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11.13.15 Three Reasons You Should Pray Boldly

What does your prayer life look like when you feel hopeless and powerless? Perhaps your marriage is so broken that you believe it’s irreparable. Perhaps you are suffering depression and can’t beat it. Or maybe you’re facing bankruptcy because of mounting medical bills that exceed your resources. You have tried everything possible to fix what’s damaged in your life, and nothing has changed. There is hope! We serve a God who cares about every detail of our lives. When we feel defeated with no solutions in sight, He invites us to pray boldly before His throne. What does that look like?

Photo Courtesy@Shutterstock.com/PhilipYb Studio

Photo Courtesy@Shutterstock.com/PhilipYb Studio

Here is my litmus test for praying boldly. Whatever I ask of God cannot contain any ounce of my flesh to produce the outcome. If I can contribute to the desired result, then it’s not bold enough. The answer to a bold prayer must happen by His intervention alone. It means 100% of my dependence rests on God for the result. Today I want to offer three reasons why we should pray boldly.

 

1. Praying boldly expresses our faith

When we pray for things that only God can do, we are stating our BELIEF in His power and might. We embrace that nothing is impossible with God (Lk 1:37, Matt 19:26). Daniel was a young Jew and a God-fearing man. King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, captured Daniel and deported him and many other Jews to Babylon. Daniel is our model for praying boldly. King Nebuchadnezzar had a recurring dream that caused many sleepless nights. He turned to the magicians and enchanters to get the interpretation, but there was one minor problem. The king insisted that THEY tell him what the dream was and then interpret it, and if they couldn’t, he would cut them into pieces! The magicians and company became exasperated and said, “There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks!” (Dan 2:10) The king became furious. He expanded his execution order to include all the wise men of Babylon, which included Daniel.

When Daniel learned that he was facing a death sentence, he asked to see the king so he could request some time to interpret the king’s dream. The king granted his request. Daniel returned home and explained the situation to his three godly friends. They expressed their faith with boldness. They asked God to reveal the dream and its interpretation. They believed God would do that for them.

 

2. Praying boldly builds our faith and and the faith of those around us

Praying boldly allows us to build our faith muscles. It’s like going to the gym and doing “reps.” To build muscles we need to lift weights regularly that put more stress on our muscles to build them over time. The same is true for our prayer life. If we want to strengthen our walk with the Lord, we need to consistently stress our faith muscles with God-sized prayers.

Here’s the rest of Daniel’s story. God revealed to Daniel the dream and the interpretation through a vision during the night! Can you imagine how this would build the faith for him and his friends? Daniel woke up the next day ecstatic! He couldn’t stop praising God for “revealing the deep and hidden things.” He thanked God for making known to them “what we asked of you.” (Dan 2:22-23) Daniel went back to the king and reported everything that God showed him. The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” (Dan 2:47) When God answered the bold prayer presented to Him, He built the faith of three parties: Daniel, his three friends, and King Nebuchadnezzar.

 

3. Praying boldly pleases God

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” God invites us to approach the throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16).  Throughout the Bible, we read that God desires to show us “great and mighty” things. He wants to answer our bold prayers, but that’s not going to happen if we don’t call upon Him.

 

I want you to identify the areas of your life that create despair for you and express your faith in God through bold prayers. It might look something like this:

“Lord, my marriage is broken. I am emotionally exhausted and have tried to repair it, but it is hopeless. Lord, I can’t fix it, but YOU can because nothing is impossible for you.”

“Lord, you are the provider of all financial resources. I don’t want to file bankruptcy. I have depleted your resources. I need you to provide what I need to take care of these bills. Lord, I can’t fix this, but YOU can because nothing is impossible for you.”

“Lord, my son is struggling with drug addiction. He has tried to overcome it, but he keeps having relapses. Lord, I can’t fix this, but YOU can because nothing is impossible for you.”

 

It’s time to invite God into our deepest and darkest places of our lives. We need to bare our souls to Him and plead our case. We need to admit our complete dependence on Him to intervene. His answers may not come to us in overnight express. He will respond in His perfect way and in His perfect time. We need to pray boldly with many “reps.” Stay persistent. When we express our faith in Him, He rises to the occasion with answers that will cause us to drop to our knees and praise Him. It will build our faith. It boils down to pleasing God with a simple bold prayer: “Lord, I can’t fix this, but YOU can because nothing is impossible for you.”

 

Your thoughts are always invited because they are valuable. Perhaps you have a testimony to share that will encourage others as they begin to pray more boldly. You may click the link “Share Your Comments” below.

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

10.30.15 Is Loving an Unrepentant Sinner Too Much to Ask?

Christians in our church still struggle with the decision to dedicate a child to same sex parents, if we’re ever asked. They believe that gay couples are unrepentant and have no intention of changing their behavior. How can they worship God while being in a state of rebellion toward Him? We should judge them and not allow them in the church. I want to challenge your thinking by asking, “What would Jesus do?”

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/Arthito

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/Arthito

 

A well-known story in John 8:1-11 recalls a woman caught in the act of adultery. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought her to the temple and presented her to Jesus. They believed He would uphold the Law of Moses, which stated the death penalty for adultery. But they were in for a surprise. “If any one of you is without sin,” he said, ‘let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” It didn’t take long for all the men who had been ready to judge her to walk away.

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” Jesus asked.

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

 

“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Are we in a position to judge other’s sin? The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees certainly thought so. They were the spiritual leaders of the temple and believed they had the authority to stone the woman. Jesus disagreed. When Jesus said, “If any one of you is without sin, he didn’t elaborate. He didn’t try to classify sin as “visible or invisible.” He didn’t categorize the sin by type, e.g. “sexual sins.” 

He didn’t rank and order sin as if some sins were worse than others. Our man-made classifications appear to be irrelevant to Jesus.

 

“At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left.”

Jesus leveled the playing field, assuring that the teachers and Pharisees understood they were no better than the woman who committed adultery. He forced them to examine their own sinfulness. Why? Maybe Jesus wanted to humble the spiritually elite. Maybe He wanted to send the message that they didn’t have the credentials to judge like they thought. Maybe He believed that a deep understanding of their own sinful condition could give way to compassion for others.

I appreciate that Jesus confronted the men who were self-righteous. He reminds us that there is a little bit of Pharisee in each of us. It’s easy to start thinking that we are better than others, while forgetting the depth of our own sin condition.

 

When Jesus ascertained that no one had condemned her, he said, “Neither do I. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Jesus was sinless. He was the only one qualified to judge this woman. Could He have declared the death penalty? Of course! Yet He modeled a loving spirit, not condemnation or judgment. Jesus showed compassion without compromising His Word. He didn’t dodge the fact that adultery was “a life of sin.” He invited her to embrace a new way of life.

Many of us assume that the woman repented after having an encounter with Jesus. But what about believers who come to church who appear unrepentant, especially those who live a lifestyle contrary to God’s Word? Are they welcome in the church? Yes, because ALL are sinners who need a place to find spiritual healing and growth. Moreover, it’s not just the gay community who appear to have a problem of unrepentance.

For example, do you know professing believers who still don’t tithe? Jesus says, “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and render unto God what belongs to God.” We know in Malachi 3 that God believes we are “robbing” Him when we don’t bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Yet many believers are unrepentant about not tithing. What does a non-tithing Christian have in common with a Christian who engages in homosexual behavior? They both rationalize their sin. A homosexual person will say, “I was born this way,” or “Marriage is about love not gender.” A non-tither will say, “The church is always asking for money.” Or, “This church doesn’t need my money.” As a general rule, we know that approximately 20% of Christians support 80% of the church budget in most churches. Since 80% of non-tithing Christians are disobeying God’s command, should we judge them? Do we tell them they are not welcome in the church?

So how should the church respond to the unrepentant believer? What would Jesus do? I believe He would welcome ALL sinners so that the Holy Spirit can touch the hearts of everyone who attends. For some believers, it may take several years because there are certain areas of their life they don’t want to submit to Jesus. I believe everyone needs a safe place to hear God’s Word, and all will stand before the Lord to give an account of our choices. Our part as a church is to remain open to all sinners, whether they are repentant or unrepentant. We should never compromise His Word. 

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/Birute Vijeikiene

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/Birute Vijeikiene

 

If sinners can’t come to the church for healing, where else will they go? How will we reach them if we tell them “they are not welcome?”

I believe the church exists to seek and to save the lost. Jesus is looking for laborers since the “fields are ripe unto harvest.” We can choose to love the sinner and show compassion in their brokenness. I think you can be this kind of laborer! Let’s embrace the opportunity to reach hurting people. Let’s BE the church by demonstrating love over law and allow the Holy Spirit to take care of the rest. I believe this is what Jesus would do.

 

We live in a fallen world, filled with broken people. Are you willing to introduce Christ to all sinners through unconditional love and compassion? Do you think Jesus is asking too much of us? I invite your thoughts below.

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

10.16.15 What Does Love Require?

My church is going through a difficult time. It all started with the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize gay marriage earlier this year. This decision puts Christian churches in an untenable position. Our government says churches cannot discriminate against gay couples who want to get married in the church. Yet asking pastors to marry homosexuals goes against God’s Word. But the issue is larger than “gay marriage.” How should churches respond to the gay community who want to be a part of our family of faith?

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/andrey_popov

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/andrey_popov

My pastor decided to be proactive. He gathered his pastoral staff and the Church Council to process the implications of the Court’s decision. In early June he presented a hypothetical situation to the leadership team: If a same sex couple came to us and asked us to dedicate their child, how will we respond? They met regularly to study the Bible. They prayed together to seek God’s wisdom. They had robust theological discussions on this topic. Some of you may think this is a no brainer, but this was a tough question to answer.

The leadership team acknowledged that they have dedicated children of single parents. They have dedicated children who were born out of wedlock. Grandparents have asked the church to dedicate their grandchildren. We have never said “no” in these situations. If parents want the church’s support to help them raise their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we will gladly say yes.

To arrive at the answer, our leaders asked this key question: “What does love require in this situation?” By the end of summer, our leadership reached consensus. They discerned after much prayer that the Holy Spirit was saying, “Yes, we will dedicate the child of same sex parents.” Our pastor shared with the congregation one Scripture passage that they couldn’t ignore. It is in Matthew 18:1-5. The disciples approached Jesus asking Him “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus called a little child and had him stand among them. Jesus then told them, “Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me and the One who sent me.” Our ministers believed that love requires that we not penalize a child for a situation they don’t control. Love requires that we welcome this child into His church. We will dedicate a child based on the qualifications of the child, not the qualifications of the parents.

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/NYS

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/NYS

As you can imagine, this created turbulence in our congregation, starting with a worship leader who resigned immediately over this decision. He believed that dedicating a child to same sex parents was giving tacit agreement to their lifestyle. He wasn’t alone.

Some of our members have left the church. They extrapolated this scenario to a larger question, “Would our pastors marry gay couples?” Let me be clear. The answer is a BIG.FAT.NO. Our pastors have no intention of violating God’s truth by marrying a gay couple. But that reassurance wasn’t enough. Some members still left because they believed our church was condoning the gay lifestyle, which is not true. Others left because they feared that our church stepped onto the proverbial slippery slope. If we’ll dedicate children of same sex parents, what will be next?

Our church’s mission statement is to serve the bruised, battered, bored, and the broken of our community and the world. We want to reclaim them, restore them, and help them be reproducers for the cause of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. What that means is that our doors are open for anyone. All sinners are welcome. We don’t elevate one sin problem over another. All share the same identity: we are sinners. The church is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. This is what Jesus modeled in His ministry. He hung out with those who needed healing, not those who were well. We work hard to make sure that everyone feels welcomed so that they have a place to discover spiritual healing and growth. We want to create a safe environment for all to hear God’s truth and allow the Holy Spirit to convict each of us when we miss His mark.

Those who are staying, including me, believe that we can be open to all without compromising God’s Word. We will not dilute the truth. As a bible study teacher, I will uphold God’s view of homosexual behaviors. Our pastor is not afraid to teach that homosexual behaviors are considered sin. But he is also going to be fair and remind the congregation that God considers all forms of sexual immorality as equally sinful.

I lost two couples in my Sunday School class who felt a need to find a new church home. If I apply “What does love require of me,” then I will maintain my friendships with them. I choose to respect their decision based on their convictions. I have no problem with “agreeing to disagree.” For heaven’s sake, Christians have disagreed with one another on many issues! However, we are still the family of God. We need to foster our friendships outside of the church as brothers and sisters in Christ.

However, I recently learned that not everyone shares the same goal. I have a friend who has been a dear sister in Christ for many years. She has been one of my top prayer warriors. I was conducting a bible study in Romans 15 in which Paul states that “the strong should bear with the failings of the weak. We are to accept one another as Christ has accepted us.” I shared what happened within our church as an application. When I shared with her our church’s position and that I was supporting it, she became agitated. She started in with how clear the Bible was that homosexuality was a sin. I reminded her that we all agree that it is sin because God says so in His Word. Where we disagree is on HOW to handle gays who need a safe place to learn God’s Word and give room for the Holy Spirit to do His work. After the bible study was over, she was still unsettled. I assumed that she would land on “let’s agree to disagree” after a good night’s sleep.

Instead, my phone rang within twenty four hours of our bible study. She announced, “I am calling to let you know that I am severing my ties with you. I will no longer be participating in your bible study. I have prayed about this and spoke to two pastors at my church, and they agree that I don’t need to pray any further. I just need to make a decision, so I have.” We talked for about thirty minutes processing her basis behind her decision. I felt penalized for supporting our church’s decision over a hypothetical situation. She couldn’t hear that. When I suggested that her issue with my church’s position was between her and God, not between her and me, she didn’t agree. She made her mind up.

What does love require of me in this situation? I will always love this sister in Christ. She is part of the family of God, and I will continue to pray over her as if the friendship were intact. I want the Lord to bless her in every way possible. I want the best for her. My study in Romans has reminded me that we have the stronger in faith and the weaker in faith. All are at different places in our spiritual journey. We are to bear with one another with unconditional love. My door will remain open if she decides after further prayer that she perhaps overreacted.

I want to encourage you to pray for your church and pastoral staff. We live in challenging times, yet Jesus expects us to reach out to the disenfranchised of our society. I believe the gay community already feels judged by the church. If they can’t find Jesus in our churches because we’ve suggested they don’t belong, then I think we have failed. I can’t help but wonder if Jesus weeps over that. 

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/alphaspirit

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/alphaspirit

 

How is your church dealing with this issue? What does love require of you in this situation? Your thoughts are always welcomed. You can click the link “Share Your Comments” below.  

P.S. If you’d like to hear Dr. Haney’s passionate sermon on this topic, here is the link: Dr. Haney’s Sermon Please click the “Headphone Icon” to hear the full sermon.

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

9.25.15 Grow Your Prayer Life: Protect Yourself!

We do a great job protecting our home with locks or security systems. We safeguard our cars in a locked garage. When we encounter cold weather, we insulate ourselves with layers of clothing to keep us warm. When it comes to protecting ourselves and assets, we’re pros. It’s the most natural thing we do. But how careful are we about protecting ourselves spiritually? I want to share my favorite prayer of protection. If you keep a prayer guide, I hope you will find some Scriptural gems in today’s post to enhance your prayer life.

Pray on the Full Spiritual Armor of God – Eph 6:10-17

How seriously do you take spiritual warfare? I believe the devil is alive and well! Paul describes our battle this way (v.10-12): “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This is a command.

Photo Courtesy @ angelaambroise.blogspot.com

Photo Courtesy @ angelaambroise.blogspot.com

 

Satan is a strong enemy, and we need the power of God to be able to stand against him. Never underestimate the power of the devil. He is not compared to a lion and a dragon just for fun! The Book of Job tells what his power can do to a man’s body, home, wealth, and friends. Jesus calls Satan a thief who comes “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). Not only is Satan strong, but he is also wise and subtle, and we fight against “the wiles of the devil.” The Christian cannot afford to be “unaware of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14) and seeks to blind men’s minds to the truth of God’s Word.

God has provided the “whole armor” for us, and we dare not omit any part. Satan looks for that unguarded area where he can get a beachhead (Eph. 4:27). Paul commands us to put on the armor, take the weapons, and withstand Satan, which we do by faith. But what are the pieces of the armor? Paul, the author of Ephesians, describes them:

Photo Courtesy @ ohamanda.com

Photo Courtesy @ ohamanda.com

 

“Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (v.14a) – Satan is a liar (John 8:44), but a man of integrity, with a clear conscience, can face the enemy without fear.

“Stand firm with the breastplate of righteousness in place” (v.14b) – This piece of armor, made of metal plates or chains, covered the body from the neck to the waist, both front and back. It symbolizes the believer’s righteousness in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21) as well as his righteous life in Christ (Eph. 4:24). Satan is the accuser, but he cannot accuse the believer who is living a godly life in the power of the Spirit.

“Stand firm with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (v.15) – If we are going to “stand” and “withstand,” then we need the shoes of the Gospel. Because we have the peace with God (Rom. 5:1) that comes from the Gospel, we need not fear the attack of Satan or men. We must prepare each day to share the Gospel of peace with a lost world.

“In addition, take up your shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (v.16) – The shield was large, usually about four feet by two feet, made of wood, and covered with tough leather. As the soldier held it before him, it protected him from spears, arrows, and “fiery darts.” Satan shoots “fiery darts” at our hearts and minds: lies, blasphemous thoughts, critical thoughts about others, doubts, and burning desires for sin. Faith is our defensive weapon to quench the fiery darts.

“Take the helmet of salvation.” (v.17a) – Satan wants to attack the mind, the way he defeated Eve (Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:1–3). The helmet refers to the mind controlled by God. When God controls the mind, Satan cannot lead the believer astray. 

“Take the the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (v.17b) – The sword is the offensive weapon God provides us. A material sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. The more we use a physical sword, the duller it becomes; but using God’s Word only makes it sharper in our lives. A physical sword requires the hand of a soldier, but the sword of the Spirit has its own power. It is “living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). The Spirit wrote the Word, and the Spirit wields the Word as we take it by faith and use it.

Now that you have a better understanding of the armor, turn it into a daily prayer. Feel free to change this to fit how you feel the Spirit is leading you. Here is a simple prayer to protect ourselves by praying on the full armor every day found below (v.14-17):

Lord, thank you for providing us the armor we need to defeat the Enemy. I now put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace.

As Warren Wiersbe puts it, the “whole armor of God” is a picture of Jesus Christ. Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and He is our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and our peace (Eph. 2:14). His faithfulness makes possible our faith (Gal. 2:20); He is our salvation (Luke 2:30); and He is the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). This means that when we trusted Christ, we received the armor. Paul told the Romans what to do with the armor (Rom. 13:11–14): wake up (Rom. 13:11), cast off sin, and “put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12). We do this by “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14). By faith, put on the armor and trust God for the victory. Once and for all, we have put on the armor at the moment of salvation.¹

 

If we take God at His word and understand the reality of spiritual warfare, then we will “put on the full armor of God” without fail. It’s time to protect yourself! Are there other Scripture passages you like to pray for protection? Your thoughts are always welcomed by clicking the link “Share Your Comment” below. 

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

 

¹ Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible Exposition Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 57-59). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

9.11.15 Grow Your Prayer Life: Begin with a Foundational Prayer

Do you know why I love to blog? Because I believe that God will lift the words off the page and into your heart in a way that encourages or blesses you at your point of need. I started this blog five years ago to create another avenue of ministry to promote spiritual growth. I write to share something meaningful that will strengthen you as we travel on this spiritual journey together. To that end, I always pray that the Lord will give me what HE wants me to share to support you, and He answered! He planted this thought: “Since you find joy in praying for others, why don’t you not only pray over your readers, but help them grow their own prayer life?” The moment I “heard” that idea, I immediately saw a vision for it. Who doesn’t have room to grow in the spiritual discipline of prayer?! We never arrive, right?

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/Showcake

Photo Courtesy @ Shutterstock.com/Showcake

 

Before I advance this vision, let me be clear: I do not have the corner of the market on prayer! I do not believe I am above anyone. I don’t think I am more spiritual than anyone else. I have plenty of room to grow in this area. Consider me as one who comes along beside you to give ideas on how to strengthen your prayer life. I want to risk with God on this vision. I want to help you unleash the power of prayer in your own life. Moreover, I believe YOU have much to offer. I hope the Spirit prompts you to share things about your prayer life through the “Comments” section. I want everyone to enjoy YOUR wisdom and insights. The only credential I have is my personal experience, but I trust the Lord can use it for His glory.

I envision helping you develop your own prayer guide. You may read some prayers that resonate with you, so you adapt it to fit your prayer life. I want you to feel freedom to change anything you see. The goal is to strengthen YOU in prayer, and the Lord will show you how. Some posts on prayer will be topical. For example, what are some good Scripture passages to pray when we need protection? How can we pray effectively when someone is fighting an illness? What are ways that we can praise God through prayer? When hard decisions are in front of us, what are some Bible passages we can pray back to Him and then discern His answer? Again, I don’t have all the answers, but together we can gather many of them!

But where to begin? When I was little, my parents taught me popular prayers that I memorized. My bedtime prayer was, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take.” When it was time to bless the food at the table, I learned, “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.” But then I got older, so it was time to branch out from canned prayers.

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/Volt Collection

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/Volt Collection

 

I learned to pray by listening to others. I listened to my parents pray. I paid attention to how my Sunday School teachers prayed, or how my pastor prayed in the pulpit. My youth pastor encouraged our small group to pray “sentence prayers” to help us overcome any fears of praying out loud. During my college years and in my twenties, I learned about quiet times. I had mentors in the church setting who taught me that I could read a devotional and then apply it through prayer. In my thirties and forties, I discovered prayer journaling. I stumbled upon a prayer notebook by E.M. Bounds called Memos to God. Each pre-printed sheet contained a set outline for prayer. The acronym was ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). I prayed to God daily by filling in the blank sheets after reading the devotional for the day. I kept a prayer journal for years. As God answered prayers, I used a yellow highlighter to reinforce that He hears our prayers. Now I’m in my fifties. I am discovering the power of using Scripture as a way to pray to God. Please know that I was never alone in this journey.

Photo Courtesy@Shutterstock.com/Albanili

Photo Courtesy@Shutterstock.com/Albanili

 

God placed mature believers throughout my life who helped me grow my prayer life. My Dad prayed over me for many years. I experienced his strong love for me as he prayed to the Lord on my behalf. Norma Branson, my dear sister in Christ in Kansas, prayed with me every week for several years. My dear friend Bonnie Mikes has spent Thursday evenings with me for over four years here in Austin, and we’re going strong. Because their walk with the Lord is so deep, their prayer life is rich. I bet you have your own list of those who have helped you along. We not only need to thank God for these strong prayer warriors, but we need to embrace the vision that we can become prayer warriors too. Are you ready?!

Today I want to share a section of my prayer guide that is a daily staple for me. A beautiful choral arrangement called “God Be in My Head” by John Rutter inspired it. Please listen to it. It’s only 1.5 minutes long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U3mHgedrsQ

 

Here are the lyrics:

“God be in my head and in my understanding;

God be in my eyes and in my looking;

God be in my mouth and in my speaking;

God be in my heart and in my thinking;

God be at my end and in my departing.”

 

Mr. Rutter describes beautifully how pervasive God should be in our lives. We want to ask God to permeate every area of our lives. As you read the prayer below, I encourage you to roll your cursor over each Scripture reference. You will see the complete verse that supports the prayer request:

 

God, be in our head and understanding:

  • May you give us generous portions of wisdom without finding fault [James 1:5]
  • May you give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know you better. May this same Spirit give us keen spiritual insight into all of our circumstances [Eph 1:17]
  • As we live out each day, help us to “trust in the Lord always and lean not on our own understanding, but in all our ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make our paths straight.” [Prov 3:5-6]

 

God, be in our eyes and in our looking:

  • May we see everyone through the spiritual lens of Christ [I Sam 16:7; Rom 2:11; Jam 2:1]
  • May we look upon one another with Christ’s compassion and mercy [Matt 9:36]
  • When we interact with others, may the smile of Jesus be evident in our eyes. May they experience our genuine care and concern for them [Prov 15:30a]
  • When situations become complex, may your Spirit bring the hidden things to light that we may see and understand them from your vantage point. [Job 12:22, Job 28:11, Dan 2:22]

 

God, be in our mouth and in our speaking:

  • May you give us words of life that are comforting, encouragement, edifying, hopeful and healing [Prov 15:4, Prov 15:30b]
  • May you lead us by your Spirit to choose our words wisely so that we minister to those around us. [Prov 25:11]

 

God, be in our heart and in our thinking:

  • May you give us a fresh indwelling of your Holy Spirit. [Eph 5:18b]
  • May the fruit of the Spirit be evident to others. [Gal 5:22-23]
  • May the eyes of our heart be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which you have called us. [Eph 1:18]
  • May we give the Holy Spirit free reign to control our mind that will result in “life and peace.” [Rom 8:6b]   

 

This is my foundational prayer. Do you have a foundational prayer in which you’re inviting God to be involved in every part of your being? Did other Scripture passages come to mind that we can use to strengthen the above prayer guide? If so, please click “Share Your Comments” below for everyone’s benefit.

As my subscribers, I am now praying for you. I can’t wait to see how God strengthens us in our prayer life. Until we meet again, “May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” (Num 6:24-26)

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann