Wednesday after Rogate, 5/12/99

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
--NIV

In the name of the One Who hears our prayers, amen.

How do you measure up to this passage?  Are you joyful in hope?  Are you
patient in affliction?  Above all, are you faithful in prayer?  And just
what does that mean anyway?  If we have needs, won't we pray?  Why does
God think it is necessary to remind us to be faithful in prayer?

Remember that you are not the only one who has needs.  There are others. 
There are others who need our prayers.  This morning did you pray for the
people you don't get along with?  Did you pray for our president?  Did
you pray for the Jews and the enemies of the Church?  Did you pray for
those who suffer for the name of Christ?  What about the liberal media,
and those who are sick in our congregation?

Be faithful in prayer.  One of the ways we are faithful in prayer is by
participating in the Liturgy.  The Liturgy is called the Prayer of the
Church, and if you think about it, it is full of prayers and praise to
God.  What is unique about the liturgy, is that God interacts with us in
it.  God's word is woven in between the prayers, and so we are built up
by the liturgy.  In the liturgy we confess our sins--even the sin of not
being faithful in prayer.  We are fed the Gospel and the Word, and this
encourages and strengthens us to be faithful in prayer.  In addition,
through the prayers of the liturgy we pray for all those people we should
pray for.  May the Lord hear your faithful prayers.  Amen.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, You urge us to pray and promise that you are
faithful to hear our prayers.  Forgive us for not praying like we should.
 Fill us with your Holy Spirit and make us faithful in prayer, amen.