The Heart of Prayer

 

Psalm 5:2 “Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.”

 

Our Small Group Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at our church has been in a video series by pastor Frances Chan titled “Basic – We are Church”, returning to the concept of the church described in the Bible, looking at the basic elements of fellowship, teaching, prayer, and communion are examined and considered. This last week, we studied the session on “prayer”. Pastor Chan states that he is convinced that we don’t take prayer seriously because we do not understand the depth of our need for God to work supernaturally in our lives. We are completely dependent on God for every breath we take and every move we make. We need to devote ourselves to fervent, authentic, passionate prayer. But, to get back to the heart of prayer, we must stop examine and rethink our prayer life. Who are we praying to? In Isaiah 55:9 the Creator of the heavens and the earth tells us, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” How should we approach this Almighty Creator God in prayer? What is the purpose of prayer? What does it mean to be dedicated and devoted to prayer? Prayer is not something to be taken casually or vainly. 

 

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 says, “Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.”

 

The late Pastor Sproul asks, What is the goal of the Christian life? Answer: Godliness born of obedience to Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God. Knowledge and truth will remain abstract unless we commune with God in prayer. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches, inspires, and illumines God’s Word to us. He mediates the Word of God and assists us in responding to God, our just and holy heavenly Father in prayer.

 

Prayer has a vital place in the life of the Christian. Prayer changes things.To be without prayer is to be without God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the hope and reality of heaven. One might pray and not be a Christian, but one could not possibly be a Christian and not pray. Prayer has power. Prayer is to the Christian what breath is to life, yet no duty of the Christian is so neglected. Prayer is a solemn address to the sovereign Supreme Being – our Maker, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God's glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for His mercies and benefits. This is the heart of prayer.

 

We are invited, even commanded, to pray. Prayer is both a privilege and a duty. We were created for fellowship and communion with God. Rebirth quickens a new desire for communion with God. Prayer is the secret of holiness. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to "pray without ceasing". It means that we are to be in a continual state of communion with our eternally present Father God. 

 

In Christ, Brian