Lord teach us how to Pray (Part 1) - Pastor Johnny Marten
As Jesus prepared to ascend to heaven, He gave His disciples a clear commission: to make more followers, baptize them, and teach them everything He had taught. This calling is not just for the early church, but for us today, and it is especially encouraging to see our youth stepping up to lead and serve, as they are the future of our church. The foundation of all fruitful ministry and spiritual growth is prayer. Over the next three weeks, we will be exploring prayer in depth, beginning today with the questions: What is prayer, and what does it look like?
Prayer is simply communicating with God. The health of our spiritual life is directly tied to the health of our prayer life. If our prayer life is strong and genuine, our spiritual life will reflect that strength. Conversely, a weak or neglected prayer life will show itself in our spiritual walk. The most powerful and effective spiritual act we can engage in is prayer, and it must be done in spirit and in truth, from the heart. God is not interested in empty words or prayers recited out of habit or tradition. He looks at the heart, not the outward appearance or eloquence of our words.
It is easy to fall into the trap of praying to impress others or simply going through the motions, but God cannot be fooled. He knows when our prayers are genuine and when they are not. Jesus taught that we should not babble on with many words, thinking that will make us heard. Instead, we are invited to come to God personally, honestly, and directly. The tearing of the temple curtain at Jesus’ death symbolizes that the way is now open for each of us to approach God ourselves, in the name of Jesus.
When we struggle to find words or feel unable to pray, we can simply call out, “Jesus, help me.” The Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness, even when we do not know what to pray. There is great value in both praying alone and praying together with others. Praying alone deepens our personal relationship with God, while praying together brings unity and power to the church. Whether we kneel, stand, or sit, what matters most is that our prayers come from a sincere heart and a focused mind. Let us be encouraged to grow in prayer, both individually and as a community, seeking God with all our hearts.