The Pastor's Corner - A Message from Pastor Ross Kershaw

“The Privileges of Prayer”

   In our town and church we have had many opportunities to pray for those in need.  It seems that each day brings additional praises and additional struggles.
 
   I got to thinking about the privileges of prayer.  First, we are privileged to have a God who invites us at all times and in all situations to come with confidence to prayer.  Psalm 17:6 says, “I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.”  When we listen with heart and mind we will hear God speak.  God may speak through scripture, through another person, through a ‘still small voice’ within, but God will indeed speak.  Our Tuesday Bible Study entitled “Frequency: Tune in. Hear God” did wonders for helping us understand God’s communication, and helped us to be better listeners to God.  The Bible reminds us that God is truly eager to hear our petitions and that He welcomes our prayers of thanksgiving.
 
   A second privilege is that we have the awesome opportunity to pray for others.  My devotional the other day said this, “Nothing draws us closer to other people than praying for them.  Asking God’s intervention in their lives is an awesome privilege.  We experience matchless rejoicing when our prayers are answered.” 
   When was the last time you were asked to pray for someone, or, after hearing their situation, offered to pray for them?  My hunch is that it comes fairly often.  The awesome privilege, for me, is also an awesome responsibility.  We need to be persistent in our prayers.  I try to keep a list of those for whom I am in prayer.  The list helps to remind me to pray for them specifically and often, and it also keeps me tuned in to when prayers are answered.  Lately I have been offering that quick ‘breath prayer’ as soon as I am asked in order that God can help keep me faithful in prayer over the long haul. 
 
   Whether it is from our Sunday morning prayer time, or someone asking you to pray for them, or God placing someone on your heart to pray for (even though you might not know the reason at the time), or prayers for yourself thank God for the privilege of praying and meeting God in your prayers. 
 

  
 


  Ps. I ask you to take up the privilege of praying for the Pastor that God will be calling for this church.  We don’t know who, as of yet, and we don’t know when, but if we all keep the process in our prayers the right man or woman of God will find their way here.

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