Look around us and in the churches today. How many go to a prayer meeting or even pray at home everyday? The prayer meetings are usually the worst attended meeting of the church.
Sadly many are involved in other Christian ministry, in church activities but how many of us really pray on a daily basis and pray persistently as they will have spent on their church activities?
Look at those from all the other major faiths. They will give up everything to pray. The Muslims pray 5 times everyday and will stop what they are doing to pray , even praying on the streets. The Buddhists pray often, and they are known to wake up at 4 am daily to pray.
What about us Christians? Do we pray for ourselves, for our family and those around us and pray for the missionaries and for our nation? And on a daily basis?
Many years ago, I also did not prayed much until my late mum fell unexpectedly down the staircase and injured her right hand and her back.
Since then, I told the Lord that I should be praying for people around me so that they will be safe and that they are protected by God's angels as our prayers are hedges of fire.
No Christian and no one should take the provision of God , His protection and all He gives us for granted. No one should take for granted that our loved ones are safe as they leave the home to work, to school and as they travel.
We must remember that there is an evil one out there watching us closely and even plans our downfalls with dangers. He is the devil, the perpetual trouble maker and the one who wants to kill, to steal and to destroy and want to shorten the lifespan of our lives .
Thus we must pray intensely and constantly for ourselves. In addition, we must pray for our family, for our colleagues , our neighbours , our relatives and friends and also the nation where we live.
Pray also for their souls , for their salvation so that they will be enter into the Kingdom of God in God's time.
Do pray for the nation that we live in so that there will be justice and fairness and of course, that there will be increased freedom for evangelism.
Recently we in my country had discovered that our political leaders had given themselves sky-high salary and for many years in secret, so high that they were 6 to 7 times the salary of President Obama.
So in the last political election, this matter was a huge issue. I started to pray against the greed of our leaders .
After a few months of prayers, amidst much public outcries, the government strangely agreed to a huge pay cut of almost 35%. This was a prayer answered. Hallejuah!
Who will believe that an arrogant government who refuses to listen to their people will change their perspectives and are willing to allow major changes in the country that I live ? I believe with all my heart that these are all possible with fervent prayers , more prayers and more more prayers! There is no other way!
There are still many issues in my country that I am still praying for changes and for breakthrough. Here, we can see many elderly people cleaning up dirty plates at the food courts, and also washing public toilets in damp clothings for only a meager sum just because our rich government refuses to help them properly.
If the government will give assistances, they only give half baked solutions which is a far cry from their rocket high salary and which is insufficient for one's daily basis needs. So I am still praying that proper and sufficient welfare be given to them .
Back to prayer, as a result of my late mum's accident 25 years ago, I made a vow to the Lord that I would pray every day for one hour . So I started a prayer diary which I had followed closely to this day. Below was the weekly schedule:
1) Sunday to pray for Israel and for the country I live
2) Monday to pray for the churches in Singapore
3) Tuesday to pray for myself
4) Wednesday to pray for family
5) Thursday to pray for relatives
6) Friday for friends, missionaries and those in ministries serving God
7) Saturday to pray for those I evangelize during the week and also for my health.
Recently I feel impressed to spend more time with the Lord in private worship and prayer. I trust that as I seek Him more and with a sincere heart of deep love, He will draw Himself to me and will answer my prayer requests.
The reason why I share this intimate detail of my prayer life is that I desire that every Christian is a praying Christian, that the Kingdom of God be done on earth, that we will do God's will in our lives, homes, families, businesses, our relatives and in our nations , all of which will come to pass through our prayers.
Prayer indeed changes things. Prayer brings the will of God to us. Prayer brings God's favor upon us and upon our family. Prayer changes the course of our lives, the course of our homes and the course of our nation.
Here is one example of prayer that can change a nation. The Church of South Korea is known as a praying Church. Many of them will rise up early at 5am and go to the mountainside to pray.
Look at them now. There are now 35% Christians in their population and they can also send out 70,000 misssionaries worldwide, which is only second in number to the United States.
How does a nation with past strong Buddhist background becomes Christian ? It's only possible with prayers of the past generation and the united prayers of their people who love and desire for their nation to become Christian.
In 2 Chronicles 7: 14, the Bible says:
| 14: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. |
When we pray and seek His face and His will for ourselves and for our nations, He promises to heal us and to heal our nations. Pray until the Lord heals our lands.
So brothers and sisters in the Lord, as we see the days of the Lord drawing nearer, as we see evil rising in all directions, start to pray and pray. Pray in all circumstances, pray in all situations. Pray unceasingly, pray in persistence, pray until the Lord grants us our prayers and our hearts' desire.
This is my desire that the church and every Christian be a praying Christian. May the Lord answers my prayer and touch many hearts to pray and pray. Amen
By Hwa Silverpen
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