40 DAYS OF PRAYER: Day 1
Commitment!
As we kick off our 40 days of prayer, I want to encourage you to slow down a bit.
Start the day in prayer... and don’t stop!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Luke 22:46 ...and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
I challenge you to search the scriptures for verses that have prayer connected to them! Get a journal and write out what you are praying for and be specific. Make sure that you write down the answers and praises as well !
I start each day with 4 things as my focus.
Pray-as soon as the alarm goes off. Thank you Lord for this day! I surrender ALL to you! Help me be ready for all you have for me today. I commit everything I am going to do today to you! May YOU be glorified and may my faith be seen !
Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”
Read the Word- At a minimum-instead of checking e-mail or Face Book first thing, I have bible apps that send me verses and devotions for the day. I read and pray over those first. Then as I am up and moving, I pick up with where ever I am studying in Gods word.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I ask God to fill me up (because I leak) I want to be a vessel that He fills up so I can pour out into others. I desire to be lead by the Holy Spirit in every thing I do throughout the day. You will be surprised by what God will do in and through you when you seek too be filled !
Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Share the Hope I have with others. I pray for divine appointments, that I will be observant of who He brings across my path. This is equally surprising, Starbucks barista, or someone drinking coffee, King Soopers employee or someone shopping for their groceries… there is always opportunity, God brings people across your path daily.
1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify (or set apart) Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense (or give a reason) to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (or compassion)
What is prayer? According to the dictionary prayer is;
“a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship”
As Christians, we know that praying to anything or anyone other than God, is idolatry and fruitless.
Make sure that you check out the book store on the website where you can purchase books through Amazon. The first 6 books we have added are on prayer. One book for each of the Sundays during our 40 days of prayer…. Click the link below to see the books available.
There is an awesome little book by Watchman Née called Let Us Pray.
He starts by saying that;
“Prayer is the most wonderful act in the spiritual realm as well as a most mysterious affair”.
Do we or can we really understand what prayer is and does?
God desires us, (His unique creation) to talk with Him. Even though we know He is omniscient (All knowing), He wants us to have open dialogue with Him. Something amazing happens when we go to God in prayer as a first response, not just a last minute cry for help. Focus and perspective must be correct.
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Easy to read this scripture, harder to apply. But, if we can do this, we can experience the peace of God, beyond our understanding. Don’t be anxious for ANYTHING? Are you kidding me? All I have to do is get in my truck, merge onto Kipling and I go from 0 to anxious in 5 seconds. Mindset shift--we must determine that God is in control of everything and we can take everything to Him in prayer, asking earnestly and humbly for His assistance with a thankful heart.
Matthew 7:7 “ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
This is a scripture that has been abused. This is not a magic Genie in a bottle prayer that gives you your “fleshly" hearts desire. But a focus on aligning our hearts with the Lords heart knowing He will indeed provide everything we need according to His will, provision and direction. But it does start with us going before the Lord and asking.
James 4:1-6 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
This passage of scripture IS life changing for me personally. Thus James 4 is rooted into my heart, this is the passage of scripture that God used to penetrate my heart some, 26 plus years ago. This scripture impacts the very center of our being. “We don’t have because we don’t ask and when we do ask it is with wrong motivation”. So as we pray we must humble our selves before Him. This speaks to the condition of our heart. Are we approaching God, the author and creator of everything we know in AWE and humility? Or arrogance, commanding and demanding Gods intervention and provision?
I challenge you in the next 40 days to talk to God more. Grab the red 40 days of prayer card next time your at church and check off the days! Watch for other posts and emails as we pray our way into 2023.
Make sure that your relationship with God is in order. Everything starts there! Then pray with other believers, pray for those God brings across your path.
AND, Know that I am praying with and for you all!
Much Love,
Pastor Scott