Everyone Prays!
The President of the United States does it, the Prime Minister of Israel does it, the Chairman of the Palestinian People does it, and the Queen of England does it.
Jews do it, Muslims do it, Hindus do it, Buddhists do it, pagans do it, heathens do it, Christians do it. Few are sure it works; even fewer believe it is necessary. What is it? Prayer!
Prayer could be designated as the first product of global religion. No matter how diverse the religions of the world may be, they all practice prayer. Prayer is religion’s neutralizer.
Yet prayer is still the most elusive and misunderstood practice of religious adherents. To understand prayer is the desire of every man’s heart; even the pagan longs to connect with the divine and find comfort, access, and results.
Understanding prayer, however, takes some work. We must first understand the source, principles, and purpose of prayer.
What is prayer? Why is it necessary? How should we pray? Why must we pray to God in the name of Jesus? Why are our prayers not always answered the way we expect? What role does faith have in the process of prayer? Does prayer affect or change destiny?
The questions go on and on; you can probably add many more to the list. To understand the foundation of prayer, we mustunderstand the mind and purpose of the Creator Himself.
Prayer is a result of God’s established authority between heaven and earth, as well as a product of His faithfulness to His Word. “Your word, O LORD, is eternal....Your faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 119:89–90).
In the following pages, we will come to understand God’s powerful, eternal purpose for man and prayer.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of prayer. Please open my heart to understand the purpose and principles of prayer in the coming months. In Jesus’name, amen.
Thought: When you understand the principles of prayer, you can communicate with God with power, grace, and confidence.
