I trust you are all enjoying your January… Family, friends, sun, sand, surf, BBQs and long summer nights…

Many of us have some extra time as it’s the holiday season. So, I thought at the beginning of Twenty21, it is good to remind us about our relationship with God through prayer… I’m sure we all know how vital prayer is in our relationship with Jesus.

Imagine if you met a Christian friend on the platform of a train station and you only had 1-2 minutes before they boarded their train and they asked you “what do you think is most important in cultivating your relationship with Christ”.
What would you answer?

I realize that’s all very well, but how do we keep up a sustainable, vibrant prayer life? In the gospel of Luke (Luke 11:1-4 & Matt 6:7-15), the disciples asked Jesus, how do we pray?
The answer … we know it as the Lord’s prayer. It covers everything in life! I’ve found it a fantastic, helpful guide, which keeps me focused.
 
Allow me to share some powerful quotes that I’ve found inspiring and encouraging about prayer. As you read this, which ones speak to you?

• Prayer is the soul breathing – Prayer is oxygen for the soul.
• Prayer is striking the winning blow and service is gathering the results.
  
  
• Prayer says, I trust you Jesus and I surrender to you.
• Prayer engages and brings the community to God.
  
  
• Prayer activates your first call… your priestly function. (you are priests to God first! …bringing people to God). Preaching brings God to people.
• Prayer activates the future into the now.
  
  
• Prayer releases faith into the present.
• Prayer & preaching are the ONLY activities that call things ‘that are not’ as though they are!
  
  
• Prayer lifts us to a place of faith.
• Prayer welcomes in the promises of God. Heb 11:13

• Units of prayer combined like drops of water, make an ocean that defies resistance.  E. M. Bounds.
• Prayer acknowledges God; acknowledges His being; exalts His power; adores His providence and secures His aid.  E. M. Bounds.
• Prayer is the language of expectation and the channel for miracles. T. Collis.
• Multiplication is revealed, released, nurtured and welcomed in through prayer. J. N. Klinkenberg.
  
  
• The language of the Holy Spirit, that of visions and dreams, is released through prayer.
• Prayer often changes us, before He changes the circumstances & situations around us. (Prayer empowers us to go thru the circumstances & situations). J. N. Klinkenberg.
  
  
• Whether we like it or not, ASKING is the rule of the KINGDOM. C. H. Spurgeon.
• Something happens when I pray that does not happen if I don’t. D. Eastman.
  
  
• God does nothing apart from prayer and everything by it. J. Wesley.
• The more I pray, the more coincidences I seem to have.D. Eastman.

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Next week I’ll send out a prayer guide that I’ve used for the last 30 years.
It’s helped me hugely to continue in prayer month after month, year in and year out.

I know it’s easy to begin in prayer, but challenging to sustain a vibrant, life giving, growing prayer life.

Have a great January…catch you next week.
Blessings
Nick & Karen