Commitment to Prayer

From time to time the Spirit leads me to pull out my copy of the book, Praying Hyde.  It’s the story of John Hyde, a missionary to India, who was called The Apostle of Prayer by those who knew him.  His commitment to intercessory prayer convicts me…he spent hours and sometimes days fasting and praying without sleep.  But he also would go out and share the Gospel after those times of prayer and see hundreds come to Christ.
 
He was a part of what was called the Punjab Prayer Union which started around 1904.  The principles of the Union were stated in the form of questions and those who joined had to sign each area as a commitment.  Read the five questions and pray about committing your life to this kind of prayer.

1.    "Are you praying for quickening in your own life, in the life of your fellow-workers, and in the Church?"

2.    "Are you longing for greater power of the Holy Spirit in your own life and work, and are you convinced that you cannot go on without this power?"

3.    "Will you pray that you may not be ashamed of Jesus?"

4.    "Do you believe that prayer is the great means for securing this spiritual awakening?"

 5.   "Will you set apart one half-hour each day as soon after noon as possible to pray for this awakening, and are you willing to pray till the awakening comes?"