Why Do You Pray?

I ask a simple question. Why do you pray?  Many of us pray for healing those who are sick (James 5:14).  Do you find that most of your prayers are for the sick and for your own well-being?  That is good, but it is only a small part of what our prayer life should be.

            We should be praying for those that we know who are lost.  If they do not decide to accept Jesus as their Savior, they will be spending eternity in hell.  Are we praying for their souls that they will see the light?  2 Cor. 2:4 says, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

            We should be praying for those who are prodigals.  Those who have accepted Christ and are now running in the world.  In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32, the father was always looking for his son every day and praying for him to come back home.  Do we do that with our children and grandchildren who are living in the world?

            We should be praying daily for those in authority over us.  In 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Paul urges us to pray for kings and those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. I am very concerned that my children and especially my grandchildren will not have the same freedoms and opportunities to serve the Lord like I have. Are you praying for those in authority?

            We should be praying daily for the persecuted church. Heb 13:3 urges us to “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering”.  Over a 1/3 of the church world-wide is suffering from persecution.  Are you praying?

            Come join Eloise and I at church at 9:30 on Wednesdays starting September 7 as we will be praying for these concerns. We will have a short Bible study as well.  See you there.

-Ken Hawkins
Senior Adult Pastor