1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, English Standard Version

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"

We call 911 when there's some trouble or emergency. We don't call that number just to say hi or to chat. Our prayer life should not be limited to just 911 prayers. The Lord wants to talk to us and us to Him daily, in good and bad times.

Imagine having a friend that only checks on you when they are in dire need of your help or need something from you. Wouldn't it be best just to cut them off entirely? This is how some of us treat God. We only go to Him whenever we are in trouble or are in need of something. Imagine if He cut us off for just calling on Him only when we need Him. How would we feel? I'm thankful that God doesn't think the way we humans think. Prayers are a means of communication to God, and as believers, we ought to talk to God daily. If we have no trouble conversing with people, talking to God through prayer shouldn't be difficult. When talking to close friends, we usually ask about their day, their health, things we have in common, and this is the way God wants us to talk to Him. Our prayers don't necessarily have to be impressive or smoothly spoken, it should just be coming from a sincere heart. In praying, you shouldn't care if you have the right words or not because God knows what's in your heart even before you speak. The more you talk to a person, the more the relationship with that person grows. So it is with God; the more you talk to Him the more you know Him. Prayer is a personal thing, not a show for all to see. Prayer is still one of the most potent weapons available to believers to live a life of peace and joy in this troubled world. Living a comfortable life and having everything together shouldn't stop you from seeking God's face. One trick the devil uses to draw people away from God is giving them temporary riches. Some people, during their desperate seasons, have only God. Praying and fasting is the only thing they could do. Immediately after God answers their prayers, they turn their backs on Him. God becomes a stranger to them; they forget that the answer to prayers is just a test of faith to see if serving God will still be a priority for them when everything comes crashing down. That's when they come running back to God. Are we serving God out of our love for Him or out of desperation? Again, thank God that He's a merciful God.

In these end times the devil is coming up with more ways of turning people away from God. No one is immune from the tricks of the devil. Prayer is the only thing that can keep us standing firm. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, it says to keep praying always. We need God now more than ever before. I encourage you and me to keep seeking God's face in prayer every time, not just when we are desperate. God is not a 911 call; He is a priority!