pray Archives - Page 12 of 16 - Daily Thoughts about God

“‘Then He said to them, ‘Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.’” Luke 22:46 (NKJV)

It is much easier to sleep than to stay awake and pray. Haven’t we all put our head on the pillow with thoughts to pray and have quickly fallen asleep? Especially in the face of trying circumstances, our minds and bodies tire and prayer seems optional.

Prayer was Jesus’ solace and strength as He faced the great drama of His dreadful suffering. Being in great agony, He prayed all the more earnestly. His heart cried out to His Father in Heaven. He knew the Source of His strength and the power of prayer.

He had asked His followers to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, yet they fell asleep, exhausted and in sorrow. When Jesus found them sleeping, He called to them: “Rise up and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” It was not a reprimand from their loving Lord, but rather a warning.

Rise up and pray so that you can rise up with strength in the circumstances surrounding you today.

In ordinary days or in difficult and challenging times, prayer is our strength. If we neglect prayer, then the strength we need to rise above the circumstances of the moment will fade when it is most needed.

Father God, it is easy to neglect prayer. Please forgive me for the times I have treated it too casually. Thank You that You draw me into times in Your presence where I can receive strength from You. Help me to take time to listen for Your wisdom, to read Your word and to let Your Spirit speak to my heart and strengthen my mind, body, and spirit. May prayer be my solace, my comfort, and my desire as I draw near to You to be fortified to rise above the challenges of my day. I pray this in the strong name of Jesus, amen.

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

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I once had a lady tell me that her counselor told her to quit praying because it was only causing her to focus on her problems. What a sad statement! Prayer is the amazing opportunity to invite God into situations and relationships in order to bring hope and healing.

I understand what the counselor was saying, yet prayer is so much more than simply rehearsing the difficulties and challenges and desperately begging God, “please, please”.

Dutch Sheets, in his book Watchman Prayer, says it well. “Prayer is not a check request asking for things from God. It is a deposit slip – a way of depositing God’s character into our bankrupt souls.”

Think about who God is. His character, reflected in the very names we find in Scripture describe the power and might, the majesty and the mystery, the love and the caring that God desires to bring into our lives through prayer.

When we focus on God and all He is, our perspective changes, our faith grows and peace begins to settle over our bankrupt souls as we look to Him. Thankfulness begins to flow in the place where desperation resided.

Think about the situations and relationships that are troubling your heart right now. Set aside the blank check that you want God to fill and take instead the deposit slip of His character and pray into those situations in a new way. It will change the way you pray and it will change you and your situations.

Here are some examples of using the deposit slip of God’s character in your prayers:

In difficult circumstances that seem to never end:

Thank you, God, that You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things; You know the details of this situation that I bring to You now. Please give me Your wisdom as I seek a resolution. You alone are the God of Heaven and Earth. Thank you that Your presence reaches even into this situation. May I be amazed at Your presence in these difficult circumstances as I trust You in this. You saw the beginning and You know the ending. Thank you that You will carry me and give me strength and wisdom as You work in this.

In trying relationships:

Thank you, Father God, that You, the Sovereign Lord, sits enthroned upon the circle of the Earth. Nothing and no one is beyond Your reach. Your love reaches to the ends of the earth. Bring Your love into the tense relationship that concerns me today. You are the Almighty God, You are armed with strength and nothing is impossible with You. Stir my heart with fresh love in this sandpaper relationship. Help me to hear the feelings behind the words. Arm me with Your strength and protect my heart as I trust You to bring healing.

Deposit faith in the attributes of God’s character as you pray today.

“May the God Hope fill you with all joy and peace, AS YOU TRUST IN HIM so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

by Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission