The three most important things we can do at Rogue River Assembly of God are to pray, to pray, and to pray!

Johnny had been misbehaving and was sent to his room. After a while he emerged and informed his mother that he had thought it over and then said a prayer. "Fine", said the pleased mother. "If you ask God to help you not misbehave, he will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me not misbehave," said Johnny. "I asked Him to help you put up with me."

(My son was so cute for church today I thought I would share a picture!)

There are a plethora of resources in the Christian world to help us all learn HOW TO PRAY...

Even the smallest of things can help your prayer life... like these words I shared from a simple bookmark ordered from http://www.praymag.com/...

BLESSINGS FOR YOUR NEW YEAR... Purpose: As you complete your daily tasks, may you understand how they contribute to the larger purpose of your life... Fulfilling work: May you take pleasure in all your work... Physical Health: May you and those you love remain strong in body and free from disease... Peace of Mind: May your mind and heart always be at rest... Good relationships: May you be surrounded by loving , faithful, and supportive friends... Sufficient resources: May you have exactly what you need for each day. May you become rich in every way so that you can share generously with others... Contentment: May you take pleasure in all the good things you have and discover the secret of being content in any and every situation... Laughter: May you laugh long and often... Breathing room: In the rush of life, may you always find time and space for the people and activities that refresh your soul... Great ideas: May you receive fresh insight to meet the challenges of each day and discover creative solutions to your problems... New opportunities: May you constandly be presented with new and profitable ventures... Good decions: May you have wisdom to determine the best course of action in ever situation... Safety: May you and those you love be kept from violence, calamity, and loss...

This week I went to my favorite place on earth, the Oregon Coast, for a prayer retreat... Cynthia Bezek wrote: YOU KNOW IT'S TIME FOR A PRAYER RETREAT WHEN... you're dry and out of touch with the Lord... you feel overwhelmed, overworked, stressed, or scattered... you feel mechanical in your devotion and service... you have an important decision to make... you have a sinful habit to overcome... you have someone you need to forgive... you need God's perspective on a situation... you have a strategic ministry event or season ahead... you need insight about an unanswered prayer... you're behind in intercession and others are depending on you... you haven't had one in three months or more... your spouse, teenager, roomate, collegue, or dog tells you that you need one...

I think the greatest advice I can give you on HOW TO PRAY is JUST DO IT... Prayer is simply FOCUSING ON GOD... Talk to Him, set aside a time, a place, stay constantly connected...

2 Chronicles 20 (if this passage of scripture doesn't crank your tractor, your feelers broke) 1. Prayer refocuses us on God... 2. Prayer sensitizes us to God's voice... 3. Prayer gets results...

In his book Intimacy with the Almighty, Charles Swindoll writes, "If we refuse to provide pockets of silence in our lives, we will always flounder in a fog, wondering who God is and what He's doing...But if we deliberately fashion protracted periods of silence, we will grow deeper in an increasing awareness of the real presence of God."