Parkstone

Prayer What it is
· Prayer is simply lifting heart and mind and will to God
· Prayer is laying hold of the Power of God
· Prayer is the process of discovering God
· Prayer is the key to Christian living
· Prayer is the key to the day and the lock to the night
· Prayer is guide me as opposed to give me
· Prayer is not just having a mighty faith in God- but rather having faith in Almighty God
· Prayer is a privilege not a penance
· People who truly pray grow in love
· Those who pray together stay together
· Prayer moves the hands that hold the World
· Seven prayerless days make one weak
· Life is fragile handle with prayer
· The Power of prayers perhaps the greatest untapped resource in our lives

Prayer why do it?

There is nothing more common among people throughout the world, no human activity more universal, yet none more mysterious and misunderstood than prayer. Since the advent of recorded history the religious expression of prayer has been found in every culture, civilisation and era.
The Queen does it, the President of the United States does it. Jews do it , Moslems do it, Hindus do it, Buddhists , pagans and Christians do it. Every one does it few are sure it works and even less believe it is necessary.
It’s the first global product of religion and we all want the secret of successful divine contact to find comfort and positive results.

Why do men pray? Why do people of every religion pray? Are we naturally drawn to seek solace and comfort in the unseen and unknown? Is there an inborn desire to worship? And the answer to these questions is an emphatic Yes.
In the Gospel of Mark we read (1:35) “And in the morning rising up a great while before day, He (Jesus) went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed “

Jesus teaches His disciples. So prayer is by no means an obvious or natural activity though it is an expression of a universal instinct as we suggested earlier.
The disciples are permitted to pray because Jesus tells them they may, and He knows the Father. He promises that God will hear them.
In 2 Chronicles 7;14 we read ”If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land”.

In the New Testament, namely 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always; pray continuously without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”.

It was John Wesley who said, “God does nothing but in answer to prayer”. So prayer is not an option for mankind , but a necessity. If we don’t pray, heaven cannot interfere in the earth’s affairs and our lives.

But some people have stopped praying because they don’t feel it makes a difference.
When we think of our apparently unanswered prayers we feel abandoned, isolated from God who doesn’t care about our predicament, or at least is indifferent to us, instead of realising He is a Loving heavenly Father who gives good gifts to his children.
The question we should ask is, what are we losing by not praying to Him? Through prayer God can give us peace. Someone has said, “when we work, we work, but when we pray, God works.

God’s power can change circumstances and relationships, helping us to face life’s daily struggles. It can heal psychological and physical problems, remove marriage difficulties, meet financial needs and in fact handle any kind of difficulty, dilemma or discouragement – provided we have belief, faith and trust.

Every prayer based on the word of God and offered in faith by a person in a right relationship with God is answered. It may take time, it will take time, even a long time but God reveals those answers in His timing and not ours.
Jesus told His disciples that they should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1 N.I.V. and not faint (A.V.)
This then is the first understanding. Secondly, we need to accept that God is faithful to answer prayer. He gives us the assurance when He said “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours (Mark 11:24 N.I.V.)
Thirdly, God ‘s will and His word do work when put into practice. So we must pray in a way that embodies the principles God has given us in His word

So the purpose of prayer is to take us swiftly into the nearness of God. It is God’s desire for us to pray and what wonderful examples of prayer we have right through scripture and especially in the Psalms

Although through the ages, God separated faithful men and women to lead His people and give them laws and make them aware of His presence restoring mankind would have been impossible were it not for the Son of God, The Lord Jesus Christ.
Only through Christ can we be restored to our true relationship with God and only through Him (Jesus) do we have the right and authority to pray.
God planned for man’s redemption and restoration of purpose through Jesus right from the beginning.

Prayer where and when?

Anywhere and anytime!