Prayer

Prayer is necessary to the life of faith and to the life of the church.  Prayer is to the believer/church as breathing is to the living.  Absolutely essential!  A church’s commitment to prayer is ONE of the greatest determiners of its effectiveness in ministry.

Unfortunately, prayer is not natural to us, BUT being made is God’s image, relationship, connection and communication are.  We were designed to be in relationship to others, and ultimately in relationship to God.  A primary means of being connected to others in through communication.

Prayer is a connection of intimate communication with God; maintaining and growing our relationship with him.  We have been called together as the body of Christ.  Yes, we have an individual faith and belief in Christ for salvation, but we are placed into the collective known as the church.  As the church we have a shared hope in Christ and are being transformed into the likeness of Christ.

Prayer is a discipline, and a discipline that can and should be practiced as a collective exercise…together with your church family.  We can learn and grow, encourage and be encouraged, reflect Christ and be united in Christ through prayer with one another.  This kind of prayer clings to the hope we share in Christ and should reflect our togetherness in Christ.  And this can be done from young to old, least to greatest.

Such beneficial prayer does not require elite aptitude or perfected practice.  Great results come from our great and gracious Ruler-Rewarder-Reward, Jesus Christ.  In prayer we are simply asking God to do what he already wants to do; to come through on his promises; to act according to his will.  In so doing we repentantly reshape our affections/desires, confidently rest in hope and submissively realign our will.  Doing so with others builds and reinforces unity.

Gather together and pray together beloved!