Praying

Looking for healthy, positive changes in your life? Lead with Prayer. Needing to make changes in your business? Lead with Prayer. Wanting to become closer to God? Lead with Prayer.

The absolute best example of leading with prayer is Jesus Christ. In our earthly culture we have a saying and acronym; “What would Jesus do?” Well, Jesus prayed (Matt 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; John 17). The Bible provides many examples that Jesus prayed for, including many different situations. Jesus prayed for the health of others, Jesus prayed for believers to love one another, and to love our neighbors. Jesus was known to leave the disciples and to go off by himself to pray. So much so that the disciples wished to be taught how to pray. That is how the Lord’s Prayer came about (Matt 6:9–13).

But another part of prayer is individual. Taking our own prayers to a loving and listening God. We can find in Scripture how to pray. In Matt 21:22, we are to ask in prayer and believe. In Acts 1:4, we are to devote ourselves to prayer. In Phil 1:4, we are to offer prayers up to God with joy. In Phil 4:6, we are to be anxious for nothing and be thankful in prayer. In 1 Thess 5:17, we are to pray constantly, and in Jude 20 we are to keep ourselves in the love of God by praying.

So, church family we have a challenge. How do we increase our prayers? Well, if you currently do not pray, start. If you pray 5 minutes a day, go to ten minutes a day, ten minutes a day, go to 20 or 30 minutes. Simply make time to commune with God through prayer.

Rick Vallery, Elder