February challenge results - Pray daily

Happy Monday, dear readers. It's nearly the middle of March, and we're about to finish our segment on praying The Lord's Prayer. We were ambitious in scheduling such an important and rich piece of Scripture to one month. As we know, all Scripture is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), but the Lord's Prayer quite literally came from His mouth. It deserves more attention than I normally give it.

Our challenge this month was to pray daily. How did that go for you? Remember, we're still using prayer journals, and this is a very effective way to record each prayer and how God answers it. Adding a daily prayer seems like a small task compared to the prayer journal, doesn't it?

I found in my own effort to take on this challenge that praying daily does SEEM like a small task. What an arrogant creature I am. <half laughing> Prayer should never be a small thing. We should never approach the throne of the Almighty God as if we deserve access. We are allowed there because He loves us and desires a relationship with us.

As a mom with two toddlers, much of my praying seems to happen on the fly. Changing diapers, making cereal or sandwiches, grocery shopping, endless errands - it all gets lumped together and my prayers often go up while I do those things. The Bible says to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but it also talks about being reverent. Jesus Himself showed reverence. "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission" (Hebrews 5:7). We're also told in 1 Peter 1:17 to live out our time on earth in reverent fear of the Father who judges each person's work impartially.

Do I show reverence in my prayer life?

It means a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe (definition courtesy of dictionary.com). I'm afraid I run before the throne of grace in a hurry, toss my petitions before Him, perhaps bow once if I remember, and rush out to accomplish the next task on my list. My own challenge has become to go before Him with a feeling and an attitude of deep respect tinged with awe. To show reverence, and to be thankful that He asked me to come in at all.

How did this month's challenge go for you? Let us know in the comment section or in an email to elohimprayer@gmail.com. We love to hear from you!

Praying for you today,
Shelley

Teach Us To Pray - February Challenge

This month, Shelley and I will be blogging about the teaching of Jesus on prayer, specifically on the section of scripture known as the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6: 9-13.  We will be focusing on verses 5 - 15, which will include some of the surrounding instruction on prayer, as well as the prayer itself.  Luke 11: 2-4 provides a portion of the prayer and in this particular portion of scripture the teaching is prompted by the request from one of the disciples, Lord, teach us to pray.....     This is the cry of our heart this month.   

Also, as mentioned in January, each month will highlight another prayer challenge.  The challenge for February is to pray daily and place some note of the prayer in your prayer journal.  If you are looking for direction in your journaling, you might consider praying the Lord's Prayer in full or by sections and using the upcoming blogs as a catalyst for your prayer focus.  In your journal, jot down the insights the Lord gives you and maybe consider sharing them with us.  This will be my journal focus this month.  If you choose another prayer focus or section of scripture, please feel free to share that with us and your insights. 

Matthew 6: 9-13

"Pray, then, in this way:
'Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.'
Amen"


Father - as we move into a new month of considering you and your ways, teach us to pray as Christ taught his disciples.  Help our hearts to know and depend on you more and more each day.  Thank you for caring about us and about the things and people close to our hearts.  We lift them up to you.

Blessings on your journey,
Carol

Prayer Journal Challenge - Shelley's Results

At the beginning of the month, Carol and I put out a challenge. We encouraged you to begin a prayer journal to record your prayers and the ways you see God answering them. What a challenge it was!

Even though it feels like I fill God's ears with a constant flow, I've never kept a prayer journal. In junior high school, I began writing down thoughts and feelings in a notebook because my teacher made me and the practice mostly stuck. I've continued journaling off and on since, and even when I don't have an actual book to write my thoughts, feelings, and wishes in, I'll use any scrap of paper I can find. A napkin, the back of a deposit slip, receipts. A lot of words, and none of them meant in focused prayer to the Almighty God who could change my situation if only I showed enough faith to ask.

This month's challenge gave me the direction and incentive I needed. There are four major ways keeping a prayer journal has enriched my prayer life:

1. It forces me to get specific with my prayers. As early as Genesis 24 (and probably before), we see the benefit of being specific in our prayers. When Abraham's servant prayed for a wife for Isaac, he asked God to show him the woman in a very clear manner. He knew when God answered him.
2. It makes me stop asking for the same thing over and over again, and instead turn my worries into prayers. Matthew 6:7 says not to use vain repetitions in our prayers. God knows our needs, so to continue asking after we've communicated with Him shows a lack of faith. Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious, but instead to pray.
3. It builds my faith by showing me what God is doing. I didn't realize just how many of my prayers God is kind and generous enough to answer with a resounding 'yes!' until I began writing down my prayers and recording the answers I saw. Maybe I took it as coincidence or I overlooked it completely, but I didn't recognize the faithfulness of God. Keeping a prayer journal proves His word is true (2 Timothy 2:13).
4.It makes me consider my prayers carefully, knowing the power they have. The Bible says whatever we ask the Father in Jesus' name He will give to us.  "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:23, 24) I also know that if I ask, I'd be wise to keep myself available to His granting. How many times have I asked for a specific blessing, but not allowed or trusted Him to grant it? I don't follow through with the expectation that what I ask will be given, so the blessing is left by the wayside. "Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)

This year will be a challenging one for us at Elohim Prayer Beads. It is our intention to live our faith boldly and to help you grow in your prayer life. I've grown this month, and I hope you have too. Leave a comment and let us know how the challenge of keeping a prayer journal changed your faith and your life.

Praying many blessings on you (and believing He will bestow them!),
Shelley

New Year Commitments

It's a new year. Time for a new love and a new you, right?

Well...

January 6th, and I can't figure out where the first five days of the new year have gone. Is it too late to wish you all a Happy New Year? Late is better than never, after all.

And about late being better than never... Have you set up any New Year's Resolutions? Perhaps you're like me and you shy away from this chore. A commitment is a hefty thing, you know. It's not too late! Come on, belly up to the table and face the cards. It's time, pardner.

I am not a huge fan of setting resolutions and then breaking them. I usually hold off making myself and the Lord any promises until I know the changes I plan to make are realistic and reachable while still being a challenge. Committing to the Lord, and all that. (Psalm 37:5 and Proverbs 16:3 speak of committing your way to the Lord.)

There are so many ways to set up a resolution plan if you're the unconventional type. First, change the way you approach this by changing the language. Instead of a resolution, you're setting goals. Challenging yourself to a new lifestyle. Simply making changes to create a better situation for yourself.

Now try breaking your yearly changes down into smaller, more attainable goals. A new one each quarter, each month, or even every week. These smaller goals should keep you on track to reach your big change throughout the year. Also, get a partner to help you stay accountable.

There are as many ways to achieve your resolutions (oops, there's that word again) er... GOALS as there are types of goals. Physical fitness, relational health, career plans, and spiritual challenges all might come into your personal setup. For myself, I have career goals (finish that book in the first quarter of the year and submit to agents), physical fitness goals (work up to 15 minutes of jumping rope continuously), and spiritual goals (do my Bible study every morning).

What about you? What are your goals and challenges? Share them with us! We'll help keep you accountable, and you can help keep us going.

At Elohim Prayer Beads, we're setting spiritual challenges. Look for that in the next post. And get ready. We're going to ask you to go on this ride with us and share your experiences.

So Happy New Year, dear ones. May your life be full of renewed promise and joy as you serve Him.

Shelley

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5