We are in the middle of our 40 days of prayer for our church. We know we are called by God to pray always. I know we all seek to do this faithfully. I suspect prayer is a part of your everyday life.
Still, sometimes we are encouraged to pray for some specific people, events or hardships we face. In so doing we know that God hears us and responds to our petitions and intercessions. We sometimes don't like the response or we don't like waiting even to get the response. However, the amazing thing is that God responds to us as we need.
We are in a time of change at our church. We are between pastors. In this time we look at ourselves as a church. We look at what God is calling us to be, and how we are to act in our community and world. As a part of this we appreciate the past. We value who we are right now and we seek to hear God's will for us in the future.
We will act immediately on those things that God wants us to do right now. As we are aware that God is calling each of us to respond to the leading of His Spirit right now, we know this is true for the church as well. We are moving to a new and blessed ministry. We are called to move towards that future in the present, even as we move towards that future over time. This future is unfolding as we pray. Yes, our prayers are the most important thing of all.
Over the last couple of months we have done the Congregational Assessment Tool. Also, we are in the midst of doing the Vital Congregations Initiative Vital Signs of the church. And, we are looking at our community in which we are ministering.
Yet, the most important thing of all is that we talk with God about our hopes and dreams. We pray to God for the enhancement and fulfillment of His working in and through us. For we know that we are the church gathered, called, chosen, and gifted for service.
So, I pray that you continue to pray. I believe in the power of prayer. This prayer grows our personal faith, directs our corporate fellowship and ministry, and takes us to where God wants us to be.
Let us continue to pray for ourselves, our loved ones and friends, our community where we live, and the world that God has given us.
1 John 5:14-15 says:
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him (the Lord Jesus Christ,) that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."
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