Eye Opener
May 7, World Day of Prayer
Prayer is offering of adoration, confession, supplication and thanksgiving to God, according to Webster's dictionary. Bishop Johnny Yasa says that from the layman’s understanding, prayer is communication and conversation between God and mankind.
Why did the world body declare May 7 as the World Day of Prayer? This is probably a day when all peoples of the world will look up to God and pray for peace, justice, security, and understanding among nations and peoples. With so many problems occurring today on planet earth, prayer is an effective solution – wars in Iraq Afghanistan, Taliban and other African troubled countries, private hijacking commercial and cargo ships off Somalia coast, North Korea missiles build-up, Iran’s dangerous nuclear arsenal, swine flu or 2009 H1N1 virus outbreak in Mexico, drug menace among the youth all over the world, etc.
People don’t take serious time in prayer as they are preoccupied with the accumulation of wealth, building weapons of mass destruction, and other worldly endeavors that oftentimes forget to pray to God. To Christians, particularly the charismatic and born again, prayer is a must. With the present economic crisis in the U.S., Americans are actively joining Pentecostal, Evangelical and Catholic Charismatic services and such Preachers like Joel Osteen, Rod Parsley, John Hagee, Benny Hinn, Morris Cerrullo, T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Terry Stone, etc., where worship attendance reaches over 30,000.
Jesus Christ even taught His disciples to pray, “Our father in heaven hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts. As we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Of the 6 billion people on planet earth today, only the Christians the world over regularly look up to God in prayer. I King 8:45, “Then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause.”
The prayer of a righteous man availeth much. II Chronicle 30:27, “Then the priests, the Lebites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place to heaven. Since millions of Americans have lost their jobs, financial distress on banks and financial institutions, Christians cry to God for succor in their present travails. Even multibillion auto makers are contemplating for bankruptcy solution. Psalms 102:1,: Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of trouble; incline your ear to me. In the day I call answer me speedily.”
All night prayer was practiced by the Jewish people who wanted God to hear and answer their prayers. Jesus prayed whole night to His Father. Luke 6:12, “How it came to pass in those days that to He went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.”
The prayer of a righteous man availeth much according to the scripture. Revelation 5:8, Now, when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the Lamp, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the Saints. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the Saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.”
When is the best time to pray? In the morning to thank God for giving their children another day to live. In the evening before one sleeps, Psalms 5:3-4, “My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning I will direct it to you, and I will look up. For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell in You.”
There are angels all around us. Genesis 32:1, “ So Jacob went on his way and the Angel of God met him. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense that he should offer it with prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.”
Miracle happens on the sick through prayer. James 5:15,16, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call In the elders of the church, and let them pray over him. Anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
To farmers, prayer is helpful. Eliyah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it will not rain, and it did not rain on the land in three years and six months, and he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruits. James 5:17-18.
Prayer is a powerful tool against Satan. God said that Satan came to destroyed, steal and kill; Jesus Christ came to give abundant life. When Christian stop praying and going Church, Satan is like a roaring lion looking for his prey. Ministers of God always advise their parishioners to be prayerful at all times.
1 Corinthians 7:5, “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of you lack of self-control.”
Evangelists, Pastor and Priests the world exhort all Christians to pray without ceasing as Jesus Christ is coming again. 1 Peter 4:7, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.”