Power of Prayer ·
What is Prayer?
Prayers are our intentional process of communicating with God: both talking and listening. Prayer does not consist of relentless petitions to heaven for personal gain or desire. Instead, we pray so that we can carry out God’s purpose. Through prayer, we open our hearts and mind to hear God’s call. We might express our frustrations or our enthusiasm. Communication is essential to the development of this relationship. The church uses many different types of prayers: thanksgiving, confession, petitions (personal requests), and intercession (prayers for others). Sometimes we pray with words given to us by the church -- words that have been prayed in the same way for centuries. The Lord’s Prayer is an example. Other times, our prayer might be as simple as, "God, please help me." Our words do make a difference, but the importance of prayer is not how eloquent we sound. Prayers have power when we have the desire and intention to draw closer to God. If you would like to go to the part of our site that has some prayers you can read and use, please click here.
Does Prayer Work?
Absolutely. In Matthew 21:22, Jesus teaches, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." But, sometimes, it takes us awhile to recognize the answers to our prayers. We operate on a vastly different time scale than God, and we can’t see our situation from God’s vantage point. The answer to your direct request might come at an unexpected time or in a surprising way. Often it is only with hindsight that we understand God’s faithfulness and generous response to our pleas. We also might see that our initial prayer was dangerously or foolishly short-sighted. God invites you to pray with confidence, but humility, and you will be richly blessed.
How Do I Begin to Pray?
Through Jesus, we experience a personal relationship with God. Our personal prayers are part of that relationship. If you haven’t prayed before, here’s a simple way to start. Find a quiet time and a place where you can be thoughtful without interruption. Some people pray while seated or kneeling. People often close their eyes to avoid distractions, but you might like to look at an image that reminds you of God’s presence. Consider speaking or saying to yourself the following words: "God, I want to pray to you about something. Here is what is troubling me: _______. Thank you for listening. In your own time and in your own way, please help me. Amen." Other prayers can be found on our Sermon/Prayers page. As you practice daily prayer, consider keeping a prayer journal. In a notebook, say and write down your daily prayer requests for thirty days. Leave a place to give thanks when your prayers are granted. Alleluiah!
Will Calvary Pray for Me?
The Bible teaches us that God responds when two or more people gather together to pray. (Matthew 18:20). At Calvary, we keep a time during Sunday worship to hear the prayer requests of the congregation; then we pray together. You are invited to share your joys or concerns with us during this part of the worship service. During the week, a "prayer chain" holds in prayer those requests, together with any others made known to the prayer chain. If you would like us to pray for you, please let us know. [LINK TO EMAIL]