Devotional #31 from 1 John 3:21-22 speaks to the condition of our heart as we pray. At the heart of prayer is the heart. Prayer is not about the abundance or fluency of our words, nor the length of our prayer time. At the heart of prayer is our hearts standing before God. The Lord looks to the thoughts and intentions of our heart by weighing them on His balance scales. If our heart holds condemnation, we need to pray for a right standing with God, before praying for others. The young pastor Timothy was urged to guard the faith that he received and fan it into flame, in 2 Timothy 1:6-15. We must guard our heart of faith that nothing would hinder our relationship with God. Fan into flame our heart and obey what pleases Him. Fan into flame our faith, brought to mind the billows I pumped on a cattle ranch about sixty years ago while heating the forge to shape the steel shoes to horse's feet. That billows would raise the color of the coals from a dull red to a bright orange in moments. Do you think prayer could be to the soul what the billows is to the coals? Our nearness to God in prayer can bring confidence that He hears us, and that our prayers may be powerful and effective. May nothing hinder our relationship with God as we do what pleases Him.