Prayer? Really?

At the start of the new year I was digging into my 2021. The good and bad, highs and lows. I was just taking in the scope of the year while laid up in bed. As I was in thought about the new year. I thought to myself, what was this year going to bring? New opportunity? New hobbies? New me? As I am there contemplating reasonable and unreasonable outcomes for 2022. The next chain of thoughts were, what am I going to change in the next coming year? What am I going to do different? What chains am I going to break free from finally? And one stuck out in my head… Prayer. Now it was the end of last year that I began thinking about prayer. Not just the frequency of my prayers or the intensity of my prayers. But the “simple” things. What is prayer? How does it work? Why don’t christians take their prayer life more serious? What does a “prayer life” mean? If our church had a prayer event, how many would show up? Would I even show up? From the few christians I have spoken to about their goals coming in 2022. I have found that on everyone’s list was to pray more or develop a prayer life. I find that so intriguing.

If we all want to prayer more consistently and persistently. Then why don’t we just do it? It is free, easy, and there is no right way or wrong way of doing it. But maybe that is just it. Maybe because it is so “easy” and free, we don’t find time to do it. Humans only do things that they find value in. And maybe prayer is just one of those things that doesn’t have enough perceived value. I dug deeper into thought about prayer and truly contemplated these questions and conclusions. Did I come up with the all encompassing answer to prayer and have a revelation that will change the way prayer is viewed and perceived? No. But when you read scripture it tells such a narrative on prayer. How powerful it is. How unique it can be. How universal it is. How situational it can be. It is a remarkable tool. Notice what scripture says about prayer: 1 John 5:14 - This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. 2 Chronicles 7:14 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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. I mean how powerful are these verses on prayer. So again I ask, what is it? What is lacking? This week I will be addressing one thing that has changed the way I see prayer forever, and something that the Bible continually tells is necessary for a “successful” prayer experience. What is that thing? Our Mindset. Come and join us for sabbath worship and find out why it is the key to unlocking a new prayer experience in your life. Connected to the Vine, Pastor Victor Reina