A Month in Prayer
Praying Our Prayers
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23,24)
We are almost at the end of our month-long focus on prayer.
It is our prayer you have gained much from this experience.
Prayer is extremely important.
It does change things. Here are a few examples.
Several studies have found a connection between prayer and healing. Patient who were prayed for had better outcomes than those who had no prayers on their behalf. This proved true even when the patients did not know that prayers were said on their behalf.
Patients from the San Francisco General Medical Center were randomly divided into placebo and test groups. Patients in the test group were prayed for by Christians; the placebo group received no prayer. There were no statistical differences between the placebo and the prayer groups before prayer was initiated. The results demonstrated that patients who were prayed for suffered "less congestive heart failure, required less diuretic and antibiotic therapy,
had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests, and were less frequently intubated and ventilated."
(Rich Deem, GodandScience.org)
Prayer also improves marriages.
There is an often-cited statistic that 50 percent of marriages
end in divorce — even among churchgoers.
But that statistic is misleading.
When studies that distinguish between couples who claim a nominal faith and those who prioritize church attendance and faith, one finds a much lower divorce rate among committed Christians.
Here are a few examples of the role of prayer in sustaining a marriage:
Baylor University did a study that showed a 0-2% “fear of divorce”
for couples that pray together daily.
Gallup did a study in 1991 that showed praying together as a couple is “the most powerful correlate to marital happiness.”
The University of Virginia and Bowling Green State University independently found that regular church attendance cuts the likelihood of divorce by 30 to 35 percent.
When you add prayer into the mix, divorce plummets.
A 1998 survey by the Georgia Family Council found that among couples who prayed together weekly, only 7 percent had seriously considered divorce, compared to 65 percent of those who never prayed together.
Hours of Prayer
Within many Christian faith traditions there is an official set of daily prayers. These prayers consist primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and Scripture readings. The early Christians continued the Jewish practice of reciting prayers at certain hours of the day or night. The Apostles continued to the Jewish custom of praying at the third, sixth and ninth hours and at midnight (Acts 10:3, 9; 16:25; etc.). Christian prayer in the early church consisted of almost the same elements as Jewish prayer: recital or chanting psalms and reading the Scriptures. By the time of the Roman Empire, the Jews (and early Christians) began to use the Roman system of conducting the business day to schedule their times for prayer. In Roman cities, the bell in the forum rang the beginning of the business day and noted the day's progress by striking again around the hours designated for continued. By 60 AD the oldest known Christian liturgical manual recommended praying the Lord's Prayer three times a day. By the second and third centuries the Church fathers had firmly established regular times of prayer throughout the day.
It is our prayer you have gained much from this experience.
Prayer is extremely important.
It does change things. Here are a few examples.
Several studies have found a connection between prayer and healing. Patient who were prayed for had better outcomes than those who had no prayers on their behalf. This proved true even when the patients did not know that prayers were said on their behalf.
Patients from the San Francisco General Medical Center were randomly divided into placebo and test groups. Patients in the test group were prayed for by Christians; the placebo group received no prayer. There were no statistical differences between the placebo and the prayer groups before prayer was initiated. The results demonstrated that patients who were prayed for suffered "less congestive heart failure, required less diuretic and antibiotic therapy,
had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests, and were less frequently intubated and ventilated."
(Rich Deem, GodandScience.org)
Prayer also improves marriages.
There is an often-cited statistic that 50 percent of marriages
end in divorce — even among churchgoers.
But that statistic is misleading.
When studies that distinguish between couples who claim a nominal faith and those who prioritize church attendance and faith, one finds a much lower divorce rate among committed Christians.
Here are a few examples of the role of prayer in sustaining a marriage:
Baylor University did a study that showed a 0-2% “fear of divorce”
for couples that pray together daily.
Gallup did a study in 1991 that showed praying together as a couple is “the most powerful correlate to marital happiness.”
The University of Virginia and Bowling Green State University independently found that regular church attendance cuts the likelihood of divorce by 30 to 35 percent.
When you add prayer into the mix, divorce plummets.
A 1998 survey by the Georgia Family Council found that among couples who prayed together weekly, only 7 percent had seriously considered divorce, compared to 65 percent of those who never prayed together.
Hours of Prayer
Within many Christian faith traditions there is an official set of daily prayers. These prayers consist primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and Scripture readings. The early Christians continued the Jewish practice of reciting prayers at certain hours of the day or night. The Apostles continued to the Jewish custom of praying at the third, sixth and ninth hours and at midnight (Acts 10:3, 9; 16:25; etc.). Christian prayer in the early church consisted of almost the same elements as Jewish prayer: recital or chanting psalms and reading the Scriptures. By the time of the Roman Empire, the Jews (and early Christians) began to use the Roman system of conducting the business day to schedule their times for prayer. In Roman cities, the bell in the forum rang the beginning of the business day and noted the day's progress by striking again around the hours designated for continued. By 60 AD the oldest known Christian liturgical manual recommended praying the Lord's Prayer three times a day. By the second and third centuries the Church fathers had firmly established regular times of prayer throughout the day.
Hours of Prayer
By the third century, the Desert Fathers (the earliest monks),
began to live out Paul's command to "pray without ceasing.”
One group of monks would pray one fixed-hour prayer
while having another group pray the next prayer
so that prayer would occur continually.
Over time as Christian monastic communities developed in both the East and West, longer prayers were used.
The cycle of prayer became the norm of daily life in monasteries.
By the fourth century, the characteristics of the canonical hours more or less took their present shape. Secular (non-monastic) clergymen and lay people also prayed shorter prayers at fixed hours.
Bede’s Rule further codified these prayers and the hours of prayer grew more elaborate until the Reformation.
After the Reformation, the Catholic Church simplified these prayers and Lutherans and Anglicans continued to use modified versions of praying the hours.
Reformed people embraced this ancient tradition during the last century’s liturgical renewal movement though modifying it.
By the third century, the Desert Fathers (the earliest monks),
began to live out Paul's command to "pray without ceasing.”
One group of monks would pray one fixed-hour prayer
while having another group pray the next prayer
so that prayer would occur continually.
Over time as Christian monastic communities developed in both the East and West, longer prayers were used.
The cycle of prayer became the norm of daily life in monasteries.
By the fourth century, the characteristics of the canonical hours more or less took their present shape. Secular (non-monastic) clergymen and lay people also prayed shorter prayers at fixed hours.
Bede’s Rule further codified these prayers and the hours of prayer grew more elaborate until the Reformation.
After the Reformation, the Catholic Church simplified these prayers and Lutherans and Anglicans continued to use modified versions of praying the hours.
Reformed people embraced this ancient tradition during the last century’s liturgical renewal movement though modifying it.
This week there are no set prayers. We will make suggestions about things for which to pray,
but you will create your own prayers each day.
Bring your prayers and share them at our prayer walk
this Saturday.
Also use them during theprayer vigil
we are holding Saturday 11/2.
Pray Ya’ll!!
*****************************
TODAY WE WILL PRAY FOR MISSIONS- Below is a little prayer guidance to help us in our own prayers.
So, how do we pray for missions?
1) Remember the importance of why we pray for missions- Jesus said the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few- pray for laborers to go into the harvest field. (Matthew 9:37; Lk. 10:2). Instead of just saying, "Go out and reap the harvest" Jesus asks us to pray- giving it to God. Prayer is so important to the work of God.
2) Pray for Missionaries- Here is a great link on how to pray for missions by Wycliffe (founded by Presbyterian Cam Townsend). Pray for Open doors; Boldness in Witness; Spreading of the Word; Protection; Ministry; Guidance; Refreshment; Partners in Prayer;
Our specific missionaries are: Mark and Jesse Bodman (Peru), Those who have gone out from our church into ministry:
Ryan McCrary (GOAT ministry); Casey Washington (Rock Hill and Winthrop ministry); Beth and Steve Moody (Campus Ministry with Omega Chi at NC State);
3) Pray for the spreading of God's love and knowledge in the world. Jesus taught us to care not just about our local surroundings but our world (Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). So whenever you read of a tragedy - an earthquake, hurricane/cyclone/tornado; war/terrorist act; persecution of believers- pray for the spreading of God's Word and Christian witness there.
4) Pray for our partner church in Peru- Casa De Dios in Iquitos. Pastor Guillermo.
5) Pray for our regional missions: Thornwell Home for Children; Newberry Boys Farm; Presbyterian College and the campus ministries in SC; Presbyterian Home;
6) Pray for our local missions: GOoDWorks, We Care, Snackpack (food for students on weekends), Christgate Women's shelter; Tutoring at the HUB.
7) Pray for our new daughter church that will come up in the next few years.
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