Last Sunday I had the privilege of worshipping at one of the Baptist churches in Telefomin while visiting the Bubb family in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. As the service concluded, Pastor Robin (a national man whom Bendigo Baptist had financially supported through Bible College at CLTC a few years ago) initiated a time of prayer for the Bubb family as they were returning to Australia to allow Chris to undertake some important medical tests.

This church, numbering close to one hundred people, gathered around Chris, Narelle and their children and fervently began pray in one voice that God would intervene and bring healing into the life of Chris. It wasn’t just a token prayer given a little flippantly at the end of a worship service, but rather a demonstration of their genuine dependence upon God for every aspect of their lives. Like the believers in the early church, these followers of Jesus were strong believers in the power of God and consequently they devoted themselves... to prayer (Acts 2:42)

Their enthusiastic example was a little humbling for it reminded me that our personal and corporate times of prayer in the western church often lack the same urgency or intensity. Sadly, prayer is sometimes our last resort when all other options have been seriously considered or exhausted. Richard Halverson, a former Chaplain of the United States Senate, once said, “You can organise until you are exhausted. You can plan, program and subsidize all your plans. But if you fail to pray, it is a waste of time. Prayer is not optional. It is mandatory.”

As we come into a new year, it is of paramount important that you and I approach everything we do by building on the right foundation. Instead of waiting until the last moment or relying upon our own industrious efforts, let’s be characterized as people who are completely and utterly dependent on God as evidenced in our personal and corporate devotion to prayer. (Colossians 4:2) Like our brothers and sisters in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, let’s ensure that we look to God and rely upon His presence and power for every aspect of our daily lives.

With this in mind, I want to encourage you to think deeply about two things for your lives? Firstly, with summer holidays nearly finished and the routine of work and school about to return, we need to ensure that we find time each day to engage deeply with our heavenly Father. How are you doing with your times of personal worship? Is there anything you need to change in life to ensure that this is a regular daily occurrence? If you’re looking for something to help you, make sure you pick up a bible reading plan from the information desk in the foyer. Start reading His Word with an expectation that God is going to show up and speak profoundly into your life. Secondly, we weren’t ever called to do life in isolation for God expects His children to gather for times of corporate worship and prayer. How are you doing in gathering regularly with God’s people? Is there anything you need to adjust in your life to ensure that you (and maybe your family) can gather regularly in corporate worship?

As we commence a new year together, I also want to invite each one of you to participate in a corporate day of worship and prayer at BBC. This creative day of prayer will be held on Saturday February 12^th starting at 7:00 AM and finishing later that evening around 7:00 PM. It will run all day allowing people to come and go as time permits. It will be family friendly so I urge you to bring your children and engage with another as we seek our Heavenly Father and devote this year, our lives and all ministry endeavours to Him. Specific details will be shared about this important day in the coming weeks but please note this date on your personal calendars and come join the ministry team and church wider church family as we devote ourselves in prayer together.