Let's All Join Hands and Pray

I missed going to church last Sunday and was surprised to discover that my pastor had used something I wrote a few years ago on the back of the bulletin. (Hubby brought me a copy so I could tuck a copy away of things that I have had published, for free and for pay.)

Here's what was published...

Let's All Join Hands and Pray

By Marilyn Mackenzie

From 1998-2000, I was a church secretary at the church where my son and I attended. In January of 2000, my pastor called from out of town and asked me to "just write something" to fill the front page of our newsletter. It was scheduled to be sent out the next day and he didn't think he'd have time to write up something. This is what I wrote.

Some have said that our church needs revival and spiritual growth. Others have said that we need to grow in numbers, so that there are more members to help financially support the maintenance, ministries and programs. Both are true. But what we really need to do is to become a praying church, constantly asking God to reveal His will in our personal lives and in the life of our church.

If we speak with God daily, and, more importantly, if we listen for His response...

If we truly seek His way and His will lat every meeting, practice and worship service...

If we ask Him to be the chairman of our meetings and of our lives (not just someone we bring in to approve our plans after we have made them - without His input)...

Then...as our church becomes the praying church it needs to be, it will be revived. Our church will show spiritual growth. And, as we turn our lives and treasures over to God, our church will grow in numbers. We will become a giving church, as we learn to pray and listen for God's urgings, and money for ministries will not be a problem.

How do we become a praying church? It all begins with you.

But where do we start?

There are some beautiful prayers in the Bible which you can read as you learn to talk with God. Look there first - the Lord's Prayer, the prayer of Jabez, various prayers and petitions found in the Psalms or the prayerful utterings of Paul. The Holy Spirit will also be there to speak for you if you cannot find the right words.

Begin by thanking God at the beginning of each new day. Then, choose your prayer time and place - and stick to it.

Have a prayer journal to write prayer requests (and answers to prayer...this is important!).

On Mondays, pray for your own family and close friends.

On Tuesdays, pray for your neighbors. (If you don't know them, wander around the neighborhood and notice how many bikes there are, or what toys are in the yards, to help you know about each family.)

Spend Wednesdays praying for the city, the schools and for other churches.

On Thursdays, pray for the state government and people you have heard about in the news throughout the state.

On Fridays, pray for the United States, for our President and for our federal government.

Spend your prayer time on Saturdays praying for people all over the world. Remember that in some countries, Christians are persecuted; yet Christianity often flourishes and grows in those countries.

On Sundays, pray for our church. Pray that you will see and hear and feel God's presence in our worship service...and that you will respond.

You might be surprised at how many prayers are answered. (And you'll know because your prayer journal will include answered prayers.) Most of us don't notice the answers, because we're already onto the next request. Or, if we do notice, we chalk it up to coincidence.