Keep on Praying
I wish I could say all my days were like the one I described yesterday, but I can say the more time I spend with Jesus the better it gets.
I don’t get caught up in the details. I always read the Scripture the M’Cheyne Reading Plan lays out for the day, I always write a prayer in response to what I read that morning, but then I try to read the moment.
For most of the year time has not been an issue…I just get up early enough to do what I know I need to do…so, I rarely get up at the same time every day, but I get up at the same time on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday because I know that I have to leave early and I have to get up in time if I want to spend time with the Father. I adjust my time on the other days...for example, I know I will be at the church all day Wednesday so I typically allow myself to go in a little later and spend a little more time at home that morning.
There are times I go straight to my prayer journal. Time in the journal takes me through prayers of Paul, praying through the Spiritual Armor, and specific verses that help me live a crucified life, a life in the Spirit, and specifically verses that help me with sarcasm and my mouth.
I pray for specific things each day…on Sunday I pray for my pastor friends, on Monday I pray for my friends in Malaysia, on Tuesday I pray for our ministry team at FBC, on Wednesday I pray for my Africa pastor friends, on Thursday I pray for our government leaders from the national level down to our city and schools, on Friday I pray for my discipleship group members that I’ve led, and then on Saturday I pray for missionaries with specific ties to our church.
I pray for my family every day, I pray for specific lost people every day, I pray for church needs daily, but I don’t do it in the same way. Sometimes I follow the journal and pray for specifics, but at other times I just put it down and say something like, “Father, can we just talk?” To be honest those turn out to be my favorite times. I’m not a natural list maker, I chafe at redundancy, but I know I need it to an extent. I need a guideline, something to help me stay focused, but I also need the freedom to just enjoy His presence.
I think the most important thing is that we spend time in His Word, learn to let the Word direct our prayers, and keep at it…we just kind of grow into it, but only with time. Not everyone has the freedom to adjust their time like I described...you have to be at work at the same time every day...just get up early enough to spend time with Him regardless of what time you have to leave.
A golfer once said, the more I practice the luckier I get. I know the more I pray, the more I pray, and the more I pray the more I enjoy it.
I don’t get caught up in the details. I always read the Scripture the M’Cheyne Reading Plan lays out for the day, I always write a prayer in response to what I read that morning, but then I try to read the moment.
For most of the year time has not been an issue…I just get up early enough to do what I know I need to do…so, I rarely get up at the same time every day, but I get up at the same time on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday because I know that I have to leave early and I have to get up in time if I want to spend time with the Father. I adjust my time on the other days...for example, I know I will be at the church all day Wednesday so I typically allow myself to go in a little later and spend a little more time at home that morning.
There are times I go straight to my prayer journal. Time in the journal takes me through prayers of Paul, praying through the Spiritual Armor, and specific verses that help me live a crucified life, a life in the Spirit, and specifically verses that help me with sarcasm and my mouth.
I pray for specific things each day…on Sunday I pray for my pastor friends, on Monday I pray for my friends in Malaysia, on Tuesday I pray for our ministry team at FBC, on Wednesday I pray for my Africa pastor friends, on Thursday I pray for our government leaders from the national level down to our city and schools, on Friday I pray for my discipleship group members that I’ve led, and then on Saturday I pray for missionaries with specific ties to our church.
I pray for my family every day, I pray for specific lost people every day, I pray for church needs daily, but I don’t do it in the same way. Sometimes I follow the journal and pray for specifics, but at other times I just put it down and say something like, “Father, can we just talk?” To be honest those turn out to be my favorite times. I’m not a natural list maker, I chafe at redundancy, but I know I need it to an extent. I need a guideline, something to help me stay focused, but I also need the freedom to just enjoy His presence.
I think the most important thing is that we spend time in His Word, learn to let the Word direct our prayers, and keep at it…we just kind of grow into it, but only with time. Not everyone has the freedom to adjust their time like I described...you have to be at work at the same time every day...just get up early enough to spend time with Him regardless of what time you have to leave.
A golfer once said, the more I practice the luckier I get. I know the more I pray, the more I pray, and the more I pray the more I enjoy it.
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April
Rungs in the ladder of prayerThe Rung of ResidenceThe Prayer Rung of ComprehensionThe Rung of FullnessCommitment to PrayerChristlike in PrayerPrayer is the WorkHow to PrayPraying the ArmorHow to pray without ceasingPraying the PsalmsThree Kinds of PrayerWrite it DownGood Friday PrayerPraying with TozerPraying with Tozer part 2Praying with Tozer part 3Praying with John StottThree Keys to PrayerPraying with PaulPraying with PaulA Reason to Praise
May
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June
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July
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