Most Christians struggle with their prayer life. For some, prayer is a crisis hotline…kinda like the Batphone. We pick it up and dial God’s 911 when we’re in trouble or need something from him. Others struggle finding the right “formula” to prayer so their prayers will get pushed to the front of the line for God’s holy consideration. Some feel like the key to getting their prayers answered is to only used the big reverent words in their prayer. Some feel like prayer is nothing more than a chore that’s required to do because you’re a Christian. Many struggle with praying out loud in a group of people. Do we kneel? Do we have to close our eyes? Sometimes we get so hung up on the “how to” that we forget that prayer is just a conversation with the God who created us and loves us.
How to pray isn’t our only struggle. If you’ve committed yourself to prayer, then you know that prayer can be hard work. We come to our prayer time, with our prayer lists and our carefully written out promises from the Bible next to each prayer and it doesn’t take long before we drift off to sleep or our mind begins to wonder. Then there is the part about waiting for God’s timing and trying to discern His will.
If prayer is something you feel inadequate in, you’re not alone. It’s very interesting that Jesus’ disciples worked alongside of Jesus and they only asked Him to teach them one thing. They didn’t ask for a crash course in feeding a large crowd with a boy’s small lunch. They didn’t sign up for Casting out Demons 101. They didn’t ask Jesus to teach them how to heal the sick. The only time we see them asking Jesus something was, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1).
Do you ever stop to think what it must have been like to hear Jesus pray and then see miracles occur. The disciples wanted the same results in their prayers that Jesus got from His. Most of us would like to get results like Jesus did too. He loves for us to come to Him and ask Him to teach us something we are struggling with:
- Father, teach me to love you more.
- Father, teach me to praise you more.
- Father, teach me to thank you more.
- Father, teach me how to lead others to you.
- Father, teach me how to know your will.
- Father, teach me how to pray.
- Father, teach me to trust you.
Jesus answered the disciples with a model for prayer. Probably one you’ve quoted (or at least heard) more than once in your life.
Our Father, who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, they will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory
Forever, Amen.
The beginning of the model starts off with praise and adoration to a Holy God, acknowledging Him our heavenly father and giving reverence to His name. Often, our prayers tick off the long list of things we need God to for us without ever just stopping and taking the time to pause and worship Him for who He is: A God who is worthy of our praises. A God who is omnipotent, creator, holy, just, powerful, excellent in all His ways, good, faithful, true. A God who’s mercies are new every morning and who’s love is unfailing. A God who relentlessly pursues us, even in the times when we want nothing to do with Him. He is righteous. Our rock of ages. He is our teacher. He keeps His promises. He is our Savior and our Shepherd. He is a strong tower to which we can run for comfort and protection. He is Jehovah. He is our helper and our healer and He is victorious. How can we not give Him praise that is due Him? We take Him for granted and treat Him more like a genie in a bottle that we rub and He pops out to grant us our wishes. And when we don’t get an answer on our time table, we declare that prayer doesn’t work for us and we….quit praying.
When we don’t get an answer to prayer, it might be that we do just need to wait for God’s perfect timing. Or it might be that we didn’t pray for His will and He has something better in mind than what we think we want. Maybe His “no” is because even though we think we know what we need, God sees so much more than we do and He knows that what we’re asking Him for is not for our good. Instead of getting upset, trust Him for His perfect timing, His perfect answer, and His perfect will. Because we know He will do nothing that will bring us harm, we can love Him even when we don’t understand His answer or feel that He is not answering. We can trust Him that He is working all things out for our good, as any loving Father would do.
Try beginning your prayer time with worshiping God before you start on that long list of prayer requests. It will change the way you see prayer.
Next, take time to earnestly seek God’s will regarding the things you are praying about. 1 John 5:14-15 says, “Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.” We can’t know what God’s will is, if we do not take time to ask Him…so ask Him. Search His Word to determine His will. Ask a few close, trusted, Christian friends to pray with you to discover God’s will. He will let you know it.
Once you know His will, then you can take those promises from the Bible and begin to pray them back to Him. When you know His will, you can pray with confidence. When you know His will, you can move forward, even if it isn’t His will. There is something about seeking His will that if His will is different than ours, our will changes to match His as we begin to pray with a heart that truly wants His will.
Our prayer time also needs to include a time of confessing our sins to God and asking Him to forgive us. We also need to let go of the wrongs that people have done to us. How can we so righteously hold grudges against others when the King of Kings has lovingly forgiven us?
We can then pray for God’s protection over us as we go through the day and for his guidance. We can ask that Satan would not have any foothold into our lives. As we do, we can “put on the armor of God.” I like to do a visualization in my mind with each piece of armor as I pray. For example, “Lord, will put my helmet of salvation on my head, protecting my mind from thoughts and temptations that Satan may send my way.” I go through each piece of armor, acknowledge what it’s purpose is and ask God to put it on me.
Lastly, Jesus’ model prayer acknowledges the power and glory of God. He has the power to heal. He has the power to meet that financial need. He has the power to restore broken relationships. He has the power to bring a rebellious child back to Him. He has the power to help overcome an addiction. He has the power to help us get that job. He has the power to give us the strength to get through another day of an aging parent struggling with Alzheimer’s or cancer. He has the power to make that dream a reality. He has the power to enable you to do that impossible task He’s asked you to do. And when his power shows up, He is the one who will receive the glory.
There really is no “magic” method to prayer. When it comes down to it, prayer is nothing more than you communicating with a God who loves you. Just tell Him what’s on your heart, just as if you were talking with your best friend. He already knows anyway, so don’t worry about how eloquent your prayers are or being afraid of hurting His feelings. Just come as you are. Worship Him. Seek His will. Let your requests be known. Suit Up in your Armor. Acknowledge His glory. Trust that He has your very best ready for you.
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Today, pray for Indiana:
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Don’t forget to learn this week’s memory verse:
Memorize and hide in your heart one memory verse each week in 2020. If you didn’t start the challenge at the beginning of the year, just jump in now and be sure to sign up to get our weekly Memory verse in your email so you don’t miss a week.
In 2020 our emphasis is on revival for America with three key words: revive, renew, and redeem. You will begin to see the elements of our website and posts reflect this emphasis. We hope you’ll join us in praying for God to pour out the Holy Spirit with a mighty rushing wind of revival for our nation and around the world.
Our key verse for revival is 2 Chronicles 7:14. “If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. For the past few weeks, we have been focusing on repentance. This week, we look at the spiritual transformation that takes place when we surrender our heart to God.
This week’s memory verse:
Judges 17:6
“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted.”
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This week’s featured design reminds that because Jesus is over everything we can have faith over our fear and peace over panic.
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 | By Ray Stedman / Discovery House Every day the headlines announce more violence and evil. Our hearts groan as we wonder what life will be like for the next generation. It all seems hopeless, which is probably how Jeremiah felt as he lived among the people of the nation of Judah. Jeremiah was a reluctant but faithful prophet who spent forty-two years serving God and warning the people to repent. His heart was saddened and angered by the people’s indifference to God and the moral decay that surrounded him. Everything was falling apart–yet Jeremiah continued to seek the Lord. As we face personal trauma and national crisis, we can learn from the prophet’s example. Ray Stedman walks us through the book of Jeremiah, revealing that repentance was the only answer then–and it’s the only answer today. When people repent, God is faithful to His Word, planting the seeds of new life and giving us hope. |
Awakening: How American Can Turn from Economic and Moral Destruction Back to Greatness
By Ralph Reed / Worthy Publishing
Are we watching our nation commit suicide? Is America, like a modern-day Roman Empire, doomed to moral decay and demise?In his new book, Awakening: How America Can Turn from Economic and Moral Destruction to God’s Blessing, Ralph Reed, reveals how the United States has abandoned its founding principles and spiritual heritage. Yet Reed, adviser to the Bush-Cheney campaigns and former executive director of the Christian Coalition, believes better days are ahead for our nation. This book, featuring practical action points and a bold pro-family plan, provides a road map we can follow to restore America back to God’s blessing.
Find out how to reenergize our call to effective citizenship and revive America’s core values of faith, personal responsibility, and liberty. As the 2014 election cycle approaches, Awakening, is a timely plea for people of faith to spark a spiritual and moral awakening that will reverse the cycle of destruction, renew our country, and see God heal our land.
 | Is This the End? Signs of God’s Providence in a Disturbing New World By Dr. David Jeremiah / Thomas Nelson Never have the headlines been this jarring, the cultural changes this rapid, or the moral decay this pronounced. What on earth is happening? After each new occurrence, the most oft-heard questions are, “Will the world ever be the same again?” and “Where is God in all of this?”Over the last few decades, Dr. David Jeremiah has become one of the world’s most sought-after Christian leaders on topics that deal with biblical application and modern culture. And few would dispute that the pace at which things are currently changing is unprecedented. The time has come to accept this new normal, Jeremiah says, and understand how God’s hand is still at work on His eternal plan for mankind. No one can afford to ignore these warnings, but all can better understand the greater story and the role we each play in this changing world. From prophetic clues in Scripture to an understanding of the power of Christ in all believers, this book directs us on a clear path forward. |
![12415: The Message of Joel, Micah, and Habakkuk: The Bible Speaks Today [BST]](https://i0.wp.com/ag.christianbook.com/dg/product/cbd/b108/12415.gif?resize=108%2C108&ssl=1) | The Message of Joel, Micah, and Habakkuk: The Bible Speaks Today [BST] By David Prior / InterVarsity Press Where is God in times of disaster? How can God allow suffering? What are God’s people to do about moral decay in society? While people throughout the ages have long pondered these questions, three of the Minor Prophets–Joel, Micah, and Habbakuk–provide insights to these perennial problems.The Bible Speaks Today is a series of both Old Testament and New Testament expositions, which are characterized by a threefold ideal: to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life, and to be readable. David Prior has pastured churches in Cape Town, South Africa, and Oxford, England. He now travels widely, lecturing on the local church around the world. He is the author of The Message of 1 Corinthians in the Bible Speaks series. |
 | By Ed Cole / Resolute Books Society’s widening gap between technological achievement and moral decay compels men of courage, integrity and true manhood to stand strong.In a quest for satisfaction, many men have lost the meaning of manhood, surrendering ideals to things immoral, illegal, unethical or irresponsible. Today’s tough times require men to overcome dangerous philosophies and bring hope, dignity and order back to a world in desperate need – men who are willing to be heroes.” Newly edited edition with foreward by Brian Houston. |
 | God, Help Me Rebuild My Broken World: Fortifying Your Faith in Difficult Times By Michael Youssef / Harvest House Publishers With Society Crumbling Around Us, It’s Time to Rebuild We live in a post-Christian age marked by moral and spiritual decay. We have watched our comfortable walls collapse as our faith has been attacked on every side. But take heart! God can raise up leaders dedicated to defending His truth and following His blueprints for holy living. One of those leaders might be you – because no matter where you live and what you do, you have a circle of influence. And your influence is desperately needed. How does a believer construct secure barriers to hold back the discouragement and moral danger of this world? Respected ministry leader Michael Youssef takes you through the book of Nehemiah to help you learn the keys to godly leadership and restoration. Discover what it takes to rebuild walls in this highly relevant study of a people who traded their rubble for rejoicing. |
 | By Ravi Zacharias / Ravi Zacharias International Ministries “Strangers are devouring you and you know it.” That is Hosea’s challenge to a nation in unconscious decay. The slide to spiritual self-destruction is studied with practical application on how to avoid those pitfalls. |
 | By Roger Ellsworth / Banner of Truth Come Down, Lord! is a succinct, readable and biblically-based treatment of the vital theme of revival. Its seven short chapters go directly to the heart of the matter, as their headings indicate: We miss You; We need you; We wait for You; We will meet You; We have wronged You; We belong to You; We beseech You.Taking as his starting place the widespread absence of the sense of God’s holy presence and our need of his grace, Roger Ellsworth traces the profound analysis of the church’s spiritual decay outlined in Isaiah 63:3-64:12, and applies its message to our times. |
 | The Spirit and Power of Elijah: God’s End-Time Solution for a Fatherless Generation By Luis R. Reyes / Creation House There is an answer to the cultural decay in our nation. The Spirit and Power of Elijah deals with the root cause of these issues and how to turn our nation back to God. In this volume, Pastor Reyes will share insights that challenge, encourage, convict and empower. God has equipped His people in the Spirit and Power of Elijah as an end-time solution to reach and restore a generation. |
 | Nothing Is Wasted: How God Redeems What is Broken By Joseph Bentz / Beacon Hill Press In a world that can feel overwhelming, it is easy to see loss as the overriding theme of our existence. From the stress of finances to the pain of aging, we see decay all around us. We see the corrupt nature of a fallen world. Despite the seeming chaos, God’s loving song of redemption echoes through every fiber of creation. Sometimes we hear the melody loud and clear, but more often it is like the refrain of a musical score that is background to a film-present but so subtle we may be unaware of it. In Nothing Is Wasted: How God Redeems What is Broken Joseph Bentz explores how God clues us in to the big picture of redemption and eternity amid the most difficult and unlovely things in our lives. He helps us remember how a faithful and all-powerful God desires to transform our pain into beauty. |
 | By Christian Art Gifts Decorator pillow 18″ x 18″
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 | Our Family Will Love Wall Art Sign By Lighthouse Christian Products Rustic look wall plaque 29″ x 15.25″, bestselling design in distressed finish wood look plaque, ready to hang. Family gift favorite features Family Scriptures. Our family will… love and accept one another, pray for one another, tell the truth to each other, be kind to one another, bring joy to each other, serve one another, be patient with each other, comfort one another, forgive one another, be generous with each other, honor each other. In a variety of artful typography styles, with Scripture references under each; mounted paper on laser cut MDF wood product. Faux distressed finish. |
 | Sturdy and lightweight fabric laundry hamper with two handles for carrying
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 | True, Noble, Right, Lath Wall Art By P Graham Dunn Inc.
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 | Moments of Faith Praying Man Sculpture By Lighthouse Christian Products Moments of Faith sculpture of a man kneeling by a chair in prayer is an encouragement to pray and to rely on God’s help. In realistic detail, set on felt-lined black, rectangle base; it’s finished with bronzetone Scripture plaque of Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Approximately 7″ x 6″, for desktop or table display. A gift for the man of prayer in your life.Resin sculpture. |
 | Moments of Faith Praying Woman Sculpture By Lighthouse Christian Products Moments of Faith sculpture portrays a woman, seated on a chair with hands clasped in earnest prayer. Bronze tone finish on smooth black wooden base with felt lining; bronze tone plaque is inscribed with Scripture from Psalm 17:6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.” Approximately 7″ x 6″ resin sculpture. |
 | Large Eagle Sculpture, They Will Soar on Wings Like Eagles By Lighthouse Christian Products Majestic eagle figurine in lifelike detail is displayed on polished black satin base with felt lining. In bronze tone finish with round medallion engraved They shall soar on wings like eagles. Isaiah 40:31. Forming a border around the medallion: Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength…. They will not grow weary… 21.5″ x 15″ resin figurine. |
 | God Shed His Grace On Thee, Small Flag By Beth Albert / Carson Home Accents
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 | Blessed Is the Nation House with Picture Clip By Divinity Boutique Patriotic rustic appeal for shelf or desktop display; wooden house shaped photo clip with star trim and primitive accents. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12Weathered clip is designed to hold your latest and most favorite snapshot or family photo. Picture clip house is 10″ x 6″ x 3″; red, white and blue. |
Wash Your Hands and Say Your Prayers Soap Dispenser
By Dexsa-the Giving Company
Trending words of inspiration on glass soap dispenser for kitchen, bath, or powder room; clear glass with typography design screened on; pump top. Fill with your favorite detergent, soap, or lotion. 8 ounce capacity.Wash your hands and say your prayers because Jesus and germs are everywhere.
 | God Bless You Tissue Basket with Black Lining By Lyons Baskets Handy tissue basket holds a box of boutique tissues, God bless you is embroidered on fabric liner, with wood lid. 6″ x 6″ x 6″; adds style to your room decor. Black with white lettering; button closure.Personalization is available! |
 | Faith Over Fear Stainless Steel Tumbler, Teal By Kerusso Activewear Steel tumbler with sipper lid, 10 ounce capacity for a generous cup of coffee plus your favorite add-ins
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 | Nope Not Today Satan Stainless Steel Tumbler, Pink By Kerusso Activewear Steel tumbler with sipper lid, 10 ounce capacity for a generous cup of coffee plus your favorite add-ins
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 | By Kerusso Activewear When God is for us, no person, and no challenge, can stop us in our tracks. Because of our faith, we don’t have to give in to fear — it’s that simple. Wear this stylish Christian cap from Kerusso’s grace & truth® collection to share this brave message with those who don’t yet know the Lord. Cool baseball cap in blue denim with embroidered Scripture reference from Psalm 56:4 in tan. Front: Faith Over Fear
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God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars: 365 Daily Challenges to Grow Your Marriage
By Julia M. Bruce / WestBow Press
There’s no doubt that marriage is hard work. Yet it can also be one of the most fulfilling relationships you can experience, outside of your relationship with God. However, many marriages leave God outside of the relationship. Godly marriages do not happen without cultivating it, investing in it, and putting God first in your individual lives and in your marriage.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
• Scripture to memorize and meditate on
• Conversation Starters
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
• Romance Builders
• Relationship Builders
• Personal reflections
• Date ideas
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
