Do you know how to pray?

Prayer is essential. Prayer is transformational. Prayer is our way of communicating with God, yet many don’t know what to pray. When loss for words or prayers become monotonous, pray using scripture. Allow God’s words to be your prayer. Don’t know where to go, start with the prayers in Psalms. Praising God, (Psalms 105), prayers for the afflicted who is now weak (Psalms 102), prayers for grateful praise, (Psalms 100). By reading/praying God’s word you are aligning yourself with him! Prayer takes on a new meaning. They are not self-gratifying, or egotistical prayers for desires. 

Prayer is your intimate time with God. If you are desiring to Draw closer to God the Father, affirming His words in prayer is one way of doing so.  Remember, Prayer is: 

• Action – pray without ceasing Thes. 5:17
• It’s supplication – Phil. 4:6
• It is NOT vain repetition Mat 6:7

Father God, your eyes are on the righteous and your ears are attentive to their prayer. For everyone who reads this devotion, I ask for  you to keep them covered in your grace. May they become more connected through prayer and supplication with you. This is my prayer in Jesus name - Amen. 

 

Knowing how to pray

Most Christians don’t know how to pray. Many believe in long charismatic prayers, while others are filled with self gratification. Jesus told the disciples to pray in private. Don’t babble. There is no need for many words. Your prayer can be as simple as The Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:5-14).

·   Prayer is communication with God

·   Prayer is an action – praying without ceasingThes. 5:17.

·   Prayer is supplication – Phil. 4:6

·   Prayer is NOTvain repetition Mat 6:7

When you begin praying, your petitions should be directed to God. Opposed to egotistical prayers of your desires, start by giving thanks for everything – life, health, home, joband family. Pray for the sick, shut-in, friends andstrangers. Most important, seek God’s will and welcomed the Holy Spirit into my life.

Father God, help me to become more conscious of giving you thanks, praise and less selfish desires. Help me to grow spiritually and conform to your will. This I pray in your son Jesus Christ name – Amen.

God is not a genie in a lamp

Today's affirmation:

#Prayer is communication with God

praying without ceasing. Thes. 5:17
not being anxious.  Phil. 4:6
stop babbling. Matthew 6:7

Good Morning! - is it a sin to pray?

Good Morning!

Is it a sin not to pray?

No but it reveals self-sufficiency.

It's bad to straighten difficult situations with human resources.

Depend upon the Lord for everything!

Part III - When all else fail Put God first… A Praying relationship

When all else fail - Read

In everything you do put God first and He will direct and crown your efforts with success. Proverb 3:6

When all else fail

What is true and tried the world has turned away from it – God’s written word. We conger up schemes hoping to persuade God and when Pimping God don’t work we become surly and give up.

Breakthrough

Between 1990 and 2006, apathy was my name. All decisions and financial investments crumbled. My self-centered prayers Edged God Out – ego – and I blamed God for my failures.  When He did not reply hopelessness manifested. I was ready to cash in all my chips. “Lord how long will this misery last?” I justified my actions by questioning God. Man’s faith waivers in the darkest hour.

When all else failed I finally put God first. The ah-ha moment came after studying this familiar verse – seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Matthew 6:33.

Stumbling blocks

True understanding was lost because my focus was not on God they were on:

Treasures – Jobs, money, material things – Matthew 19-21

Ego – focus on self not submitted to be in God’s will – 2 Corth. 8:5

Selfish – ­committed work to self and not to God – Proverb 16:3

Lack of faith – doubtful

For where your treasure is there will be your heart also Matthew 6:21.

God does listen

Though I was a Christian my heart/treasure was not on God. Attempting to do all things through ‘me’ that strengthened me – man’s power is limited.

One dreary cold Sunday morning after praying a selfish prayer the Holy Spirit spoke.  You ask me to do all these things in my Son’s name yet you stopped attending church, worshiping and praising my name. You cannot do these simple actions yet you ask much from me.

This profound message changed my perspective – it is not about me but about God.  Over time I put God first, prayer focus changed, and faith increased. Today, God is first and He has directed me. He has crowned my efforts with success.

Steps to a better prayer life



Steps to success

The foundation of developing a positive prayer life and relationship with God begins with prayer – praying for others, praising God and Worship. As I implemented each step from my three part series on prayer God begin to move - sometimes swift and other times as he saw fit. 

Part I - Unanswered Prayers… When God refuse to hear  - Seven deadly sins which cause unanswered prayers

 

 Part II - Pimping God for Seven minutes …Do You Know How to Pray? - Hustling and bargaining with God

 

Part III When allelse fail Put God first - A Praying relationship

Don't give up

When all else fails don’t give up. Whatever storm you may be facing I encourage you put God first.  Seek God’s will (not yours) through prayer, study his word and watch him begin to move in your life!

Part II - Pimping God for Seven minutes …Do You Know How to Pray?

Part II

It came to pass, that as He was praying one of the disciples said Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples Luke 11:1-4

Pimping God

Most Christians cannot pray to God seven minutes.  Being honest, there was a season I could not either. There was a preoccupation with me, myself, and I.  Yet, when the going got tough I was first in line hustling and bargaining with God.  “Lord I will do this if you do that.”

What is prayer?

People don’t know how to pray. We are a society filled with greed. Anxious, impatient and want what we want now.  We wish or rub lanterns and hoping Jesus pops out - poof! That is not prayer.

·        Prayer is communication with God

·        Prayer is an action – praying without ceasing Thes. 5:17.

·        Prayer is supplication – not being anxious  Philippians 4:6

·        Prayer is NOT vain repetition – stop babbling Matthew 6:7

I don’t know how to pray

how to pray

There was a woman who was learning how to pray.  She started with prayers she knew – The Lord’s Prayer and The 23^rd Psalms. On her daily commute she prayed two Lord’s Prayers and three 23^rd Psalms. Her petitions were about God and not self. In return her life was filled with joy and closeness with God. Jesus told His disciples enter your closet and pray in secret Matt.6:6. After entering your private closet your prayer can be as simple as reciting the Lord’s Prayer.

What to pray for

As my understanding and relationship matured in Christ so did my prayer life. Opposed to egotistical prayers I started giving thanks for everything – life, health, home, job and family. I graduated to praying for the sick, shut-in, friends and strangers. Most important I sought God’s will and welcomed the Holy Spirit into my life.

Dear Christian, there is no set amount of time required to pray but if you are not giving God seven minutes make the time. If your prayers are self-absorbed it time for a paradigm shift! Give Thanks to God because he is good in all things!

Dear Father God, help me to become more conscious of giving you thanks, praise and less selfish desires. Help me to grow spiritually and conform to your will. This I pray in your son Jesus Christ name – Amen.