Hebrews 11:6

Brother Jackie Strickler opened last Sunday’s in-person worship here with a Sunday School lesson highlighting the spiritual value of faith. He’s right on! The work of our ministry is to change unbelieving sinners into praying, believing saints. As someone has said, “Christian ministry is one starving sinner showing another sinner where to find bread.”

We have clear authority to accomplish this from Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” This is a faith-full command, as we grasp the tremendous importance of faith and the importance that God has put upon it, as we read in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” Our Depews Chapel mission is centered in prayer.

“Come pray with us,” is our constant invitation! So when we think of the importance of prayer, we find faith standing immediately beside it. Prayer introduces us to a life of living faith. “For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Before prayer even starts toward God–even before the prayerful petition is chosen and prayerful request made known–faith must have gone on ahead. As a church sign announced some time ago, “Pray. Wait. Be patient. God heard you.”

Another truth. While faith itself does not necessarily bring blessing, it puts prayer in a position to ask for it, by assisting the one who prays to believe that Almighty God is able and willing to bless.

I’ve discovered this fact of Christian faith repeatedly: Faith starts prayer to work. It clears away the useless “stuff” that hinders a deeper and more satisfying prayer life. Yes, faith opens the way for prayer to genuinely approach the Lord God, but it does more–much more! It actually accompanies each other with each step she takes. Faith is the inseparable companion with and to prayer!

Faith turns asking into obtaining. Faith follows prayer, since the spiritual life into which a believer is led by prayer is a satisfying life of faith. Faith, not works, is the prominent characteristic for the experience by which believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are brought into thorough, unhindered prayer.

Keep praying Sisters and Brothers! God is seeing us through this perilous time. God is alive! Prayer, with faith, changes things!