Prayer & Worship

Why We Pray

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: "pray continually." It's an easy verse to remember for all of us. But it's a verse of such importance. To live as a Christian is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that relationship needs to be cultivated and nourished. One way we can do that is through prayer.

Think of other relationships you have; maybe with a parent, a husband, wife, or child. Now begin to think of how difficult that relationship would be if you never communicated, never talked to them and, just as important, never listened to them. That is exactly the same with prayer and communication with Jesus. We all need to grow and cultivate our relationship with Him.

Communication with anyone is never one sided. Don't let your prayer life be one sided either but spend time listening to God. He will speak to you if you take time to learn the sound of His distinct voice to you.

Prayer has been described as our hotline to heaven. When we pray God listens and God always answers. As a Christian there is no greater privilege than to talk to Jesus directly.

Prayer is more than a list of requests and wish-lists; in fact that is precisely what prayer should not be. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus says: "seek first the Kingdom of heaven and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."

When you pray, aim to make kingdom things your first priority. God the Father will bless you and abundantly supply all you need because he loves to bless his children and your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:8) Let us be clear, there is nothing wrong with going to Jesus in prayer for specific things, but do not make those things the reason for praying. Pray because you want to spend time with Jesus and you want to hear what he has to say to you.

Why We Worship

Songs, music, instruments, singing, clapping, and lifting hands; bowing down on our knees are all important expressions of our worship. But it is important to understand that they are not worship alone. So what is worship?

Worship is the lifestyle that you and I as Christians are to live every moment or every day.

"Therefore I urge you, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God for this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1-2)

The first mention of the word worship appears in the book of Genesis when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Isaac was all Abraham had. He was the embodiment of every promise that God had given to Abraham and in asking him to sacrifice him, God was asking Abraham to lay down his whole life, his future and his dreams in obedience to God.

Abraham agreed and knowing what he was about to do said to his servants:

"Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." (Genesis 22:5)

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice was his act of worship; and that is what true worship is, laying down our lives, our hopes and dreams, preferring the will of God to our own.

God stopped Abraham before he went through with it because He saw that He was first in Abraham's life. In laying down our lives and living out a lifestyle of worship we show God that He is first, that Jesus is Lord of our life.