Pray without Ceasing

How can we pray without ceasing?

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, KJV). The Greek word "without ceasing" means continuous action.

Just as soldiers have radio transmissions built into their helmets to hear their commanding officer at all times, prayer is our way of hearing our leading Savior. It’s a heart attitude, expressed throughout the day in silent prayers of communication with the Lord. It’s being willing to be inline with Him so that when He prompts us we respond.

It’s before our feet hit the floor, at meal times, the last words of the day, while driving, changing diapers, washing dishes and piles of laundry, weeding, picking up toys. It doesn’t replace our alone time, but adds to it.

I have justified to myself that I have been too busy to be consistent with my quiet time.  But yet, it really is my own lack of self discipline and laziness.  I stay up late to watch an episode on Netflix, which means I am too tire to get up for quiet time before all the kids are up.  And then my head and heart are not in the right place so I'm annoyed at the interruptions.  I am committing to get my act together. 

I wrote about my devotional time, what I do and how I got to that point here.

Satan wants me so busy, so depleted that I am too discouraged and too tired to spend time with God.  As a mom, sometimes it feels like another task or chore.   

I look back at all the heart ache over the past 5 years and see that as my quiet time with the Lord has dwindled my stress levels have risen.  Not that previously life was easy, but the weight and burden of the emotional and mental handling of situations was different.  Life has actually been easier these past couple of years, but I feel overwhelmed and lost a lot of the time.  As I set back and have started digging in again, I can feel that calm.  As if I was separated from my unit, trying to survive in a jungle and suddenly I am found and being led back to safety to be flown home.  Why would I even have given this up?

When we spend time in prayer, it familiarizes us with the Lord. I need to know Him well enough to recognize His voice so that when He whispers directions, I can trust He is the one speaking rather than the enemy.  I do not want to miss a divine appointment. I want to play a role in a great assignment. 

While I have always enjoyed studying the Bible.  There have been times when I questioned if my prayers really made any difference, felt that prayer time was boring, that God was going to do what He planned reguardless. So this prompted me to want more and understand the ways and why's of prayer.

My biggest take away is that there are not RIGHT words, only RIGHT desires.

But I am not very good at free styling anything.  I like, love lists.  I need direction.  Below is what I've found and some of the ideas that work for me. I am freshly motivated and challenged to be consistent in my morning devotions again.  I hope it will help give you a starting point or perhaps to add in to your quiet time and prayer time as well.

ACTS
Adoration,Who God Is:
Listen to a praise and worship song, I like to listen to International House of Prayer
Read a Psalms
Sing to Him

Confession:
Ask God what areas He is not pleased with
Confess my wrongs
Give thanks that He forgives
Pray about others I need to forgive

Thanksgiving,What God has Done:
Thankfulness cards (we have a recipe box filled with 365 index card and each morning we write the date on the top and then add 5 things to be thankful for, then as each year goes round, we can just add to the cards)
All the blessings He has given us.
That I can come to Him with my problems anytime
That He is concerned about me
That He loves me
That He said He would help me
That He will see me through this problem
That He has the power to calm the storm
Jer 29:11-I’m at the perfect place, what am I suppose to be growing in?
That I trust Him 100%
Review Prayer Journal with answered prayers

Supplication and Intercession:
Focus on people not things
*When praying for others and ourselves, pray for the person and their characters to grow in the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, generiosity and self-control)
Don't give up if it something that I feel is in God's will, such as a marriage healed, someone's salvation etc. By prayer and petition. Waiting on God to answer is sometimes a test for our own endurance, faith and committment.
Say the Lord’s prayer
7 questions for our prayers:
1) Will the thing that I am praying for meet my Godly personal needs and will it fit in with a just and righteous life style
2) Am I being submissive to God's will, and will I gladly accept what ever God is willing to give me, if anything. Can I say, “not my will Father, but let your will be done?”
3) If my prayer is answered will the result honor God?
4) Will it harm or hurt someone else or will it interfere in another person's life.
5) Will it please God.
6) Does my request contradict or conflict with the Word of God in anyway.
7) Will it further my spiritual growth. Will what I pray for bring me closer to God?

Thumb: Our strongest digit. Pray those things closest in our lives and spouse, kids, (when folding laundry, dishes, picking up), family, friends, neighbors,
Index: Points the way
Pray for those who direct us: our teachers, mentors. Prayer for our church – personal, local, national, and those with influence, CCC, MOPS, School
Middle finger, tallest:
Pray for World Issues- Our town, our state, our nation, globally, Peace in the wars, our leaders and influential people,
Ring finger, the weakest:
For Missions & Foster Care Families– faith, personal and financial support, their family life, the places they are working, protection against Satan’s attacks, praise for their ministry, For the sick healing, peace, their family, strength, their Doctors, andFor non Christians, their needs For the poor, For 3rd world countries suffering For our environment,
Little Finger, smallest:
For Ourselves-our needs not wants, our character to become more like God/Jesus, protection against evil and temptation.

Read a devotional prayer book:

Power of the Praying Wife, Parent or Woman. Have been powerful tools for me to know where to start with prayer many days.

Days of the Week: 
I also divide life into Daily, Areas of life, House Blessing Focus of the Day, Meal Time Topic of the day, Special Night plans.
Monday: 
     (Husband) One of the prayers from Power of Praying Parent.
     (Child) and specific issues going on in their life. One of the prayers from Power of Praying parent.
     (My Siblings) Their lives and families, anything specific they are facing.
     (Teachers) Both from church and school.  For wisdom, love for students, for their lessons to touch the hearts of those hearing.
     (World Issues) Our Town: Revival, employment, construction, jail.
     (Missionaries/Foster Care) specific family & how can we be missionaries in our own neighborhood/town.
     (Myself) : specific struggles.  Read a prayer from Praying Power of a Woman or other devotional book. 
     (Areas of life) Field: my career with Young Living, where to work, follow up, fresh ideas, wisdom with promoting and conflict resolutions, speaking life, encouraging, tasks to be completed, areas of emotional focus for each family member, which products do we need this week for supporting health.  Read and pray over a promise and topic in my Business Prayers book.  My responsibilities as a stay home mom, housework projects, balance in completely quickly, staying on top of chores, energy and thankfulness for the chores.  Read a devotional prayer from Moms prayer book.
     (House Blessing) Kitchen: This is the day I pray for wisdom in organizing, cleaning and balancing my time in the kitchen, cooking, spending time with kid of the day during cooking times.
     (Meal Topic) Current Events:  what is our Christian World View on Current Events?  Who can we be praying for that is or will be affected?
     (Special Night) Movie Night - Pray that the time together will be enjoyable, that we can have a great discussion after and leading to next weeks movie.

Etc for each of the week, I change my focus topics.  There are so many areas to pray about.

And most importantly : Just Rest in His Spirit and Be Still.  Be present and allow yourself to just feel and breathe Him. 

The Power of a Praying Wife

I think just about everyone has heard of this book. And if you haven't I highly encourage you to get it. Not just to get another book, but to read it and commit to praying. I personally had grown lax about praying daily for Allen.

Recently, I have had the opportunity to get more involved with a women's ministry and food pantry to serve others. I admitted up front my fears. Every time I have stepped out to put myself out there for any kind of leadership or service for the Lord, I get attacked. Satan attacks me thru words as these are my love language. Give me a heart felt compliment and I'll love ya and can survive for weeks on it. But just as devastating are words filled with hatred and lies and slander. Satan is like a wolf in sheep's clothes. He appears to be innocent and good until you are taken in. He has attacked in the form of friends, women who were leading a women's ministry at church, family, strangers.

I prayed that I would recognize any attack and be ready for any more onslaught of condemning words that cause doubt. Satan my not be wise, but he is cunning. Attacking from angles we did not prepare or foresee. Creeping in slowly so as to go unnoticed.

I would like to challenge all you wives to be on your knees before the Lord each and every day as you commit your marriage and husband to the Lord. Satan is in full force to come against marriages that are doing something good for the kingdom. I am recommitting to be the praying wife that my husband needs.

Here is one of the prayers from her book:

His Reputation
"Lord, I pray that (husband's name) will have a reputation that is untarnished. I know that a man if often valued "by what others say of him" (Prov 27:21), so I pray that he will be respected in our town and people will speak highly of him. You've said in Your Word that "a curse without cause shall not alight" (Prov 26:2). I pray that there would never be any reason for bad things to be said of him. Keep him out of legal entanglements. Protect us from lawsuits and criminal proceedings. Deliver those who rise up to do him harm (Psalm 59:1). Fight against those who fight against him (Psalm 35:1). In You, O Lord, we put our trust. Let us never be put to shame (Psalm 71:1). If You are for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

Your Word says that "a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matt 7:18-19). I pray that my husband will bear good fruit out of the goodness that is within him, and that he will be known by the good that he does. May the fruits of honesty, trustworthiness, and humility sweeten all his dealings, so that his reputation will never be spoiled.

Preserve his life from the enemy, hide him from the secret counsel of the wicked. Pull him out of any net which has been laid for him (Psalm 31:4). Keep him safe from the evil of gossiping mouths. Where there has been ill spoken of him, touch the lips of those who it with Your refining fire. Let the responsibility of those involved be revealed. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion who seek to destroy his life; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish him evil (Psalm 40:14). May he trust in You and not be afraid of what man can do to him (Psalm 56:11). For You have said whoever believes in You will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11). Lead him, guide him, and be his mighty fortress and hiding place. May his light so shine before men that they see his good works and glorify You, Lord (Matt 5:16)

Unanswered Prayer

You know that song by Garth Brooks, Unanswered Prayers? It's a country song, but one I have always enjoyed. I am so thankful that God answers our prayers and equally thankful for those He says no to. Even if at the time, it is not what we want the answer to be. We can rest assurred that He has our best in sight. Sometimes our views change quickly and sometimes it is over time that we grow in Him and gain wisdom and look back and wonder why that was ever a prayer to begin with.



The chorus is:
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

Good Gifts

(this is an old devotional I found when I was purging my computer files)

My heart ached with joy this morning. Brian had wanted a belt and needed a belt for some time now and it seemed that each time we went to the store I either couldn’t find the right size, or we would forget, or it wasn’t in the budget that week. Today we acquired this amazing tan belt that matchs his boots perfectly. The edges are scalloped and there are silver decoration all around the entire belt. It truly is the dream belt of every little cowboy. He carried it all through the store and as soon as we got home he helped me carry in all the groceries just so he could look through the bags to find his new belt. Several times after putting it on he came and told me thank you and sometimes just stood there hands on his hips, shirt tucked in with this big glassy eyed smile showing off his new belt. He asked to call daddy and tell him all about this wonderful new gift he received. As I was tearing up listening to him tell his daddy about this new belt, I was reminded of the scripture and God’s promises to us.

Matthew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him.”

Brian had disappointed me several times already that morning. The belt wasn’t the only request he had. There were cars, trucks, hot wheels, and donuts. I said no to many things, but not to the best and to the one I knew that would make a difference and fill one of his needs. Sometimes we forgot and get frustrated feeling our prayers are not being answer or maybe even heard.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know that plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”

God looks down on our lives as if we were watching a parade from a helicopter. While we only see what is directly in front of us, He sees the entire show as one time. He knows our greatest needs and what gift will be of detriment to us even if the gift itself is good.

2ndly, The order of the scripture is ask and He will give. How many times do we take first and ask later? We are not take and ask for it to be blessed. God will always give his best when the choice and the timing is left to Him.

While most of our prayers often times are centered around material things or physical healing, which are not wrong. Let’s look at the prayers of Paul. He went beyond these things and asked God for the good things of the Holy Spirit, Christian character and conduct. These Good things know as the fruits of the Spirit. God cannot put things in our hands until He first prepares our hearts. He uses things as tools to build our Christian character. While it is good to rejoice at answered prayer our goal should be to rejoice that God could trust us with His answer whatever it may be. We should rejoice that God has brought us to the place spiritually where He can lovingly answer our prayers.

Lord, we thank You for the love of earthly fathers and mothers. Because of their love we can understand Your love better. Help us to remember that our unconditional love to our own children and our kindness will mirror you in their hearts. Lord, teach us to bring petitions that are pleasing to You, that in the answer to our prayers that You may be glorified. We thank You dear Father that You love us enough not to give us everything we ask for. Make us sensitive to Your guiding hand in our lives so that we may more faithfully respond to Your call.