Wednesday, April 27, 2011

April 28, 2011

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7

"God is great and God is good....."

"Now I lay me down to sleep....."

"Our Father, which art in Heaven....."

You have no doubt known those prayers for as long as you can remember. Practically every child is taught to pray but not every child is taught why. Is it for good luck? It is to stay on the good side of the "Big Guy"? Does it have more to do with superstition that with spirituality?

I have been sharing the four points of emphasis for Fredericksburg Wesleyan Church in 2011-12. These points form the acrostic "HOPE".  The "H" is Holiness and the "O" comes from Outreach. You have probably figured that the "P" represents Prayer. Prayer will be a third point of emphasis for the coming year.

This is not to say that prayer is not important today. It is! All this year we have been calling FWC family to Friday Fast and Prayer and God has been faithful to answer.

For 2011-12 we will call our people to private personal prayer. We will encourage FWC family members to start and maintain a personal prayer journal. That journal will include prayer requests, prayer concerns and answered prayers. Having the discipline of filling an empty page will be motivating. Tracking the answered prayers over time will trace the Hand of God in your life.

So, how is your prayer life? You would know if you had a journal!
 
And we will form prayer partnerships. Primarily, through our LIFE groups we will challenge our people to pair up with a partner to pray with and pray for and keep one another accountable. The Bible teaches that where "two or three are gathered together God is there"!
 
So, how is your prayer life? Do you have a prayer partner?
 
Occasionally we will have powertime, an evening dedicated to extended prayer and praise times with the worship team where we can come together and call on God in behalf of our church and our families our community and our nation.
 
There is no hope without prayer! Prayer is at the heart of hope! For 2011-12 we will be putting our HOPE in Holiness, Outreach, and Prayer!