At the writing of this article, I am preparing for our first cottage prayer meeting of 2009. At West End Baptist Church we believe that prayer works. The Bible tells us that we have not because we ask not. Prayer is the way we communicate with God. We can not survive without prayer. If there was ever a time in history that God’s people need to pray, now is the time. As a nation, we have told God that we do not need Him. We have kicked Him out of our schools, our public life, our government, and even our homes. No wonder times are so hard. It is time for God’s people to get back to Him. He must once again have total control of our lives. The key to seeing God answer our prayer is repentance. The scripture tells that we must not only pray but we must also turn from our wicked ways. If we want God to send a revival to our nation, if we want God to move in our midst, if we want to be blessed, we must repent. It is through prayer, communicating with God, that we become sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As the Holy Spirit begins to move we find oursleves convicted of our sin and the need for change revealed in our lives. The more we are in tune with the Spirit the more we can practice true repentance. May God give us a burden to seek Him like we never have before. May we seek His face in these last days. As we pray, may we invite the Holy Spirit to convict us and to change us. Let us throw off the things of the world and have a renewed focus on Jesus. In the back of my Bible I have a poem that has always been an encouragment to me during times of spiritual weakness:
Oh for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb
Where is that blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the Soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and His Word
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed
How sweet their memory still
But they have left an aching void the world can never fill
Return O Holy dove, return
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast
The dearest idol I have known,
Whatever the idol be
Help me to tear it from they throne
And worship only Thee
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.

May this be our prayer. That we would return to God and have a closer walk with Him. May God’s people return to Him and seek His face, turn from our wicked ways, then we will see a great move of God.