As you try prayer, you may begin to wonder if there’s a better quality of life out there. Are we missing something?
Prayer and Quality of Life
In the United Kingdom, we live in a rich country but we are not happy.
We have accumulated unsustainable levels of debt. Sexual freedom has brought about the disintegration of family life. We are eating and drinking ourselves to death. Depression and despair drive suicide. And politicians and community workers are searching for answers.
Are we missing something? Is there another way of living life?
20 centuries ago Jesus’ first words were an invitation to live life differently. He invited people to change their thinking because there was a new world order about to break in. He said that heaven was going to come to earth – in fact had already come. It was going to begin with him and would roll down the centuries through the lives of people.
It is estimated that there are 2.2 billion people who have some loyalty towards Christ today – more than any other world religion and still increasing. But becoming religious is not the point. Many so called religious people miss the point. What matters is that we become part of this movement for change.
Jesus had a manifesto. It was what he wanted to do for people. Heaven was poised to affect human lives – positively. Jesus’ invitation to “change our lives because God’s kingdom is here” remains as contemporary and relevant as ever.
Heaven is knocking at your door, not to condemn you, but to give you a new quality of life!
That’s the connection between prayer and quality of life.
This is what Jesus said he came to do. It’s his manifesto:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Something you can do today…
Try Praying
God, I recognise that the world has gone wrong in many ways and I want to be part of something better. I’m sorry for my own part in making things go wrong and I ask you to make me someone who is connected with heaven.
Key
Every time you use a key today pray, “God, unlock my life to your influence.”
Keep Praying For
- Your big issue – the area in your life where you most want God to work.
- Others – your friend or family member who needs help.
How Do We Pray?
Praying isn’t just for the religious. Most people admit to praying at some time in their life even if they have given up on it later.
Jesus prayed. He seemed to have access to God like no one else. He was always doing miracles and teaching about life. But he also spent much time in prayer and taught about it. What did he say?
He said that faith was a crucial ingredient. He always responded to faith. On one occasion he said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” Prayer is not simply about the words we say it’s about what we are thinking on the inside.
Jesus also said that forgiveness was important. “And whenever you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in heaven may forgive you.” Forgiveness is a kind of currency.
If we use it in our relationship with others then we will have it in our relationship with God.
Another ingredient is to keep going. He gave many illustrations about this: a woman keeping on at a magistrate until he granted her request; a friend banging on the door at midnight until he got what he needed. It seems that praying for something until we get it is what God invites us to do. Giving up at the first set back is not an option.
We have to be willing to accept God’s answers when they come which of course can be “yes”, “no” or “wait”. Submitting our lives to his will is really the best thing for us. Praying with others and in harmony with them are other principles.
Perhaps we should check that there is nothing in our lives which offends God. If we cling to wrong doing in an area of our life then he will not hear our prayer. We can’t claim to know God and live a life which
is inconsistent with that relationship.
But the foundation for all prayer is knowing God in a personal way. That is what Jesus has made possible.
Ask and it will be given to you.
© There is Hope 2015.
Read the Other Posts in the Trypraying Series
You can read the other posts in our trypraying series as they are published here:
Find out more
You can find out more about trypraying basingstoke 2019 by reading this post.
You can also follow us on social media, where we will be posting about trypraying every day between 1-18 June 2019:
You can visit the website trypraying.co.uk which also gives access to the trypraying app and other useful articles.
You could attend the trypraying basingstoke prayer event being held at London Street URC on Sunday 9 June 2019 from 6:30-8:30pm. You’d be most welcome.
Or you can contact OneChurch Basingstoke direct, using the form on our Contact page.
What have you got to lose?
Pick up your free booklet from the train station or a church near you. God wants to hear from you!
