Saturday, May 03, 2014

Power of Prayer 4

Pray: God, connect with me here, as I seek you in your Word. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

Read: the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of intriguing words and phrases and read them a second time.

Reflect: on what strikes you as you read. Think through what God is communicating to you at this point in your life.

Respond: to the passage. Speak to God directly about what's on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you've uncovered.

11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” - 1Peter 3:11-12 (NIV)

How to Pray : day 4

Have you ever been bullied? No one enjoys that. When people are mean to us, it hurts us and can make us angry or sad. When things happen in life that we don’t like, we might pray to God for Him to stop the bad things from happening or to stop people from being mean to us.

But the truth is--praying to God is not just about having Him change situations or how other people treat us. There’s another very important reason we pray to God. When we pray to God, it doesn’t just have the power to change others; it has the power to change who we are.

When we pray and remain connected with God, He shapes us and changes our hearts to be more like His.

Question: Why do you think God wants us to keep praying for things even if it takes a while for Him to answer our prayers?

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  - Romans 12:2 (NIV)

1 Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.  - Psalm 4:1 (NIV)

Friday, May 02, 2014

How to Pray : day 3

God is always available to hear us when we pray. He listens anytime we talk to Him. That never changes. But what we cannot always predict is how God will answer our prayers when He listens to us.

He may not answer our prayers at the exact moment we want, or in the way that we think it should happen. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t still in control, and working throughout the entire world.

God doesn’t ask us to only trust Him when we don’t understand everything that’s going on. He asks us to trust Him always, believing that He is our friend who is taking care of us in ways we don’t even know.

Question: Describe a time when God answered your prayer. What did you learn about God from the way He answered your prayer?

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  - Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

2 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:
3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ - Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NIV)

Thursday, May 01, 2014

How to Pray : day 2

Have you ever prayed out loud in front of other people? It can be tough at times to know what to say when speaking with God.

Prayer means truthfully talking and listening to God. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t have to show off with big words. What’s most important is that when you talk to God, you speak to Him from your heart. Be honest and open; get to know Him like you would when you’re talking to a best friend.

The more you pray and speak to God, the closer you’ll become to Him. And when you become closer to Him, you’ll know His love and know God better.

Questions: How do you usually pray to God? What do you usually talk to Him about?

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  - Matthew 6:7-15 (NIV)

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  - Romans 8:26 (NIV)

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

How to Pray : day 1

Every day we talk to people--our family, our friends, and students in class. Is God a part of the list of people you talk to every day?

Prayer is exactly that. It means talking and listening to God. People need to communicate in order to have a relationship with others. We talk to God in prayer every day so that we can have a relationship with Him. That’s why prayer is important.

Even when people do pray and talk to God, they don’t always realize that God actually speaks back. He desires to be in constant communication with us throughout our days, weeks, and entire lives.

Question: How often do you talk to God?

9 This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” - Zechariah 13:9 (NIV)

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, - Ephesians 6:17-19 (NIV)

Change of plans

I'm not going to do the prayer that works series after all... its a bit more complex to get it set up and posted than I first thought, instead I will work on another one from my other source and continue from there... if you still want the prayer that works series, contact me and I can get you a full copy of it for you. Sorry for the inconveince
~B