PUSH…Pray Until Something Happens! 

Prayer is alive and strong at the Whittier Church of Christ!  We even have a dedicated team of volunteers that faithfully, lovingly and enthusiastically pray for anyone and anything that God can help with (which is basically everything under the sun).

Why do we pray?  God is already in complete and total control of everything…since that’s the case, why do we need to pray?  When God knows what we're going to ask before we even think to ask it, what’s the point of prayer?

(1)  Prayer is a way of serving God (Luke 2:36-38).  We pray because God wants and expects us to pray (Philippians 4:6-7).

(2)  Our Lord and savior Jesus Christ prayed in the early church (Mark 1:35; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31; 6:4; 13:1-3).  If Jesus thought it was a good idea to pray, shouldn’t we consider it in the same light?

(3)  God intends for our prayers to be a means of attaining guidance and direction along life’s journey.  Prayer helps us:

    a)  Prepare for major decisions (Luke 6:12-13)
    b)  Overcome evil in our lives (Matthew 17:14-21)
    c)  Gain strength to overcome temptation (Matthew 26:41)
    d)  Provide strength to others spiritually (Ephesians 6:18-19)

(4)  God gives us his promise that our prayers are not in vain.  We might not get the answer that we expect or understand…but our prayers are always answered (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26-27).

(5)  God has promised that when we seek things that are in accordance with His will, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15).

God provides His answers according to His wisdom, in his own time and in a way that provides maximum benefit.  Human beings are impatient and crave absolute reassurance.  What we really need is to be diligent and persistent in prayer and trust that our effort is well-spent (Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1-8).   

Prayer should not be seen as a means of petitioning God to do our will on earth.  Rather, we should use it as a tool for helping us to get God's will done, through us, on earth.   

God’s wisdom far exceeds our own.  God's mercy, understanding, forgiveness through his Son, and love are endless.