Prayers.Spring.2015

We are joining together this quarter to pray these 3 simple prayers. We layed out these prayer circle with some action steps & goals last month. Maybe you're thinking:

WHY PRAY THESE PRAYERS?
WE PRAYED THEM IN CHURCH, WHY DO I NEED TO PRAY THESE PRAYERS STILL?
GOD ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT THIS, WHY PRAY?
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M READY TO PRAY THESE PRAYERS?

We don't pray because we're trying to tell God what to do or we think God forgot. Prayer isn't giving God a to-do list. Pray is a conversation and a connection...it's about the relationship, not religion. We want to be connected with Him so we talk to Him. We want Him to work in and through us, so praying is a way for us to open to Him. We pray not just to God but also for ourselves. Praying is also about my focus on God. We pray to align our hearts & lives with Him.

PRAYER IS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
I heard Dr. Joseph Stowell say something like things: I know I'm connecting with God when I care about the things He cares about. God wants to be connected to us. Will we take the steps to be open to Him? One of my favorite verses is found in James 4:8: it says that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. God is a god with open arms to everyone and anyone who will believe in Him.  Will we draw near to Him? Prayer is one way draw near to God and to build some consistency in our relationship with Him. 

WHAT DO I SAY?
So if you feel like you don't know what to say, remember that a prayer isn't about saying the right words or sounding religious. It's about the relationship. If you feel like you're not good enough, remember that none of us are good enough and that's way we pray. We're imperfect people trusting in a perfect Savior. Praying is a way to ask God to be in you and with you as you try to align your life with Him. You can use those prayer circles above as a guide and let's ask God to do great things in and through our lives & church as we draw near to Him.


MORE THOUGHTS ON PRAYER here.

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