The Importance and Power of Prayer
"He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him." (Psalm 91:15)
"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)
Created for a Relationship with God
One of the profound mysteries of the created universe is that the Creator continually has a relationship with His creation - specifically with those who bear His image and are called by His name. The universe is more than we can experience with our senses and explain with our minds. It is a living, dynamic interchange between the Creator and His creation; between the Redeemer and the redeemed. As the redeemed church of the living God, we worship a Divine Person who interacts with and responds to us. He is intimately acquainted with our ways. He knows our thoughts before we even think them. And He understands us even better than we know ourselves. He feels our pain and shares our joys. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is our Advocate, Intercessor, Burden-Bearer, and Friend.
Responding in Worship
God has initiated a personal relationship with His creation so that we might glorify, worship, and enjoy Him forever. Since God is worthy of our worship, we praise and adore Him. Sometimes, though, we fall short of appreciating His worth and displaying His glory through our attitudes and actions so, we confess or agree with Him about our sins. Since He is faithful to forgive us, abundant in mercy, generous in grace, and steadfast in love, we respond in gratitude and thanksgiving. And since He is our loving and caring Advocate, Intercessor, Burden-Bearer and Friend, we cast all our care upon Him through our petitions for ourselves and others. All of these activities highlight the continual importance of prayer in our daily worship and relationship with God.
Bearing One Another's Burdens
Christ is our Advocate, Intercessor, Burden-Bearer, and Friend. As Christians, we are called to come alongside others to be Jesus to them. Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ". As Christians, we are called to community and compassion, considering one another, and lifting each other up in prayer. For truly, as the love of God for one another is on display, will we be a people of one heart and one mind, and a living testimony of God's presence among us (John 17:20-23).
Advancing the Kingdom of God
In His Divine wisdom, God has chosen to advance the gospel of His kingdom through weak and ordinary vessels; for it is in our weaknesses and insufficiencies that His power is on display. He has chosen to build His kingdom through the fervent and persistent prayers of His Church. For this reason, we practice the priority of prayer -- both personally and collectively. We encourage you to join us as we seek the face of God together. Get plugged into a prayer group in your area!
JOIN A PRAYER GROUP
Prayer Group Locations
- Contra Costa (Moraga, Walnut Creek)
- Castro Valley (Castro Valley, San Leandro, Hayward)
- San Leandro (San Leandro, San Lorenzo)
- Tri-Valley (Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, Danville, San Ramon)