Those Final Few Points

I seem to have 'caught' one trait from my time at FPCJ - announcing a proposed seven final points with five minutes to go. I got through four, and a couple of you asked if I would make the other three available. Here is the complete list of seven.

I was trying to demonstrate that in the very activity of prayer, God is at work in changing us. To that end, I had seven ways in which God changes us through prayer. Here is the complete list:
1. Prayer grows our faith.
2. Prayer reinforces right attitudes (it's harder to be discontent when you have vibrant prayers of thanksgiving)
3. Prayer is inherently humbling (praying for the things we seem to be able to provide for ourselves [i.e. our daily bread] is a good reminder that we are not self-sufficient)
4. Prayer grows our love for others (try to remain at odds with someone and yet pray down God's blessings upon them)
5. Prayer edifies others who hear and see you praying. Some of the best times of my week are the Wednesday prayer meeting, the prayer time at staff meeting, and other times when we are corporately engaged in the business of prayer. Such times do my soul immense good.
6. Prayer is a natural sin retardant (it is hard to cling to a pet sin when you are in the business of confessing it over and over again).
7. Prayer grows our love for God, for time spent with God is at least the equal of any other blessing we receive through prayer.