Let's Start Praying More (Part 1)

 
If the faith of a believer can be measured, the criteria would be


(1) Study of scripture,
(2) Acts of lovingkindness, and
(3) Prayer.

All three must be in a believer’s life so they can testify jointly of a believer’s faith. Of these three, faith finds its truest expression in prayer “as it stands as the intimate communion between the believer and the Creator…It is even said that ‘the Holy One, blessed be He, longs for the prayers of the righteous.’ (Jeb 64a)”.

Prayer is fundamental to “seeking” God (2 Chron 7:14), which is a necessary component of faith in God, as it is written, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him," (Heb 11:6).

“It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life.” (Alone With God by John MacArthur, Jr.)

Prayer and faith are closely linked in the parable of “The Widow and the Unrighteous Judge,” (Luke 18:1-8). The parable was spoken by Jesus to His disciples “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” The parable concludes with the question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” When reading this statement in the context of the parable, we understand that the prayer life of a believer is strongly reflective of a believer’s faith.

We need to pray more often, with more conviction, and with more Kavannah.  The more I study prayer, the more I feel inadequate to pray.  Yet, if all we can say is "God, be merciful to me the sinner!" (Luke 18:14), the LORD desires to hear our voice.

(Scott)