PRAYERS
“If prayer is anything, then it is everything.” This is attributed to a Puritan pastor many years ago. This statement is so far reaching and so profound, at least to me. As I was dwelling on this and many scriptures on prayer, I was led to create an acronym.
Praise
Repentance
Adoration
Yearning
Entreating
Responding
Spirit-led
These are mine, try yours. I’d love to see them. Praise to the Father, confessing and repenting of one’s sins, words of adoration for our magnificent LORD, a yearning for a deep abiding relationship, entreating God for things the Spirit is bringing to your heart and mind, and responding to the Spirit’s leading.
Jesus’ prayers
Jesus is our most trusted mentor when it comes to prayer. The prayers of Jesus before he leaves to return to his Father are found in John 17. They are still being answered today. He prayed for himself (1-5); for his disciples (6-19); and for all believers (20-26). I challenge you to read the entire chapter, right now. John 17
The Psalms are such powerful songs and prayers, of every nature. Pray the Psalms as God leads. Memorize some and use in your quiet time. Psalm 65 starts this way. “Praise is awaiting you, O God, in Zion; and to you the vow shall be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you all flesh will come” (vss. 1,2).
In the American church, what we need desperately today are dedicated prayer warriors; for each of us, our families, our neighborhoods, the church, our nation, and our leaders—and so much more. Individual, corporate and national prayers are the answer for prospering in a sin-infested and broken world. God has given us the means and privilege to be a contributing part of his kingdom objectives. As one pastor put it—“Bill, you do know that God runs his kingdom through the prayers of his people”. I had never thought about it that way.
Pray together
Abiding Fathers has a faithful and fruitful prayer team composed of the Board members and many volunteer prayer warriors. The incredible growth of the fatherhood movement can be attributed to their prayers and supplications. God loves a cheerful giver, and he especially loves the prayers of his people. “The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him” (Prov. 15.8).
Jesus’ disciples beseeched him to teach them to pray. How about us? Let’s ask God to teach us to pray. You know he will. And we find an encouraging truth in 2 Chronicles.
“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins and I will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7.14). So, pray we shall, believing!
