Prayer Point #1

"Yet you do not have because you do not ask". (James 4:2b)

Have you ever wondered why the church seems to be so weak and powerless these days? Even though we have mega churches, Christian TV and radio, Christian books and magazines, websites of every description, evangelistic and missionary organizations, and well published programs and strategies it still seems that we have a very limited impact upon our culture and the world. What is true for the church as a whole is also true for the individual believer. How much of an impact are you having upon the people around you? When we read the biographies of believers in times past, we often see a different story. From the Book of acts to the 20th Century we have seen men that were greatly used by God for His purposes in their time. What is the difference between these men and us?
I believe the answer can be found in these ten simple words, "Yet you do not have because you do not ask". Is it because of our lack of prayer that we so little spiritual power and progress in our walk with Jesus? Have you ever cried out in frustration to The Lord not understanding what the reason is for your sense of spiritual stagnation? Could it be that much of our Christian lives are lived in presumption rather than prayer?
If we were to be honest, we would have to confess that many of us really believe in the effectiveness of prayer. The idea that we receive something from The Lord without our scheming, or having conferences and planning meetings, is totally foreign to our 20th Century minds.
But it was Jesus who said: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).
In future posts, we will get into the specifics of prayer, but for now let's begin to take prayer seriously and begin to do it. It is the means by which God has determined to do His work in the earth. As Christians we certainly don't want to miss out on everything that God has for us. So, let's begin to pray and see what God will do in our lives, through our individual churches and in the body of Christ as a whole. Go for it!