We Can Pray.
There isn’t a Christian alive who doesn’t already know about the Bible’s commands to pray, and there are probably very few (research seems to show) who are happy with their prayer lives. These two factors—knowing what we are supposed to do and feeling that we don’t do it well—only fuel the habit of prayerlessness.
But maybe we would do better to just realize that even Jesus’ own disciples did not know how to pray! And rather than upbraid them, He taught them! You and I may sense God’s dissatisfaction with our praying, while missing His invitation—“take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.”
Friend, we are all always learning, and while there is breath there is hope of our being conformed more and more to Jesus. Jesus tells us, and teaches us, to pray.
And He is not the only one. The apostle Paul set forth some straightforward counsel on this matter in his letter to the Philippians, writing
“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Php 4:6-7)
Did you catch that? We are to combat our anxiety by talking to God. We are to quell our worry by asking Him for what we want from a posture of gratitude. We are commanded here to pray, and in another of Paul’s letters, to do so “without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). That is, we are to be faithful in fervent in our praying.
We pray in multiple ways, as individuals and a church. We encourage
- Daily times of personal prayer
- Weekly public prayer at Wednesday’s prayer meeting
- Corporate prayer in worship
- Prayers of Praise
- Prayers of Confession
- Prayers of Supplication
- Prayers for the Kingdom
- Regular prayer in our leader meetings, small groups and classes
- Situational prayer as needs arise, communicated via our UBC prayer chain or through the “Let’s Pray About It” link on our website
Do any of these opportunities hit your radar? If you are not connected to some of these opportunities, would you like to be?
If you would like to pray in worship, please contact Pastor Scott at pastor@ubcellsworth.org
If you would like to attend weekly prayer meeting, it is held in the Prayer Room every Wednesday and begins at 4 o’clock. If the group gets too big, we’ll gladly move to a larger space! 😊
If you would like to become part of the prayer chain and receive regular requests for prayer, please E-mail Pastor Bob Maddocks, rlm.ells@roadunner.com
If you have a burden you would like the congregation to pray about in worship, submit your request in the “Let’s Pray About It” link at www.ubcellsworth.org
This pandemic has made it so we can’t do a lot of things we’d like to. But despite the pandemic, we can pray!
I hope you’re having a blessed week, see you in worship!
Pastor Scott