Time to Pray

By Stan Parker

Time to Pray is a book designed to improve believers' prayer life in Jesus Christ. This book will provide information to inspire the reader to seek revelation in order to bring transformation in their prayer time with the Lord. Time to Pray serves as a reminder that prayer time is now. Many believers desire change in their personal lives, family, and community, yet they forget to pray. Time to Pray is a reminder for us not to forget one of the most powerful spiritual weapons in our spiritual tool box: prayer. Time to Pray is not a quick-fix book. It is a tool to help believers strengthen their prayer life in order to enhance the principles, precepts, and promises given by God as we walk in obedience to his command for us to pray. The practical yet profound principles discussed will shine new light to the readers' understanding of prayer and help facilitate a new hunger for intimate time with the God through his Son, Jesus the Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685706869

Book preview

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Time to Pray

Stan Parker

ISBN 978-1-68570-685-2 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68570-686-9 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Stan Parker

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Prayer for the Readers

Acknowledgments

Forewords

Introduction

Purpose

Prayer

Pray Now

Importance and Necessity of Prayer

Praying and Obeying

Praying in the Name of Jesus

Praying Effectively

Hindrance to Praying Effectively

Prayer of Faith

The Most Important Prayer

About the Author

To Charlotte, my wife, the love of my life, and mother of our children. You have shown me how important it is to stay in an attitude of prayer. I am thankful to God for allowing me to have a true prayer warrior in my life. You have indeed been a wonderful example in reminding me that it is time to pray.

To my children, Denay, Stanley, DeJuan, and Matthew. I thank each of you for living in a way where you push me to understand it is time to pray. Your life's challenges serve as a reminder it is time to pray. My prayer for each of you is for you to learn it is time to pray as you minister to your families in the future.

To my departed sister, Lynn. Your memory of being a prayer warrior of God will forever be with me. There are some prayers you did not get to see before your departure, yet your prayers will not expire. You traded your earthly praying for eternal praise, and I am not mad at you, but I do miss you.

Prayer for the Readers

Eternal heavenly Father, the God of the universe, please anoint the readers to understand the urgency of prayer for their lives, families, community, and the world. May they come to the knowledge that accepting the time to pray is now.

Please allow them to receive information, understanding, and wisdom to apply the principles and precepts as they read this book to develop a prayer life, which is pleasing to you.

Father, if any reader does not know Jesus Christ in the pardon of sin, let them experience his love, grace, and mercy to the end of them asking Jesus Christ into their life as Savior and Redeemer.

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I am grateful to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ for his abundant love, grace, and mercy that he freely gives to each of us. I praise him for allowing me to partner in his work for his glory. I praise him for giving me the privilege to pray. May I never forget today and always that it is time to pray.

Dexter and Kim, thanks for the encouragement to complete this book.

Deacon Lance, thanks for your spirit of excellence.

Markus, thanks for allowing me to see the evidence of prayer in your life and your family.

Pastor Jamaal, thanks for being a spiritual son whose light shines even when it is not popular.

Sheena, Carrice, and Kandace, thanks for being God's angels in my life.

Forewords

What a tragedy that so many people, even Christian believers and leaders, have neglected the spiritual discipline of prayer. Prayer gives us confident, intimate access to the Creator of the universe! Who wouldn't want that? In this book, Dr. Stan Parker draws on the scriptures and on his own rich personal experience to call us back to the vital and irreplaceable practice of prayer. He urges us to pray, teaches us how and when to pray, and shows us just how much we stand to gain if we do pray. For those who already pray regularly, he offers pointers to help us improve the effectiveness of our prayers. The book also includes reflection and discussion questions to facilitate personal or group study. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to explore what prayer is about or deepen their prayer life. If there ever was a time when we needed to pray, that time is now!

—Edward I. Fubara, PhD, professor, educational administrator, pastor, and author of Lessons from the Life of a Bald-Headed Blind Clown

A young man stood in the middle of a convenience store on the campus of Michigan State University. Suddenly, a gentleman about thirty years older than him walked up to him and engaged in conversation.

Older man: What are you doing tonight?

Young man: I am returning to my dorm to study tonight.

Older man: No offense, but you seem like the type of person who will study on a Tuesday.

They both laughed.

Older man: There is a campus Bible study that I am headed to right across the hall. I think you should come. The speaker tonight is crazy and pretty funny.

The young man took down the information with no intention of attending the Bible study that night. But he ended up going, and that decision helped change his life. Little did the older gentleman know, the very young man he spoke to that night was falling away after walking closely with Jesus for several years. It was because the young man did not have a healthy category and theology for suffering as a Christian. In that store, he was going through an existential crisis, wondering if God loved him. He wondered if his life even mattered. At this point, you probably figured that this story is not fictional. In fact, it was a defining moment of how God, on that day, through Dr. Stan Parker, left the ninety-nine sheep and came after the one—me.

By the grace of God, I still love Jesus seventeen years later. Now I am married with five kids and serve in full-time ministry. The Lord used the author of this book to pursue me, disciple me, and put other men and women around me to ensure that I was growing in my faith.

I often wondered but have never asked Dr. Parker what made him stop that day and minister to me. And yet, I do not feel the need to ask him because I know that the Lord sent him in my direction as an overflow of his abundant prayer life. Too many times, I have been with Dr. Parker, running errands or on a mission trip, watching him go from being prayerful to evangelism. And, multiple times a month, I relish our short conversations on the phone that inevitably end with him praying.

Dr. Stan Parker believes in the power and possibility of prayer. And this book, It's Time to Pray, helps readers see the necessity, urgency, purpose, and power of prayer. Following the thoughts of Corrie Ten Bloom, Dr. Parker believes that prayer is not a spare tire; it is the steering wheel of the Christian life. That is, it is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

After reading this book, dear Christian, I pray that prayer would be the steering wheel for you too. And, who knows, maybe you will find yourself praying on a Tuesday night rather than studying.

—Dr. Jamaal Williams, Lead Pastor, Sojourn Church Midtown;

Co-author of In Church as It Is in Heaven: Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture.

Dr. Stan Parker offers a down-to-earth approach on how to enhance your prayer life. Not only are his personal experiences highlighted, but he offers biblical examples of God's response to prayer. The challenge he places before his readers will not only improve their relationship with God but also will open the gate to abundant blessings. Dr. Parker shows how experiencing the heart of God in the solemn space provided by prayer enriches the quality and character of life and develops a personal relationship with God.

For those desiring discernment and intimacy with God, Dr. Parker's book is a must-read. He not only teaches you the fundamentals of prayer but also how faith is operational in prayer. I believe that once you have digested and applied the principles he outlines, you will experience the personal presence of the Lord in your daily walk.

May