Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him…When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:15–16, 19)

Satan continually tries to sell us on the idea that we don’t have the time to pray. We have other more important things to do.

The Bible, however, says something very different. It says that we as believers, both individually and corporately, are called first of all—first of all!—to pray. That means as soon as our feet hit the floor in the morning, first of all, we pray. It means that prayer should be our number-one priority.

According to the Bible, if we put prayer first, we can live quiet lives in peace, honesty, and reverence—even in the midst of turbulent times. But if we don’t put prayer first, the consequences will be very serious.Continue reading

We know in the last days there will come perilous times of great stress and trouble, but that isn’t something we should stress over or be concerned about. We can be encouraged because in the middle of difficulty, God has provided all we will need to be fully equipped for every good work.

Over the next few days I want to share with you excerpts from my book, Devotions for the Praying Heart: Prayer Notes, that will encourage you along these lines. I hope you are encouraged by them. I’m praying for you as you stand with our Lord on the battlefront; may you be brave, courageous, and positioned victoriously in Him.Continue reading