4 Sept 2017 - How Is Your Prayer Life?

A Practicing Christian ch 6 - How Is Your Prayer Life?

Prayer 2 days in a row? Okay, God, What are you trying to tell me?

"The National Day of Prayer was put in place for all Americans to come together to lift this country and ask God for His guidance in dealing with its problems and to pray for its leadership."

I mean, this is pretty much the exact command given in yesterday's passage:

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." - 1 Tim 2:1-2

 "First Thessalonians 5:17 says to 'Pray without ceasing.' I pray by just talking with God. I can be driving my vehicle and praying at the same time. Giving thanks for His Son absorbing our sins is a major part of prayer. I never get tired of telling Him this. To thank Him for taking care of us, for His guidance and being with my family and taking care of them and keeping them safe. I pray for my church to keep the pastors strong and healthy, to let the church do His will. I give thanks in prayer for the blessings that He has given me during my days' walk. I pray for the wisdom to lead in my personal and professional life. I ask God for forgiveness on anything that I may have specifically done wrong. I ask for help so that I may not fall again. ... I tell God of my needs even though He knows before I ask. ... I ask for other people's needs as well so that they may be blessed. I ask for His blessings, His gifts, His 'extra stuff' that He may give me even if I don't know I need it or want it."

That's a lot, but I want to highlight a few key points from the above excerpts:

• We need to be praying ceaselessly.
• That means being in constant communication at all times and in all settings with God .
• We need to give thanks.
• For our atonement
• For His provision
• For His guidance
• For His attention
• For His blessings
• We need to pray for our church
• For our pastors
• For the church's obedience
• We need to pray for our country
• For our leaders
• We need to ask
• For wisdom
• For forgiveness
• For help
• For our needs
• For others' needs
• For His blessings

Questions

1. How is your prayer life?
1. Honestly, it could be miles better. I'm not consistent in prayer and I'm not intentional with praying for more than a ten second bullet point. That aspect of communicating, of talking, with God is lacking.
2. How can you pray without ceasing?
1. I'm not fully sure. I get so caught up in whatever I'm doing at the moment that it's the only thing I think about. To a degree, it's like I  need to retrain myself to be constantly aware and in the presence of God.
3. What do you think the text in 1 Chronicles 4:10 means?
1. God listens to and answers prayer. So, go ahead and be bold in what you're asking for.

1 Timothy 2:8-15

Whenever I read passages like this, where it's talking directly to men and women in the church and how they should act, I always wonder what was going on in the church at the time. The men are being told to pray and to not get angry and argue. The women are being told to stop trying to get attention by how they dress, to be silent, and to submit to Godly leadership.

Kinda sounds like some churches I've been in...