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THE YEAR & SEASON OF PRAYER

Luke 18:1 & Philippians 4:6

Praises be unto God for all the things He has done for the Michigan Southwest Third Family during the year of 2024. He sustained us, provided for us, protected us, healed us, favored us, encouraged us, and loved us.

Prayer is one of the most important aspects of our lives as followers of Jesus, and it should not be taken lightly. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of prayer and how it can benefit us in many ways!

Prayer is not something we should only do at church or during Bible study. It is something we should do every single day. Like any relationship, if you don’t spend time with that person, the relationship will suffer. Prayer is a way for us to spend time with God. It is a way to connect with Him and align our hearts with His.

When we pray, we are inviting God into our lives and asking for His guidance. And if you’re anything like me, I NEED His guidance every day!

Prayer is a central part of Christian life, and the Bible emphasizes its importance in many ways: 

•       Communicating with God: Prayer is a way to talk to God and ask for help, forgiveness, and guidance. 

•       Developing a relationship: Prayer helps believers develop a relationship with God and feel His love. 

•       Experiencing God: Prayer can make believers' faith more real on an emotional level.

Through prayer, God allows us to be involved in His work that will go on forever. When we pray, we participate in God's will being accomplished “on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt 6:9-10). When we pray, it is not so that we can get what we want from God. Rather, prayer is a way to connect with Him and realign our hearts with His.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus NKJV.

Prayer is important because it positions us to receive God’s peace that surpasses all understanding. In life’s hardest moments (and even in the good times), prayer helps me stay focused on what’s close to God’s heart! Prayer was a lifeline for Jesus and becomes one for us as we press into His presence. Prayer is not an optional practice for Christians but is a spiritual discipline needed for spiritual vitality and maturity.

Prayer was His source of strength, wisdom, and compassion because He was connected to the source: His Heavenly Father! As we think about Jesus’ example of the importance of prayer, we should be asking the Lord to help us have the same strong, faith-filled prayer life that Jesus had.

The best part about prayer is that it is a conversation that goes both directions. Yes, we will talk to God, but when we spend time with Him and are willing to receive, we will also hear from Him. As we spend time talking to God, He aligns our will with His, changing the way we experience a situation and respond to a problem.

Sometimes, we miss His answers (because we’re not listening or we’re expecting a different answer, so we don’t recognize it when it comes), and other times, the answer comes through reading the Bible or talking to others, but God will answer. His wisdom far exceeds our own because He sees farther and loves deeper and has His sights set on an eternity with those He loves, not just gratification in the immediate moment. The familiar phrase “prayer changes things” is true. Sometimes, the things that change are our circumstances, while other times, we are the thing that prayer changes.

As we prepare to enter 2025, let’s embrace this next year and season with prayer. James 5:16, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

In His Service, 

Bishop Samuel Duncan Jr., Prelate

Michigan Southwest Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction