Prayer Is Essential

September 3, 2025

Leadership Notes

     Here’s a sampling of greetings from the Apostle Paul:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with

the overseers and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus

Christ.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every

prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of

your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

-      Philippians 1

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when

we pray for you.

Colossians 1

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly

mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and

Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of

hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

-      1 Thessalonians 1

To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our

Lord. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear

conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and

day.

-      2 Timothy 1

     Keep in mind, life for Paul was filled with hardship and persecution. Life for the recipients of these letters was filled with hardship and persecution. Even violence. No matter what they experienced or went through…in the peaks and valleys of life…all of it was bathed in prayer. Prayer was essential.

     Prayer is essential.

     Last week, a mentally unbalanced man fired through the stained-glass windows of a Catholic Church in Minneapolis, while schoolchildren were inside during a Catholic School Mass. Two children were killed. Many more were injured. It didn’t take long for some politicians and pundits, of the generally unhappiest variety, to criticize prayer. Truth is definitely stranger than fiction. As one man wrote:

“After yet another murderous rampage by an armed attacker upon

a school, the mockers are back. But the mockers aren’t scoffing at

deranged individuals bent upon evil. Their contempt is aimed at

Christians who express sympathy and offer prayers for the victims

and their families.”

-      Jared Bridges, Christian Post

     I am thankful for such buffoonery, for it exposes the wickedness in people’s hearts and drives us deeper into prayer. As I shared in worship Sunday morning, prayer is absolutely not useless. Renatta Michelle Oxendine affirms that prayer “is one of the most effective tools we have.”

     With that in mind, here are two prayers you might want to add to your repertoire:

• “Dear God, Most High, Maker of heaven and earth and all

  that is in them…Thank You for this day, and all that You

  have blessed us with. Thank You, Father, for Your love, Your

  kindness, Your mercy, and Your grace. Thank You for waking

  us and giving us life and calling us Your children.

  Please bless us all with Godly wisdom, knowledge,

  understanding, and discernment. Please fill us with love,

  peace, joy, patience, understanding, and faith.

  Please, Father, guide us, protect us, and use us today to

  achieve Your will. I prayer that we will truly honor and

  glorify You in everything we do and that we will love You

  with all of our heart and soul, our mind and our strength. For

  ever and ever.

In Jesus’ most holy name we pray. Amen.

• Heavenly Father, I come to You with a Grateful heart for the

  friends You’ve placed in my life. Today, I ask for Your divine

  protection over them. Keep them safe from harm, guide their

  steps, and shield them from danger. Surround them with

  Your peace and strength, and let Your presence be their

  comfort in every moment. May their day be filled with Your

  love and security, and may our friendships reflect Your

  grace. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

  
  

     And now, your Moment{s} of Spurgeon:

1.  “It is well said that neglected prayer is the birth-place of all evil.”

2.  “The ship of prayer may sail through all temptations,

doubts and fears, straight up to the throne of God.”

With Much Love and Affection,

              Richard