Joel 2: MSG
17  Between Sanctuary entrance and altar, let the priests, GOD’s servants, weep tears of repentance. Let them intercede: “Have mercy, GOD, on your people! Don’t abandon your heritage to contempt. Don’t let the pagans take over and rule them and sneer, ‘And so where is this God of theirs?’

 

Mar 11:  MSG
17  And then he taught them, quoting this text: My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.

Rom 8: MSG
26  Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.

I thank God for the greatest tool a child of God has, ‘prayer‘.

Prayer is not some ritual, it does not matter if you are in a kneeling position, standing position, or just laying on your bed before you fall asleep.

What prayer is total direct communication between God and His child.  You do not need to know some mystical chant or repitition of words strung together.

I know that this is contrary to what many have been taught since they were a child.  You do not need to be at a certain place at a certain time.  You can be engaged in this during your lunch hour at school, work, shopping or any other place on this earth.

The idea of prayer to some seems so trivial in this generation.  They would rather have great music, I am a musician and do love great gospel music, a spectacular building, a fine robed choir, a great orator, but all those things are minor in the eyes of prayer.  

I was raised that you can be in a constant state of prayer.  Sure, those around you may not know that this is true, but prayer is something that connects your spirit with the very Spirit of God.

I have found myself waking up in the night finding myself in prayer for something that was not even on my mind when I was awake.  It might be praying for someone whom you haven’t thought about in a great length of time.  These are the times when the Spirit of God prays through you even when you had no knowledge of the need.

Prayer, in my opinion, is a two way communication.  We tell God our needs, and then we wait for an answer from above.

I hear people declare on the news that it is a national day of prayer.  Oh this sounds so sanctimonious, yet it is nothing but empty vain words.  Nothing but a show.  It goes no further than the ceiling in the room.

I must say I find pastors and leaders lacking when it comes to prayer.  A pastor in North America has a congregation in the tens of thousands, talks alot about self-esteem, but very little on the subject of prayer.  You don’t need a pep talk about self-esteem, or what your value is, how to get wealthy, you need a pastor who will tell you how to shake the heavens through prayer to move the hand of God.

I truly believe a nation is only as strong as their prayer life.  A family is only as strong as it’s prayer life.

A church is only as strong as the priest’s prayer life, and as strong as the congregation’s prayer life.

Oh I am not against the shout during a great message, or even a dance during the worship, but, what is your prayer life like when you face the reality of life the next day.

In these tumulous days what will sustain you through it all is, prayer.  

When your cupboards and fridge are empty all the self-esteem and positive thinking will not feed your hungry family, but, prayer will turn that empty table into a table of food.

The name above the door of your gathering place means nothing to God.  I don’t care how many doctors, lawyers, etc., are in the congregation, but I do care that it is a house of prayer.

You don’t need hundreds or even thousands for the Spirit of God to be in your presence.

Mat 18:  MSG
20  And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

If you just have two or three, it might be just a shack, but you have the promise of the Son of God, that He will be there.  This is true prayer!

I believe God is not moved by your politics, he is moved by the cry of his’ people.

Pastors need a heart of prayer, weeping before God between the porch and the altar.

Nations have risen and fallen because of the strength of the prayers of the leaders and people.

Mothers, keep praying beside your bedside for that wandering child, do not quit, do not give in to defeat.  God hear’s those prayers, and sees your tears.

Fathers, if you want to teach your son how to be a man, teach him how to pray.

Leaders, if you want to be an example, teach those who follow you how to pray.

“Prayer changes things”.