God Answers Prayer at ashgrove ...

After 20 years of prayer - finally getting to go back to where we once lived

Prayed for an opportunity to share Jesus - ten minutes later given the opportunity to step into someone's life

Prayed for financial help - received extra money

Worried and stressed about getting things done -  someone volunteered to help

In an age where independence is celebrated, we as Christians are very conscience of our dependence on God. In fact we know we can't do a thing in and of ourselves ... it is God who changes lives, it is God who brings people to Himself, it is God who builds His church. And the amazing thing in all of this is that God invites us to pray; to participate with Him in what He is doing.

For us at ashgrove prayer is a privilege. We pray because we are dependent on God, because God commands us to and because God answers prayer. And so in any given week, we as a church are encouraged to pray; to pray individually ... to pray for each other ... to pray together.

 There are several opportunities here at ashgrove where we can come together and pray each week:

• In life groups - people pray for one another, for the church, for the wider community.
• In Worship Gatherings -people praying together as a whole church community.
• On Thursday mornings @ 6.30am - meet and pray together in the Red Room.
• Every second Thursday at 12 noon in the Care Space.
• On Sunday nights @6pm - meet and pray together in the Parents' Room.
• 1^st Friday of each month @7.30pm - meet to pray together in the Parents' Room.
• 3^rdSaturday of each month @ 8am - meet together at 388 Waterworks Rd for a morning of global mission focused prayer.

There will also be an opportunity in the week beginning the 28^thNovember for ashgrove to come together as a church and pray as we share together in a Week of Prayer.

 So let's pray!  The heart cry of God's ancient people was "...Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down ..." (Is 64:1) and they lamented that "No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you ..." (7).  We might not understand every facet of prayer; in fact prayer is a mystery.  But what we do know is that God delights in the desperate cries of His children.

 Let's cultivate a habit of prayer; lets pray individually... lets pray for each other...lets pray together.