This month we would like to change our focus to the subject of prayer.

Here is a few quotations from famous people on their attitudes about prayer:

“He does the most for God who is the highest skilled in prayer.”

“No man is greater than his/her prayer life.”

“The secret of all success is our success in secret prayer.”

“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed.”

The first point that needs to be said about prayer is that it is based upon the believer’s relationship with the Lord. The more we know the Lord and are walking in that close fellowship the easier prayer becomes. Listen to yourself pray and see if you are praying as if you really know your Father God. Sometimes prayers sound like a business transaction or like a group of religious words designed to either impress God or the other people who are praying. There should be love in our prayers, they should be expressions of our deep devotion to our Saviour. Like our worship, praying is using ordinary words but saying them out of a heart of love and gratitude.

Prayer also needs to be looked at in terms of the blood covenant Jesus established with His people. The New Testament is a covenant that gives believers both privileges and obligations. We would never come to God demanding our rights yet we can “come boldly to the throne of grace.” We are now heirs of God meaning we have access to His resources. Prayer is that point of access and using the Name of Jesus gives us the legal right to come before God with our prayers.

All of us need to be praying for our government leaders. The Bible tells us to do so and in our hearts we want our countries to do well and prosper. Everyone is talking about a global economy and how we are all connected. In the Kingdom of God we also have a global network; we are connected by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As each of us prays for each other, that global Kingdom grows and increases in power. Let’s pray.