Church Blog

Some Thoughts on Prayer

April 20, 2021

This week, Sally has some thoughts for us on prayer:

The Way

When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He took the barrier away that was between God and man.  He tore the veil that had kept the common man from entering the Holy of Holies. Jesus made the way for us to approach the throne of God confidently and boldly.  That is why we pray in His Name.  He is the Way.

The What

We can go to God with our hearts open sharing our hopes, our disappointments, our thankfulness, our griefs, our petitions, our anger, our confusion, our praise, our lives and all that is within us.  We can pray wherever we are, whatever we are doing.

Our Heart

Though we have full access and can pray at any time, may we always remember to approach our Heavenly Father with all the reverence due Him and ready to listen to what He would say to us in response. May we always remember that God is Over All.  He is all Seeing, All Knowing, All Powerful, All Loving, All Wise and All Patient.  Everything that we need in this life is found in Him and through Him. In Him is everything we need for life and godliness.

So, speak to Him anytime, anywhere. Speak continually to Him.  Tell him what is on your heart.  Listen for His response. He is Faithful to listen.  He is faithful answer in His time and in His way.

Psalms 5:1,2                 Matthew 27:50-51                    John 5:22-24 11             Ephesians 3:11-12        

Peter 1:3                       Hebrews 10:19-23                     1 John 5: 14 -15             1 Thessalonians 5:17,18

The Consequence

Prayer changes things. It quiets us down and opens us up to that still, small voice inside. Prayer takes the desires of our hearts and lifts them to a loving, listening God.  Before we have even said ‘Amen,’ God graces us with a spirit of peace and blesses us with reassurance.

I Peter 5:7 Casting all your anxieties on Him, for He cares for you

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something and enter God’s realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for His almighty power. Nothing is too small for His love.

Corrie Ten Boom

Praying Together

April 6, 2021

This is Sally Andrews.  Like Sue, my prayer journey began at Grace Church in San Luis Obispo. I arrived there a young Christian thirsty to know more about God and His Word.  I was 21 and single. At the time, the church had a wonderful ministry that paired an older saint with single, college aged young adults. I was paired with Francis Jackson, who I soon learned was a faithful prayer warrior. She not only taught me about prayer and prayed for me but showed me hospitality and love. I attribute any growth that has taken place in my life to her and to other faithful prayer warriors, pastors, and teachers that I have been blessed to learn from. I am grateful for the discipleship I received that built a strong foundation in God’s Word.

After Darrel and I married, we moved to Atascadero.  We spent a year of searching for a church in North County and were finally led to become a part of the Church of the Nazarene. I discovered here that worship and prayer often go hand in hand. I continued to learn about the value and necessity of prayer and began to understand all that intercessional prayer entails. My journey was to take me to practicing individual prayer (just God and I), walking and praying with one or more friends, praying with groups on a regular basis and praying corporately as a whole church.  I learned to pray for both specific and general needs.

The ways that the Lord has used prayer in and through my life has varied as much as my life has varied, but prayer has remained a constant in my walk with God. I praise God for faithful friends who have become faithful prayer partners, some lifelong and others for a season. Through the joys and the sorrows, sickness and health, faith filled times and faithless times, prayer has been part of my life.  At times I have been the one praying, calling down the heavens; at others times I have relied on others to intercede on my behalf. Life is filled with ups and downs, sorrow and rejoicing.  James 5:13-16 comes to mind: Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

I look forward to sharing at the Women’s Conference some of what I’ve struggled with and learned over the years about individual prayer, praying with prayer partners or small groups and corporate prayer.