When Jesus turned the money changers’ tables over in the temple, He declared that His house was to be called a house of prayer, but they had turned it into a den of thieves (Mark 11:15-17). While He was on earth His disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). May our precious Lord teach us how to be a praying flock as well! Even a cursory look at Scripture reveals the important place that prayer holds in the life of God’s people.
Beloved, we are living in very difficult times (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Urgency is a word that swirls around in my heart these days (1 Thessalonians 5:6,7). There is spiritual, economic, and political unrest all around us. We are told in Scripture that a great apostasy will precede the return of Christ for His church (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). “Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). Those warnings should send a chill up our backs and cause us to drop to our knees and plead with our Great Shepherd for broken and contrite hearts (Isaiah 57:15).
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”….that is a promise (James 5:16)! As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us…that is a promise (James 4:8)!
May we look to the hills from whence comes our help (Psalm 121), and in doing so, seek to know His will for our families and this body of saints.
