As a teenager I can remember sitting in Sunday School class and hearing my teacher say, "we just need to pray about it." I didn't want to pray about it, I wanted to do something about "it", regardless of what "it" was. Prayer seemed like a waste of a young man's time. I loved the worship and the preaching in church, but I didn't see the importance of prayer. I thought that great worship and great preaching could solve anyone's problem. Now don't get me wrong. Great church worship and dynamic preaching are essential to church growth and health. There is, however, no substitute for prayer! The older I get and the farther on in ministry I go, I see that prayer really brings change in the lives of people.

Prayer is never a waste of time or energy. It is never something we do in church to fill up time in a service. It should never be our last option in seeking a move of the Holy Spirit. My Sunday School teacher was right. "We just need to pray about it!". Paul says the same thing in 1st Thessalonians 5:17, when he says, "never stop praying", (NLT). I have seen God do more wonderful things in the lives of people through prayer than any spiritual tool in our toolbox. What should we do? "Just pray about it !"

Steve Brown