Why Prayer Matters (Day 3.4)
December 3, 2009 by Christine
Filed under BF-Week 03
Back at the Bible Cafe, we gather in our study of Breaking Free, and today we’re learning about the value of prayer in our lives. I was first introduced to “prayer” when my husband was seriously ill, and neighbors I barely knew looked in my eyes and said “I’ll pray for him.” Over and over, people were saying this to me, and silently I thought “why are they all praying for me, I don’t even pray for myself!” Today I realize that these Christians were demonstrating “love they neighbor” and I depended on this when my husband was fighting for his life.
Later, my own friend needed prayers as her two-year-old daughter battled leukemia. I found myself repeating those words “I’ll pray for you” and through I was a novice at prayer, I spilled my heart to pray for this beautiful girl. During that time, I witnessed over 600 people continually praying, giving blood and bone marrow, feeding her family meals and tending to the emotional needs of this family, for many years while God was healing Katie. One small child, broken by cancer, brought myself and several other people to our knees in constant prayer with God. While God healed her cancer, Katie healed my stagnant prayer life.
Often we’ll find it easy to pray when we face an enormous illness, crying out “Oh God, heal me and save me.” Yet in the ordinary events of our lives, we are not praying and staying in God’s peace and comfort. Satan knows that facing death brings us closer to God, and he also knows that daily life and perfectionism distracts us from closeness to God. Remember, the enemy knows the scriptures too!
If prayer brings us to peace, why don’t we do this daily? My personal struggle with this came from the feeling that I was not “praying right.” I had a 12-year Catholic school education and for me, praying involved repetitive prayers and a set of beads. As I matured into an adult, left the church and lost the beads, I found I did not know how to pray. I struggled with being perfect, and wanted my prayers to be perfect too.
In Christian Bible study, my friends taught me to pray and gave me a simple formula as a “guide.” I no longer use the formula today, however at the time it helped me immensely as it set a timeline for my prayer. I prayed through ACTS with this formula:
- A=Acknowledge God
- C=Confess my sins
- T=Thank Him for His blessings
- S=Submit my request
The simple formula created a daily prayer habit and evolved into intimate conversations with My Father God. Daily prayer matters because it centers my day on God, brings forgiveness for my transgressions, and allows me to seek peace in the comfort of God’s Presence.
Got prayer today?
Prayer Requests
Let us pray Ephesians 1:17-20 today.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give (your name) the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that (your name) may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of (your name) heart may be enlightened in order that (your name) may know the hope to which he has called (her), the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for (your name) who believes. In your power and glory Lord, please break (your name) and set her free from captivity. Amen.
Beth Moore Quotes
- Avoiding prayer is a sure prescription for anxiety -Beth Moore
- Satan knows prayerless lives are powerless lives -Beth Moore
- Only thorough prayer are we washed in peace -Beth Moore
Today’s Scripture Verses
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
Group Discussion
Is there a time in your life when you were prayerless or struggled with prayer? Please share your experience.
Breaking free,
I was raised Catholic, Married a Baptist preachers son, and now go to a Christian Non-denominational Church. I too was brought up with the specific prayers w/beads. I used to listen to my Late Father-in-Law pray for so many people, as well as his own family. I remember times when I would think to myself…when is he going to finish…I have things to do. I am now the person who prays the blessing at family gatherings. My own daughters roll their eyes because they know I allow the Spirit to lead my words, and their stomachs are telling them…is it over yet? Prayer is such an important part of my life now. Now if I could only convince my daughters how much our prayers have kept them safe when the choices they have made may have put them in danger. God is so Good!
I love prayer – - it is such a beautiful gift that our Father has given us – -He wants us to talk to Him! For me, as my faith has grown so has my desire to talk to God, and as I have seen answers (sometimes years in the making), I know He listens. Prayer calms my troubled spirit – offers me hope, revives me . . .I could go on and on!
I remember when my daughter was about three years old and during prayer time she told God a joke . . .I was so happy that she knew God was a friend – - I bet God smiled!
Recently my family has gone through several crises in a few weeks, from the serious illnesses of my mother and my husband, emotional distress with my grandson who lives with me and the separation of my daughter-in-law and my son. Along with that there are serious concerns at the church my husband ministers. I felt overwhelmed – - I am so glad that God knows my heartcries when words don’t come . . .and for a friend I haven’t spoken to in weeks, who was unaware of what was happening in my life, called one day and said, I don’t know what is happening in your life, but I know the Holy Spirit wants me to pray for you – -so know I am praying for you . . .don’t we have a GREAT FATHER who loves to listen to us and sends reassurances to us through His children. The struggles, heartache and battle with fear continue, but prayer is my lifeline
…prayer is my lifeline…How true is that! We often wait to call on God as we face a spiritual or physical death, and God wants us to call on Him daily in our walk. He’s our nourishment, but we’re too full fattening ourselves with idols, pride, unbelief and legalism, we’ve not allowed room for Him. (I’m seeing my emotional eating as a connection here.)
I was just thinking that so often I talk at God, giving Him suggestions . . I am a big one line pray-er all day long – to remind myself constantly that He is with me . . .(my deep, concentrated prayer comes at night) and although I love that my daughter shared a joke with Him, I also had to teach her that reverence & respect that go along with God. So, I’ve been trying my best, especially these past few weeks, to practice “rejoicing in all things” in my prayer life, which is sure hard for me, when my heart is so heavy. I sure am glad God is big enough that He can handle all my emotions and my complete honesty. I’ve been trying so hard to be strong for everyone around me – -I’m so glad I can go to God and know He understands . . .now if only I could conquer the fear and yes, my emotional eating . . .
I journal. I write my questions out and then I go to my devotion time. Or I write my observations and then go to my devotions. I have found that God answers me quite often this way.
I haven’t conversationally prayed to God very much, and rarely ask Him for things. But, there was a time when He was my lifeline and I found that praying in the Spirit was one of the major things to get me through.
So, perhaps now is the time when I am dry in my prayer life. Perhaps I need to do more than journaling and speaking through writing.
I pray before food, I’ll pray for safe travels, I do shoot up prayers, rather than long talks. But, I think my journaling is my form of prayer…thoughts?
I am a journaler as well – -it seems to help to focus on my prayer, keeps me from rambling – - and when I am going through times of doubt, I can look back and read how He helped me through other confusing times. I talk with God throughout the day, but at night, when I journal, I really gather my thoughts, ponder on His words and take the time to listen. And, of course, it also helps me to focus on the things I am thankful for. I recently started to add photos or drawings to my journal . . .sometimes those give more meaning to what I am trying to say. I am constantly working on my prayer life, I don’t want it to become stale.
Thanks Susan, it is a neat idea to put pictures or drawings in. I have put pages from the little devotionals in that have touched me. But, last night I added talking out loud to God, more whispering, I guess, and plan to add that to my journaling time as well. I have spoken to God randomly and throughout day, but think adding prayer to my journaling will be New Year’s Resolution starting yesterday.:)
I wish I was a better pray-er. I pray constantly through the day about this or that but always find it hard to get to a quiet place and take true “prayer” time…(see my Day 3 post on “busy”ness) This is something I truly need to work on doing. How can I expect to increase my relationship and intimate knowledge of Him without taking time to really sit down and talk to him and give him my full attention? “Quiet time” is pretty much non-existent but I just have to make the choice to connect more through a designated and focused prayer time.
I have always felt inferior in my praying out loud in front of people but I think that reverts to my perfectionism problems and thinking people are always going to be critiquing me. as Pam said, I too love to pray in the spirit because it seems that I always hear something back from the Holy Spirit when I finish. When we don’t know what to pray as the Word says sometimes this is the only way we can pray. I like to just converse with the Lord and I also like to pray the scripture as Christine did above with our names or a loved one’s name in it. There are zillions of books out there on prayer and I think that has gotten me confused in that area but when Jesus said to pray He said to pray like this and then He said, “Our Father who art in heaven” I can actually remember that being a part of starting our day at school (public school). We said the Lord’s Prayer out loud and then we said the pledge of allegiance in that litle elementary two room country school with a bell in top and actually outhouses–no indoor bahrooms. Then a few years later they took prauer out of schools and went to the moment of silence–it was never the same for me and I believe this country after that. It’s my prayer to increase my prayer time henceforth.
Charmaine, I can relate to things you say. I too am vowing to increase my ‘talkin” time to the Lord. Journaling is still good, but am adding prayers to it.
through out my life i would say “little prayers”…like when things go bad or people are sick and you say “I’ll pray for you”. BUT truthfully i don’t know how to pray to God. sometimes i hear other peoples prayers and they just say all the right things in the prayer. i could’ve NEVER come up with what they had just said in a million years if i was asked “to lead us in prayer”. i told my mother this the other day and she said not to worry, as i move forward in my faith journey that it will come to me. and that if i was asked “to lead us in prayer” whatever i would’ve said would be just fine.
this past week as all the obstacles have been revealed to me, i will today go pray on bended knee and i know whatever i say…will be just fine:-)
WOW got goosebumps reading that, and it is so true! You share neat stuff, thank you!
We Must know God, Trust God, Believe God. and know that he is always there for us. Just open our heart to him and we will feel his power.
That is my prayer, To never let him go, never!!
I used to struggle with my prayer time because I always wanted it to be perfect. I have gone back and forth between journaling and just talking to the Lord and always find that a combination of the two really helps me connect with the Lord. Also, worship helps me to get focused and then I am able to let my prayers flow more freely. I try to always start out my prayer time with a worship song or two.
Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.
Psalm 100:4 (MSG)
There has been periods of times I have went days,weeks maybe even mths of not praying. I know now that those were very bad lonely days as I look back and remember that. WOW, I say this and still cant believe I could ever go that long without speaking to God. I would try and hurry up and pray while laying in bed but found myself falling asleep and then I would feel guilty and just not pray at all. Now I know better and prayer is my life line to God.
there have been times that i have wanted to pray but that i stuck as to what to pray for or to even say. i usually when this happens just say to god i know you know what the need is right or what need ect and to just let him take of it. also sometimes i have learned that the simplest prayer are the best even if we are not sure what to say or know what to ask for.
I recently heard Joyce Meyer say something similar…God does not want us to be in full formal attire in order to pray…He just wants our attention. He’s waiting to bless us…if we simply ask Him!