This is the first year that I am not working on the National Day of Prayer. I started my day with prayer and then had the privilege to go online to free conferencing and five of us met to pray. I am a part of the Freedom In Christ prayer team and I pray for several authors I know. Who do you pray for on a regular basis?
Prayer is a time of communing with God, speaking to Him, pouring out your heart, listening to Him for His marching orders and or reassurance of His love. The National Day of Prayer is a time to pray for our nation, our president, our government, and our families. Who is on your prayer list?
Mother Theresa said, “Joy is prayer, joy is strength: joy is love, joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” Charles Spurgeon said, “True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that, it is a spiritual transaction with the creator of heaven and earth.” Billy Graham said, “Prayer is simply a two-way conversation between you and God.” W. Clement Stone said, “Prayer is man’s greatest power!” Saint Teresa of Avila said, Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.” Charles Swindoll stated, “A teardrop on earth summons the King of heaven.” Soren Kierkegaard said, “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” E. Stanley Jones said, “Prayer is aligning ourselves with the purposes of God.” Tracie Miles said, “To pray without ceasing just never say Amen.”
There are so many quotes about prayer but the hardest part is just praying. I think that we need to make prayer a priority, not just on the National Day of prayer, but every day. I use the acronym PART: Praise, admission, requests, and thanksgiving. Do you struggle to pray? Have you ever written out a prayer to God? Often I write my prayers so I can see the answers, it keeps me focused and praying. One can also pray Scripture, as there are many prayers in the Bible. The prayers of Paul are numerous, such as Ephesians 1: 17-19a, “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him–since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened–so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe.” And Ephesians 3:16-19, “I pray that according to the wealth of his glory [the Father] may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”
Father God, I praise you for the joy and strength that you give me when I pray, I admit that I do not always pray as I should. I ask for my sister’s that are reading this that they start a daily, hourly, minute by the minute conversation with you. I thank you for the answers to our prayers even the times you say “no”. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Will you join me today and pray for our nation, our family and our friends?
There is a great book by Susan Chamberlain Shipe, 31 Days of Praying Psalm 91. Please visit Amazon.com and purchase this book.
Psalm 91: 2, “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge, and my fortress, My God in whom I trust.”
