John Ortberg, in Chapter 6 of his book, The Life You've Always Wanted, quotes another spiritual writer, Dallas Willard, who wrote: "The idea that everything would happen exactly as it does regardless of whether we pray or not, is a specter that haunts the minds of many who sincerely profess belief in God.  It makes prayer psychologically impossible, replacing it with dead ritual at best." (pp. 92-93)  What do you think about that issue? Are things going to happen the way they are going to happen, or do our prayers actually make a difference? Do our prayers really influence God or is everything already laid out in advance? In the Letter to James, we are encouraged to "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." (James 5:16)

I would have to say that one of the most common Biblical teachings on the subject of prayer is summarized by the word, "persistence." Jesus told parables about people who would not stop asking and requesting . . . a stubborn widow who had no influence other than continuing to bother a stubborn judge, neighbors in need who wouldn't stop knocking on a door in order to get food, small children who were very adamant that their father would answer their requests. The implication is that if persistence makes a difference on a human level, how much more should we continue to be persistent as we approach a God whose love and grace are far beyond anything we might imagine. Join us for worship this weekend!