She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 20

Prayer in the Bible Day 20 - Practice

We have talked about making and keeping an appointment with God, a specific time and place for building our relationship. Yesterday we learned about two types of prayer, Private and Corporate (prayer we share with others). Today we are going to put these two types of prayer into practice.

Step out of your comfort zone and turn your focus on one of the two prayer types that might make you feel uncomfortable. If you are comfortable praying alone but praying with someone else makes you squirm than focus on keeping an appointment with a friend to pray.

Private Prayer

Goal - Praying alone at an appointment time

Review the following scriptures about private prayer: Matthew 6:6, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Acts 10:9 and Daniel 6:10.

Make / Find a realistic space for daily prayer

Pick a location and make it yours

Commit this time to the Lord

Praying with Others

Goal - Ask the Lord to help you choose a person to pray with

Review the following scriptures about praying with others: Acts 2:42, Acts 20:36, James 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Choose a comfortable place where you and your prayer partner can pray, talk, praise, and enjoy Christian companionship

From my Journal,

Praying and bible study in small groups makes me feel really nervous. People can get really heated and defensive when others have a difference of opinion, especially when it comes to religion. I have tried to have fellowship with some of friends and it ended with feeling upset and judged about my views and thoughts. I feel intimidated because of those interactions with sharing my feelings and personal thoughts about my faith. 

Currently I really don't have any close friends that I feel okay praying with. I would really like to pray with my husband, but he is not very religious. I am trying to get my husband to open up about being more involved in our faith. I try to talk to him daily about what I'm doing to grow my relationship with God.

My goal is to keep praying in private, talking to my husband about our faith, and to find someone (hopefully soon my husband) to pray with.

Tomorrow is the end of our study She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible. Tomorrow is a meditate and memorize day. Take tomorrow and look about over your journal entries and all the scriptures we have used along the way. Pick out your favorites and take some quiet time to memorize them into your heart.

I will start looking into the next study over the weekend.

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 19

Prayer in the Bible Day 19: The Everywhere & The Somewhere

Day 19 Scripture: Acts 4:23-31 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17

When should we pray? Where should we pray?

ALWAYS & EVERYWHERE

We should have such a closeness with God and also those around us (friends and family) that a conversation can naturally flow into prayer (what would God say? Lets pray about it.)

Remember our practice days in this series? I wrote "Everything done right requires practice." and we have to build our relationship with God through time spent in quiet study, prayer, and praise.

A relationship with God is build through communication and time spent in prayer - anything, anywhere, & everywhere. But this relationship also develops when we meet with God regularly at a specific time and place.

Do you make and keep your appointments with your Father?

A specific place can be anywhere you choose. A place with your bible, journal, pens, markers, etc. Where you feel comfortable, relaxed, and can open your heart to God without distractions.

In bed in the morning before the kids are up (this is my place). Or in your home office, on the patio with your coffee, at night cuddled up on the couch...ANYWHERE

Do you look forward to that time? Do you feel different when you miss that appointment?

Additional Scripture about quiet prayer (your appointment with God)

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Mark 1:35

Luke 5:16

Luke 6:12

Acts 10:9

Daniel 6:10

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 18

Prayer in the Bible Day 18: Private and Corporate Praying

Day 18 Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6

The who, where, and when of praying

I think most of us can easily say that we have no problems with private prayer. That quiet time when we build our personal relationship with God. When we can humbly speak to our Father and in the quiet hear his response. But what about Corporate prayer? Out in the public for all to hear? Social media is the synagogue of today. Do you struggle with putting your prayers out there for all to see / read / hear? 

Whether it’s on Instagram or as a guest at your neighbor’s table, each time we call out His name publicly, we must carefully examine: am I doing this to be impressive, or am I doing this because He’s impressive? - She Reads Truth .com

Corporate prayer is when we a community (the christian community in groups large or small) come together in prayer, lifting one another up and praising God. 

Are we calling out his name to impress others or because He is impressive? I think we really have to ask ourselves this question. 

From my journal:

I'm sure you have seen o Facebook or received an email that say "if you are a believer than repost this or forward it on." I don't need to "like" something so that everyone knows I am a Christian. My prayers and actions show I'm a Christian, I don't need to impress others with my prayers.

Do not go around tooting your own horn at all the charity you give, the works you do for the church, or yell out about the prayers you pray. Don't act like a Christian to impress people.

"But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Matthew 6:6

God calls us to pray privately and also to share in prayer with other like minded and like hearted people. There is nothing wrong with asking the church or small group to pray with you, or for a group to pray together and all pray for someone  or something.

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16

Additional Scripture:

James 5:16

Acts 2:42

Luke 9:28

John 17

Mark 14:32

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 17

Prayer in the Bible Day 17: Practicing Kingdom Praying

Day 17 Scripture: Psalm 103:19, Isaiah 61:1, and Revelations 11:15

How do we choose what to pray for? There are so many world issues and we have all our own issues, it may seem a little overwhelming to pick just one thing. Try to remember to stay focused on the bigger picture, pray for the hurting of the world close and far. 

As you see the news stories instead of turning away or sitting in worry use these opportunities to pray. Ask God for a good ending, for His Kingdom to come to earth and for people to find God.

As you pray you might find that God will lay down a path for you, directing you towards a specific area, person, or issue. You may be the good outcome. You might be the one to bring God's work to a problem. Isaiah 61:1

From my journal:

Lately I have really tried to sit down and think if there are other's who need my prayers. A friend in need or families facing loosing everything in a flood or fire. I still pray from myself, but why not pray for others too? There is power in prayer and every prayer is heard by God. So pray for those around you that request prayers, for all the hungry in the world, pray for your neighbor, or those hurting in Russia. 

My 1 prayer could make all the difference. Isn't that amazing? God gave me this gift to use and to share, so by praying I am bringing His Kingdom to earth. 

What a Crazy Week

Just a second, hold on, I'll be right there. This is what my house sounds like right now.

This week has been one of the busiest in awhile. There have been multiple errands or appointments every day. Today I got up at 6:30am went to the gym, came home at 7:45 went to jump in the shower and my Cloe (3 yo) wakes up and is covered in an itchy red rash. I get in the shower and start getting ready when the plumber shows up to fix the shower. Now on to grocery shopping, a home loan appointment at 4:00pm and Cloe's spring program at 6:00pm (that is if she is rash free).

I sometimes during all of this remember to stop and breath for a minute. To remember that God has blessed me with all of this. I am thankful every day for the things I have and my prayers are constantly filled with praise for the many blessings I receive.

Tomorrow is Friday - playdate day! And a fun BBQ with family and friends.

I hope you all have an amazing holiday weekend, remember to have fun with your families and be safe!

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 16

Prayer in the Bible Day 16: Kingdom Prayer in Scripture

Day 16 Scripture: Colossians 4:2-4, John 13:34, and Psalm 88:9

The Big Picture

Sometimes we are so focused on OUR lives and what's going on in OUR lives that we can't see the bigger picture. "Can't see the forest, for the trees."

God made the world and the universe in such a way that they don't need God's constant overseeing, saving, and redemption. But humans are completely different - we need God daily.

Psalm 88:9 "My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord, I lift my hands to you for mercy."

Colossians 4:2-4 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ"

From my journal:

Its estimated that there are 7,167,265,400 and counting in the world today. God tells us that just 1 person can make all the difference. We can make a huge difference in His Kingdom. This power can be used to take care of us, our families, and all the billions of others. 

ZOOM OUT

We have to stop worrying about what clothes to buy, where to eat, and what car we drive. We need to seek His Kingdom and stop looking at ourselves under a magnifying glass. God can help us lift our eyes and see the bigger higher purpose of God's will, but we have to ask through prayer. We will then see what is close to God's heart. ♥♥♥

God's expression of his will is the commandment that "you love one another, even as I have loved you" (John 13:34). We ask for God's loving plan to be fully realized on earth as it already is in heaven.

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 15

Prayer in the Bible Day 15: Kingdom Praying

Day 15 Scripture: Matthew 6:10

There are prayers of praise, we focus upward. Prayers of confession are focused inward. And prayers for His Kingdom where we turn our attention outward.

What is kingdom prayer? What are we praying for when we pray this type of prayer?

Kingdom prayers are for asking God to bring heaven to earth. To bring God's work down to us, to ALL of us.

We can open the door to heaven and let God's work be done, the Gospel to be spread, for God to bless us all. We need to see the world through His eyes, with His love.