Introduction

Prayer is Conversation/Communication with God We are created by God to love God and be loved by Him. All relationships – including our relationship with God – rise or fall on communication. How can you love someone you don’t know? How can you have a relationship with someone to whom you don’t talk? God knows all about us. He loves us anyway. We can be completely honest with God. God is Lord of all. He sustains the universe. Yet He takes time to hear our prayers. This is an amazing privilege.

Prayer is Incredibly Complex Deceptively Simple Prayer is so simple even a young child can pray. Yet the more we pray throughout our lives, the more we realize that prayer is so complex that it takes our entire lives to learn to pray. We pour out our hearts to God in prayer. Prayer language is the language of our heart. Prayer doesn’t have to be fancy or flowery – just honest. Be yourself and spend time with God both talking and listening. Remember with prayer, like so much of life, 90% is just showing up!

Prayer consists of listening as well as talking. We don’t always need to have the “right” words. The Scriptures promise that the Holy Spirit will “intercede with sighs too deep for words.” Our God is so great He gives us the words to pray to Him! We are also promised that Jesus Himself prays for us! Prayer can be both individual and corporate, sung or spoken, spontaneous or written out… but all that matters is it draws you closer to God.

A Month on Prayer Following this introduction you will find prayers for the next 31 days. Happy Praying, Ya’ll!! We will cover different types of prayer in five day sections – Praying the Scriptures, Praying the Psalms, Praying the Hymns, Praying the Prayers of the Church throughout the Ages, Praying the Prayers of the Reformation and Reformers, and Praying Our Prayers. Each day features three prayers. Since we are told in the Scriptures to “pray without ceasing” it is recommended to pray one prayer in the morning, one during the day, and one in the evening.

There are many types of prayer.
Using different types of prayers helps you have a balanced prayer life.  Some forms of prayers may be easier for you; others harder. But as you relate to God in different ways your relationship will deepen. One of the easiest ways to deepen your prayer life is
ACTS I  stands for: ADORATION CONFESSION THANKSGIVING SUPPLICATION INTERCESSION We will learn more about these each day and practice each using the Scriptures.

 

 

Click here to hear the full verses to the Children's Prayer Song- written by Dr. Sloan

 

10-1-13- THIRTY DAYS IN PRAYER BEGINS!

Click here for a video thought for the day by Dr. Sloan.

There are many types of prayer.
Using different types of prayers helps you have a balanced prayer life.  Some forms of prayers may be easier for you; others harder. But as you relate to God in different ways your relationship will deepen. One of the easiest ways to deepen your prayer life is
ACTS I  stands for: ADORATION CONFESSION THANKSGIVING SUPPLICATION INTERCESSION We will learn more about these each day and practice each using the Scriptures.

Below are three prayers using scripture that we invite you to pray today, 10/1.
A is for Adoration.  These prayers tell God we love Him. These are prayers of Praise.  These are like writing God a love letter…  we tell Him why we love Him,  how wonderful He is, how much we appreciate Him, and remind ourselves of all He does for us.

FIRST PRAYER 10/1:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things,     and by your will they were created and have their being.      Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,     to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength     and honor and glory and praise! To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb     be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” For Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. We praise, Lord, that one day we will be before the throne of God     and serve you day and night in your temple. We thank you that you will shelter us with your presence. Never again will we hunger; never again we will thirst. The sun will not beat down nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be our shepherd. He will lead us to streams of living water.     And God, Himself, will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Selected Passages from Revelation 4-7

  SECOND PRAYER 10/1: Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power     and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,     for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;     you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you;     you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power     to exalt and give strength to all.  Now, our God, we give you thanks,     and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 1 Chronicles 29:11-14

THIRD PRAYER 10/1: I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted. Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my defense, He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name… Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of your nostrils  the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea… Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. The nations will hear and tremble… By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone— until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by.  You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,  the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. The Lord reigns for ever and ever. Based on Exodus “Song of Moses” after the Red Sea parted and closed

Prayer Guide:

October 1 – Prayers of Adoration

 Selected Passages from Revelation 4-7

These are choruses of praises to God. These doxologies (words of praise to God) are prayers of worship. There is included as well as a vision of God’s heavenly kingdom where all suffering and pain will cease.  The first and last prayers from Scripture in this study will both come from Revelation.  Compare this prayer with the final prayer from October 5.

1 Chronicles 29:11-14 This is David’s joyous response to the offerings to build the temple being given so generously. It reminds us all things truly belong to God, of the joy of giving to the Lord, and how He provides all that we need.

 

Based on Exodus 15:1-18  This prayer is taken from a passage of Scripture known as the “Song of Moses.” Here Moses celebrates all the “signs and wonders” God has done in order to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It was part of the celebration and worship after the Red Sea had parted and closed.