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Thursday, 27 August 2020
The importance of prayer

Question of the day: Why couldn't I get past the first 4 words of my Bible reading today?

Answer: There is so much in these 3 chapters. I am so glad I will have two more opportunities to write about them. "On the third day..." This points to the value and importance of prayer. Esther invited the entire Jewish community to fast and pray with her for three days. This wasn't a casual, "Wouldn't it be nice if you would fast and pray with me." This was the result of Esther saying to the Jewish community of Shushan, "I am risking my life here and I need your support."

Yeshua was in a similar situation in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was praying for strength. He was praying for the strength to submit His life. He asked His inner core+of 3 disciples to pray with him, 3 times.

Matthew 26:37 "And He took along Peter and Zebedee's two sons (James and John), and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He tells them, 'My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.'"

Listen carefully to Yeshua's message here ... Matthew 26:40-41 "Then He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping; and He tells Peter, 'So couldn't you keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying, so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Our prayers in times of national crisis are important. Do you see where I'm going with this? There are many layers of importance; I'm counting three.

1. We, ourselves, are kept in right relationship with God through our prayers.

2. Our prayers have the power to draw God's attention.

3. His angels are activated by our prayers.

We are in a national crisis, not so different from the days of Mordecai and Esther. Nothing is functioning according to God's design. Disease in the form of pandemic, economic dysfunction and social unrest are all tearing away at the structure of society. Without much prayer, we ourselves will lose our way along with the rest of the lost.

God calls us to pray so that His purposes will be accomplished and we will remain faithful. Stay thirsty (for Him) my friends.

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:00am Comment Comments: 0