Power Of Your Love

Prayer

I am looking to improve in my prayer life and want to get back on track with God in this area. I feel like I got out of sinc with God and want to be in a more effective place in prayer.

 

 James 5:16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

 From http://bible.org/article/spiritual-growth-study-guide-prayer

Everything in bold is from the article

Seven Habits of Maturing Christians

1. In order to grow we need to eat—The Bible

2. In order to grow we need to breathe—Prayer

3. In order to grow we need good spiritual hygiene—Confession of sin

4. In order to grow we need a caring family—Fellowship

5. In order to grow we need regular exercise—Service

6. In order to grow we need protection—Temptation

7. In order to grow we need to give—Stewardship

 

Where are you in your prayer life ?

Casual Praying   this would be me most of the time

Mealtime. Bedtime. When you have to. When it’s expected of you. Nothing wrong with that. But your praying tends to be rather routine and quick.

 Committed Praying- this is me some of the time

 This kind of praying is focused. It is purposeful. You’re getting serious about prayer because there is a burden on your heart that is driving you to your knees. This is the sort of praying you do when your teenager gets his driver’s license.

Combat Praying -unfortunately this is not me often enough

Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the sill of God, mature and fully assured.

 

Six Crucial Elements to Effective Prayer based on the Our Father prayer.

A. The first crucial element to effective prayer is Praise. Begin by expressing your love to God.  God inhabits the praises of his people and satan hates our praise because God draws near

 B. The second crucial element to effective prayer is Purpose: Commit yourself to God’s purpose and will for your life. 

          C. The third crucial element to effective prayer is Provision: Ask God to provide for your     needs.

         D. The fourth crucial element to effective prayer is Pardon: Ask God’s forgiveness for your sins.

        E. The fifth crucial element to effective prayer is Purity: Let go of your grudges and bitterness

        F. The sixth crucial element to effective prayer is Protection: Ask for divine protection.

      G. Relationship

This prayer begins in the context of relationship—our Father. If I lose sight of the fact that I have a relationship with a father in heaven, my prayers will deteriorate.

The foundation for effective prayer is a relationship with a loving Heavenly Father. Relationships thrive on communication, and wither without it. God’s listening, are you talking?

I think my prayer life went down the tubes when I lost my praise.  I feel God is helping bring that all back. I need to be patient and let my heart be renewed.

Day 10

Prov. 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price  [is] far above rubies. 

Value. The word for the day.
Yesterday, I felt like God was trying to show me my value in his eyes. I was getting discouraged by the treatment I was getting at work and was letting it get to me. It's like God just gave me a huge hug through the encouragement of others. It came from everywhere and even the co-worker that was being a problem softened a little yesterday.
I often don't see myself as valuable.

having considerable monetary worth; costing or bringing a high price: 

having qualities worthy of respect, admiration, or esteem: a valuable friend.

of considerable use, service, or importance:

God sees everyone as valuable. Not that we are worthy as sinners, but worthy as his. He died on the cross "costing a high price". He made us and therefore we are and have value. This is something I need to be reminded of often. I tend to let voices of the past haunt me and remind me of what Satan wants me to believe. If I didn't have church, christian friends, and God himself then the enemy would succeed.  It is so important to stay connected to God and have fellowship with others. It is also vital to keep renewing the mind in God's word.In fact hat was my message for convalescent home meeting. Ha! how's that for tying things in? God does that. 

I am just overwhelmed by Him for all of this. He is too amazing for words. 

Day 9

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25

Ok God I get it. I realize that sometimes I need a 2 X 4 over the head to get what God is trying to tell me.
She laughs at the days to come. To have that kind of trust to laugh through the trials. I have said before I am not good with the trust thing, but God is so faithful to patiently teach me over and over again to just lean on him.
 I love these type of God moments when he shows just how much his hand is in my life. Where everything makes sense and I realize nothing is out of control, not really. I feel out of control sometimes and feel that I let God down too often, but the enemy would love to get me thinking that way so I will give up.
So here I go brushing the dirt off my knees once more to stand and try again.
LAUGH! God does

PS 37:12-13  The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

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Verses from Blessed Beyond Measure

       Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Matthew 6:25-27 "25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?"
Romans 8:31 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

        Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Deuteronomy 31:8-9 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”