Are We A Praying People?
As I listened to her pray, I was struck by the magnitude of the peace and comfort and direction that overtook me. Her words. Human words lifted in prayer to a Holy God.
What power!
What honor!
What a joy it is to be given the opportunity to pray!
Today, I must be honest because I am perplexed as I wonder:
When was the last time we prayed—really prayed?
Do we have concerns?
Do we have struggles?
Do we have health-concerns looming as mountains facing us?
Does our life-walk reveal our trust in the LORD our GOD?
Do others surrounding us—hear our daily prayers?
Do we love and care for those God has given us?
Do we encounter stress in our day-to-day?
Does the LORD want us to bow our heads in prayer?
Are we going to the Lord in prayer during seasons of praise?
Or are we only praying during our seasons of distress?
Are we comfortable going to the altar to pray?
Do we ever join a sister or a brother-in-Christ who has attended the altar to pray?
Would we love for revival to begin within us?
Would Almighty God want to hear from us within the span of today?
Would our heavenly Father want us to worship Him and pray?
When was the last time we knelt down to pray—really pray?
- Jesus prayed.
- Jesus arose early in the morning to pray.
- Jesus awoke in the dark of the morning, found a secluded spot & prayed.
Our Father knows us so well & God knows that we need time alone with Him!
“And the whole city had gathered at the door.
(Mark 1: 33-35 NASB)
And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time.”
- Jesus was extremely busy as he walked during His years of ministry.
- Jesus attracted so many to Himself, every place He traveled.
- Jesus saw the people’s needs, and Jesus ministered to them: healing them.
- Jesus was known far and wide by the people & even by Satan’s demons.
Jesus—Holy God in the flesh—Prayed!
Does prayer require that we leave our house?
Does prayerfulness need only happen within our churches?
My mom keeps a prayer journal, a practice I now do.
Are we praying for those lost—for those who do not yet know the salvation of our Lord?
What position must our bodies take in order to pray?
My grandpa stood to pray.
My grandma audibly spoke aloud her prayers, even as another was called to pray.
Do we kneel? Do we sit? Do we bend forward at the waist? Do we pray as we rest upon our bed?
Is prayer EVEN a position of our bodies OR merely a “Positioning of our Heart”?
Where should we place our bodies so that God will be our whole focus?
Can we pray while we walk through the forest, through God’s natural places?
Are we praying only when we offer thanksgiving for our daily food?
Are we sharing our prayer concerns within a text message prayer chain?
Must we speak aloud to talk with God?
Must we read our Bible in order to prepare our hearts for prayer?
Must we pray in order to prepare our hearts for God’s Word?
Do we—weak human beings—children of God—need to pray?
Are We A Praying People?
OR
Are We Merely Proclaiming We Are!
“But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
(Luke 5: 15-16 NASB)
But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”
- Jesus Himself served God, was on-mission to accomplish His Father’s will.
- Jesus Himself was known wherever He went.
- Jesus drew large crowds of people to Him, primarily due to their curiosity and their need.
- Jesus healed the masses.
- Jesus knew that He needed “alone time” with His Father God.
- Jesus knows that we do too.
- Jesus knows our hearts, our minds, our struggles, our prayer concerns, and our fears.
- Jesus intimately knows us (God’s children), & Jesus knows what we so desperately need.
Thus, Jesus gave us an example of Himself, revealing without question—That we need to pray!
Do we—children of God—need to pray?
Yes, I truly wonder.
Am I?
Are You?
Are We A Praying People?
OR
Are We Merely Proclaiming We Are!
Prayer is a most-holy gift from an amazing God!
Prayer gives us immediate peace as we talk with our God!
Prayer allows us to give our burdens to our Savior!
Prayer brings revival to our heart!
Prayer provides us a direct line of communication with our great Redeemer!
Prayer!
May we lift our hands—& PRAY!
May we kneel down—& PRAY!
May we bow our heads—& PRAY!
May we lay down in our houses—& PRAY!
May we drive our vehicles—& PRAY!
May we walk through nature—& PRAY!
May we go to our place of work—& PRAY!
May we traverse throughout our days of life—& PRAY!
May we (if we do not yet)—PRAY!
Thank You—Heavenly Father—for the opportunity You give us to—PRAY!
May We PRAY & May We Never Stop!
“Come and hear, all who fear God,
(Psalm 66: 16-20 NASB)
And I will tell of what He
has done for my soul.
I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was exalted with my tongue.
If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;
But God has heard;
He has given attention to the
sound of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His favor from me.”