Pastor's Message
A Thought on Prayer
I have been involved in a conversation for many years, sometimes not knowing exactly what or where I am going with the conversation, and sometimes the conversation just sounds like a short thought and one thought leads to another. There are times when the conversation is just an utterance on my part and there are times when someone else has to speak for me. The conversation that I am speaking of is prayer and the one I am speaking to is God. That's what prayer is, a conversation with the Father.
There are over one hundred and sixty examples and reasons for prayer in the Bible. In the book of Genesis, Chapter 24 we find Abraham's servant searching for a bride for Isaac, while still praying God answered his prayer with such an overwhelming demonstration by the young maiden that there was no doubt that God was answering his prayer. We pray for many different reasons, we pray for guidance as David did in 2 Samuel, we pray for wisdom such as Solomon did, we pray for health as did Job in his time of need. In the book of Psalms, we find David praying in times of desperation, and singing prayers in times of joy.
There is no right and wrong way to pray, we pray to God in the same manner we talk to our father. We do that knowing that God is in control and wants to give us good things. This commands reverence and humility, and if we are believers this is something that is a natural desire. In the book of Mark the 9th chapter the 23rd verse Jesus says "anything is possible if you believe".
Paul tells us to "rejoice in the Lord always, and let your gentleness be evident to all, because the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Jesus Christ." Paul is telling us to rejoice when we go before God and let our attitude reflect what our heart is feeling.
There are more passages in the Bible that tell us to pray for others than any other reason. Romans 1; 8-10, I Corinthians 1; 4-9, Ephesians 1; 1-23, Philippians 1; 3-6, Colossians 1; 3-14. These all tell us to pray for one another. We are called to intercede on behalf of those who are sick and in need. In order to go before God with petitions we need to do so with a clean heart. In other words we need to do prayers of confession, even the high priests said prayers of confession before they prayed for others on the Day of Atonement. We are called to be prayer warriors, Paul tells us to pray unceasing, the book of Jude tells us to pray in the Spirit, and Jesus tells us to watch and pray.
God always answers our prayers when we pray in his will. We don't always know what that will is but if we pray with an attitude that glorifies communicating with the one who created you.
May God Bless You
Pastor Terry Holobaugh