Prayer

In a recent Reader's Digest poll, it was reported that citizens of the Czech Republic prayed the least out of 19 countries included in a worldwide survey.

Only 8% of Czechs said that they pray daily. This is quite a contrast to the 78% of Malaysians who pray daily and the 55% of Americans who pray every day. Of the Czech respondents, 65% said that they never pray at all.

(Please follow this link for the full results of this survey.)
http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/how-often-do-you-pray-around-the-world-with-one-question/article121601.html

Oh that the Czech people would know the power of prayer!

God's will for us is that we would "pray continually."

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Why do we need to pray?

Prayer is talking with God. If a person never talks to a friend or relative, their relationship with that person does not grow. God wants us to communicate with Him so that we know Him and become closely connected with Him.

God has offered people who pray to Him many precious promises.

God promises that He will answer our prayers:

"I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' " -Zechariah 13:9

God promises that He hears us and answers requests that are made in accordance with His will:

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him" -1 John 5:14-15

God promises that He will forgive our sins:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9

The Lord also wants us to pray so that we will remain obedient to Him.

"Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak." Matthew 26:41

Through Christ we have been given a wonderful blessing - we can talk with our Creator who is the Maker of the universe!

Let us pray in faith that the Lord would open many Czech people's hearts to receive this blessing!

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." -Luke 17:6

Let us pray that for his glory the Lord will be pleased to increase the number of Czech people who know Him, love Him and come to Him each day in prayer.