pray first thing in the morning, will I have a bad day because the Lord is upset with me now?
What happens to the truth of Romans 8:28 if, for whatever reason that I cannot fathom, I do not contemplate Him for an entire day?
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
In the Fifteen Hundreds, when Brother Lawrence was told to go to his room and pray, he did so, but he could not figure out why, because he was in constant prayer all the day long.
If you are keeping every thought captive for Christ, as much as is humanly possible, if you have set your affections on things above, if you love the Lord Jesus Christ and are obeying Him as much as any of us poor saved sinners can, tell me, when you are not praying.
The suit of armor that we wear is not something that we can take off and put on at will, it is always upon us, it’s just that at times we fail to employ it as we should.
If you are not praying to the Most High through the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, then you are not saved. But never blame the Living God for a “bad day” because you forgot to pray as you think you should have.
I will tell you this truth though, if you step out of line on purpose and defame His Holy name, you will be punished.
