Ready to Pray!

A native Indian pastor spoke in our church yesterday. He told stories of amazing answers to prayer and healing. I am challenged by this because I know that God wants to work powerfully in his church to show is love and glory and draw people to himself. He wants to do this here just as much as he does in India. I want to see him work powerfully through me and our church to see many drawn to him. Why isn’t this happening on the same scale in our lives? What is required for God to do this?

Faith, passion, and courage. Faith in who God is, his will and power. Passion for the lost and for God’s kingdom to grow. Courage to obey and love in the face of opposition and mistreatment.

So, what does this mean for me today? What is it that I must do that I am not doing to demonstrate faith, passion, and courage? My first clear thought is this: PRAY. Pray alone, pray with my family, pray with my church, pray with others, pray with the lost. Pray all the time; pray anytime. “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2).

As I observe my own life, and the life of our church, I see that we are ready move forward in accomplishing our mission of making disciples. I think of how to obey and how to equip people for doing so. And I already know that prayer is foundational to any such ministry. Please, Lord, teach me to pray!