Focused Prayer

"Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:8-10

"Jesus said that your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him. In one breath, Jesus, our brother, tells us that the Father already knows what we need, and then he tells us to pray and shows us how to pray. So praying to our heavenly Father must be about more than asking God to meet our needs. Because if he already knows what we need, why ask? Surely he does not want us to go through the motions if prayer is not meaningful. ...

Why pray? Because placing yourself in God's family and under his authority, welcoming his work and his way, and giving yourself to serve him completely- these are not just meaningless phrases or preambles to our list of requests. When we pray in the way Jesus prescribes, they are at the top of our list! Getting God's priorities into proper perspective changes our own."

Prayer is so powerful. It has an ability to change things. It can reach into the depths of someone’s soul and you never have to speak one word aloud. Praise the Lord that He gave us prayer!

I have realized just recently that although I have been praying, and praying a lot, I wasn't praying with great focus. I have felt very overwhelmed with the number of people on my prayer list that instead of praying very specifically for each one, I was asking more general things for many families. I truly believe that the Lord has heard each prayer I have lifted up on behalf of others, but I have been convicted of not taking my time, and not asking for specifics. I was so concerned that each person was prayed for that those prayers that could have been so powerful and intent, were suddenly just mediocre. I am extremely thankful for the reminder last week at my Wednesday Bible study.

As Nancy Guthrie speaks to above in her One Year Book of Hope (Week 3- Father Heart of God), I think many of us have been guilty of thinking, "well, if the Lord already knows what I need before I ask... then why ask?" She articulates it well by emphasizing that our Father God wants to know the specifics... He wants us to ask! But to not just ask according to our ways; according to the way Jesus has instructed. To tell Him how thankful we are- even in the hard stuff, how blessed our lives are- even though our family isn't complete, and that everything we ask in Jesus' name is being actively sought according to HIS will... not our own. We are to tell Him that we trust His will, His way, and His works above ours and that we are speaking in accordance with the way His Son has modeled.

In the joy, sorrow, anticipation, anger, tears, fear, excitement, love and pain, we are to pray to Him... and do so specifically. We are to do so with focus, with thankfulness, with a humble spirit, in submission, in earnesty, in truthfulness, in the will of God, in the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus, and ultimately... in FAITH. "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1.

Would you join me in prayer today and in the days ahead for my family? My Grandma passed away last night after she suddenly stopped breathing. She has been in and out of the hospital the past several weeks, but she wasn't expected to decline this rapidly. She is survived by eight children and spouses, numerous grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren. Would you pray specifically for my Dad? For his brothers and sisters? For arrangements, for peace, for safe travel?

Thank you for praying for us. I am so thankful that she was able to see my Grandpa again after 23 years... and has now met our precious Maddox as well.

Grandma Joan & baby Deacon

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24