Colossians 4:2 - "Devote
yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with
thanksgiving."
Devotion to prayer goes hand in hand to devotion to God. You cannot be devoted to God if you never spend time communicating with Him. The Christian life is to be one of constant prayer. We're told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 - "pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." We need to be in constant communication with God. In Acts 2:42 we're told this concerning the early church - "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." One of the four main things that characterized the early church was devotion to prayer.
A recent poll showed that nearly 90% of Americans pray. This makes us sound like a very spiritual country, but not everyone who prays prays to the one true God. There are lot's of prayers offered to false gods and idols, as well as to people, living or dead, and some pray to "forces of nature" or to the earth itself. A poll was also taken among born again, evangelical Christians living in America, and the results are astounding. This poll revealed that 95% of evangelical Christians prayed less than 5 minutes a day. How does that fit in with the commands to "pray without ceasing" and "devote yourselves to prayer"? You cannot be devoted to God if you are not devoted to prayer.
Devotion to prayer means continuing in an attitude of prayer and constant fellowship with God, as well as setting aside large portions of time to do nothing but pray. We see both of these things modeled in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was in constant fellowship with the Father, seeking to do His will in every situation, continuing in an attitude of prayer and thanksgiving. And He also set aside time where He would go off by Himself and pray. After the feeding of the 5000 in Matthew chapter 14, we're told that Jesus sent the disciples to the other side of the sea and sent the multitudes away and went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. We're also told in Luke 6:12 - "It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God." If you want to know what it means to be devoted to prayer, study the life of the Lord Jesus. As well as modeling the importance of prayer in the way He lived His life, the Lord Jesus also showed us the importance of prayer in the things that He taught. In Luke 18:1 it says - "Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart." Jesus told several parables showing the importance of prayer.
The Bible says in James 5:16 - "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." One of the biggest problems in the church today is that we've downplayed the importance and power of prayer. Since 95% of evangelical Christians spend less than 5 minutes a day in prayer it's evident that, by and large, Christians don't believe what God's word says about prayer. If you really believe it you will do it. If you don't do it it's proof that you don't really believe it.
So what about you? Can your life be described as a life that's "devoted to prayer"? Philippians 4:6 says - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Do you pray about everything? Ephesians 6:18 says - "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." Are you characterized as someone who prays at all times with all prayer and petition? Does Romans 12:12 describe you? - "rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer." We cannot become men and women of prayer simply by trying harder. As with everything in the Christian life, it has to be God working in and through us to accomplish His will and His purpose through our prayers. We need to confess our weakness in this area, confess to God that "we do not know how to pray as we ought" and, like His disciples, ask "Lord, teach us to pray." God desires to use us to accomplish His will. We need to open ourselves to His working in our lives, that by His own empowerment we may become a people devoted, set apart for the purpose of prayer.
1 Peter 4:7 - " The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer."
Devotion to prayer goes hand in hand to devotion to God. You cannot be devoted to God if you never spend time communicating with Him. The Christian life is to be one of constant prayer. We're told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 - "pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." We need to be in constant communication with God. In Acts 2:42 we're told this concerning the early church - "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." One of the four main things that characterized the early church was devotion to prayer.
A recent poll showed that nearly 90% of Americans pray. This makes us sound like a very spiritual country, but not everyone who prays prays to the one true God. There are lot's of prayers offered to false gods and idols, as well as to people, living or dead, and some pray to "forces of nature" or to the earth itself. A poll was also taken among born again, evangelical Christians living in America, and the results are astounding. This poll revealed that 95% of evangelical Christians prayed less than 5 minutes a day. How does that fit in with the commands to "pray without ceasing" and "devote yourselves to prayer"? You cannot be devoted to God if you are not devoted to prayer.
Devotion to prayer means continuing in an attitude of prayer and constant fellowship with God, as well as setting aside large portions of time to do nothing but pray. We see both of these things modeled in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was in constant fellowship with the Father, seeking to do His will in every situation, continuing in an attitude of prayer and thanksgiving. And He also set aside time where He would go off by Himself and pray. After the feeding of the 5000 in Matthew chapter 14, we're told that Jesus sent the disciples to the other side of the sea and sent the multitudes away and went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. We're also told in Luke 6:12 - "It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God." If you want to know what it means to be devoted to prayer, study the life of the Lord Jesus. As well as modeling the importance of prayer in the way He lived His life, the Lord Jesus also showed us the importance of prayer in the things that He taught. In Luke 18:1 it says - "Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart." Jesus told several parables showing the importance of prayer.
The Bible says in James 5:16 - "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." One of the biggest problems in the church today is that we've downplayed the importance and power of prayer. Since 95% of evangelical Christians spend less than 5 minutes a day in prayer it's evident that, by and large, Christians don't believe what God's word says about prayer. If you really believe it you will do it. If you don't do it it's proof that you don't really believe it.
So what about you? Can your life be described as a life that's "devoted to prayer"? Philippians 4:6 says - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Do you pray about everything? Ephesians 6:18 says - "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." Are you characterized as someone who prays at all times with all prayer and petition? Does Romans 12:12 describe you? - "rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer." We cannot become men and women of prayer simply by trying harder. As with everything in the Christian life, it has to be God working in and through us to accomplish His will and His purpose through our prayers. We need to confess our weakness in this area, confess to God that "we do not know how to pray as we ought" and, like His disciples, ask "Lord, teach us to pray." God desires to use us to accomplish His will. We need to open ourselves to His working in our lives, that by His own empowerment we may become a people devoted, set apart for the purpose of prayer.
1 Peter 4:7 - " The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer."
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