Prayer

I was at church recently when we were crossing people off our published prayer list that was in the bulletin. In this case prayers had been answered, and that's why we were taking people off the list.

But personally, I have a little problem with taking people off our prayer lists. A person's needs may change. For example if someone is healed of a disease, then we need no longer to pray for healing of that disease, because the prayer has been answered. However, that person still has other needs, we all face (but do not necessarily give in to) various temptations every day. When Jesus taught us how to pray with His model prayers, He said "...give us our daily bread...", He did not say "...give us our monthly bread..."

If we pray for salvation for someone and the person we are praying for accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, we no longer need to pray for salvation for that person, but we had better not stop praying for them as they will face temptations and suffering often simply because they belong to Jesus.

1^st Thess. 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing.", We should be praying often for every one we have ever met and we should Never take anyone off our prayer list until death do us part, and then we add the people they knew to our prayer list.

To be fair the church I was referring to was not saying to stop praying for these people, the people were being crossed off because God had been good and answered prayer and the list was being replenished with prayer for needs of other people. Outside of salvation for the lost (and the church is made up of the formerly lost) there is, in my opinion, no greater service the church can do than pray for people. Not just it's members, not just people the members know, but all people.

But there is a time we need to do more than pray. As a single male I think a lot of Christian women are single (and probably us single men too) are still single because they are too busy praying for the "right one" to come along while he standing by their side. In other words, God has sent the answer, provided the answer, but we are still praying for what God has already provided.

For example, God recently through my church provided me with a working car. Now, should my prayer be for God to provide me with a car? No, my prayer should be to help me keep this one running well, and for help in providing the needs of maintaining and keeping it legal, such as getting the permanent (yearly) registration. One way God can answer that prayer is through work for me, if I have work then I can pay for the registration myself.

While needs may change, the need to pray never does. May God bless you all, and pray for all. All our leaders, all the people who read your (or my) blogs and articles, all the people we know or have met who need salvation, and whatever prayer needs of those on your prayer list.

"Pray without ceasing" 1^st Thess. 5:17