To pray is something we are taught at a very young age. Our parents try to instill in us a reverence for God and His ability to take care of us. And usually, in the early years of our lives, we do not have too much of a problem with "believing" in that ability.

But, as we grow older, our thoughts are directed in various directions, and before we know it, we are often confused. We loose the ability to accept the love and care of one who is higher than our immediate surroundings and do not often place our trust in the One whom we have been taught to honor and revere. We are blinded by our surroundings and are tempted to take our eyes off the Lord and Savior. Our lives are often dictated by "peer pressure." We feel a need to 'fit in.' The 'world' becons, and we give it heed.

We are headed down a dead-end street! We have turned away from God and His love and mercy. Life has no meaning that we can see. Every way we turn, there is emptiness and sorrow. We are compelled to 'give up.'

What happened? Where did we go astray? Why did we turn away from hope. The answer is very simple. There is one who has made it his only purpose in existence to make the lives of every living person a "living hell." He has sworn to draw all mankind to him and make them his deciples. The destruction of peace, prosperity, health, and happiness is what he strives for. He has many names-Satan, Devil, Lucifer, etc. No matter what name he goes by, he is the ANTI- Christ!!! He will do anything to draw us away from the love of God. Don't believe he is not powerful - just look around you at all the trouble we are experiencing in this world. He is at the very root of ALL of it. God created perfection in the garden of Eden, Satan ruined it by deceiving the man (whom God made in His own image) and the woman, the man's wife.

So, we are 'left out in the dark,' so to speak? No! God expelled them from the garden because He could not tolerate sin (in the act of disobedience) in a place He had created perfect. He had created the garden so He would have a place to come down to earth and fellowship with the joy of His creation. Unfortunately, His 'joy' had chose to disobey Him and was therefore expelled from the place of perfection that was necessary for them to have the 'one-on-one' fellowship of their creator. Since sin and God cannot occupy the same space, someone had to go. It wasn't going to be the one who had created that space.

When man was cast from the 'perfect place,' he lost the closeness that once was consummated between him and God. He had disobeyed the only "Thou shall not...." he had received at that time. And although God had expelled him from the 'utopia' that He had prepared for him, He still had a desire to commune with His 'ultimate creation.' God still wants to have the closeness we were created for. Only through the downfall of Adam and Eve are we separated from this fellowship.

No, we cannot go back to the physical 'Garden of Eden.' Mankind had received the 'knowledge of good and evil' in physical form - there was no way God could take a chance, once this happened, on the physical form of man to partake of the "tree of eternal life." If he had, we would be able to exist forever with this physical body. I can't imagine 'eternity' in my present physical state!!!

Therefore, God wants us to return to the 'place of perfect peace and rest' He is preparing for us who are willing to return to the reason we were created. He has expelled us from the place He created here on this earth, but He is preparing another one where Satan cannot enter! He is seeking to find those He has cast out of His earthly fellowship and wants to restore all to the place where once again we can sit down with Him and give Him the praise, glory, and honor He desires and is worthy of. That was the reason for our creation in the very beginning.

He is seeking, but are we willing to be found? The question should be - Are we content to live in the present circumstances we are in? Do we sincerely want something better that what we have at the present? Is there really hope for the future? Is there a better way? Lots of questions, but only one way to answer them. That is on an individual basis. God wants all to return to His fellowship. Will all return? Unfortunately, no. Some will not 'give up all they have struggled for.' They will choose to enjoy the material things they accumulate in the present time of their lives. They may actually believe there is an 'eternity,' but they have no desire to make any definite plans for it. They may accept the fact that there is a God, but He is not their god.

Who is their 'god?' Well, the Word of God, if we accept it as such, plainly tells us there is ONE God and one who wants to be 'god.' Therefore, we WILL accept one or the other. We cannot serve both. One will have precedence over the other. It is a decision that MUST be made while we are here on this earth. It cannot be determined after death.

And, it is an individual decision. We cannot make the final choice for anyone but ourselves. We can testify of the love and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ one to another, and we may pray the intercessory prayer for one another, but only as individuals can we make the final decision as to whom we will call "GOD."

The prayer of faith

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is any one happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:13-16 (NIV)