Why Pray?

Today I was listening to a message by Matt Chandler, a pastor in Texas. In this message titled "The Art of Prayer," he talked about the importance of prayer. He shared 7 reasons why we should pray. I found his reasons very helpful as I think about my need to pray intentionally and passionately. Here's the list:

1. Prayer expresses our absolute dependence upon God. It’s a simple, daily act of humility on our part. Apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5).

2. Prayer allows us to interact and communicate with God. We speak to God through prayer. It’s all about this personal relationship we have with God.

3. Prayer gives us an opportunity to be involved with global activities that are eternally important. At any moment, we can pray for others in England or Italy, China or India. There is no geographical limit on prayer.

4. Prayer changes things. It changes circumstances, hearts, and lives. What would you like to see changed? Pray about it.

5. Prayer is a means of confession. When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9).

6. Prayer is a means of fighting sin. Through this Spirit-driven activity we call prayer, we ask for and receive God’s power to overcome temptation in our lives.

7. God commands us to pray. God has ordained prayer as a means to accomplish His purposes.

Orphan Sunday

This coming Sunday, PCC is promoting "Orphan Sunday." According to The Christian Alliance for Orphans, it's a day that's set aside to "rouse the church, community, and friends to God's call to care for the orphan." As many of you know, my wife and I adopted a boy from Russia last year. We may share a little of our story this Sunday, but we also plan to have a few other families there to share about their adoption journey. It's going to be a great Sunday!

Below is a little biblical taste of the priority that God places on orphan care. After reading these verses, Christ-followers should be compelled to ask themselves: Do we care for orphans like God cares for orphans? If so, then what are we going to do about it? If not, then what are we going to do about it?

GOD'S LOVE FOR ORPHANS

Psalm 68:4-5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Deuteronomy 10:17-19 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

Psalm 82:3-4 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 10:14, 17-18 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the - fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world.