If we go to a shopping man in North America, we speak English to get what we want. If we go to a restaurant in France, we speak French. If we travel to Greece, we speak Greek to find our way to the Acropolis. And when we become personally involved with Jesus, we pray. We pray because it is the only language we have for speaking to the God revealed in Jesus. It is also the only language we have for listening to the commands and blessing and guidance that God provides in Jesus. God is nothing if not personal. Both God and we humans are most personal, most characteristically our unique selves, in our us of language. The language between God and us is called prayer. (Eugene Peterson, Praying the Message of Jesus)
God’s Promises in Prayer
I want to invite you to a journey with me and the rest of the congregation. It is a journey into this wonderful language and privilege of prayer. Prayer to the God of Creation revealed to us in Jesus Christ. For the next two months, we will be emphasizing this most fundamental organic part of our lives in Christ, prayer.
Prayer is not something added on to the Christian life. Prayer is a way of living. It is not a subject to be studied. It is not a technique to be learned. It is a life lived in response to God.
There will be a prayer notebook for each person to journal our life of prayer. Weekly there will be a guide for Scripture reading building toward the message of the weekend and an experiment with prayer for us to strengthen our lives of prayer. I hope this will be a rewarding time of growing in one of the most vital aspects of our relationship with God.
Pastor Greg
