Every respected man of God in the Bible had a relationship with God; every single one of them had a prayer life. The Bible tells us of Enoch, that he walked with God.^[1] Moses was a friend of God.^[2] Daniel prayed to God three times a day.^[3] David cried out to God three times a day also;^[4] it was said of him that he was a man after God’s heart.^[5] And, what can we say about the apostles: The apostles saw Jesus doing many miracles and miraculous things, but they asked Him to teach them how to pray.^[6] They understood the vital and fundamental importance of prayer. The Apostle Peter was another man of God who prayed three times a day:

In Acts 2:15, he prayed with the church at the third hour of the day (9 am). In Acts 3:1, “Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour” (3 pm). And in Acts 10:9, Peter went up to the housetop to pray at the sixth hour of the day (noon).^[7]

With these and many other examples in the Scripture, what makes us think that we can live this Christian life without a relationship with God? Furthermore, if you don’t have a relationship with God, if you don’t have a prayer life, if you don’t worship Him, if you don’t acknowledge Him or, seek Him for guidance, you are simply not a believer. In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus tells us, 

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (ESV)

The word know tells the story, it is the Greek word ginṓskō; “To know, in a beginning or completed sense. To know, in a beginning sense, that is, to come to know, to gain or receive a knowledge of, where again the perf. implies a completed action and is often to be taken in the pres. sense, to know. In the pass., to become known.”^[8]

Many folks are walking around calling themselves Christians who have no relationship with God; some are even involved in ministry; some have even memorized some Scripture, and some can preach well and sing well, but God is nowhere to be found in their secret places. I am telling you; these folks are going to split hell wide open. How can you not have time with God? We make time for the people we love and the things we love to do; it is obvious that if you don’t have time for God you don’t love Him… it is that simple! 

Having a prayer life doesn’t get you saved; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) Having a devoted prayer life is evidence of such salvation. Acts 2:42 tells us of the original church that “…they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (ESV) If we can’t see these devotions in your life the Bible says of you,

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:5-7 (ESV)

This group appears to be godly, but they deny the power of God to change lives; why? Because they simply do not want to change; they live immoral lives in their secret places. The Bible tells us to avoid such people. Oh yes! they are amongst us and, are very easy to identify. This group is the worse, they are there to give Christianity a bad name; they need to be confronted and cut off from our fellowship.  This may sound harsh, but this is exactly what Paul tells Timothy when he states “…avoid such people.”

Beloved, if you are a Born Again Christian praying is automatic, and is a part of you; if this is not happening check yourself and don’t be deceived by your own heart, you are either not safe or you have lost your first love; if the latter is the case Jesus tells you these words:

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Revelation 2:4-5 (ESV)

^[1] Genesis 5:24

^[2] Exodus 33:11

^[3] Daniel 6:10

alm 55:17

^[5] I Samuel 13:14

uke 11:1

^[7] https://thebiblicalfoundation.com/praying-three-times-a-day-what-the-bible-says/

^[8] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).