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I was six months pregnant and my winter jacket no longer fit. As my husband Danny and I walked through Sears and Roebuck, we noticed what seemed to be the perfect coat. It was $69 and with tax it would cost $75. It might as well have cost $1,000. Danny was in seminary and we barely had enough money to pay our monthly bills. We left the store empty-handed. In the car driving home, we lifted up the situation to the Lord. On the way back to our apartment, we stopped to check our mail. To our amazement, there was an envelope in our mailbox. No, it did not have cash in it—that would have been spent on more pressing bills. It contained an anonymous gift certificate to Sears for $75. We got back in our car and bought my beautiful new coat! I was 23 years old then and answers like that to prayer have led me to a life of learning to call out to God. I’ve seen countless answers to prayer and some that have yet to be answered. But I have never seen God fail me, not once! I may not have been privy to everything He was doing at every exact moment, but in hindsight I must say that in every situation God has always been  faithful. He has never deserted me but instead has worked each concern for good. He has always been true to His Word! I believe in prayer. I’m convinced that prayer does move the hand of God. Yes, it changes who we are, but it also changes our world, sometimes in a powerful way. As much as I believe in prayer, I believe more in Him to whom my prayers are sent. He speaks; we listen. He moves; we obey. The Power of Crying Out Throughout the Bible, God often led His people to cry out. Time and time again He led them in battle this way. Think back on when Joshua directed his people, by the power of God, to collapse the walls of Jericho. How did they do this? Joshua 6 tells us that God brought down the walls with a shout. Have you ever wondered why He had the people shout? Of all things to have them do, why that? Because lifting our voices takes faith. Sometimes just stating facts aloud validates the reality of whatever the situation is. It somehow makes it real. Have you ever deliberately not spoken something out loud in the hope that silence would keep it from being true? I knowI have. The Old Testament is not the only place that speaks of crying out to God. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (Heb. 5:7). If Jesus cried out to God, I do believe we should too. Someone recently asked me if we need to pray out loud or if it’s enough to pray silently. Of course God does hear us when we pray silently, but I encourage people to pray out loud forseveral reasons. 1. Praying aloud helps make our times with God more interesting. Our prayer times should be powerful and enjoyable! Praying aloud keeps them from falling into the category of the mundane or purely mental. We should never pray simply because we know we should; we should also pray because we love this time with our creator God. These times with God should be something we can’t wait to have. God wants to meet us when we pray. Now that’s exciting! 2. Praying out loud helps keep our focus on God. Let’s face it: We’re human. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been praying and found myself planning my dinner menu, including writing down a list! It’s so easy to become distracted, and before we know it, our time is gone. When I’m struggling with a drifting mind during my times with the Lord, I’ll often sing my prayers. I make up a tune to words that I want to pray. I do this to get myself over the hump of my distracted thinking. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try reading Scripture aloud. I’ll also spend time listening to worship music. I determine not to allow my undisciplined mind to control my prayer life. I take the control, and if singing my prayers or reading Scripture helps, so be it. It’s easy to quit praying when things get tough. Consider the night Jesus was betrayed. He left three of His disciples to pray and watch as He poured out His heart before God. What did He find when He returned? They were sleeping. They weren’t able to focus and stay awake for even one hour to pray! I’m sure they did not know it was one of the most important nights of their lives. I wouldn’t be surprised if a bit of praying aloud or even a song or two might have been a big help! 3. Praying aloud professes words of faith. Romans 10:9 says it’s not enough to believe in your heart Jesus is Lord; we also need to confess with our mouth that God raised Him from the dead. There’s a spiritual blessing that comes with speaking words of faith aloud. I recently heard a preacher say that we need to proclaim a positive future. He went on to quote Psalm 23:6: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (KJV). I so agree with this. We can be sure the Lord always wants to work things together for good in our lives. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29:11). His mercies are new every morning.   Like many other good insights, the idea of speaking words of faith aloud has been distorted. I’ve heard it said that we have to be careful what we say because Satan will hear our words and use them against us. Although we do need to be careful of the words we speak, I don’t go that far! That can easily lead to paranoia. Should we then write our messages to one another for protection? Or better yet, should we all join a silent convent? This seems a bit drastic to me. That being said, our words do matter. We have to be careful of the words we speak. They do make a difference in our lives. This is true when we pray, too. It’s important to verbally declare things, especially things of faith. Not only do we need to hear the profession of faith, but the enemy needs to hear it coming from our mouths. Every time Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, He rebuked him out loud and declared the truth verbally. He could have just turned his back and ignored him. But He took another route. He lifted His voice aloud. Why should we be any different? When God has spoken a clear promise to me, I will declare it when I pray, and I will always do this out loud. If God has promised me protection, I will pray, “Thank you, God, for the protection You are giving me, right here, right now!” Am I praying for an unsaved loved one? I may pray, “Thank you, Lord, that You love this person more than I ever could. Thank you that Your hand of mercy is on her life!” Often, just hearing my own words increases my faith. It may sound a bit crazy, but I verbally remind myself and all angelic and demonic beings that the victory is mine! 4. Praying aloud is encouraging to others. Have you ever been encouraged hearing someone else verbalize victory over a prayer burden? I have. Just hearing another’s profession of faith will spur me on to keep my eyes on the Lord and to trust Him to bring victory. For some of us, our personalities come into play. We may be more the quiet type. Maybe we don’t want to feel awkward. Not all of us are wired as David was when he danced before the Lord in (basically) his underwear. Although I don’t believe all of us will be people who will shout out in groups of people, I do believe we all should be willing to lift our voices to Him. We can limit what God can do through us by not being willing to leave our comfort zone. Many of us are more than willing to shout at sports events but shun the idea of showing any emotion in prayer and worship. You never know what God has in mind or how you could encourage someone else. Have you ever asked yourself what stops you from crying out to God, really crying out to Him? I think sometimes it’s not realizing our desperation for the Lord. If you were in a situation where you felt desperate enough, I do believe you’d cry out for help. For example, if you saw a child running toward a street full of cars, I can venture to say all of us would scream for the safety of the child, either for the child to stop or for someone to intervene. When we pray, do we really see how desperately we need God’s touch in the different situations we’re praying for? Maybe we should ask God to show us this need clearly. What a joy to lift our voices to God! We should never allow our prayers to become too mental and routine. Again and again Scripture exhorts us to cry out to the Lord. I take that literally. Our desperation for Him often comes through as we lift our hearts, our hands, and our voices up to our Creator God. Lift your voice to Him. The blessings far outweigh the discomforts. Keep On Praying! What is it you need? Are you in need of healing? He’s the great physician. Do you feel you’re at the end of your rope, hopeless? His mercies are new every morning. Are you lonely, discouraged, feeling confused? He can meet your needs. No request you could ever bring before God is either too great or too insignificant for His touch. If it matters to you, you can be sure it matters to Him. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). That includes everything! The best part of surrendering to God is not what He can do for us—but through us. There is a world full of hurting people who need the touch of the Savior, and God can use you, through prayer, to make that eternal difference. Do you understand what this means? Your life can count for something beyond your little world. God has plans to use you in a powerful way and your prayer life is pivotal to that. The Lord has an amazing life in store for us. He will meet us in prayer. His presence is available. Who knows what miracles we will experience in our lives? Not only is it possible to see the dead rise, the lame walk, and the blind see, but it’s happening, all over the world—maybe not within our Christian circles, but it is happening! Although I have never personally experienced seeing a person rise from the dead as an answer to prayer, I have spoken with missionaries from around the world and American pastors who have. I don’t know about you, but that excites me. I want to be used by God. I want my life to mean something. My daily prayer is that my life will be a poured-out offering to Him. Make whatever adjustments you have to in order to put God first. And then expect Him to do the impossible in and through you!   BARBARA HO is an author and a marriage and pre-marital counselor. She and her husband Daniel are church-planters in Houston, TX. This article is taken from her book, Ultimate Connection and it appears in Prayer Connect, issue 8.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart”  (Jeremiah 29:13). Walking the beach is one of my favorite activities. I feel so connected to God as I look at the vast sea, thunderously breathing in and out. The familiar aroma of the salt-laden air and the pleasurable feeling of sand between my toes remind me how many of my senses are fully engaged in this simple experience. Here is a place where I can pray easily, with an intensity of thankfulness that I almost can’t describe. There is peace and rest in my soul…struggles, deadlines, and other rugged places in my life seem to get pulled with the tide out into the vastness to disappear in the depths. The ocean is also a spiritually relevant location to deposit my sinfulness, as the Father casts it into the sea of forgetfulness (Micah 7:19). No wonder I am energized and revitalized after spending time seeking the Presence of God in such a place. When I got on the plane to come home, I asked God to help me re-create this physical place (the ocean) into a spiritual place…a meeting place with the Father that isn’t dependent upon where my body is located, but where my mind and heart are locked into His embrace. God has gifted His people with many key ways to place ourselves in His presence. And, incredibly, each means of connectivity with the Father’s heart is still intricately woven together into the Spirit-filled life of prayer. Wherever we are located, God is still fully present to us as we turn our attention upon Him. My tent of meeting with God doesn’t need to be located on the beach, at a retreat center or in any other physical location, although all of these are good places and are certainly necessary from time to time for seasons of refreshing. It is when I shift my gaze from a place to a Person that even the ordinary, mundane places in life can be turned into the extraordinary and the holy. God can sanctify my imagination…setting it apart for heart-to-heart communion with Him.  I can envision the ocean my Father created for my pleasure and His purposes with the eyes of my soul…and He turns His gaze upon me as I seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13). The Creator is present and with me continually, whether or not I am consistently aware of His nearness.  Try locating your heart to the place you wish to meet with God, even if you are in a place you would rather not be. If we are continually wishing we were in a physical location that allows us the space and quiet and peace to meet with God…there may be huge gaps in our awareness of His Presence. Our prayer life suffers when we wait for the right time or the right location. Realize now that you can meet with Him as you care for an elderly parent, find yourself in traffic on the way to work, or even as you go about your normal everyday routine. God is…wherever you are. His gaze is always upon you, and His ear is always attentive to your prayers.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries This morning I thought through all that was on my plate for the day and began to feel a bit overwhelmed. Then, a small thought came into my mind… “Maybe you need some aloneness in prayer.” It occurred to me that it was exactly what I was needing…even craving – aloneness. As I sat with the word for a bit, the concept became clearer to me. Aloneness isn’t just being alone…and it isn’t loneliness. It is an attitude of prayer that takes every thought captive in order to dwell within the heart of God for a season of time. There is no conversation. It is simply being  with  God. Clement of Alexandria called this kind of prayer “keeping company with God.” It is relationship rather than a rigorous discipline. It is prayer that is simple, honest, pure and uncomplicated. It doesn’t involve doing …the act itself is an expression of love towards the Father, and an opportunity to receive love from Him. I equate it to simply sitting beside my husband, being comforted that he is there, knowing that he loves me and I love him…but not needing to say anything at all. There is aloneness in not feeling pressured to have conversation…but to simply hang out together. The Practice of Aloneness How does one practice “aloneness”? 1.      By being “okay” with the feeling that one doesn’t need to do anything except “be.” 2.      By recognizing when it is time to stop activity for at least a short season of time… 3.      By loving God enough to cultivate a relationship that has no expectations or requirements in moments of aloneness. There are no “rules” to aloneness. It is not a legalistic practice…it is an essential one. What Are the Benefits of Aloneness? 1.     Jesus beckoned His disciples to come away with him to a quiet place to get some rest (Mark 6:31) during an especially intense and busy time of ministry. Rest is a powerful benefit of aloneness. 2.      Focusing upon simply “being” with God deepens and strengthens our love relationship with Him. 3.      Allowing our minds and bodies to rest in the love of God opens our hearts and guides us into moments of trust and peace. 4.      Aloneness cultivates faithfulness and gratefulness because we are not too busy to keep company with Him. As God’s people discover the importance of aloneness with God, our effectiveness for the kingdom will grow exponentially. Continual striving leads to burn-out, discouragement, stress, etc. When we bring our lives intentionally and prayerfully into His Presence, all of our kingdom work will be fueled from the depths of His love poured into our waiting and receptive hearts. “I said to myself, ‘Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings. Soul, you’ve been rescued from death; Eye, you’ve been rescued from tears; And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling’” (Psalm 116:7-8 MSG).

“Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us” (Luke 11:4). Scripture is very clear that sin is a hindrance to answered prayer. Isaiah 59:2 states, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” In Psalm 66:18 we read, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” One of the most pervasive, tenacious sins in the Christian culture today is unforgiveness. It is disobedience to Christ, and it renders our prayers ineffective and powerless. Many times, an unforgiving spirit comes from a heart filled with pride. We often feel justified in our unforgiveness because of the wrong done to us. Or, the sin against us was so grievous in our own mind and heart that we cannot possibly forgive. Probably the most common stumbling block in this area is when we say that we have forgiven someone outwardly, while still harboring the resentment or anger in our hearts. Jesus effectively illustrates God’s viewpoint on this matter in Matthew 18:23-35 when the king’s servant, who had been forgiven his debt, turned around and refused to forgive the debt of a fellow servant. The king turned his anger towards the man, threw him in jail and ordered him to pay back all that he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). If you are struggling with your prayer life, could an unforgiving spirit be one area that is keeping you from effectively touching the heart of God with your prayers? From time to time, each of us must take a deep look into the dark places of our hearts, asking the Lord to reveal our sin to us. We can find healing from the sin of unforgiveness in the Scripture, for when we truly understand how strongly God feels about forgiveness, we can seek to be more like Christ in our response to those we need to forgive. Beth Moore, in her excellent book, Praying God’s Word , has a chapter devoted to “Overcoming Unforgiveness.” Using Scripture, she has a threefold way to become more like Christ in this area. First, she has an extensive section of scriptural prayers which ask God to do a deep work in us that we might forgive as He forgives us. Next, she recommends praying “about” the person or persons we need to forgive. In essence, she says, we are “tattling” on the person to God. We express how we feel about what that person has done through venting our anger, our exasperation, etc. This was the very way that David dealt with those who were persecuting him. As you read through the Psalms, you will see clearly how David talked “about” those persons to God. He did not hold back from expressing his displeasure: “Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit” (Psalm 5:9). “Two important things happen,” Moore states, “when we learn to pray honestly about the person who has hurt us: 1. We pour the hurt out rather than allowing it to remain and turn bitter. . . . 2. We articulate our own feelings, thereby placing them in view before our own eyes as well as God’s. This way, we also get a chance to see if something seems ridiculous, out of proportion, or right on target. Our prayers can sometimes help us gain a little insight into our own hearts.” If we pour out our grievances to God, we won’t be as likely to pour them out to others, which could then cause them to stumble too. Praying “about” those who wrong us saves us from compounding our sin by turning it into gossip, or causing others to harbor the same resentments we do. Moore says, “Envision your heart like a pitcher . . . Praying about the person we need to forgive is the means by which we tip that pitcher heavenward and slowly begin to pour our negative feelings and frustrations out to God. As we pour out, a wonderful thing happens: we make room for God to pour in. Our omniscient God knows that a heart heals when a heart changes. Until we make room for fresh contents that change our hearts, we will never be healed from the injury and subsequent feelings of unforgiveness.” The third area of prayer is to pray “for” those whom we need to forgive. Most of us are already aware that we need to do this; however, we often stubbornly hang on to our “right” not to. If we are to be like Christ, we relinquish our “rights” and take on humility, being obedient to the Lord, who says in Mark 11:25, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” If unforgiveness has been a hindrance to your prayer life in the past, remember that Satan will attack you in this area again–until your victory is firmly established in the strength of Christ Jesus. “If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—-if there was anything to forgive-—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:7-11).

There is an epidemic that is rampant throughout our society and culture today. No part of the country is immune from this plague. Little children suffer from it, as well as the elderly and those in-between. There is no quick cure and many people never recover from it. It breaks up homes, incapacitates people, and contributes to many other diseases. It is busyness! We live in a busy society. Never have there been so many choices concerning what to do or so many pressures that stem from our schedules. Even the youngest are not immune. One of the concerns of the media in America over the past few years has been the grueling schedules of children whose parents have enrolled them in so many special activities and events that they seem to have lost their childhood. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth shared about a women’s weekend conference she taught in which she asked the attendees, “Where does God find you as we start this weekend?” Here are some of the responses: “I feel I’m out of control sometimes with so many pressures.” “I face too much stress and responsibility.” “I often get overly busy and find my day gone without having done the things I most wanted to do.” “I’ve left a whirlwind at home, and need a renewed spirit to face all that these coming weeks will hold.” “I want to slow down. I feel as if I’m on a speeding treadmill, and if I try to jump off I will stumble and fall.” “My busyness has robbed me of my joy.” Though our generation seems to have perfected busyness, it is not a problem unique to our day. American church reformer, Alexander Campbell wrote 150 years ago, “This present age is not an age given to devotion. Men have not the time to meditate, to pray, to examine themselves. They have too many newspapers to read, too many political questions to discuss, too much business to transact.” Christian author Philip Patterson wrote, “Historian Will Durant once observed that ‘no man who is in a hurry is quite civilized.’ You need only to observe human behavior on a crowded freeway or a rush hour subway station to agree to that. But I’m more concerned with the possibility that no one who is constantly in a hurry can be fully Christian, either. How do I balance the demands of a Christian life with the command to ‘Be still’?” That’s my concern. In an age known for busyness, how can the Christians live counter-culturally? In the midst of a hectic lifestyle, can we learn to wait on the Lord? Is it possible that even while serving God, we can miss the joy of intimacy with Christ? Have we all become Martha, busy in the kitchen fixing a meal for Jesus, while missing out on the joy of sitting at Jesus’ feet? “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:38-42). Most of us identify more with Martha than with Mary. We’d rather be up doing something for Jesus than simply sitting at His feet. That mindset directs us into a busy lifestyle that often leads to exhaustion and burnout. Please understand that serving Jesus is good . . . desirable . . . a worthy thing to devote one’s life to. But serving must be balanced with sitting at Jesus’ feet . . . spending time with our Lord in loving intimacy . . . waiting upon Him. Do you remember the words of Jesus to Martha as she complained about her sister’s lack of help? He told her (and us) that only one thing is needed. Can you imagine that? In our busy world today, someone comes along and tells us there is only one essential thing that must be done. That’s almost hard to take. Yet, how freeing it is when we realize it is our Lord and Master who is speaking with His perfect wisdom as He says to us today, “Only one thing is needed.” And that one thing is to sit at His feet . . . to enjoy His presence…to hear His voice. The solution to busyness is not laziness. It is not a shirking of responsibilities or a giving of oneself to recreation. It is to put first what Jesus said is first. It is a realignment of priorities in which we put the one thing that is needed in the very center of our lives, allowing everything else to flow from it. As we learn to sit at Jesus’ feet, we find the rest of our day more orderly and less hectic. Rather than trying to accomplish everything we think we need to do during a day, we listen to His still small voice directing us to do that which comes from Him. Jesus has modeled this lifestyle for us. He said in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” He set about doing the will of His Father with dogged determination, but never in a hectic, busy, out-of-control way. You never see Jesus in a hurry. And at the end of a remarkable life, with just over three years of public ministry, He was able to say, “It is finished.” Jesus gave us the key to accomplishing all the Father had given Him to do in John 14:10: “The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” As Jesus walked in close intimacy with His Father, He was able to focus only on that which was needed and not be distracted by the tremendous needs around him. We forget that, and in our attempt to help and serve, throw ourselves into every problem and situation without first checking to see if this is something that God has for us. So Jesus teaches us that we must put first things first. Sit at His feet first of all…and then you will be ready to serve. There is a cure for busyness…it is found as we develop a life of intimacy with Christ.

Are you satisfied with your Christian life? If we answer honestly, most of us would say, “no.” We instinctively realize that there is something more in store for us. There is a level of commitment, an inner peace, a closeness to the Lord that we know is possible, and yet somehow eludes us. The elusive factor that would make all the difference in the Christian life is what might be called the Yada Factor. Yada is simply the Hebrew word for “to know.” It is the word used in the Scriptures to describe the physical intimacy within marriage. The exciting part for Christians is that the word “Yada” is not only used in reference to married couples, but also to describe the relationship that should exist between God and His people. Daniel 11:32 says, “And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” These are the people who Yada (know) their God, and have developed an intimate relationship with Him. When we think of intimacy with God, prayer comes to mind, because prayer is essential to intimacy with Him. Someone has defined prayer as a love affair with God. Think what a difference it would make in your prayer life and indeed, your entire Christian life, if you approached God with the goal of intimacy in mind. There are four factors that are important in order to achieve this kind of intimacy with God in prayer…if we are to ever Yada (know) our God. These factors are: availability, quality, integrity, and loyalty. Availability “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8). Isaiah’s attitude and response needs to be the model for every Christian who desires to develop a closer relationship to his Lord. God wants people who will be available whenever and for whatever purpose He wishes to use them. How can you make yourself available to God? It is not something talked about as much as something you become through a passionate pursuit of Christ. You will recognize people available to the Lord by their depth of consistency and reliability. For example, men and women of prayer will always be accessible to God. Look to Abraham as another example in Genesis 22:1-14, the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham was a consistent and reliable friend of God (James 2:23). He, like Isaiah, said in a sense, “Here am I…and the son You gave me as well. Whatever You say, Lord. You know I’m always available.” It’s not always the great acts like Abraham’s that indicate availability. Look at the story of the widow and her giving in Mark 12:41-44. She was available to God and gave out of her poverty. No great gift…but great sacrifice. You may feel that you don’t have much or that you aren’t very talented. God consistently uses people in the most humble of circumstances. He simply asks you to be available to Him when He needs you. That is why it is so important to set aside a part of every day for prayer. It is a primary way to say each day to the Lord, “Today is Yours. Whatever You want, whenever You want, I’m available to You today.” Our willingness to be available is essential to intimacy with the Lord. Quality Time spent with the Lord should always be filled with quality. Psalm 119:2 says, “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.” We can look at quality as meaning excellence or superiority or with the idea of total attention. Both aspects are important in prayer. How often have you begun your prayer time, only to be distracted by everything going on around you or by wandering and distracting thoughts? At times like this, we become aware that we are not giving Him our total attention…our whole heart. If we are to have a quality time with the Lord, there must be a depth of intensity and sensitivity. Look at the prayers of the early Church. As you glimpse into the prayer life of a man like the Apostle Paul, you see one who was often moved to tears as he prayed. That’s intensity! When was the last time you wept as you prayed? Prayer needs to be that passionate for us. Then, as we pray, we must be sensitive to that still, small voice as He responds and answers. Perhaps one of the best things we can do to improve the quality of our prayer time is to establish a prayer covenant as Israel did in 2 Chronicles 15:12,15: “And they entered into the covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul…and all Israel rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.” Can we commit ourselves as individuals, and perhaps even as a whole congregation, to seek Him with our whole heart? Quality time with the Lord each day is essential to intimacy. Integrity Your integrity will greatly affect your prayer life and intimacy with the Lord. By integrity, I mean moral soundness… the quality of your lifestyle. The old adage, “What you are speaks so strongly that I cannot hear what you say,” can perhaps be applied to the Christian’s prayer life. Jeremiah says, “…through deceit they refused to know me” (Jeremiah 9:6). Again we find the word “Yada” (know). Without integrity you cannot build intimacy. In order to build integrity there must be a depth of honesty and sincerity…not only with God, but also with others. “In your integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever”(Psalm 41:12). In this passage we see that coming into the presence of God, becoming intimate with the Creator Himself, is closely connected with personal integrity. We can see the importance of honesty by looking at human relationships. You typically do not become close or intimate with one whom you do not trust. Intimacy depends upon honesty, both in human relationships and in our relationship with God. It is essential to intimacy with the Lord that we maintain our integrity. Loyalty When you think of intimacy with God through prayer, loyalty does not often enter the mind, but it is an important factor. Loyalty signifies manifest devotion. It implies a close personal relationship that is steadfast. One of the great stories of loyalty found in the Bible is in 2 Samuel 15:13-23. There we find Ittai the Gittite, following David in his flight from Absalom’s rebellion. Even though he had no stake in the fight and David released him from following, Ittai replied, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.” There must be a depth of fidelity and dependability if our intimacy with the Lord is to grow. We need to be saying, “Lord, I commit this time to You every day, and You can depend on it.” Loyalty is the very nucleus of intimacy. Here are some practical suggestions for a life of intimacy with the Lord in prayer:  Set a particular time of day for your prayer time.  Set a specific length of time to pray each day.  Find a place to get away for your praying.  Pray when you don’t feel like it.  Be specific in your prayers. The Apostle Paul had this great desire for intimacy with God. In Philippians 3:10 we find him expressing the desire, “I want to know Christ…” Once again we find the “Yada” phrase, though in Greek rather than in Hebrew. Paul is saying that nothing will truly satisfy him but knowing God on an intimate level. Nor will we find our satisfaction, joy, or peace in anything this world has to offer. It is in knowing God that we have eternal life. It is in knowing God that we begin to experience all that God has in store for us in this world as well. May growing deeper in your intimacy with Christ become a passion for the rest of your life!

If your family is like most, you have at least from time to time fallen prey to the frantic pace of busy lifestyles and the demands of work, home and even church activities. We live in unsettled times. Our children are bombarded from all sides with the realities of war, terrorism, school violence, immorality and confusion. Have you wondered if it is possible for your family to settle into a peaceful, joy-filled existence that honors the Lord and serves Him instead of submitting to the pressures of the world? The Father has a prayer plan to help you do just that! In His lovingkindness, He has enabled us to be victorious in the battle with the world. He has given us His powerful Word to ward off the temptations and torment of all that is not of Him:  “Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…”  (Eph. 6:17-18) .  This is God’s exhortation that the battle is a spiritual one and can only be fought in His strength, depending upon His Word and prayer. Below you will find scriptural prayers for a peaceful household. Some words of caution are necessary, however, before you determine that your home will never see strife again as the Lord hears and begins to answer. Remember that you  will  face trials, and there will still be times of struggle. God is completely in control, and because He is shaping and molding us increasingly into the image of His Son, there will be times when peace seems far from your household. The key is how you face those trials and deal with your struggles as a family united in Christ Jesus. The worldly ones are watching to see if you will crumble, but what a victory for the Lord when you stand firm and walk through difficulty and discord with the calm assurance of a faith-filled life. Maintaining peace in the midst of turmoil is possible as our faith level rises to meet the powerful possibilities of God, even when we cannot see into our future:  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”  (Heb. 11:1) .  Believing that God is able to reach into our circumstances and give victory as we call upon Him in prayer increases our ability to live peaceful, quiet lives in all godliness and holiness in the midst of troubling times. Reflect on the following passage of Scripture:  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks,  he must believe and not doubt , because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does”  (Jas. 1:2-8). We will not always know how we should pray, and at those times, it is always the best course to ask God for His wisdom and counsel in the situation. If you try to handle the tough times on your own, your strength will not be sufficient for you and your family to maintain peace. Teach your children that whenever they face difficulties or stress, they must go immediately to prayer, asking the Father for His wisdom in the situation. Trying to figure it out on their own will only add to their anxiety and bring tension into your family. Remember always that you can have complete confidence in coming before the throne of the Lord Almighty:  “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him”  (1 John 5:14-15). It is only possible to have full assurance in asking when you go to His Word, because that is where His perfect will is contained. If you can’t find what you want to ask God in the pages of His Word, you need to consider that perhaps you are not asking according to His will. “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”  (John 14:13). We should always ask in Jesus’ name. His Name is powerful. We also need to check our motives, and the way we are asking. Always think about whether or not the answer to your request will bring honor to God, and that your request is not just a selfish appeal. Perhaps the Lord will answer in a way you do not expect, because whenever the Father answers a prayer, it is so that He will receive the glory rather than man. It is important that when you ask God to bring peace into your household you do not doubt that He will answer your request. The Lord considers doubting as being double-minded. Don’t let all of this instruction discourage you from prayer. It should, in fact, energize you and excite you about praying for peace in your household! For example: Jesus, in Your Name, we ask for the peace that transcends all understanding to fall upon our household, guarding our hearts and minds, so that You will receive glory when we do not fall in the midst of stressful times. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer as we stand believing upon the promises of Your holy Word. (See Phil. 4:7). Here are your battle plans for peace in your household: Have faith, believing and not doubting that God is able to defeat Satan and bring peace into your home (Jas. 1:6-8). Determine to stand firm even in the midst of trials – persevere (Jas. 1:2-4). Put on and use the armor that God has given you, especially the sword, which is His holy Word (Eph. 6:10-18). Ask God for wisdom whenever you lack it (Jas. 1:5). Be faithful to obey all that He asks of you as you live by His holy Word. Have confidence to ask according to His will, knowing that you will have what you have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15). If you pray His Word, you will always be praying in His will! Ask in the name of Jesus so that the Son may bring glory to the Father (John 14:13). Receive with thankfulness all that the Lord has for your family. Pray the Blessings and the Promises of Peace Over Your Family Blessings Mark 10:16 says,  “And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.”  Parents, if this is the example of Jesus, we should all be gathering our children to us and praying blessings into their lives daily! Here are some blessings of peace to pray over your family: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace”  (Num. 6:24-26). May your ways be pleasing to the Lord, so that even your enemies will live at peace with you  (Prov. 16:7). May you lie down and sleep in peace, for the Lord alone makes you dwell in safety  (Psa. 4:8). May the God of Peace crush the enemy under your feet and the grace of Jesus be with you  (Rom. 16:20). May you stand firm with the belt of God’s truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of the Lord’s righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace – God’s holy Word  (Eph. 6:14-15). “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”  (1 Thess. 5:23). “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”  (Heb. 13:20-21). “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”  (2 Pet. 1:2). Prayers of Promise Lord, we receive into our household the strength You give to Your people. Thank You for blessing us with Your peace (Psa. 29:11). Father, help this family to turn from evil and do good. Enable us to seek peace and to pursue it always (Psa. 34:14). Holy One, we love Your Word and claim Your promise that we will have great peace, and that nothing can make us stumble (Psa. 119:165). King of Kings, thank You that You have left Your peace in our hearts, and that this is not the world’s idea of peace. Because of You, our hearts will not be troubled, and we will not be afraid (John 14:27). Lord Almighty, we know that in this world there will be trouble, but we give You thanks that we can take heart in knowing that You have overcome the world so that we may have peace in the midst of it (John 16:33). Holy Spirit, we submit our minds to Your control, so that You will give life and peace (Rom. 8:6). Lord of Lords, give us strength to make every effort to do the things that lead to peace and to the building up of our family (Rom. 14:19). God of Hope, fill us with joy and peace as we trust in You, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13). Father, help us, as a family, to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). Lord, please give us strength not to be anxious about anything. Help us to remember in every circumstance to pray with thanksgiving so that Your peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Help us to keep our focus only upon whatever is lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. As a family, we want to do only the things we learn, receive and hear from You so that Your peace will be with us (Phil. 4:6-9). Gracious God, give us the ability to allow only the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts, because we know that as members of Your body we are called to peace. Help us to be a thankful family (Col. 3:15). Father, give us a deep desire to make requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. We know that this is good and pleases You, Lord Jesus, because You want all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Lord, purify my children’s hearts as they call upon You. Give them courage to flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace (2 Tim. 2:22). Righteous Father, thank You for the promise that the discipline we must impose upon our children will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace for them if they will receive the training. So we also ask that our children will, with willing hearts, receive discipline without taking offense, recognizing the opportunity to learn and grow from it (Heb. 12:11). Father, Your Word says that peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness and that discord cannot produce conduct that pleases You. Help us to be a peacemaking family (Jas. 3:18). Lord, Your Word promises that we can look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. Since we are looking forward to this, help us to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with You (2 Pet. 3:13-14).

All too often we look at prayer as a “quick fix” to a difficult situation. Have you ever said, “I’ve tried everything else–I might as well pray! Often we only have “time” to offer a few quick prayers hoping to bring God into the situation so that everything will be fine. Sometimes this proves to be the case (although probably more because of God’s great love for us than from the power of our prayers). If you are involved in a work of God, and hopefully we are all active in a ministry of some sort. you need to look at prayer not as a quick petition, but rather as part of the long-term strategy for accomplishing the work that God has called you to. It involves a commitment to pray and work until you see completion. An illustration from the sports realm might be helpful. Many would liken prayer to a series of sprints while instead, we would be better served to see prayer as a long-distance runner would view the course before him. Nehemiah saw prayer this way. In Nehemiah 1, we see that he had a difficult task ahead of him. After hearing a report of the poor condition of Jerusalem and its inhabitants he believed that God called him to travel to Jerusalem and take the lead in seeing the walls of the city rebuilt. As you look at this story, please note how prayer is an integral part of this mighty work of God . . . not as a quick fix. but as a continued dependence upon God for help and direction. As an important government official in Babylon, Nehemiah received word of the demoralized Jewish remnant in Jerusalem and the sad condition of Jerusalem’s walls. His response was to weep and pray: “For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven” (Neh. 1:4). Out of this time of mourning comes this powerful prayer, recorded in Neh 1:5-11, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” Nehemiah’s prayer was not an act of devotion wedged into an already busy schedule. He stopped what he was doing and gave himself fully to God in prayer. The task ahead was too daunting for anyone but God Himself. Nehemiah’s example reflects some important issues in prayer that we should follow when interceding: RESPONDING IN OBEDIENCE (Nehemiah 2:12). Although it is not mentioned in the passage from the first chapter of Nehemiah, we learn later on that God had placed the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls upon Nehemiah’s heart (“I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem”). Nehemiah simply was aware of what God desired to accomplish, and made himself available to be used in a powerful way to fulfill God’s plan. HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP (Nehemiah 1:5). Nehemiah did not enter lightly into God’s presence. He reverently acknowledged the awesomeness of the God of heaven, asking for His divine attention. PERSISTING IN PRAYER (Nehemiah 1:6). Nehemiah refers to the fact that he is praying day and night for this particular issue. PRAYING IN HUMILITY (Nehemiah 1:6-7). He approached God with humility, confessing his sin and the sin of his people. He repentantly accepted God’s judgment upon them as right and just . . . no excuses . . . no whining! He simply humbled himself before God and stated his case. CLAIMING GOD’S PROMISES IN SCRIPTURE (Nehemiah 1:8-9). Nehemiah recalled God’s promises to Israel that if they fell through disobedience and were exiled, but would repent and turn back to Him, He would bring them back from the most distant places: “and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.” (Deuteronomy 30:2-4) Praying God’s Word back to Him is powerful! PRAYING WITH CONFIDENCE AND BOLDNESS (Nehemiah 1:10-11). Knowing then. that what he was asking for was according to God’s Word, Nehemiah prayed that God would provide the necessary resources to restore the fortunes of Jerusalem. PRAYING SPECIFICALLY (Nehemiah 1:11; 2:4-5). The particular resource that Nehemiah wanted needed to come from King Artaxerxes. Therefore, he asked God for favor in the presence of the king as he went to make his request known. He didn’t expect or ask for a mystical sort of provision. but instead asked specifically that God would give him favor with the man who could help. when the king asked him what he wanted, he prayed once again, and then very specifically said, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.” TAKING A STEP OF ACTION (Nehemiah 2:1-9). Nehemiah knew that he was the man whom God expected to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. His strategy was prayer. He first asked God to prepare the way for him to receive favor from the king. But then, he knew that he must ASK the king for his help. Having confidence in the Lord’s plan and provision, he did just that, even though he was afraid. How many of us pray, but then don’t continue on in faith to be the answer to our own prayers? Do you wonder how many prayers God might have answered differently if we had just been obedient in our actions? Sometimes God desires (and requires) the next step beyond obedience to intercede, the obedience to act on behalf of the person or situation for whom or for which we are interceding. An interesting note; Nehemiah breathed a prayer to God just before responding to the king’s question, “What is it you want?” (Neh. 2:4-5). He utilized the strategy of prayer for preparation and also to gain the wisdom to speak the words God wanted him to say (“Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king . . .”). Jesus tells us not to fear when we stand before kings and authorities on His behalf for He will give us the words to say Luke 21:12-15). Nehemiah experienced this same promise from God. GIVING GOD THE GLORY AND THE CREDIT (Nehemiah 2:8). Not only did the king grant Nehemiah’s request for time off to rebuild Jerusalem he also wrote letters to governors for protection, and to obtain the timber Nehemiah needed. In addition, above and beyond what Nehemiah asked for, the king sent army officers and cavalry with him (Neh. 2:7-9). Nehemiah could have been puffed up with his own success, but instead he said, “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.” There is one more aspect of strategic prayer to look at in the story of Nehemiah. It came after his request was granted by the king and he traveled to Jerusalem with the king’s protection and blessing to build the walls of Jerusalem The Israelites in the city had responded favorably to Nehemiah’s presence and had set themselves to the task of rebuilding the city walls under his leadership. But as so often happens in any work of God, it was not long before the enemy made his move. Opposition arose against the building of the wall. Nehemiah’s response? WARFARE PRAYING (Nehemiah 4:4-5). This prayer warrior moved to the attack mode of prayer: “Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults hack on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.” The task was not going to be completed until there was some spiritual warfare prayer.Once again, Nehemiah did not pray and then sit back and do nothing. Prayer was primary strategy for rebuilding the walls . . . but not the whole strategy. He also called the people together and posted guards to protect the builders. He phrased it this way in Neh. 4:9, “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.” What a powerful combination of prayer and physical activity! Nehemiah understood clearly that prayer was as essential to the building of the wall as manual labor. In our plans and ministries, we must begin to see the strategic place that God has for prayer. With Nehemiah we saw that the project emerged out of prayer . . . continued in prayer . . . and was completed through prayer. Because of this biblical prayer warrior, we can see how this type of continuous emphasis on prayer can bring any work of God to completion in such a way that God is honored and His Kingdom advanced.

Like a mighty wave rolling across the Church around the world, comes the cry from millions of believers, “Oh God, send a revival!” Like no time in recent history, the Church is becoming aware of its own desperate condition and the even more critical needs of our cultures. It is reassuring to know that for once, the Church is not looking to another program or strategy to try to change the world. We’re recognizing that it is going to take heaven-sent revival. Taking our cue from past revivals, Christians are praying for God to move in significant new ways in the Church. It is these praying Christians who will experience in their own lives the first fruits of revival. What is it we are praying for when we ask God to send revival? To fully answer that would comprise a book and even then perhaps prove to be inadequate. Christian scholars are continuously debating the nature of revival. But praise God, though we disagree on its nature, there is near unanimity on our desperate need for it. Some of my favorite short definitions of revival are: “. . . a movement of the Holy Spirit bringing about a revival of New Testament Christianity in the church of Christ and its related community.” J. Edwin Orr “Revival is a community saturated with God.” Duncan Campbell “Revival is the Church falling in love with Jesus all over again.” Vance Havner Perhaps the one that best fits my own understanding is from Stephen Olford, who says, “Revival is ultimately Christ Himself, seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His Body on earth.” True revival is not man-centered but Christ-centered. It is not about a type of music or special experience, but a fresh revelation of Christ in the midst of His people–people often grown sleepy or slow-moving and desperately in need of a fresh awakening touch from their Savior. Much has been written on what happens when revival touches a church, community or nation. Foundational to each of those spheres of revival is a fresh touch from Christ upon an individual. J. Edwin Orr speaks of those different spheres this way: “Such an awakening may change in a significant way an individual; or it may affect a larger group of believers; or it may move a congregation or the churches in the city or district, or the body of believers throughout a country or continent; or indeed, the larger body of believers throughout the world.” What would it mean for an individual to experience revival? It is an important question for us to consider. Though we may long for and pray for revival for the whole Church, we certainly want to make sure that revival could come to an individual apart from the corporate aspect. Dare we begin to ask God for revival in our own lives? I believe there is very clear correlation between what happens when a church experiences revival and when an individual Christian experiences revival. The heart of revival is when Christ shows up for church. It is when we begin to experience what we already know is true biblically and theologically concerning the presence of Christ. One of the major tenets of our faith is that when believers in Jesus gather, He Himself is present in a very special way in their midst. Jesus said, “for where two or three come together in my Name, there am I with them” (Mt.18:20). We believe His words concerning His presence as we gather. Yet Sunday after Sunday in the majority of our churches, we go through the motions without a real awareness of Jesus actually being there with us. In revival, there is an awakening to His presence. Biblical truths that had perhaps grown stale are suddenly infused with new life. The love and life of Jesus are lived out in fresh new ways as the Church gathers. This same experience ought to mark the life of the individual Christian as we begin to experience revival personally. Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Is there a more astonishing verse in Scripture–that the Son of God has actually come to take up residence within the individual Christian? Yet we often view such a verse as dry biblical truth. It somehow fails to excite or thrill the soul. Even more telling–it fails to change the way we live. What a difference it would make in our lives if we truly lived out the truth of Christ in us, the hope of glory; walking daily with Jesus–aware of His presence, His love, His strength, and His direction. Rather than asking the question in abstract, “What would Jesus do?” we would often throughout each day directly ask our indwelling Lord, “Jesus, what are you doing?” What a revival of changed life, character, and witness we would see among believers. The 19th century Quaker author, Hannah Whitall Smith writes, “Dear friend, I make the glad announcement to thee that the Lord is in thy heart. Since the day of thy conversion He has been dwelling there, but thou hast lived on in ignorance of it. Every moment during all that time might have been passed in the sunshine of His sweet presence, and every step have been taken under His advice. But because thou knew it not, and did not look for Him there, thy life has been lonely and full of failure. But now that I make the announcement to thee, how wilt thou receive it? Art thou glad to have Him? Wilt thou throw wide open every door to welcome Him in? Wilt thou joyfully and thankfully give up the government of thy life into His hands? Wilt thou consult Him about everything, and let Him decide each step for thee, and mark out every path? Wilt thou invite Him into thy innermost chambers, and make Him the sharer in thy most hidden life? Wilt thou say “Yes” to all His longing for union with thee, and with a glad and eager abandonment hand thyself and all that concerns thee over into His hands? If thou wilt, then shall thy soul begin to know something of the joy of union with Christ.” On a practical level, how can we begin to walk in this intimate relationship with Jesus? Years ago, I heard Argentine evangelist Juan Carlos Ortiz say, “to walk in the Spirit is to be continually conscious of Christ in you.” Since then, one of the major goals of my life has been to narrow the gaps of unawareness. It is so easy to get caught up in the activities of daily life–even in service to Jesus, and forget the awesome fact of the indwelling Christ. Scriptures are so clear that our lives are hidden with Christ, that we are seated with Christ, and that we are to follow him. Paul would go so far as to say, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me” (Gal. 2:20). True spiritual awakening begins on a personal basis as we begin to live out daily the truth of God’s Word, “Christ in us, the hope of glory!”

Holiness – it is a subject that seems to have been lost in the shuffle at the end of the second millennium. Those of us who are not wholly focused on becoming like Jesus and seeking earnestly to live holy lives have very little to say to others about holiness. Why am I talking about holiness as related to prayer? For too long I have focused on giving people the tools to pray better and more effectively, not realizing that without holiness, prayers can go unanswered. This is not telling God what He can’t do…He can do whatever He wants. Instead, it is recognizing that God normally does not answer the prayers of those who are not making every effort to walk in holiness. God Himself lays it out for us very clearly in His Word:  “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) God not only commands us to be holy, but He has provided for us a way to holiness which 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) “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am Holy.’” (I Pet. 1:15-16) “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 Pet. 3:11) “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” (I Thess. 4:7) “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Rom. 12:1) “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” (Eph. 1:4) Regardless of our skills or lack of skills in prayer, we will not become a mighty people of prayer until we begin to develop a passion for the holy life – until we will not settle for “good enough” but strive to be like Jesus. I believe the Scriptures we have read give us the key for living 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?” (Ex. 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.” (Rev. 15:4) Holy…set apart…different…unique…perfect…that’s the God we worship! How is it possible that we sinful creatures can even aspire to holiness? It’ s because God has CALLED us to! You see, it is God’s nature to be holy. You and I have been born again into God’s family. His genetic structure for holiness has been given to us because of Jesus. When we made Jesus Lord and Savior of our lives, we experienced the new birth. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in us. We still have much of the sin nature within us; however, there is a new nature…a new genetic code if you will…a code of holiness that comes straight from our Heavenly Father. Holiness now becomes a possibility…where it was an impossibility. The problem arises when this is as far as we take the call to be holy. Most of us feel that our holiness consists only of this imputed righteousness that comes from Jesus and we say… “I don’t worry about sin, because I’m forgiven.” I have to admit….I’ve been there…and so have many of you. But God is not satisfied with incomplete holiness. You will find in Scripture the truth that holiness can never be accomplished by any of us just trying hard…. Jesus’ death is absolutely essential for us to experience the new birth and new life in Christ. It is HIS righteousness that is now at work in us. Since God’s holiness has been placed within us, we should now make our best effort to live out that life of holiness as we keep our eyes on our Holy God. And God expects us to strive for personal holiness which is demonstrated by the way we live our lives: “Perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Perfecting…. working on it…striving for it….and the motive? Reverence for God and wanting to be like Him. There is no greater compliment to a dad, than when a son or daughter wants to be like him. We give God pleasure as long as we strive for holiness – to be like our Heavenly Father. “Make every effort…to be holy” (Heb. 12:14). This is not a passive acceptance of something. This is not to be confused with your salvation. You accepted Christ’s gift of salvation by faith…but there is effort involved if you want to be holy. Paul would say, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Why with fear and trembling? Because we are doing so under the watchful eye of a Holy God. So, how do we live holy lives? We make the Word of God our foundation…we strive to do what it says…and we flee from all that it forbids. God is waiting for His people to pray, but He longs for prayers that come from the lips of a holy people…a people set apart and dedicated to God: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer…” (I Pet. 2:12) “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3-4) If we will “take time to be holy,” God will be attentive to our prayers. Let ’s not stop short of personal holiness: being holy “as He is holy.”