MAY 2

Prayer’s Beginnings

Bible Reading: Genesis 4:25-26

Let’s review.  Adam and Eve were experiencing intimate fellowship with God in an idyllic paradise.  They walked and talked with God.  They bore the unmarred image of their creator.  They lacked nothing because God had graciously provided everything they needed.  Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect harmony with God and with each other and with their world.

Then Adam and Eve sinned.  Satan deceived Eve and she partook of the forbidden fruit.  Then she gave to Adam, and he ate.  Having sinned against God, they attempted to remedy their nakedness by sewing together for themselves fig-leaf loincloths.  Their fellowship with God was broken so they hid from Him.  God subsequently declared a curse–on the serpent, the woman, and Adam.  A sin contagion was unleashed into the world.  Their only hope?  A promised deliverer, who would one day come from the seed of the woman, Who would deal a fatal blow to the devil.

Eve bore two sons, Cain and Abel.  The repercussions of sin’s entry into our world were immediately evident in Cain’s brutal murder of his brother.  Genesis 4 gives us the account and the terrible consequences faced by Cain.  Abel was dead, so Eve conceived another son, and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him” (Genesis 4:25).

Two different societies, one godly and the other godless, trace their lineage back to Cain and Seth.  Genesis 4 lists Cain’s descendants, amongst them we read of Lamech who pridefully boasted about his murders (Genesis 4:23-24).  The lineage of Cain was godless and humanistic.  In contrast, Seth’s lineage was godly and even included two individuals whose lives were marked by faith, Enoch (Hebrews 11:5), and Noah (Hebrews 11:7).  These two lines can be traced throughout history, as has been noted by theologians like Augustine, Francis Schaeffer, and even the reformers.

How does any of this history relate to prayer?  In these accounts, it is apparent those born into the godly line came to an understanding in their view of God and themselves, which led to the point where they “began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).  They understood something of God’s greatness.  Note the subtle shift in language used by Eve in the birth of Cain vs. the birth of Seth. She said of her first-born, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord” (Genesis 4:1).  Of Seth she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel” (Genesis 4:25).  She had previously begun with herself, but with Seth she acknowledged the preeminence of God–that God is in the beginning, not us.  The second subtle hint in the account is in the name given to Seth’s son, Enosh, which means “frail one” or “mortal” (Genesis 4:26)  Seth was so impressed by his understanding of man’s weakness (because of sin), he gave his son a name which communicated that truth.

In view of the greatness of God and neediness of man, and the fact deliverance must come from God, those folks “began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).  These foundational realities, which work to burden us all to pray, stand unchanged over the course of time.  People have been calling upon the name of the Lord ever since.  You and I included.  Devotion to prayer is nothing new.  We’ve a desire to be rescued from our sins and to be restored to intimate fellowship with the One who made us.  Prayer is driven by these realities.  And so, we pray.

Foundational to Prayer is the Realization that God is a Great God and that we Desperately Need Him 

I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r
When Thou art nigh. [Refrain]

I need Thee ev’ry hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain. [Refrain]

I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill. [Refrain]

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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