“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.”
Psalm 145:18-19 (NRSVUE)
Dear Friends,
It seems that prayer has gotten a bad rap lately. Whenever something terrible happens in our world, when we say that we will pray, there are some who will see prayer does no good.
The Bible though is full of references about prayer.
The Bible teaches that prayer is a vital, relational communication with God, meant to
be sincere, persistent, and rooted in faith.
Practical Guidance
1. Pray consistently and without anxiety, presenting requests with thanksgiving. See Philippians 4:6-7.
2. Pray privately and with sincerity, focusing on relationships rather than performance. See Matthew 6:6.
3. Include intercession for others and worship in your prayers. See James 5:16.
4. Trust God’s timing and wisdom, remaining patient and hopeful. See Romans 12:12.
In summary, the Bible presents prayer as a lifelong, relational practice that nurtures faith, aligns believers with God’s will, and provides spiritual strength, comfort, and guidance in all circumstances.
So, where do we begin?
I know there are people out there who have prayed all your life. However, there are those amongst us, who may need assistance, like young Christians. I am recommending that we put into practice the “Five Finger Prayer” as a resource for us to follow and especially teach to our children. See the image below for more information.
How can we put this into practice?
I recently saw a video from the Ann arbor Presbyterian Church where during the Prayers of People, they had a young person and an adult praying together. So, I am proposing that we try this during Family and Youth Sundays. It might be interesting for us to hear what our young people are praying for while at the same time giving them the opportunity to develop their own prayer life that will sustain them into adulthood.
Whether you have been praying all your life, or want to revitalize your own prayers, feel free to give this method a try.
As we head into spring and continue our journey through Lent, may we be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in, around, and through us.
I thank God for you,
Pastor Kathy Nealand
“Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:2-4)
And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:14
A Christmas version of 1 Corinthians 13
“But the angel said to her, “ Do not be afraid , Mary; you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:30.
“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness. I have taken you by the hand and kept you, a light to the nations, “ (Isaiah 42:5-6 NRSVYE)
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and each will receive wages according to their own labor. For we are God’s coworkers, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NRSVUE
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
“So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!’” (Acts 5:38-39a)
"We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer, we develop endurance, 4 which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. 5 And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love.” Romans 5:3-5(The Voice)
“So, here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
