My Daily Pause

Tag: Prayer

  • 5 More Tips for Effective Prayer

    5 More Tips for Effective Prayer

    In the previous article, 5 Tips for Effective Prayer, we saw some qualities our prayer should have when making our requests from God. A quality prayer that pleases God contains much more than personal requests to satisfy our needs and wants. God is pleased with praise of his name and of his majesty, much like we read in Psalm 48. Let’s take some time today to think about the part of our prayers that do not ask anything but offer the Lord our everything.

    Here are five tips that will help:

    1. Speak to Him reverently (Matthew 6:9)
    2. Praise for Him (Matthew 6:13b – For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. The NIV and other versions do not include this part of the verse)
    3. Offered with a merciful spirit (James 2:13)
    4. Not offered to be seen of others (Matthew 6:6)
    5. Prayer is to be accompanied by personal action (Luke 6:46)
  • 5 Tips for Effective Prayer

    5 Tips for Effective Prayer

    As Jehoshaphat was watching the enemy amass themselves against him, he turned to God in prayer (2 Chronicles 20). He was in a period where he was leading well and teaching his people to fear God, so God obliterates the enemy. Jehoshaphat’s reign was always either hot or cold in its relationship with the Lord – so why did God so completely respond to that prayer?

    The Bible is full of tips on how to pray. Here are five:

    1. The prayer of the righteous is effective (James 5:16)
    2. Prayer is to be offered in Thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 )
    3. Prayer should be continuous (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
    4. Prayer should be offered Sincerely (Matthew 6:5)
    5. Prayer should be offered with humility (Luke 18:10-14)

    Here is  5 More Tips for Effective Prayer

  • How to Pray

    How to Pray

    Luke 18:9-14 contrasts two men offering prayers. One recognizes his own good works and seems to try to make God a debtor. The other recognizes his sinful nature and makes God his strength. There are a few lessons in this passage, but today let us concentrate on how we approach God.

  • Answered Prayer

    Answered Prayer

    In Psalm 21 David revels in the victory and strength given to him by God. Much like on this occasion, where David and his army took a knee to communicate with their maker, he spent a lot of time praising the Lord for their victories and asking for the strength to face the enemy. When we pray for victory, we are giving the Lord our ultimate trust – we are literally turning over our fate into His hands.

    In the same way, a prayerful life is one that sets us apart from the world. We are those who do not have to rely on ourselves to get ahead – those who choose to be directed down a better path. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

  • Paul’s Recipe for Reducing Stress pt 3 – Just Ask!

    Paul’s Recipe for Reducing Stress pt 3 – Just Ask!

    Philippians 4:6 – Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.(KJV)

    There is no need to be anxious about anything. Worrying about basic needs is counterproductive and takes away from your work of spreading the Gospel. Worry can consume you to the point of forgetting to pray.

    Jesus taught in Matt 6:25-34 that we are not to worry – just look at all the things in nature that the Lord makes sure are cared for in splendid manner. He then assures us that we are so much more important than these things and that God knows what we need. Peter took this lesson to heart in 1 Peter 5:7 where he calls for us to cast …all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

    When was the last time you had a really heartfelt conversation with God?

  • 2 Kings 6:24 – 7:20 – How Does God’s Providence Work?

    2 Kings 6:24 – 7:20 – How Does God’s Providence Work?

    1 But Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord, Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.”2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, “If the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” But he said, “You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” – 2 Kings 7:1-2 ESV

    Our Lord has asked us to pray for what we need Matthew 7:7, and Paul tell us God is very generous to those who remember to call upon him (Romans 10:12).

    Have you ever felt like he doesn’t hear you? Better yet, have you ever realized a prayer was answered in a way you hadn’t planned?

    Here are just a couple of things about prayer we can observe in our Bibles:

    • There are three ways a prayer can be answered. Yes. No. Wait.
    • The answer may not always be a in neat package.
    • God expects us to trust him.

    Read how God provided food for his people in an extraordinary way (2 Kings 6:24-7:20) and then meditate today about how God has impacted you when least expected.