The Blessing of Prayer.

Some one has said, "Prayerlessness on the part of a Christian, is not a weakness, it is wickedness!"  Another has said, "The greatest sin in the Christian life is prayerlessness!" John R. Rice said that, "all our failures are prayer failures." The following is a list of blessing we receive by praying:

1. THE BLESSING OF KNOWING I AM OBEYING & PLEASING GOD.  (Jeremiah 33:3, "...call unto me...") God wants His people to pray. He doesn't suggest we pray, or even ask us to pray, He commands us to pray. When I pray, I am obeying God direct command.  When I pray, I am pleasing my Heavenly Father. There is great fulfillment in knowing that I am pleasing my Heavenly Father. There is great joy & blessing in obeying my God.
   

2. THE BLESSING OF BEING SHIELDED FROM TEMPTATION. (Mark 14:38, "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.") The act of praying is, in itself, a "hedge" for the believer. How many of us are struggling with temptations we would not have to if we prayed like we should?
   

3. THE BLESSING OF REVIVAL. (2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.") We're not told what to pray for here, just to pray. Prayerlessness on the part of God's people is a major factor in the lack of revival in our churches and nations.
   

4.  THE BLESSING OF MORE WORKERS IN OUR CHURCHES AND MINISTRIES. (Luke 10:2, "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.") Perhaps we would have the workers & missionaries needed if we prayed as our Lord instructed us.  What a blessing it is to have committed, godly, and diligent workers in direct answer to prayer.
   

5. THE BLESSING OF SEEING WHAT GOD CAN DO. (Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.") When we operate without prayer, we get the results that our efforts can produce, but when we pray, we get the results GOD can produce.  Our church functioning without prayer will get what our church can produce, our church functioning with genuine, effectual and fervent prayer will get the results GOD can produce.

Prayer is a blessing. I am continually challenged in my prayer life, to be more diligent, disciplined, and detailed.  Let's pray for revival, for workers & missionaries, for victory over temptations, and for our Lord to be glorified in all we say and do.