I believe in prayer. I believe that prayer is more than just asking God for things. It's communicating with the creator of the universe. The Bible says some interesting things about prayer...
- Jesus said that whatever you pray for believe and you will receive it.
- If you make a show out of prayer you'll be punished.
- If you try to impress people with your prayers you have already received your reward.
- We are supposed to pray for our enemies.
- God will reward us if we pray secretly.
- God wants us to get to the point when we pray and not babble.
- We should pray to God the Father.
- Jesus will guard your heart and mind from anxiety when you pray.
- Prayers aren't answered when we don't forgive other people.
- Prayer is how we protect ourselves from spiritual attacks.
For me prayer is more than just hoping that God will give me the stuff I want. I can't function without God. My life would be in disarray without Him and prayer is the way that we communicate. Lately I've been praying for some specific things. Here are some examples of things I'm talking to God about.
- Monica and I have a couple of really good friends who are single. I pray weekly that God would bring a godly spouse into their life and that they wouldn't settle.
- I pray for the Students in my Community Group. I pray weekly that God will speak to their heart. The last few weeks I've been praying that God would rock a couple of the students who have been making some foolish choices.
- I pray every day as I wash my hair that God would work a miracle and regrow it. I pray that God would make the dead hair cells alive and that I would not go bald. You may laugh but I pray it every day.
- I pray for my pastor every week. I pray that God would speak to him. I pray that God would give him boldness. I pray for his family and that he'll continue to make wise choices.
- I pray for my wife. I pray that God would allow me to love her like He loves me...unconditionally and sacrificially.
- I pray that God would draw my heart to Him. I hate it that I'm so prone to wonder.
- I pray that I'd have self control. I suck at watching what I eat and I'm praying that God would give me self control so that all my working out will actually make a difference.
- I pray and thank God for the amazing blessings he's given me.
- I pray for our twins. We are nine weeks pregnant today. I pray that God would give them life. We saw and heard their heartbeats and the second I heard them I started praying that God would form in them a heart for Him. I believe that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I believe that they are an answer to 6 years of prayer. I believe that God is going to use their birth to show people that He is faithful and He still does miracles. I'm believing and begging God for a healthy pregnancy.
So that's what I'm praying for. What are you praying for?
Man just in the last few weeks, He's drawn me into prayer more often...and a more honest prayer...I pray for my wife that she would love Jesus deeply and know He is near and for my babies that He would draw them to Him and they would always know His character...that He'd help us know how and then be consistent in guiding our wild 3 year old son and that He'd help me desire Jesus over EVERYThING...for my students to love Jesus, for more money (just keeping it real), for self control, for your and Monica's babies...I thank him for His exchange of my crap for his goodness seems like dozens a times a day...
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Lately I have just been thanking God for all the wonderful people he has put in my life. I have been praying for you and Monica like a crazy person. Now that I get to pray for you guys and your twins, is so exciting. I'd be lying if I said I didn't pray for you every time I come across oneme of your Facebook post, a new baby, a pregnant lady, or just whenever you guys cross my mind. I'm sure I'm not the only person who prays a lot for your family and barely knows you guys. I least I hope not, or maybe I need therapy. LOL. I mean this when I say it, your family is in my prayers. I volunteer in the nursery at church at 945, and if and when those babies come in there, and I get to hold those babies, I will probably cry!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your prayers with us. I tend to pray throughout the day. Some prayers are simply for peace and a light heart when depression begins to hover over my head, some prayers are for my young daughter, and others are for awareness for me to recognize his presence. Some of my prayers are short. Others are more like a conversation. Recently I have noticed that I pray mostly for myself and my daughter. I have started to keep a notebook specifically to remind me of others that I need to pray for.
ReplyDeletePrayer is like conversation with a friend I am with on a journey. Sometimes we are quiet, sometimes there are interruptions, but we are in a continuous, in and out, conversation. Sometimes, I like to use my prayer journal. It helps me focus and really zero in on specifics. It also provides a record of praise for prayers answered. I also have identified each family member with a song that I have put on a CD. When I put in my family CD, I pray throughout the song for that person. Prayer is comforting and hopeful, and uplifting. It is also a weapon of serious warfare that I believe checks and counters and defends us against spiritual forces that seek to rob, destroy,and dominate our lives.
ReplyDeleteOh my, where do I start. I pray for my family and friends, for you and Monica, for me to be a better person, to be more understanding and not so harsh. I am still learning that things happen on God's schedule and not mine, but I am trying. I am liking the idea of a prayer journal to remind me of the many things I should pray for.
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