Introduction: Psalm 54 is a prayer of David, king of Israel, as are many of the Psalms. David was a man of prayer. God was familiar with David's voice.

I am reminded of the humerous story of the Wyoming rancher who died and went to Heaven. He hadn't been much of a pray-er, but by the grace of God, he went to Heaven anyway.

He had been out fixing fences one cold January afternoon when the temperature started dropping, and a snow storm began. He got in his truck to go home, but the engine wouldn't start. He prayed for God to start his truck, but nothing happened, and he froze to death.

One day in heaven he was talking with an angel, and asked why God hadn't answered his prayer. The angel replied that God had instructed the angels to start his truck, but no one recognized his voice, and they started some guy's car in North Dakota by mistake.

Do you pray often enough that Heaven recognizes your voice? We ought to pray more often.

I Chronicles 16:11 says, "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always."

Eph 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

God loves to hear His people pray. Revelation 5:8 says that our prayers are like a wonderful perfume to God.

Rev 5:8 "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."

What's your favorite smell? Roses? Fresh cut grass? A pine forest? The ocean? Clean laundry hot and fresh from the dryer? How about cookies or fresh bread? There is a shop in the mall that bakes cinnamon buns, and the odor draws you in!

Your prayers are like sweet incense in golden bowls, as far as God is concerned.

God certainly answers our prayers. In Psalm 54, David prayed that God would save him from his enemies, and in verse 4 he says that God answered his prayer.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 ""Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

God has answered hundreds of my prayers, and yours too. Sometimes He says "No." Most often He says "Yes."

Sometimes we don't know how to pray. We are emotionally upset. We are grieved. We are puzzled. We can't find words to express ourselves to God. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray, and that He prays for us.

Rom 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Rom 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

The Bible says that Jesus Himself is praying for us, too:

Heb 7:24-25 "Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

Conclusion: In conclusion, let me just remind you that we should all be praying for each other. God has a work for each of us to do in this world, but we need to support each other in prayer.

William Carey (1761-1834) is known as the father of modern missions. Carey was a cobbler, a shoe maker, who got a burden on his heart for the nations of the world who did not have the Gospel. He made a map of the world out of shoe leather, and would look at it, and pray for the world, as he made shoes. Eventually God made it possible for Carey to go to India himself as one of the first missionaries to that country. God gifted Carey with a tremendous intellect and energy. He translated the Bible into 37 different Indian languages.

But he wasn't able to do all these things for God just because of his own gifts. Back in England, Carey had a sister who was a quadriplegic. She was unable to walk or use her hands. Every day for 50 years she prayed for her brother, and his work in India. She wrote him encouraging letters by holding a pencil in her teeth. Carey made the famous statement: "Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God." But a large part of Carey's fruitfulness must have been the result of his sister's faithful prayer life.

We need to pray for each other. In Acts 12:1-17 we read the story of the Apostle Peter, and how he was thrown into prison, and facing death. (Read the passage)

We need to pray for our country, too. God gave a special promise to Israel in the Old Testament:

2 Chr 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We are not the nation of Israel. America is not God's chosen nation. However, America is full of Christians, and we need to pray that God would forgive our sins and heal our land.

President Ronald Reagan made a speech to the students of Georgetown University in 1983, in which he instructed his audience to pray that America would be guided by learning, faith and freedom. He said: "One thing must never change in America. Men and women must seek divine guidance in the policies of their government, and the making of their laws. We must make our laws and government not only a model to mankind, but a testament to the wisdom and mercy of God."

Reagan also said: "Without God, there is no virtue. Without God, we're mired in the material. Without God there is a coarsening of society. Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

Let us pray.