All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

Taking steps

Listen to this podcast here: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/292a846d/taking-steps

'Okay, you got me', he said. 'I am interested by what you talked about - you know, about the Missing Piece [https://conta.cc/3zPxF6C]. I think you said it was about drawing closer to God in prayer, getting strength and finding contentment in God, but I do not even know where to start. Like, I grew up in a religion where we memorized prayers. From the time I was a little boy in another country, I recited prayers I was made to learn. I never knew if God or Allah even heard my prayers - and if he did, what difference it made. I didn't even know what half of it meant, especially since it was in Arabic. Just saying, I would like to pray to the God of the Bible I have been learning about, but I do not even know how to start.'

In answer: Friend, this is a prayer that is mostly drawn from the Bible, noted at bottom. While some of it will be new, it will not be hard for you to understand. For the rest of us, it is just real. It is the power that we have when we pray God's words back to him. And 'you know what? It is a good starting place to pray everyday to the Lord!

Dear Heavenly Father,

I praise you Lord for finding me. I am learning You are good, and your unfailing love continues forever, your faithfulness to all generations!1

Answer me when I call to you, O God. . . Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.² You, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are the one who holds my head high.³

I read that Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.4 Thank you, Lord, for that promise of rest.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.⁵

Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.6

Fill me up again with your Holy Spirit. Jesus said, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.7 Thank you for that promised power, Lord; I surely need your power for living well.

I read that You said, "don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell Me what you need, and thank Me for all I have done. Then you will experience My peace, which exceeds anything you can understand. My peace will guard your heart and mind as you trust Me."⁸

Father, I ask you for wisdom today⁹, that I will have keen judgment and discretion

I ask that you would bless me.¹⁰

O God, come and do what only You can do in our lives:

>For those who need to find you or come back to you, I pray…___, ___, (see below - this is how I write in my prayer journal each morning, a circle with names, in order to faithfully and persistently pray for those who need God to act!)

>For those who need healing--physical or emotional, I pray…___, ___,

>For our country, Lord, that people would turn to You, I pray…___, ___ ..

including our president, vice president and elected officials. O God, preserve our freedoms, I pray!

>For those who are losing jobs, I pray for your provision, justice and mercy.

>For those who are suffering religious persecution around the globe, I pray for your remedy, O Lord.

>Thank you, Lord, for the gift of prayer, for your desire to hear and answer my prayer because it is in your heart of goodness and generosity. Thank you, Lord, for life, for strength, for love, for the Word of God, for the promise of Heaven when I die, for Your great love, for ___, ___, ___, ___, ___....

O God, I pray that I would honor you today in what I think about and what I say.¹¹

All these things I pray in the good and great and mighty name of Jesus,

Amen

"Surely goodness", Shane & Shane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo3HgtT_OiE

So good, so peaceful, so God-honoring . . .

Thank You, Father. Amen.

Christine

PastorWoman.net

Want some more music to put you in the mood to pray? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Oqu9L4aKg Who else? Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir!

^{1 - Psalm 100.5}

^{2 - Psalm 4.1}

^{3 - Psalm 3.3}