Written by Richard Foster, a contemporary pastor, author, and founder of Renovare.
Considering the relationship between the life of prayer and holy obedience in a war-wracked world is a massive task. In an existential sense, prayer brings us into the holy of holies in the Christian life. We move from the periphery to the center. Edward Payson said, “Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, the third thing necessary to a minister. Pray, then, pray, pray, pray.” Sir Thomas Buxton wrote, “You know the value of prayer; it is precious beyond all price. Never, never neglect it.” William Penn said of George Fox, “Above all he exceeded in prayer.” Archbishop Tait said, “I want a life of greater, deeper, truer prayer.” Martin Luther declared, “He who has prayed well has studied well.” Most pertinent of all are the words of William Carey, “Prayer — secret, fervent, believing prayer — lies at the root of all personal godliness.” Our task is to see how prayer opens us to this personal godliness and to meditate on that reality within the wider social context of war and peace…The primary purpose of prayer is to bring us into such a life of communion with the Father that we are conformed into the image of his son Jesus Christ. We are inwardly taken over, changed, transformed.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. [Hebrews 5:7]
Pathways Press.com 
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