Radio Hostess: Lysa TerKeurst
Contributing Writer: Lysa TerKeurst
Do you ever feel like your prayer life is kind of stale? Hi, I’m Lysa TerKeurst with Proverbs 31 Ministries. A few years ago I found myself praying mostly because I felt obligated to do so. And I started to realize most of my prayers seemed to be centered on me and what I wanted God to give me or do for me.
Now, it’s not wrong to ask God for things. But if they set my expectations of God to be getting what I want without taking into consideration His bigger plan…things can get very one sided.
So, I changed my prayers a little. I still ask God for things, but I don’t make this the focus of my prayers. Instead, I spend more time trying to be quiet so I can hear whatever He might have to say. And if I don’t hear Him speaking to my heart, I open up the Bible and ask Him to talk to me through His written words.
For more, visit Proverbs31.org.
Related Resources:
Visit Lysa's Blog
Check out the P31 Woman Magazine
What Happens When Women Say Yes To God, by Lysa TerKeurst
Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl, by Lysa TerKeurst
Contributing Writer: Lysa TerKeurst
Do you ever feel like your prayer life is kind of stale? Hi, I’m Lysa TerKeurst with Proverbs 31 Ministries. A few years ago I found myself praying mostly because I felt obligated to do so. And I started to realize most of my prayers seemed to be centered on me and what I wanted God to give me or do for me.
Now, it’s not wrong to ask God for things. But if they set my expectations of God to be getting what I want without taking into consideration His bigger plan…things can get very one sided.
So, I changed my prayers a little. I still ask God for things, but I don’t make this the focus of my prayers. Instead, I spend more time trying to be quiet so I can hear whatever He might have to say. And if I don’t hear Him speaking to my heart, I open up the Bible and ask Him to talk to me through His written words.
For more, visit Proverbs31.org.
Related Resources:
Visit Lysa's Blog
Check out the P31 Woman Magazine
What Happens When Women Say Yes To God, by Lysa TerKeurst
Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl, by Lysa TerKeurst
Labels: Trusting God
1 Comments:
We should pray for the things we truly need, however some people forget to thank God for what they have received. Their prayers consist almost entirely of asking for more. God is a generous God, willing to give what we need. But He also expects appreciation for what He gives.
Passages teaching we can request what we need:
Philippians 4:6,7 - Instead of worrying, let your requests be made known to God. "Supplication" refers to requests for needs to be "supplied."
Matthew 7:7-11 - God is like a loving father who gives what his children need. If we ask, we will receive.
1 Peter 5:7 - Cast your cares on God because He cares for you.
James 4:2,3 - Sometimes we do not receive because we do not ask. On the other hand, God will not answer selfish requests for things we do not need.
1 John 5:14,15 - If we ask according to God's will, we receive our petitions.
[Cf. 1 John 3:21,22; John 14:13,14; 15:7,16; 16:23,24,26]
Passages teaching we should also give thanks for our blessings:
Philippians 4:6,7 - Our requests should be made known with thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 2:1 - Prayers for others should include thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:20 - Give thanks to the Father always for all things.
[1 Thess. 5:18; Col. 4:2; 2:7; 3:17]
Bible prayers generally include thanksgiving right alongside requests. God invites us to ask for what we need, but He is displeased by those who are so ungrateful as to offer no thanks when the request is granted (Luke 17:12-17).
D. Some Specific Things We Should Pray about
No one prayer or combination of prayers could mention all the possible subjects there are to pray about. But an examination of Bible prayers can teach us the kind of specific things that are commonly included in Bible prayers. We may pray about these things for ourselves or for others. We may request them and should give thanks when we receive them.
All these things are mentioned in Bible prayers:
* God's will to be done - Matthew 6:9-13 (note v10). [Matt. 26:39]
* Necessities of life - Matthew 6:11. [Acts 27:35; Matt. 15:36; 14:19; 1 Tim. 4:3-5; Luke 24:30]
* Forgiveness of sins and deliverance from the consequences of sin - Matthew 6:12. But note that one who has not been baptized should not pray for forgiveness but be baptized - Acts 2:38; 22:16; Mark 16:16. [Acts 8:22,24; James 5:16; Luke 18:13,14; Psalm 32:5-7]
* Ability to recognize and resist temptation - Matthew 6:13. [Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:11-18; 2 Cor. 13:7; Luke 22:31,32; John 17:14-16]
* Good health and freedom from other threats to life or safety - 3 John 2; 2 Kings 20:1-7 (Hezekiah) [James 5:13-18; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 Kings 8:35-53; 2 Chron. 7:13-15; Jonah 2:1-10; Psalm 50:15; 86:6,7; 32:6,7; 2 Sam. 12:15,16; Num. 11:2; Luke 21:36]
* Deliverance from enemies and persecution - Acts 12:1,5,12. [2 Thess. 3:1,2; 2 Cor. 1:8-11; Acts 4:23-31; 16:25; 1 Kings 8:33-35; 2 Kings 19:4,15-19]
So many more.. God wants us to pick up our cross and die to ourselves daily.... Kristi
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