This morning, if there is one extremely underused facility by God's people, it would be the mode of prayer. Many times I consider my own shortcomings in this category, and many of my problems come from not praying as I should. Indeed, as earthly creatures, we get carried away with the tribulations and struggles of life, and neglect to pray and center our attention and affection on the heavenly plane. Prayer is our strongest resource to communicate and fellowship with our Father in heaven. We have not because we ask not, and sometimes we ask amiss (ask for the wrong things) that we may consume them upon our lusts. But, there is something that we need to pray for fervently and without ceasing throughout our daily activities. 

While we many times fail to pray for ourselves as we should (try to handle it by our self), we fail even more in praying for each other. As pastors, the congregations that we serve should be in our daily thoughts and prayers. As brethren, we should pray for the Lord's people wherever they may be. As churches, we need to pray for the other sister churches wherever and whenever they assemble that the Lord would be merciful to them as well to pour out a measure of His Spirit upon their services. However, in all of these things, we pray not as we ought.   

Prayer is the last of the armour of God listed in Ephesians 6. It covers the legs of the soldier, while he is on bended knee making his supplications to the eternal Father through the eternal Mediator Jesus Christ. All of this occurs in the Spirit that comforts and strengthens us. So, it takes the complete Trinity of the Triune God to offer up pleasing odours into the heavenly throneroom. 

 This verse in James comforts us in the aspect of prayer, for all it takes is ONE man! James goes on to say that Elijah's prayer for the absence of rain kept the earth from being showered from on high for 3.5 years. One man's prayer did all that by being an acceptable odour to God. So, whenever we think that our one prayer does not have that much of an impact, let us always realize that one is enough. One man told me, "I just don't know how to pray." My response was, "Can you say, 'Lord help' in a humble spirit?" He affirmed that that groaning had come from his inner recesses numerous times. The answer is: he knew how to pray, but he did not know that it was acceptable.   

We cannot always physically bend down on our knees to offer prayer, but even if we are sinking in the waves of life (for not centering our attention on the Master) and we cry, "Lord, save me, I perish." The state of the heart (in prostration) makes that supplication worthy. Finally, all prayers (from the youngest child of God to the most ancient elder) are all of equal importance. All of the Lord's children have the same source (Mediator) to bring their needs before the Father. Since Jesus brings all proper prayer before the Father, no one has more importance than any other. May we always seek to pray as we should, and not neglect this great gift (and protection) that our Lord has provided.

In Hope,

Bro Philip