Thoughts on Prayer

Prayer is the heartbeat of Christianity. A good prayer to begin your prayers with is: ‘Lord, please speak to me: your servant is listening…’
Another truth is this one -- ‘If you’re too busy to pray you’re too busy…’ Other truths to contemplate -- ‘Prayer should make you joyful…’ ‘When it’s hardest to pray is the time to pray hardest’ ‘More prayer, more power…’ ‘Pray as if all things are possible with God, because the Scripture says they are!' (Mark 10:27)

Our prayer life reflects who we are as Christians. Our prayer is the best measure of the integrity of our Christian life, the best index of our relationships – with God, others, self, ministry. Prayer is friendship and communication with God. So… prayer is about Who we are... Who God is...and who we are in Christ.

God (in Christ) reveals His will through Scripture, Spirit guided Reason, through the history and the authority of the Church, and through our own faith experience.

Jesus is our pattern for ministry - to God and for the world. Close communion with the Father was at the heart of all he was and did. As his disciples saw this reality they wanted to be part of it (why don't more people ask us to teach them to pray?). His prayer-life was disciplined and ordered, although he too, was busy. It begins with a contemplation of God - 'Our Father' - before moving to human need. He prays hard before important decisions, like choosing the twelve.

His meditation on Scripture gives strength in times of testing, particularly when the devil wants him to do ministry another way. Time is found for prayer - 40 days, a whole night, very early in the morning: hurry is the death of prayer. Be still and know He is God! (Pslam 46:10)

Focus your prayers on God and others, then your own self. Nowhere does Jesus pray 'to feel good'or is in any way self centered: for Him, and for us, the key thing is obedience and service to God and church adn community.