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Today’s culture is desperate for a fresh infusion of extraordinary love. The Lord’s Church has been uniquely designed to provide it. Yet many of us are distracted or even paralyzed by the negative, angry, polarizing climate surrounding us. This prayer guide examines what Scripture says about love, and then encourages God’s people to pray and boldly demonstrate that extraordinary love in action. May we as believers be known as people who love completely and without reservation or hesitation so that many will be drawn to Jesus, the source of such great love. Pray that you would love God completely so that you can love others completely. “Jesus said: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37–39). Many of us agree wholeheartedly with these two commandments. However, living them out with integrity, purpose, and humility is often difficult. We need great courage so we do not shrink away from actively and passionately pursuing this mandate from the Father. My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, when You were asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” You didn’t hesitate. You gave us two! Show me what it means to love this much. Teach me how to love You so well that love for others naturally flows from Your heart into mine—and then into the lives of the people all around me. Pray that you would love your enemies with supernatural love. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. . . If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” (Matt. 5:43–46). Scripture tells us clearly that our enemy is not other people: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). We must fight the right battle by refusing to hate those we perceive as enemies. Instead, although it’s completely countercultural, God says we are to love them and pray for them. My Prayer:  Father, I struggle with some of the people in my life who have set their hearts against me, or who have wronged me or someone I love. Remind me daily that these people are not my enemies. Show me ways to pray for them so that my heart will soften and change. Nurture within me a heart filled with forgiveness, and remove any bitterness. I know that in my own flesh I can’t love them extraordinarily, but with You all things are possible. Please give me a supernatural love that transcends my feelings and emotions. I trust You to love through me even when it is difficult! Pray that you would love others without condition. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:9–10). We may casually throw around the words unconditional love yet still put conditions upon loving, such as “if you agree with me, I will love you,” or ”if you look like I do, I will love you.” This happens often in families and friendships. People are emotionally blackmailed into changing their points of view, lifestyles, or thought patterns to make peace or to receive the love of others. However, if God is love—and He is—His followers must unconditionally extend love to others because He first loved us and commands us to love as He loves. My Prayer:  Heavenly Father, You created each of us uniquely, and I know You want us to love one another no matter the circumstances surrounding our relationships. Teach me what it means to “remain” in Your great love so that You can show me how to supernaturally love those who think, act, talk, or respond differently than I do. Fill my heart with love that overcomes my temptation to marginalize or separate those who are unlike me. Help me to learn to love with a no-strings-attached love that comes from You, the One who is love. Pray that you would love with the genuine love of Christ. “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Rom. 12:9–10). It is much easier to say we love someone than to demonstrate it in a tangible way. We do not have to compromise what is right and good in order to love. We are compelled as Christ-followers to love genuinely: to hate the activity of the devil while still loving even those who carry out his work. Our love for others is to be faithful and fervent, and we are to bless and honor others above ourselves. My Prayer:  God of Grace, sometimes I feel as if I have a heart of stone instead of a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26). Please awaken the Spirit of the Living Christ in my heart so that I might love with a sincerity that is true. Show me the evil I need to abhor and the good I must honestly embrace. Establish within me a deep humility so that I can honor others above myself. Pray that you would love through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (Rom. 15:30). Jesus is God’s ultimate gift of love! Jesus lives to intercede for us. He is our continual mediator before God: “He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25). Every prayer Jesus prays on our behalf is the perfect will of God for us. It is His gift to us and the example of how we should continually pray for one another. My Prayer:  Father, it amazes me to think that Jesus, who lives in me, also intercedes before You on my behalf. Your great love for me resulted in the birth, death, and resurrection of Your own Son so that I might live forever. Please awaken within me the love of the Spirit so that every prayer I pray is one I offer from a heart of love in Jesus Christ. Pray that you would serve others in love, not out of obligation or duty. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Gal. 5:13). “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2). When everything we do and say is from the loving heart of Jesus, it becomes extraordinary, supernatural love. When we love well, it changes everything about our attitudes in serving others. My Prayer:  God of Love, I could spend the rest of my life plumbing the depths of Your amazing love. I’m grateful for how specific You are in teaching me through Your Word what love is like. Jesus, I want my love to look like Yours. Give me the grace to embrace the kind of love that “never fails” so that I can serve others in humility. Pray that you would love others in a spirit of unity. “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (Phil. 2:1–2). The world needs to see the great love believers have for one another. If the world is to take Christianity seriously, believers must demonstrate how such love compels them to go out into their culture. It is then that we become the answer to the prayer Jesus prayed in John 17:22–23: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” My Prayer : Righteous Father, show me what it means to be united in love with those who love You. We are all different in so many ways, and yet You call us to a higher level of love— the kind of love that brings all Your followers together as one in Spirit. Help me, in turn, to demonstrate that life-giving love to a lost world. Take time to seek ways God wants you to experience His love, and then extend the love He has given you beyond yourself to others.

One of the most neglected aspects of our prayer lives–whether individual or corporate, is the need for confession and repentance. We all know that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all know that when we ask for forgiveness with a truly repentant heart, it is freely given to us by the grace of God through the blood of Christ. So, if we as Christians know this and believe it….why are we so negligent in practicing it? Why is confession so often overlooked or glossed over in personal and corporate prayer? Is it, perhaps, that the weight of guilt from certain sins sometimes leaves us paralyzed and unable to act? Is it because so many “little” sinful acts are not considered important enough to bring before God? The “white lie” or the “little bit of gossip” or the “fleeting thoughts” have become so insignificant that we don’t even look upon them as sin. Our culture has left us desensitized to the “little sins.” We are daily becoming more morally corrupt–one “minor” sin at a time. When we can continually stretch what we will allow our minds to absorb and our eyes to take in from our social media, televisions, movies, the books we read, the people we are around, etc. we are becoming more and more a part of the world and less and less a part of the kingdom of God. If we would just stop to think how the Lord of the Universe, who lives in us, views the things we consider “acceptable,” our mind-sets would change drastically. If we would continually ask the question, “Is this pleasing to God?” we would have no difficulty discerning what we need to stay away from. Instead, we gradually begin to look more like those who are in the world rather than reflecting the image of Christ. Dick Eastman, in  The Hour That Changes the World , says, “Confession is a heartfelt recognition of what we are. It is important to God because it indicates that we take seriously our mistakes and failures. Of course, God does not ask us to confess our sins because He needs to know we have sinned, but because He knows that we need to know we have sinned.” Many of us, when we do confess, take a matter-of-fact, less-than-contrite approach. We expect God to immediately forgive us for saying the right words…like when we were children apologizing only to keep from being punished or only because we were caught–not because our hearts were repentant. “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:2); “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). What God wants from us is holiness–which can only come from a truly repentant heart. The Lord has called our hearts to purity and moral uprightness–under whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Bending God’s standards for our lives is never acceptable, and yet over and over we rationalize them to please others, or to be accepted. E. M. Bounds has said, “Men do not love holy praying, because they do not love holy living.” Settling for less than God’s best for us allows the enemy to chip away at our moral character. When we let our guard down –as individuals and as the Church–the enemy is waiting to advance, and to take advantage of our weakness. God’s people need to be holy as He is holy. Holiness doesn’t “settle” for small amounts of sin. Any sin grieves the Father who loves us. Our standards should never be set by others–only by God, whose standards are clear and commanded. He is under no obligation to answer our prayers if we have sin in our lives. Dick Eastman has some wonderful insights into the necessity of confession in prayer. He says, “My prayer life will never rise above my personal life in Jesus Christ. If my personal life touches too much of the world, my prayer life suffers.” “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18). “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2). Eastman continues, “According to Scripture there can be no effective prayer life where sin maintains its grip in the life of the believer. This is why confession is critical to our praying and should be implemented early in prayer. It clears the conscience of faith-killing guilt and opens the heart to truly believe God will hear our petitions.” Confession gives God access into our hearts and removes any hindrances to effective prayer. Harold Lindsell, in his book,  When You Pray , describes confession as a type of spiritual surgery when he says, “It (confession) works healing to the wound incurred in the heart. Just as the surgeon lances a boil to permit the infection to drain and to heal from the inside, so confession opens the sore, drains the poison, and heals from within.” Our sins, large or small, should grieve us enough to desire never to do them again. “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him” (1 John 3:6). Let’s not wait until the burden of our sin drives us to our knees (Psalm 32:3-5). Instead, let’s go to God regularly, willingly asking Him to examine our hearts and “see if there is any offensive way in us” (Psalm 139:23-24). We should make a prayer habit of “keeping short accounts” with God. According to John Allan Lavendar, “Before you pray for a change in circumstances, you should pray for a change in character.” As we confess before Him, and true repentance takes place in our hearts, then fruit will be the result. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance….” (Luke 3:8). God is waiting to pour out revival on a repentant, earnestly praying Church. He is waiting for the prayers of His people who are grieving over the moral condition of this nation and this world. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Coming into God’s presence with repentant hearts in the act of confession paves the way for His grace in the act of forgiveness, and frees us for the ultimate goal of prayer: glorifying God with world-changing prayer!

Holiness might be considered a strange topic by many to be addressed at the beginning of the third millennium after Christ. In our culture today, it’s almost a forgotten topic.  It is given brief consideration but not taken seriously by many. The reason lies in the fact that many aren’t living holy lives and have very little to say to others about holiness. I want to say at the outset to those who may get uncomfortable about the topic of holiness, that the doctrines of grace and freedom in Christ are absolutely true. But when those absolutely essential doctrines are taught without the balancing view of God’s holiness and the intended holiness of the believer, we swing way out of balance. Most Christians today could testify that they would have avoided a great deal of harm in their lives had they been taught more of holiness and practiced more of it in their lives. Let’s lay it out very clearly.  God not only commands us to be holy, but He has provided for us a way to holiness and therefore leaves us without excuse. We cannot blame our society or culture for our unholiness.  Believers in New Testament times were in a society as immoral as can be imagined…. yet were taught and expected to be holy. Listen to the commands of God’s unchanging Word: “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Cor. 7:1). “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb.12:14). “For it is written: Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:11). “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). Since I have been given a ministry of prayer, I typically write concerning prayer. This article too, is ultimately about prayer. We will not have powerful, effective prayer lives until we get serious about living a life of holiness. God’s Word teaches us that God does not normally answer the prayers of those who are not walking in holiness: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18). “Your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God, his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:3-6). Regardless of our prayer skills or lack of, we will not become a mighty people of prayer until we begin to develop a passion for the holy life. I believe that the scriptures we have just looked at show us the way to live a life of holiness. The key to our holiness is nothing less than the holiness of God Himself. We are to be holy because He is holy! Look at what the scriptures say of His holiness: “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you–majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). “And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). “Who will  not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:4). Holy . . . set apart . . . different . . . unique . . . perfect. That’s the God we worship. The key to our holiness is to remember that we worship a Holy God. And He has called us to be holy, as He is holy. How can that be? How is it even possible that we sinful creatures can even aspire to holiness? It’s because God says so! It’s really a matter of family characteristics. It is our Father’s nature to be holy. Christians have been born again into God’s family. His genetic structure for holiness has been given to us because of Jesus. When Jesus became Savior and Lord of our lives, we experienced the new birth. The Holy (and I really mean Holy) Spirit came to dwell within us. We still have much of the sin nature within us, but there is also a new nature–a new genetic code if you will–a code of holiness that comes straight from our heavenly Father. Holiness then, becomes a possibility, where before it was an impossibility. The problem arises when we leave it here at the level of theological truth. If we’re not careful we can end up believing that our holiness consists only of the imputed righteousness that comes from Jesus. That can lead us to worry less about sin, because after all . . . we’re forgiven in Jesus and made right through His death and resurrection. This however, is not where God leaves us–a holiness that is not a real holiness at all. Instead you find in scripture the truth that holiness can never be accomplished by any of us by just trying hard. Jesus’ death is absolutely essential for us to experience the new birth and new life in Christ; and it is His righteousness that is now at work in us . . . AND it IS at work in us! God’s Word is clear that He expects us to long for and strive for practical holiness in lifestyle. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:1 that we are, “perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” To perfect holiness means to work on it or to strive for it. The motive Paul gives for doing this is out of reverence for God. Developing holiness is wanting to be like our heavenly Father. There’s no greater compliment to a Dad, than when a son or daughter wants to be like him. We give God pleasure as we long for and strive for holiness–to be like our Heavenly Father. The author of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 12:14, “Make every effort…to be holy.” This is not just a passive acceptance of something. This striving for holiness is not to be confused with your salvation. You accepted Christ’s gift of salvation by faith…but now there is effort involved if you want to live a holy life. Paul would say it this way: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Why with fear and trembling? Because we are doing this under the eye of a Holy God. Without Jesus, there is no possibility of holiness for us. With Jesus, we have been born again into the family of God and God’s holiness has been placed within us. Now we strive with everything within us to live out that life of holiness as we keep our eyes on our Holy God. Peter said it this way in 1 Peter 3:10-12: “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.” And then Peter turns to answered prayer: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” So how do we live holy lives? We make the Word of God our foundation. We strive to do what it says and to flee from all that it forbids. We keep our mouths from gossip, and our hands from mischief. We seek to do good and not harm. Paul wrote these practical words to the Thessalonians: “Live in peace with each other. And we urge you brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:13-18). God is waiting for His people to pray! But the prayers that He hears come from the lips of a holy people–a people set apart and dedicated to God.

“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near Your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You. Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on Your anointed one. Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.” Psalm 84 is a prayer of pilgrimage for those who are traveling to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. As such, it is a fitting model for those of us who find ourselves on a pilgrimage through this world. The Apostle Peter describes us as  “strangers in the world”  (1 Peter 1:1). We move through this life recognizing that, according to Jesus, we are in the world, but not of the world. One of the major distinctions between the Old Testament pilgrims and the New Testament saints is that we are no longer making a physical journey to a specific building to encounter God. Though we continue to grow “toward” God, the most amazing fact of our pilgrimage is that we are journeying “with” God. Through His Spirit, God Himself has come to dwell in us and lead us through this life. This does not mean that we do not need to seek after God. The vast majority, if not all believers struggle to walk in that continual awareness of the Lord’s presence in our lives. We must still keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. Learning to pray Psalm 84 with a New Testament mindset can give us great help on our pilgrimage. Here is one way to pray this powerful Psalm: Lord, I can hardly fathom the beauty of where You dwell. Nothing I have experienced on earth can adequately prepare me to experience Your glorious house. But I do know this: I long to see Your house. I am almost weak with my desire to experience Your presence. Everything in me cries out for You, my God!  I am so grateful that I do not have to wait until death to dwell in Your house. You have come to dwell in me through Your Spirit, and oh how amazing – now I can choose daily to live in Your presence. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house. Our lives will overflow with praise as we continually gaze upon Your beauty. My Father, though You allow me to dwell, even now, in Your house, still I live in a world that is filled with danger, toil, and sin. I need Your strength to walk through this world with my eyes on You. My Lord, I commit myself to the journey toward You, daily experiencing more of Your grace and mercy, and finding myself transformed by the power of Your Holy Spirit.  As I travel daily through the dry places of this world, places of tears and travail, may Your Spirit within me well up as a mighty river of life that flows from me and makes this world a better place. May those who find themselves in places of desperation experience Your joy, peace, and strength because You have somehow led me into their lives. Not because of anything in me, Lord, but because of Your mighty power at work in me. Keep my feet on the right path, Lord. As I make this journey through life, help me to grow in strength and intimacy with You. May the end be better than the beginning. I long to appear before You in Zion, my God, because of the grace of Jesus Christ. Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty. I am so serious about this request. This is my heart’s desire. As You listen to this prayer, please hear it as coming from the heart of Your beloved Son, my Lord, my Savior, my Shield – the Lord Jesus. I want so much to dwell in Your house with You, that I would even be content to just hold the door for others to enter. Just that proximity to You would be joy. I’d rather stand by Your door as a servant than live in the greatest of mansions in this life. I’m so grateful that Your house is available to me even now. In the midst of the darkness of this world, You give light and protection. You shine bright as the sun, changing my life, and allowing me to walk in Your light, warmth, and life-giving power. Lord, You do this for everyone who has been made blameless in Your sight through Jesus Christ. Thank You for that amazing blessing of Your presence and power. I want You to know, Lord, that I turn from dependence upon anyone or anything else other than You. My trust is in You – not just for heaven some day, but for everyday life now. Thank You for the gift of faith that opens up the blessings of Your house for me this day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

With all that has been happening in our nation and around the world, it eventually becomes very easy to allow our attention to be diverted back to what we call “normal.” Unfortunately, “normal” often means life without God and without a dependence upon Him in prayer. I believe it is vital for us to hold on to our first response – – the response of prayer. The Church desperately needs to both issue and respond to a new call for extraordinary prayer. Extraordinary prayer goes beyond the normal expectations of the past. It is prayer that can bring God’s power to bear on a whole new world facing us–a world that often includes uncertainty, fear and war. The Bible records times of extraordinary prayer like this. One good example occurred in the Book of Esther. The crisis there concerned the lives of every Jew held captive in Babylon. A decree had been issued that would result in genocide for the Jews. Queen Esther was going to risk her life by going to the King on behalf of her people; however, before she went, she called her people to three days of prayer and fasting for her mission. Extraordinary prayer brought about extraordinary deliverance. The Book of Ezra gives another good example of extraordinary prayer. Ezra was preparing to lead a group of the exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem. The king had even offered troops for protection on the perilous journey. But Ezra had refused the troops, pointing out that God Himself would protect them. As the people gathered, Ezra began to realize how dangerous the trip would be and that they should not merely presume upon God’s protection. So he called the people to humble themselves and pray and fast over the journey. God heard their prayers and gave them safe passage to their destination. There are many examples of this in more recent history. The great British preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon, was used by God to bring many into the Kingdom and in the process, a large church was built in London. He challenged his people to extraordinary prayer if they wanted to see God’s hand at work in their church. He wrote, “Dear Friends, we do not know what God may do for us if we do but pray for a blessing of the Holy Spirit… Have we not tried to preach without trying to pray? Is it not likely that the church has been putting forth its preaching hand but not its praying hand? O Dear friends! Let us agonize in prayer, and it shall come to pass that this Music Hall shall witness the sighs and groans of the penitent and the songs of the converted. It shall yet happen that this vast host shall not come and go as now it does, but little the better; but men shall go out of this hall praising God and saying–It was good to be there; it was none other than the house of God, and the very gate of heaven. This much to stir you up to prayer.” In the United States, the revivals known as the Great Awakenings came in response to Christians gathering for extraordinary prayer. Often called “Concerts of Prayer,” God used these times of prayer to bring awakening to His people. Robert Bakke in his wonderful book, The Power of Extraordinary Prayer, writes, “It (the Concert of Prayer) was born out of convictions that say with certainty that, regardless of how bright or dark the hour we live in, God is about to do something greater than He’s ever done before. Furthermore, it said that God would not move forward with His ever-increasing and ever more marvelous plans until Christians agreed with Him and agreed with each other about what He was going to do. A great and lucid vision of Christ’s earthly reign was before their eyes–with every nation, people, tribe and tongue united as one company before the throne of God, Christ the Son, and the sevenfold Spirit. It was a compelling vision that would not let Christians rest or let go of God until the rule of God held sway in every aspect of life.” (Pg.133) Read again that last sentence from Bakke: “It was a compelling vision that would not let Christians rest or let go of God until the rule of God held sway in every aspect of life.” Have you ever made a decision to pray like that? Not merely God bless us or even God protect us–but a life-changing commitment to pray until the “rule of God held sway in every aspect of life”? This should not just be a response made only by individual Christians. Has your church made a decision to pray extraordinarily for the working of God’s power? The key to the Concert of Prayer was for Christians to gather together for times of extraordinary prayer–as was the practice of the early Church. We are living in times that are not “normal.” What has been normal for us in our prayer life and experience of Christianity will not suffice for this hour. God is calling us to extraordinary prayer! How will you respond? Dave Butts (1953-2022) was the co-founder and president of Harvest Prayer Ministries. His popular prayer guide, Asleep in the Land of Nod has been used by hundreds of churches to help their congregations pray for revival.

The National Prayer Accord is patterned after a rhythm of prayer established by Jonathan Edwards and churches in the colonies prior to the First Great Awakening in the United States. In more recent days, many prayer and revival ministries are encouraging believers and churches to adopt this ongoing rhythm of prayer in their own churches. It is presented here as a challenge for you to consider how you or your church can join with the hundreds of thousands of believers and thousands of churches who are currently a part of this rhythm. The National Prayer Accord In recognition of: Our absolute dependence on God The moral and spiritual challenges facing our nation Our national need for repentance and divine intervention The covenants of prayer that God has answered throughout history Our great hope for a general awakening to the lordship of Christ, the unity of His Body, and the sovereignty of His Kingdom We strongly urge all churches and followers of Jesus in America to unite in seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, persistently asking our Father to send revival to the Church and spiritual awakening to our nation so that Christ’s Great Commission might be fulfilled worldwide in our generation. This voluntary agreement in prayer seems “good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28) in light of the promise of Jesus in Matthew 18:19 and the unity for which Jesus prayed in John 17. This prayer accord presupposes a spirit of freedom to adjust its component parts as local Christians see need. Though many are seeking God more often than this prayer accord outlines, calling millions of others around focused times of prayer is an urgent need. We resolve to promote as an ongoing “Rhythm of Prayer” . . . Weekly . . . . In private or small group prayer, which lends itself to a focus on the regular preaching and teaching of God’s Word, asking the Holy Spirit to light the fires of revival by anointing our preachers and teachers each week. Monthly . . . . In local ministry prayer gatherings, such as a mid-week prayer meeting, a Bible study class, a Sunday evening service, a home group, or one meeting of a college campus group, etc. for the exclusive purpose of prayer for revival. Quarterly . . . . In prayer gatherings among local ministries and groups, uniting churches in a community, college ministries in the area, businessmen’s groups, or radio listeners for an evening meeting, a luncheon, or a segment of airtime focusing on prayer for the community or region. Annually . . . . In prayer meetings designed to unite Christians nationally, such as The National Day of Prayer, the first Thursday of May, and Cry Out America, September 11 each year—occasions that call millions of people to pray together. Downstream in America we find the symptoms and signs of church irrelevance, fragmented relationships, cultural decay, moral decline, and love growing cold, but Upstream from such symptoms, we find hope in united prevailing prayer. “. . . but I have prayed for you and when you are restored strengthen others” (Luke 22:32).As certainly as Jesus prayed for Peter, He prays for us! “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes forever” (Hebrews 13:8). “He always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25). “Christ Jesus is He . . . who also intercedes for us” (Romans 8:33). We resolve to promote as “Prayer Goals” the outpouring of God’s Spirit for . . . The Revival of the Church as Evidenced by the Indicators of Awakening in the Church: Increasing testimony of the manifest presence of God. Increased conversions and baptisms. Amplified participation in corporate as well as individual prayer, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines leading to more effective discipleship. A decrease in divorces and renewed commitment to marriage between a man and a woman in covenant relationship as God intends. Imparting faith to children and youth as parents are equipped by the church to become primary disciplers of their children. Among churches, a passionate pursuit for the well-being of their cities through the planting of new congregations, benevolent ministries, practical service, and focused evangelism. Commitment to radical generosity as evidenced by compassion ministries and global missions. Improved health among ministers as evidenced by their joy, decreased resignations, healthy loving relationships within their families, and an increased response among young people called to the ministry. Christians involved in bold witness accompanied by miracles, dramatic conversions, and Holy Spirit empowered victories over evil. Heightened expressions of love and unity among all believers, as demonstrated by the unity of pastors and leaders. The Advancement of the Kingdom as Evidenced by These Indicators of Awakening in the Culture: Breakdowns of racial, social and status barriers as Christ’s church celebrates together—Jesus! A restoration of morality, ethical foundations and accountability among leaders of church and government, business and politics. A transformation of society through the restoration of Christ’s influence in the arts, media, and communications. Increased care for the hungry and homeless, the most vulnerable and needy. Young adults, students, and children embracing the claims and lifestyle of Christ through the witness of peers who live and love as Jesus. Community and national leaders seeking out the church as an answer to society’s problems. Increased care for children as “gifts from the Lord” as the gospel addresses abortion, adoption, foster care, and child well-being. Righteous relations between men and women: decrease in divorce rates, cohabitation, same-sex relations, sexual abuse, sexual trafficking, out of wedlock children, and STDs. An awakening to the “fear of the Lord” rather than the approval of people, thus restoring integrity and credibility. Neighborhood transformation and an accompanying decrease of social ills through increased expressions of “loving your neighbor” in service, compassion, and unity. –Developed by America’s National Prayer Committee in partnership with OneCry and the Awakening America Alliance.

“Lord, teach us to pray” was a request of the disciples to Jesus 2000 years ago. It still seems to be a popular request of His disciples today. In spite of years of sermons and lessons on prayer, Christians are still saying, “I don’t know how to pray.” Often what is taught is more motivational and theoretical than practical teaching on how to pray. It is assumed that prayer is a spiritual discipline that all Christians will automatically do. I am finding, as I travel the country, that this is simply not the case. When a church first asked me to teach a seminar on “How to Pray,” I started looking at all sorts of techniques and methods. But as I prayed about it, I kept going back to Jesus’ response to the question posed by the disciples in Luke 11:1, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” I’m convinced the key in knowing how to pray is in that model prayer that Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:9-13. It is commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer; however, I prefer to refer to it as the Model Prayer, or the Disciples Prayer, because it is for our instruction and benefit. Many authors have written about it, and many of us have studied all the various parts of this wonderful prayer, carefully analyzing each section. There is real value in that; however, I would like to take a fresh look at this text, trying to shed some new light upon God’s intent for our prayer lives. What can we learn about how to pray by studying this prayer outline of Jesus from God’s perspective? Perhaps it is time to discover what it is that God wants us to pray about. I suggest you keep your Bible open to Matthew 6:9-13 as we walk through the prayer. The Model Prayer instructs us to: 1.     Address the Father  (“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name”). Verse 9 shows us how to offer our praise and worship to the One who desires it. This allows us to enter into the presence of God by being focused on Him rather than upon ourselves. If we are in His presence, we are more likely to be in tune with what He desires. Praying through the Psalms is a good way to do this because they help us to better understand the heart of God through knowing more about the character of God. It is vital for the Father’s children to know that the purpose of prayer is to bring glory to God! Worship that is focused on God is prayer! Psalm 145 is one that reveals much about who God is and gives us a robust vocabulary to utilize in addressing our Father. Pay attention to the One who is on the other end of our prayers – the One who sits on the throne! 2.   Pray about Kingdom issues  (“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”). Verse 10 reveals the place where God’s heart is! Jesus’ message was about the Kingdom–His Kingdom. In Matthew 6:33, He instructed His disciples to seek first the Kingdom, and then the things needed for this life would be provided. Growing Deeper in Kingdom Prayer Praying about the kingdom is often the most neglected area of prayer, and yet the nearest to the heart of God. Kingdom prayer is birthed in the heart of God, and the Holy Spirit reveals the desires of God to us! It’s amazing that God has chosen to work through human flesh to accomplish His purposes. To illustrate, look at the way Jesus phrased this subject in Matthew 6:10: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Kingdom of God, the reign of God, happens when God’s will is done. This occurs in its perfect form in heaven where everything is done in exact accordance with the will of God. Jesus instructs us to pray that God’s Kingdom would advance on planet earth–that God’s will would be done here as it is in heaven, with all creatures and institutions perfectly submitted to the will of God. I’d like to suggest to you that this reign of God begins to take place on earth when two things happen: People submit their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ as a result of hearing the Gospel. The People of God (the Church) live out the life of Jesus on earth. Basically, then, we’re praying about two things: That every person on this planet will have the opportunity to hear about Jesus and respond to Him as Savior and Lord–the finishing of the task of world evangelization! That the Church of Jesus Christ will wake up and begin to take seriously what it means to follow Jesus–revival! It is particularly interesting that God’s Spirit is prompting believers all over the world to pray for these very things. Let’s look at some practical ways we can pray about these two topics: Finishing the Task Become a Prayer Missionary . The Great Commission was given to all of us; and, although we are all called to the mission field, we aren’t all called to missions in other nations – except in prayer! In order to be obedient, we must answer the call to prayer wherever God calls us, whether locally or globally. And, just like a missionary, we can make a commitment of a year, two years, or long term service. It means saying, “I will pray for the nation or nations that God has called me to pray about.” It is hard work and it takes preparation, but the results are glorious. We can become prayer missionaries to one or more cities, countries, and/or people groups during our lifetimes. How do you decide what country or people group to pray for? Let the Holy Spirit guide you, just as He guides missionaries to their particular place of ministry. Begin praying for the needs of the world . . . watch the news and read newspapers. Pray about the nations or people groups mentioned. Read a book like “Operation World” and begin praying for the nations. God will begin to attract you to one particular group or city or region which you can  “adopt”  for prayer. Spend time researching the nation, tribe or city that you have chosen. Make a file or scrapbook about your people group. Learn to pray intelligently for these people for whom you have committed to pray. Learn to pray effectively for the world.  Bennie Mostert’s book, “Change Your World Through Prayer” is a wonderful help in learning to pray for the world. He suggests that there are four things which must be prayed for daily for your people group: 1.  For the workers already in the harvest field as well as for more workers in the harvest field (Matthew 9:38). 2.  For open doors so that the gospel may take its rapid course (Col. 4:2-3). 3.  For lasting fruit as a result of spiritual labor (2 Thess. 3:1). 4.  For the necessary funds to spread the gospel (Romans 10:14-15; Phil. 4:19). Take a prayer journey.  You may even be able to gather several others with you to take a prayer journey to your nation. This involves going and praying physically in that nation. It will give you a far better understanding of how to pray. Harvest Prayer Ministries takes a prayer journey to Israel regularly! Revival How do we pray for revival? There are so many good ways. Mostert’s book suggests 10 ways we can pray every day for revival, both for ourselves and for our own congregation of believers. Would you commit to praying daily for revival in your life and in your church? Lord, change us (Ps. 85:7).  Pray for renewal and change. Revival results in change and spiritual awakening. Lord, we humble ourselves before you (Is. 57:15).  Humbling ourselves before God is essential to a right relationship and to revival. Humility is an act of obedience before God. Fasting is an example of such an act. Lord, cleanse me (1 John 1:9) . Pray for deeper cleansing of sin that goes hand in hand with deeper confession of sin. Keep short accounts with God. Become spiritually sensitive to sin. Lord, heal us (James 5:13-16) . This certainly includes prayer for physical healing, but also for the spiritual recovery from emotionally hurtful events from the past. This is true for a whole congregation as well as an individual. 2 Chron. 7 relates revival to a healing of the land. Lord, make us holy (1 Pet. 1:16).  Pray for holy conduct in our lives that we might be different from the world around us. The way we speak, spend our time, and respond to people is what really makes us different. Lord, guide us (John 4:34).  Pray for the Lord’s daily guidance. How we need that as a congregation! Jesus is head of the Body. He ought to be making the decisions as to where we go and what we do as a Church. Lord, fill us (Eph. 5:18).  Pray for the daily filling of the Holy Spirit. Dwight L. Moody often preached on the need to be filled daily with the Holy Spirit. He was stopped one evening after a message by an irate woman who asked him why he needed to be filled with the Spirit more than once. Moody answered. “Because, Madam, I leak.” Lord, anoint us (Luke 4:18-19) . Pray to be equipped to serve the Lord not by might, but by His Spirit. Lord, use us (1 Cor. 12:12-30) . Pray for willingness to be involved in the congregation. It is time to lay the 80/20 rule to rest, where 20% of the members of a congregation do 80% of the work. Mentoring and discipleship is so needed in the church. Lord, send us (Matt. 28:18-20).  Pray for involvement in the expansion of Christ’s Kingdom. 3.     Pray about personal needs  (“Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”). Notice that the rest of the model prayer (Matthew 6:11-13) deals with one’s own life. God wants us to pray about our needs. He just doesn’t want them to be the only thing we pray about. Most Christians have little difficulty praying about personal needs. There’s nothing wrong with that, but how often do we wonder whether or not our priorities in prayer are God’s priorities? Often, our default mode of prayer is to go immediately to ourselves, or to those close to us. Here are some suggestions to help you with the three issues listed in verses 11-13: Daily bread/necessities of life.  Perhaps the most important thing here is the expression of gratitude; recognizing what God has done and always being grateful. I remember a number of years ago going to a church camp where there was no hot water. After several days of cold showers, I returned home to my nice hot shower. The prayer came almost involuntarily, “Lord, thank you for hot, clean water.” How often we take the blessings of God in our lives for granted. We need to thank Him for taking care of our daily necessities. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6). Forgiveness.  In 1 John 1:9, the Word of God says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” One of the biggest hurdles in this area seems to be trusting God to do what He says He will do. We ask for forgiveness over and over again because we don’t feel forgiven. Trust God and His Word, not your feelings. Temptation and deliverance:  As Christians, we often forget that we are in a daily spiritual battle. We have an enemy who would like nothing better than to cause us to fall and to fail. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Fortunately, we have the power of God’s Word to stand upon and strengthen ourselves. For example, 1 Peter 5:9 says, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” Another example is found in James 4:7: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  Closing Thoughts Knowing “how to pray” will happen when we operate as Jesus taught us. First, we remember to “hallow His name” when we recognize that prayer is designed by God for the glory of God.  Next, we quit focusing first and only on our own needs and wants, and begin to pray about the things God wants to have happen “on earth as it is in heaven.” When we pray for the advance of the Kingdom, and the reign of God coming upon this earth, we demonstrate to Him that we are seeking His Kingdom first. And finally, these other things, the necessities of life, may properly be brought before our Father who delights in providing for us.

I love a good rain in the summer–especially after it has been awhile since we have had a downpour. Rain changes so much. There is a fresh, sweet smell that comes with it, a coolness in the heat, and all vegetation perks up and greens up. It makes one feel good. Rain is also a metaphor for the pouring out of the Spirit in our lives and churches. When our souls become parched and dry spiritually, we need something to fill them with fresh spiritual vigor. We need rain. What is the rain we so long for and need? Ultimately, it is the Lord’s presence. Jesus Himself spoke of the living water that we would need in our lives. The Scripture speaks of “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:19). Such a time as this is not so much an experience as it is a Person–waking up to the presence of Christ in our lives. The prophet Hosea spoke of this spiritual rain: “Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hos. 6:3) “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you.” (Hos. 10:12) Whether we are asking for ourselves, our church, or our nation, Hosea chapter 10 gives us what we need to do to end drought and prepare for rain. 1. “Sow for yourselves righteousness.” Both Old and New Testaments teach us the spiritual principles that you reap what you sow. If you plant wheat, you do not harvest corn. If you plant immorality, you will harvest immorality. Many people, including us at times, sow greed, pleasure, immorality, and self-centeredness . . . and as a result, we reap the results of that. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for the church, and us as believers, to join with society in reaping the same damaging seed. God’s Word says to sow righteousness–sow right things. We must speak right things, watch right things, read right things, and do right things. The Bible becomes the means for us to see what those right things are. God’s Word gives us a standard for righteousness. Righteousness is not what seems right to a man, but what is right to God. If you want to move past spiritual dryness, check what you are sowing. If you are sowing damaging seed here and there, stop. Sow right things! 2. “Reap the fruit of unfailing love.” When righteousness has been sown, we will naturally begin to harvest the fruit of unfailing love. God loves everyone, but the fruit, the benefits of that love, come to those who are moving to establish God’s righteousness as the standard for their lives. There are many unclaimed blessings. One of the most neglected is the fruit of unfailing love. It only comes to those who have sown righteousness in their lives. As you sow righteousness, you should start to see clear signs of God’s love at work in your life. Recognize them, and praise the Lord for them. Watch what that does to your parched soul! 3. “Break up your unplowed ground.” Unplowed ground has a hard time receiving rain. Sun-scorched, baked earth forms a hard crust. When rain comes, it simply runs off hard ground rather than soak in to soften it. Unplowed ground is a picture of the unrepentant life. The rain of God’s righteousness will not soak in and change a life that is hard and unrepentant. So the command here is: “Repent! Change! Go a different direction!” That is always God’s call to those seeking revival. Today so many who seek revival, the rain from heaven, seem to want just good feelings or nice meetings. However, the good things of revival come only after times of tears and repentance. God’s command is to break up the hard, unplowed ground of your lives before you will see the rain of revival. Ask God to break up the hard ground of your heart. Repent of those things that keep your heart hard. 4. “It is time to seek the Lord.” Those in periods of spiritual dryness often go looking for answers in many places. But God’s Word directs us to the only place where we can experience renewal–the rain of heaven–and it is to seek the Lord. Hosea 10:12 gives great hope to us today. When we have broken up the unplowed ground in repentance and begin to seek the Lord with all our heart, then the promise comes. It is the Lord Himself who comes in response to a repentant, seeking heart, ready to shower His righteousness upon us. It is Jesus Himself in the midst of His people, receiving our worship, and showering upon us the blessings of His Presence. A simple, but continual remembrance–and practice–of these four steps can keep your heart always soft before Him. You will experience the rain of His Presence on a regular basis in your life. –Dave Butts (1953-2022) was the co-founder and president of Harvest Prayer Ministries. His popular prayer guide, Asleep in the Land of Nod has been used by hundreds of churches to help their congregations pray for revival.

There is far greater spiritual significance to gratitude than many Christians realize. The Bible is filled with both command and example regarding giving thanks to God, and teaches that being grateful is a key to walking in right relationship with God and growing spiritually. While there are hundreds of Scriptural texts that relate to the issue of giving thanks, here are a few that give a good overview of the Biblical teaching on this subject: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Heb. 12:28). “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col. 3:15). “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Col. 4:2). “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done” (1 Chron. 16:8). “When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, ‘He is good; His love endures forever’” (2 Chron. 7:3). “I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks” (Neh. 12:31). “In that day you will say: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted’” (Isa. 12:4). What Happens When We Don’t Give Thanks to God? There is one very powerful verse in Scripture that approaches giving thanks from the negative aspect. What happens when we don’t give thanks to God? “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:21). The Apostle Paul literally links ingratitude to the whole progression in Romans, chapter 1, that shows man’s rebellion against God and the devastating results of that sin. Failing to give thanks is more than just bad manners. It is the beginning point for separation from God. Key to Humility Gratitude is so important to practical Christian living because it is a key to humility. Giving thanks for something puts us in the place of a recipient. I have received something from someone and therefore say, “Thank you.” A lifestyle of gratitude will instill humility deep inside us. We will begin to recognize that all that we have and all that we are comes from God. Gratitude helps teach us humility. True humility is the antidote to the devastation that pride brings to our walk with God. We can never grow deeper in our Christian life as long as pride dwells within us. Pride seeks to dethrone God. Pride puts self first and becomes the root cause of greed, hatred, envy, covetousness, and much more. Too often we try to deal with pride by putting ourselves down and feeling bad about ourselves. As we try this, we again and again find ourselves fighting back with thoughts of self-justification. It’s an endless struggle and is not only unsuccessful, but dishonors the person that God has intended us to be. There’s a more godly way to learn humility. It comes by recognizing our complete dependence upon God. In practical, daily ways, we are trained in humility through expressing gratitude. Saying “thank you” shows that, to some degree, I have learned that everything comes from God. It shows me that He alone is God and I am not. As the grateful creation, I give thanks to my Creator for my daily bread and everything else needed for this life and for eternity. Prayer My Father, I come before You with my heart absolutely filled with gratitude. For this day and each day that You give me, I bring You thanks. For family, ministry, friends, and provision I give You thanks. My Lord, there have been times of great loss and sorrow…yet in the midst of those times You stayed by my side. Thank You. Your Word tells me that You have given me every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies through Christ Jesus. Thank You! Such knowledge helps me understand that whether in times of plenty or want, peace or war, health or illness…what You ultimately have given me is the gift of Yourself through Jesus. For that I am and will be eternally grateful. Amen!

I remember as a young man reading the classic by E.M. Bounds,  The Power of Prayer . The author told story after story of great men and women of prayer who would often spend hours and hours in prayer each day. I was excited about the prayer lives of these amazing prayer warriors, yet something that so intrigued me, also disturbed me. These great prayers, after spending hours praying, would often cry over their prayerlessness and lack of devotion to prayer. I remember thinking, “If these people are guilty of prayerlessness, then who would not be guilty of such a sin?” Most of us feel as though we do not pray enough. Whether we are praying for five minutes a day or an hour, it is not unusual to feel terribly inadequate in this vital part of our Christian life. But is prayerlessness sin? Though it is not listed specifically as such in Scripture, James, the brother of Jesus, said,  “Anyone , then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins”  (James 4:17). An argument may be made then that prayerlessness, as a lack of action, could indeed be considered a sin of omission. Without a doubt we are commanded to pray. Jesus told His disciples to pray and not give up (Luke 18:1-8). Paul commanded us to  “pray continually”  (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Peter wrote that we are to be self-controlled so that we can pray (1 Peter 4:7). James commanded us to pray for each other (James 5:16). If failing to do something we are commanded to do is sin, then prayerlessness is surely a major sin for believers. There are some very specific ways to help us move away from this sin and into greater praying. Perhaps the most foundational issue here is that prayerlessness is a declaration that we do not need God. Ronnie Floyd, in his great book,  How to Pray , said there are two critical statements about prayer that we must understand: “Prayer occurs when you depend on God” and “Prayerlessness occurs when you depend on yourself.” Failing to pray is also an indicator of a lack of love for the Lord. Prayer, at its heart, is communicating with God. What does it say to Him when we fail to find time to talk with Him? Do we say by our lack of prayer that we are not at all interested in spending time with the Lord or hearing anything from Him? When we do not pray, we move away from any possibility of intimacy with Christ. When prayerlessness is prevalent in our lives, we are also guilty of failure to love one another. There is scarcely any greater way to demonstrate love than to pray for someone. In godly intercession, we lift the needs of another to God and watch as He moves to meet needs and provide for the one we are praying for. Through prayer, bodies are healed, families are knit together, individuals are saved, and churches are revived. When we withhold prayer on behalf of others, we demonstrate hardened hearts and a failure to love them enough to bring their needs before a loving Father. Failing to pray is an indicator of our lack of concern for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on earth. Throughout Scripture and church history, spiritual breakthroughs occurred when the Lord’s people got serious about prayer. From the days of Moses standing on a hill interceding for Israel as they fought in the valley below, to the focused intercession in Romania that brought down the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and opened the door for the free proclamation of the Gospel, prayer has been the weapon that God has placed in the hands of His people to advance His purposes. When we refuse to pray, and that is what prayerlessness is, we turn our backs on what God desires to do on planet earth in our day. The prophet Samuel certainly viewed prayerlessness as a sin. When he confronted the people of Israel with their sin of rejecting the leadership of God by wanting a king, they cried out under conviction, “Please pray for us.” His response is compelling for us today:  “As for me, far be it from me that I sin against God by failing to pray for you”  (1Sam.12:23). Samuel’s responsibility as a leader of the Lord’s people required that he shepherd them through prayer. Failing to do so was sin for him. Is it not so for Christians today as we consider those whom God has placed around us, either in close relationship, or as those for whom we are responsible? Pastors and church leaders must take seriously the call to pray for their flocks. Fathers and mothers must pray for their children. Children must be taught to pray for their siblings as well as their friends. Christian employers must be challenged to pray for their employees. Church members must pray for others in their congregation.  “Pray for one another.” Brother or sister, are you convinced yet that to fail to pray is a grievous sin against the Holy Spirit, who  “…Himself intercedes for us with groans that words can not express”  (Romans 8:26)? Can we look to the Scriptures that point us to the Savior who is even now interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25) and fail to see that He is calling us to join Him in this priestly ministry of prayer? We are never closer to the heart of the Father than when we have joined Him in prayer. How much should we pray to avoid the sin of prayerlessness? Here is where it becomes most difficult because we all want someone to give us a specific guideline such as, “Pray for fifteen minutes a day and you are okay.” The trouble with such a statement is that someone else will come along and say, “Oh no…..fifteen minutes is completely inadequate. You must pray at least an hour a day.” And then someone else will say…well, you get my meaning. Prayer is not measured by minutes or hours, but by the attitude of the heart. We are not responsible in this matter to another Christian with a stopwatch, but to the Father who knows our hearts and the depths of our desires. The young believer may need to simply begin a regular daily time of prayer, even if just for five minutes a day. The saint who has walked with the Lord for 50 years should far exceed this mark, simply because of a deepened level of intimacy with Jesus. The issue for most of us is to take another step forward along the journey of prayer. Whether it is adding several minutes a day, or beginning to pray for those you have never considered praying for, you can begin to respond to the stirring of the Holy Spirit within you to become a person of prayer. Ultimately, God is calling us all to a life of prayer. It is a life lived in close proximity to God. We learn to “pray as we go,” whether we are driving a car or studying in school. As we learn to live out the truth of Colossians 1:27,  “Christ in you, the hope of glory,”  we will begin to understand more how the Apostle could command us to  “pray without ceasing.”