Tag Archive | prayer

30 Days of Thanks – D13

Nov13

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah‬ ‭29:12‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/jer.29.12.NASB1995

Prayer is the one thing I am most thankful for. Don’t get me wrong. I am thankful for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for me. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit that resides in me. I am thankful for the daily grace bestowed upon me at the throne of grace.

But prayer . . .
Prayer puts me in the presence of God always no matter where I am. Prayer assures me that Jesus is always present. He is always available 24/7. I don’t have to rely on good reception on the mountain top or in the valley. I don’t have to worry about calling for fear of waking Him, as He is always awake. God listens with a loving, parental heart. He will humble me, guide me, protect me, love me, change me, correct me, use me to bring Him honor and glory. I will call out to God continually in prayer.

🌹I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Psalms‬ ‭121:1‭-‬3‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.121.1.NASB1995

🙏‭‭‭pray without ceasing; 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/1th.5.17.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Attitude of Thanksgiving

Oct31

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Colossians‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/col.4.2.NASB1995

“Pray with an attitude of thanksgiving”. . .

I’d never really thought about an attitude of prayer, except maybe as solemn, with reverence and sometimes with awe. I personally, many times, approached God with an attitude of pleading, crying, selfishness, whining, complaining, self focused prayer. Like children approach their parents in conversation.

BUT. . . Wow!!!
First of all, in prayer, we approach the throne of grace. The throne where Almighty God sits. The God who created the entire universe, and we as well. There is nothing He can’t accomplish. God will answer our prayers. If God will answer our prayers, our prays should be prayed with an attitude of thanksgiving as if we had already received.

🌹“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
Matthew‬ ‭7:7‭-‬11‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.7.7.NASB1995

🙏Pray with an attitude of thanksgiving.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Attitude of Prayer

Oct25

[36]Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, [37] behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.” [38] And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. [39] Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” [40] God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground. Judges‬ ‭6:36‭-‬40‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/ jdg.6.40.NASB1995‭‭

God had a plan for Gideon. Gideon knew what the plan was, but he wanted proof that God would do what He said He would. So he layed a fleece before the Lord. God kept His word. Gideon felt the need to test God again. God is faithful to see us through what He calls us to.

🙏 🙏 🙏


[10] She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.
[12] Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. [13] As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. [14] Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” [15] But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. [16] Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” [17] Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” [18] She said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
1 Samuel‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/ 100/1sa.1.10.NASB1995

Hannah, a woman desiring the intervention of God in her life, went humbly before her God. She poured out her desire unto the Lord and left it at the throne of grace. She had no answer from God but left with joy in her heart.

🌹What is your attitude of prayer before God? Do you humbly pray the will of God and trust in His Sovereign will or do you continue to question His direction in your life? Do you leave your prayertime prayer FULL or prayer LESS?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Battle on Your Knees

Oct19

The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”
Exodus‬ ‭14:14‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/exo.14.14.NASB1995

‭‭For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing,
Isaiah‬ ‭30:15‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/isa.30.15.NASB1995

‭‭And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Isaiah‬ ‭32:17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/isa.32.17.NASB1995

I believe prayer is the best weapon of war. In prayer, our hearts are centered on God. In prayer, we seek God’s forgiveness, His way, His will, and we find quietness and trust. In quietness and trust, we gain strength. With the strength of God working in us, we confidently face opposition with righteousness and quietness; confident that He will and is fighting while we keep silent. Through prayer, our righteous actions will speak louder than words spoken in anger or resentment. The result will be peace.

🌹Pray, trusting God in the battle.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Does God Hear You?

Oct10

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me.
Psalms‬ ‭27:7‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.27.7.NASB1995

‭‭‭‭Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer.
Psalms‬ ‭61:1‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.61.1.NASB1995

What will it take for You to hear and heed my prayer, Lord God?

🌹But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him.
Psalms‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.4.3.NASB1995

‭‭Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

God is King

Sep6

For the Lord Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth.
Psalm 47:2 NASB
For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm.
Psalm 47:7 NASB

We have an awesome God! He is King over ALL the earth and He will be feared by those who oppose Him and His people. What have we to dread?

You shall not dread them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.
Deuteronomy 7:21 NASB

And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.
Zechariah 14:9 NASB

The Lord Most High, our King, is in our midst. He will strengthen us for battle. Let us bow before Him singing praises and pray.

Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You. Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
Psalms 66:3‭, ‬5 NASB

What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
1 Corinthians 14:15 NASB

O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
Psalms 68:35 NASB

I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.
Isaiah 45:23 NASB

🌹God is King!!!

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Prostrating Prayer

Aug31

August 17, 14 days ago, I resolved to spend more time with the Lord in prayer.

August 23, 1 week ago yesterday, I challenged the readers of my devotions to do the same.

It has not been easy adding the afternoon prayertime, but it was not wasted time. This week I added a new position of prayer…

Prostrate: lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward. Face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration.

Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly.
Ezra 10:1 NASB

Prostrate prayer is hard. Laying flat on my stomach, hands stretched out to the side, nose sinking into the carpet, very uncomfortable position but it is humbling. How much lower could I possibly go in reverence of Holy God. I wanted God to know He was worthy of my bowing and bending of knee.

Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”
Exodus 34:8‭-‬9 NASB

Moses knew. He ran to bow low and worship God.

This painful position of prayer reminded me of Christ’s painful sacrifice on my behalf. This painful position also made me aware that walking with God comes with persecution, with suffering so I must trust Him.

Humble reverence to the King of kings, the Lord of lords, Almighty God, our future, our hope, our strength.

🌹He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30  That is what prostrating prayer has taught me.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Epaphras’ Epitaph

Aug29

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
Philemon 1:23 NASB

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Colossians 4:12‭-‬13 NASB

Do you have an Epaphras in your life? A person who laboriously prays on your behalf for your walk in the will of God?
Maybe you are an Epaphras concerned about your brothers and sisters in the faith, faithfully praying for them.
Epaphras, a prisoner for the sake of Christ, praying not for himself, but for others.

What a great epitaph to be written:
A bondslave of Jesus Christ who prayed with deep concern, laboring earnestly  on behalf of others.

Pray for your church. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for your city. Pray and watch for God’s glorious answer.

🌹In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
Psalms 5:3 NASB
🌹Pray continually; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

We Pray

Aug25

Why do we pray?

We pray for others that they maybe filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Colossians 1:9 NASB
We pray to be transformed through God’s righteous judgment so that we will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God.
2 Thessalonians 1:5 NASB
And we pray that Jesus will be glorified in and through us according to the grace given us through Jesus.
2 Thessalonians 1:12 NASB

We pray so God will be forefront in our mind, heart, soul, and walk. We pray so we can see His will be done.

🌹To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:11‭-‬12 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Approaching the Throne of God

Aug24

How do you approach God in prayer?

There are several passages in the Bible where a person prostrates – casts themselves on the ground in humility, submission and adoration – before their master or a king. They would come with a request. Isn’t that what prayer is? Coming before God our King, Master, Lord with requests for ourselves and others?
Do we come with a list we just rattle off? Or do we come prostrate? At least of the heart?

Prayer is with the Creator of all; the Lord and King; the Master!
Let us humbly approach His throne with adoration and submission. Adoration for who He is and submission to His will.

🌹and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NASB

Humbleness and prayer go hand in hand.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon