A Note From Pastor Richard
The heart of First Baptist is summed up in our mission statement:
To become a Revelation Church, where people from all ethnicities, all generations and all economic realities are challenged to radically transformed by God. Prayer is central to God’s design for His people, the Church.
God has established prayer as a way to experience close intimacy in your relationship with Him, as a means to grow us spiritually, and as a way to glorify Him.
Prayer does not have to be complicated. Prayer is simply talking to God. There isn’t a formula or a set of “right words” to speak. It is open and honest communication – like a child asking a parent for help, or expressing how they feel. Prayer is a gift that God has given all of His children. Every believer in Jesus Christ has total, unlimited access to the throne of God’s grace – and our Father in Heaven invites us to approach Him with confidence (Heb. 4:16).
As you read God’s Word, you will see different kinds of prayers. These are kinds of prayers we pray too. There are prayers where we confess our sin to God and repent of it – seeking God’s grace to renew our hearts and strengthen us in the battle against temptation and sin. There are prayers were we simply express adoration for God and His goodness. We pray to express our constant thankfulness for who Christ is, what He has done, and what He is doing in our lives. We also pray prayers of lament where we cry out to God in the midst of pain and loss. We pray prayers of supplication – this is where we ask something from God (help to meet a need, healing, etc.). We pray to intercede on behalf of others - loved ones, church family, friends, neighbors – lifting them and their circumstance up to the Lord. Usually, as we pray daily, there elements of various kinds of prayers. Thankfully, the Lord delights in the numerous ways we approach Him in prayer.
Understanding the necessity of prayer is not enough. In order for it to become a part of our life, it needs to become something we look forward to. Many times people act first and then want God to bail them out of that situation, but prayer should be our first response, not our last resort. When you discover the beauty of daily conversation with Him, you’ll know Jesus more, and experience the presence of God that will change your life.
Prayer can and should become a part of everyday life.
Before the day begins
Before you go to bed
Before you go to work or school
Before you send that text
Before you react
Before bad things happen
Before you eat, or drive
In every situation - PRAY FIRST!
Prayer changes things because our God is able to change anything and everything!
