The other day I was listening to a pastor speak about the priority of prayer. He said the following:

• Scripture records the disciples asking Jesus to teach them one thing: how to pray (Luke 11:1).
• When Jesus overturned the tables in the temple, He gave the temple a name: “a house of prayer for all the nations” (Mark 11:17).
• Jesus’ first words from the cross were words of prayer: praying for His Father to forgive His tormentors (Luke 23:34).

Clearly, prayer was a priority for Jesus.

Is it for you?

Did you grow up with traditional family devotions?

Many of us visualize parents and children gathered around the dinner table after a relaxing dinner. But did you ever consider that thanking God that your sick two-year-old in the back seat didn’t vomit on the way to the doctor’s office was a kind of family devotion? After all, even a quick prayer of thanksgiving from a mom’s heart reflects lifestyle faith.

During my ministry as a missionary, schoolteacher, and pastor, I have learned that children respond differently when told what they must or must not do. Some are naturally obedient and eager to please. Others react with defiance. There are also those who require an explanation, something simple or a more elaborate justification. Often, adults have no choice but to play the trump card—“Because I said so.” This useful phrase appeals to the bottom line: authority. The conversation is over; there will be no further argument or explanation. The child must comply simply because the adult has authority over the child.

One of the blessings of being a professional church worker is the kindness and generosity I have received from other church workers and members of the congregations I have served. I have had access to various opportunities merely because I’ve gotten to know people throughout the course of my study and service. For example, while I was an undergraduate, I secured a summer job because my pastor knew the owner of the company. I obtained a discount on three different cars because the party selling the car knew I was a church worker with limited resources. It really is who you know. Or perhaps who knows you.

Every winter, my church works with a local charity and other houses of worship to host a hypothermia shelter. One week a year, each church welcomes a group of our unhoused neighbors into their building, giving them dinner, a warm place to sleep overnight, and breakfast. From November to March, the houses of worship in our community supplement the country’s overflowing permanent shelters, one week and one church at a time.

What is the difference between believers and unbelievers in God’s eyes? The Father created us in His image, and Jesus carried the sins of every one of us, both believers and unbelievers, fully satisfying God’s wrath against all of us through His suffering, death, and resurrection. The difference lies in the work of the Holy Spirit, creating and sustaining saving faith in Jesus Christ for believers.

When our Lord breathed His last and died on the cross, the curtain in the temple of Jerusalem tore in two from top to bottom. This event signified that the barrier of sin that separated sinners from God was now open. Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, had succeeded in redeeming the entire world through His shedding of blood and death on the cross. Now God’s children could pray directly to their Heavenly Father through faith in the Son. Jesus expresses this as He meets with His disciples before going to His passion. “In that day you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you” (John 16: 23).

Did you know that October is Pastor Appreciation Month? Pastors do so much beyond what we see on Sunday mornings— they visit the sick and dying, provide counseling, and are leaders for church or school staff, for example. Take a moment to give thanks for your pastor and pray for his ministry.

The idea of prayer is mainstream—from movie references to gift shop baubles, the word pray can be found everywhere. As Christians, we know that the Bible tells us that we are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18) and that we are to cast all our worries on God, with thanksgiving (see 1 Peter 5:7). We are instructed, and even commanded, many times in Scripture to pray. If you grew up in a Christian household or school, you were most likely guided through prayers at meals and bedtime. When these structures are no longer in place, it can become easy to lose track of the habit and you might find your prayer life slipping. Read on to contemplate on how to invigorate your own prayer life despite the distraction and busyness of life.