I decided to pick ONE thing to make my main priority in 2014, and that is my prayer life. I want to enhance that so badly. I've been getting alot of "messages" sent to me via emails and websites I have stumbled across lately that are reminding me of the importance of prayer....
Romans 12:12 -- "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Commentary: Prayer does not come easily. It takes consistent application in order to discover the great benefits that prayer bring to the life of the believer. Faithfulness in prayer shapes the heart of the believer in ways that no other activity can, and once you have experienced the power of prayer it is hard to live without it.
.......and how we should find a specific PLACE to pray.
Acts 16:13 -- "On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there." Commentary: Places to pray were mentioned often in Scripture. Many of the men and women in the Bible had a specific spot where they went to pray. A place of prayer keeps us from trivializing prayer and helps us to focus when we do pray. That place could be a closet, a wooded area, or a certain bench in the city, wherever it is, establishing a geographic location of prayer can help revitalize a devotional life that is languishing.
... and a specific TIME each day to pray.
Psalm 145: 1-2 -- "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." Commentary: The history of Christianity is filled with communities who set specific times of the day to pray. Setting a time to pray ensures consistency in the rhythm of our week. Conversely, if we don’t schedule a time for prayer, we will fill that time in with something else, and days will become weeks of prayerless activities. Don’t wait until you are so dry in your spiritual life that prayer becomes a chore to be re-learned. Get out your schedule book and make time for God each day, then guard that time just like you would any other appointment.
So, that's what I have done. I have picked my prayer "time and place" each day and I'm going to commit as faithfully as I can for one year. It's going to be exiting to see how God speaks to me during this specifically set aside time. I believe He will. And I believe it's going to rock my world!!
How about you? Do you take your daily "prayer time" as a serious commitment? And do you have any tips on how to make your prayer time more consistent? Share with the class please. :-)
*all commentary above is by Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor at GraceNYC.org
I love this! On August 1st last year I started doing something that has changed my life for the better. I committed to doing prayer and devotional readings, AND bible reading the very first thing in the morning. The only thing I do first is coffee - and let's be honest, coffee enhances everything. I am not allowed to check email, facebook…. NOTHING, until I've sat quietly and done my thing. I pray before I open my devotionals - I have found this to get my mind focused and my heart centered. When I pray first, it's like the morning bell ringing… it's on. And then I slowly and thoughtfully go through my studies. Often I am in my reading chair for an hour before I realize it and it only felt like 10 minutes. And the way I see it (<---- like what I did there?) my day can't get off track. I feel full and ready, all day long. It also helps me to stay in prayer off and on during the day. -- I'm excited for you. I think I've been guilty of discounting prayer before but hopefully never again. Why would we ever want to keep Him at a distance? Prayer draws us closer.
ReplyDeleteMelissa... you and I are on the same wave-length! That's what I'm going to do too. First thing BEFORE I look at phone, turn on computer or tv. Find a chair, sit down and PRAY. I'm actually going to set a timer for 10 mins. I know that doesn't sound like a long time. But I'm baby-stepping. 10 mins of uninterrupted prayer first thing in the morning... whether I'm home or in a hotel. I'll designate a "prayer chair" and sit in that chair. Going to try and have 5 mins of ME talking to God.. then 5 mins of being completely quiet while I listen. The second half is going to be the challenge for me!!!!
ReplyDeleteTRULY, this isn't a shameless plug ... but I just happened to write a book on this very subject! Confessions of a Prayer Slacker ... and if you haven't read it, Marcia, I would love to send you a copy. It's reeeeally quirky - not at all sanctimonious (as if I could be?) but in it, I share my journey to getting serious about my prayer life. My hubby was in the ministry for over 15 years (translation: pastor's wife) and I STILL couldn't get the hang of being faithfully committed to spend time with God. Anyway, just thought I'd toss that out there! If I tell you that Pete Wilson endorsed the book, is that a shameless plug or an outright case of name dropping? But all kidding aside, I'm so excited for your commitment to do this now ... just get ready because God will TOTALLY knock your socks off - in a good way!
ReplyDeleteDiane... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! Have I not RAVED to you about how much I LOVE "Confessions of a Prayer Slacker" and how it CHANGED MY LIFE when i read it! Well, I'm RAVING NOW!! LOL ---Seriously, that is THE BOOK that kicked my gear into a better prayer life when i read it a few years ago.... I bought several copies and gave them all as Christmas presents that year because it had such an impact on me! I"m actually going to re-read that soon.... you are the BOMB! ... and for anyone else who might be interested in kicking their prayer life up a notch.... here's the link to Diane's amazing book!: http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Prayer-Slacker-Second-Edition-ebook/dp/B007X93OK4 Love and Miss you Diane!
ReplyDeleteWell, now. I think it's official. The aliens must have wiped my brain clean. Nothing left. How in the WORLD could I have forgotten that?! *bangs head on keyboard* Embarrassed much? Who me? Hey, I turned 60 a couple months ago. I'm allowed a few brain fluffies now & then, right? REGARDLESS, I'm just so proud of you for making this your 2014 challenge of the year! And I love & miss you too!!
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