We are all called to pray.

Why We Need Prayer

One great reason to pray: our country is falling apart. We need help from God to resolve our differences; peace is the essential goal.  If you’re unhappy with all the political jargon that is thrown your way, you can continue pointing the blame at others; or you can take matters into your own hands through prayer. I offer this advice because slowly I’m changing my stance by praying. Nothing is accomplished by complaining. This is our season to shed light on the truth. What better way to do this is by example? Do you want to go deeper into prayer? There are several forms of prayer: for instance, praise is a powerful way to reach the heavens. We must remember that we are the salt of the earth.

Praising God

When Mike cooks, I clean  up. Sometimes it takes me an hour to tidy up the kitchen. Listening to praise music changes the chore of cleaning to worshiping God. The Alexa app has brought me so much peace in my kitchen. Sometimes I cry because the worship is so deep; at other times I dance. Being alone with God while cleaning makes the time fly.

I do not like to work out, so on my long treadmill walks I listen to praise music. Believe it or not, it takes the dread out of exercising because my mind is on God. The beauty of this is that before you know it, you have reached your daily goal. I tend to procrastinate working out, so sometimes as late as nine in the evening I jump on the treadmill.

Adoration

Another form of prayer is Adoration. Our parish offers 24-hour Adoration on the first Friday of the month. Other parishes, like St. Martin de Porres, offer perpetual Adoration. This is a huge responsibility for a parish because someone has to be assigned each hour so that the Blessed Sacrament is attended to at all times.

Adoration has brought me to a greater level of prayer. The only way that this type of prayer can be explained is it brings you closer to the throne of God. People who frequent Adoration have a greater sense of humility. Being in the presence of God helps you understand how insignificant you are. When you have mastered humility, God will use you in a powerful manner.

Petition Prayers

Another form of prayer is petition. A major part of  praying is asking God for direction, help, and healing. Do not be afraid to approach the throne of God with requests; He is waiting for us. Asking the Lord for spiritual direction comes naturally to me. I will not get involved in any ministry unless I ask God for direction.  My decision will be based on His response. Sometimes the answer is quick and is confirmed by a word from my husband or a close friend.

At times I need help with simple tasks like figuring out how to use programs on the computer or how to post with music in the background. Because technology is forever changing, it is a challenge for us Baby boomers.

One thing that is a constant is praying for my family. Each one of my immediate family members is uniquely different and the approach I take in prayer is for their special needs. Of course I pray for their protection and health, but I also pray for my grandchildren’s future helpmates. I petition on their behalf  for them to serve God to their fullest capacity. To those who have full or part-time jobs, I ask God to give them favor at work and for them to be an example of humility. You can recover much faster from failure when you have humility. I’m always including prayer against any illnesses or sudden deaths in our family.

Intercession

If you approach me and ask for prayer, I am obligated by the Lord to intercede on your behalf. The list is long, but my prayers are sincere and I will continue praying until the Lord releases me. Currently I am praying for several persons who are recovering from cancer. Some are more severe and their illness leaves them much more fragile. I’m praying for relationships in families and marriages to come to the realization that only by knowing God can their situations improve. All of our priests and pastors need to be covered in prayer.

The world is a better place because of intercessors.  We pray for our country and for the Lord to appoint God-fearing people into office. Especially for this election, we need politicians who are going to stand up for the rights of unborn  babies, for marriages to be recognized between men and women. I’m praying for all teachers to see the world through the eyes of God and to teach truth.

The Our Father

There is no better example of prayer than our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior taught us the first deliverance prayer, the Our Father. He prayed before his baptism (Luke 3:21-22). Jesus prayed after healing the sick (Luke 5:1-11, 15-16). He prayed before choosing His apostles (Luke 6:12-16). Our Lord prayed at the Transfiguration (Mat 17;1-3). He prayed to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22: 40-42).

Revelations

If you are in constant prayer, God will give you revelations. Sometimes they can come in a secret message in a dream or by reading the Bible. I receive revelations when I am praying for someone, either by an image or by the Word of  God. I do not take these revelations lightly because this is a special gift from God. Anyone who desires answers through prayer will be gifted with these revelations, but you must remain in a state of prayer. By that I mean never stop asking God until He gives you an answer. The Lord’s reply is going to be yes, no or wait.

My Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that this message of prayer go out to the ends of the earth. May we all fall to our knees in great humility because of Your glorious presence in our lives. Change us and draw us closer to You. We need You more than ever!

Amen.