ikneelhere

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A Prayer about CHALLENGES

O Lord,
Thank you for your Word. How often we see our own struggles through the lives of the people in the Bible. I'm encouraged by the example of Paul, whose goal to preach the gospel in new places continually brought him fresh challenges. While difficult, those trials clearly caused greater growth in his relationship with you. Lord, what do you want me to learn from challenges that come my way? How might they strengthen my relationship with you? Please show me how to step out in faith so that I can move closer to you. May the struggles I faced cause me to follow your leading into uncharted waters, and my I learn to follow you more and more. Then I will know I will be accomplishing your unique purpose for me. Thank you for showing me that it is often through challenges that you make your plan clear to me.

Be strong and courageous, and do the work.

Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God...

is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.

1 Chronicles 28:20

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A prayer of ANTICIPATION

When I wonder what great things God has planned for me...

O God,
My life is so noisy -- and sadly, it resounds more often with ringing of phones and droning of lit video screens than with praise and worship for you. Do I ever pause and wonder what momentous things you might be preparing to do next? How many moments of awe-inspiring anticipation do I miss by never being still before you? I need your help to dicipline myself. Help me to build moments of silent anticipation into each day, making time to pray and open myself up to what you want to do in and through me. I pray, God, that in these moments, you will reveal enough of your plan to make me ready for your great purposes. I come before you with reverent awe and anticipation for the glorious future that lies ahead.

You guide me with your counsel,

leading me to a glorious destiny.

Psalm 73:24

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

A prayer about INITIATIVE

How does God continue to initiate a relationship with me?

Holy God,
I believe that you sometimes initiate a change of heart in me so that I will desire to be in closer relationship with you. Selfish ambition and spiritual blindness steal my passion for you, and sometimes you need to point out these ways within me. Your Holy Spirit convicts me of my sin, prompting me to remember you, confess my waywardness, and seek restoration with you. Lord God, thank you that you take the initiative in this way. But you don't only point out the offense; you also guide me back to the right path. You never initiate a change of heart and then abandon me. Thank you for constantly taking the first step. No matter how many times I wander, you are always ready to take me back and restore me into right relationship with you.

"My wayward children," says the LORD, "come back to me,

and I will heal your wayward hearts."

Jeremiah 3:22

Why Pray?

(1) Prayer is a form of serving God (Luke 2:36-38). We pray because God commands us to pray (Philippians 4:6-7).

(2) Prayer is exemplified for us by Christ and the early church (Mark 1:35; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31; 6:4; 13:1-3). If Jesus thought it was worthwhile to pray, we should also.

(3) God intends for prayer to be the means of obtaining His solutions in a number of situations:

a) Preparation for major decisions (Luke 6:12-13)

b) Overcoming demonic barriers in lives (Matthew 17:14-21)

c) The gathering of workers for the spiritual harvest (Luke 10:2)

d) The gaining of strength to overcome temptation (Matthew 26:41)

e) The means of strengthening others spiritually (Ephesians 6:18-19)

(4) We have God's promise that our prayers are not in vain, even if we don't receive specifically what we asked for (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26-27).

(5) He has promised that when we ask for things that are in accordance with His will, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15). Sometimes He delays His answers according to His wisdom and for our benefit. In these situations, we are to be diligent and persistent in prayer (Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1-8).

Prayer should not be seen as our means of getting God to do our will on earth, but rather as a means of getting God's will done on earth. God’s wisdom far exceeds our own. In situations for which we do not know specifically what God's will is, prayer is a means of discerning God’s will. If Peter had not asked for Jesus to call for him to come out of the boat and onto the water, he would have missed that opportunity (Matthew 14:28-29). If the Syrian woman with the demon-influenced daughter had not prayed to Christ, her daughter would not have been made whole (Mark 7:26-30). If the blind man outside of Jericho would not have called out to Christ, he would have still been blind (Luke 18:35-43). God has said that often we go without because we do not ask (James 4:2).

We will never see the results of answered prayer until we pray. A lack of prayer demonstrates the a lack of faith and a lack of trust in God’s Word. We pray to demonstrate our faith in God, that He will do as He has promised in His Word, and will bless our lives abundantly more than we could ask or hope for (Ephesians 3:20).

May God find us often before His throne, for we have a High Priest in heaven who can identify with all that we go through (Hebrews 4:15-16). We have His promise that the fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much (James 5:16-18). May God glorify His name in our lives as we believe in Him enough to come to Him often in prayer.