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Have you ever noticed how many different kinds of prayer are listed in the Bible? With this week’s emphasis on prayer, and specifically because it is Pentecost Sunday, I’m going to give you a quick recap of the kinds of prayer we can pray.

1) Casting Your Cares Prayer: Don’t Worry, be Happy! I Peter 5:7 Don’t worry about your life Matt 6:25-34. Rom 4:21 God is able to keep His Word and do what He promised. It’s not refusing to think about them, it is giving them to God, and then replacing them with faith in God’s Word. They key is cast and leave in God’s care!

2) Consecration – Choosing God’s will over my own – Jesus exemplified this in the Garden, Paul ran with endurance the course before him, choosing God’s will over his own Gal 2:20 .

3) United Prayer – Lifting up your voice to God in one accord – Acts 4:24 Dramatic changes in a church, in people groups, and countries, with the result of an open heaven where there is no opposition in the spirit realm.

4) The Prayer of Praise, Worship and Thanksgiving – Heb 13:15 Power is released as we worship God and God deserves our worship! He is worthy! It is a great way to be plugged into power. Worship is the language of faith- you believe, you pray, you worship, you receive. Paul and Silas sang praises and praised the power down! –Doors are opened, and bands are loosed in worship.

5) The Prayer of Faith – Mark 11:22-24 There is a praying part, and a saying part. Get God’s Word on it (know what you believe), then begin by asking the Father in Jesus Name, speak directly to the Father. Thanksgiving follows, because you believe you receive as you pray.

6) The Prayer of Agreement – Matt 18:19-20 When two or three agree there is a symphony created with our prayers – Every pray-er must be following the same conductor. Ecc 4:9-12 A three fold cord is not easily broken. Power is multiplied

7) The Prayer of Supplication – heartfelt fervency – earnest, sincere, desperation for God to move. Phil 4:6, by prayer and supplication, not a casual request, a great desire. Supplication is asking fervently for what you earnestly desire.

8) The Prayer of Intercession – Ez 22:30 Someone to stand in the gap, loving someone else enough to interecede until they get what they need.

9) Praying in the Holy Spirit, or in tongues. With today being Pentecost Sunday, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the earth, what a great day to remember the importance of praying in your personal prayer language. What a wonderful gift to use to bring heaven to earth, and pray directly the perfect prayer without human interference.
Each prayer has it’s place and it is good for us to know which prayer to pray in each circumstance. How encouraging to know that effectual, fervent prayer produces great results.

One of my life long prayers has been to be bold in sharing my faith with those who don’t Christ yet. Living our faith out 24/7 is our goal, but being bold enough to speak when we have an opportunity and to believe that God will give us the words that are specific for each situation takes faith. But we have been given power to be a witness, and to boldly speak God’s Word into the lives of the people we meet. We can be believe that God will put us in the path of those who need to know Him. We can even be more specific and ask God to give us words of encouragement for those who just need a pat on the back to keep going. Just like the disciples in the book of Acts, we pray that our faith can be effective and that we can share the gospel with those who need Jesus. Let’s be bold as a lion yet gentle as a dove! Let me pray for you today: Father, I ask you to give all of us boldness to proclaim your word like never before We want our lives to be a beacon of hope to those who are lost, and an anchor to those facing storms. Thank you for the boldness you give to enable us to be your hands and feet to a hurting world. In Jesus Name, AMEN

I was once involved in a prayer group that met once a week at 7:14 to pray for our nation, and it’s leaders. We met at that specific time, because of 2 Cor 7:14 that says if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, God will hear us and heal our land. All you have to do is watch one hour of the national news and you can see that our land needs God’s healing hand. From every type of criminal behavior, all the way to our nation’s capital, our nation needs the healing of the Lord. I want to encourage you, maybe even twice a day, when 7:14 rolls around in the morning and at night to take a minute and pray for our nation and its leaders. Pray protection around our civil servants and protection around our borders. God tells us to pray for where we live, so if America is your nation pray for America. For years and years I have prayed for Switzerland, that a mighty move of God would take place there as well, since my roots are there. Maybe God will place another nation on your heart to pray for. Wouldn’t it be amazing if all of us together at 7:14 AM and PM everyday would take time to pray? Untied prayer brings amazing results. We can pray like this: Father, In Jesus Name, we pray for our nation. We believe for our leaders to be surrounded with Godly men and women to give them wise counsel. We pray for protection and blessing upon our nation as well, in Jesus Name, AMEN.

I love all of I John chapter 3, and particularly verse 22 about receiving from God. It is always good to read each passage in context, and if you start in verse 16, this is how it reads.
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
It sounds like love is pretty important when it comes to prayer! We are not just supposed to be talking about love, but really loving people through action. We can have confidence when we come to God if we have loved in word and in deed. If we really want to receive from God, the promise of verse 22 is for us, when we love like Jesus loves. Let’s please God by loving people completely!

I John 5:14 and 15 says this:
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
This is one more of those scriptures that sounds too good to be true. Did it really say that what we ask we will receive? It really does. It is always to remember that God’s will is wrapped up in His Word. So we could say it this ways, if we ask anything according to God Word (which is His Will and Testament to us) we can be assured that we will receive it. Doesn’t that make sense even on a legal document? If you have been willed something, can’t you claim it as your own? Say you mom willed her house to you. When she died, you wouldn’t tell the probate lawyer, I don’t deserve it, or I don’t think I should have something that nice. You would say, thank you very much, can I have the keys please!!! Let’s know God’s Word, so we can know His will and then let’s have confidence when we pray. Can we pray for healing? Yes, it is in God’s will. Can we pray for provision? Yes, it is in God’s will. Can we pray for protection? Yes, it is in God’s will! Let’s confidently pray God’s Word over our families, our church, our communities, our states, our nation and our world. God hears, and He answers.

I like watching the show What Not To Wear sometimes to see how transformed a person can be just by learning how not to dress. When you understand the don’ts, and get a grasp on the do’s, you can have some real success, even just in the way you dress. What is amazing is that along with knowing how to dress for your body type, and appropriately for each occasion, confidence builds. I have seen the same thing happen when people learn how to pray. Luke 18:9-11 actually talks about how not to pray. Let’s read it and get the picture.
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’
It sounds like a little bit of pride was going on, and a lot of self righteousness. So how are we not supposed to pray? With pride and self righteousness. Let’s do just the opposite. Let’s be humble and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. That is how we should pray!

Do you say grace before you eat, or take time to pray before you go to sleep each night? It is very good to ask God to bless our food, and then to thank Him for providing it for us. It is also a good thing before you go to sleep to pray and ask God for his protection over your family, for health and safety for those you love. Hi this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. Prayer is our topic and the best reminder I have for you is to pray! Become someone who prays without ceasing!

Today we are looking at the tax collector who got prayer right. He was commended for his humble prayer. Here is what it says in Luke 18:13-14
13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Pharisee was all about what He had done, and how good his deeds were. The tax collector realized that He needed God’s mercy because He was a sinner. The tax collector was the one who was justified, because he humbled himself before God. In light of that, if we want to know how to pray, this would be a great place to start. Let’s remember who God is. He is GOD! We are not! We are nothing without Him. He is our everything. Once we embrace salvation, we become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, but that also is only because of God’s great mercy. He gives us right standing, and a robe of righteousness, not to show off how great we are, but to demonstrate His goodness. Let’s come humbly before our awesome God.

Have you ever heard this definition of worry? Worry is faith going the opposite direction. Faith is expecting and believing for the best, worry does the opposite! Worry expects and believes for the worst. It would appear that faith comes from God, and worry is from the enemy! Phil 4:6 tells us not to worry, but bring our requests to God, who hears and answers us. If you feel worry trying to grab ahold of your heart, start praying! When we pray in faith, we can expect results! Worry takes us backward, but prayer takes us forward. Here is the hard question you may be asking: In our world that has so much turmoil, how can I keep from worrying, about my future, my family or even the condition of our world? Here is how Phil 4:6 would answer that question, the way we can keep from worrying, is to let our requests be made known unto God and then keep on trusting Him. We don’t have control over the condition of our planet, but we can believe that God will protect and provide for us and our loved ones, because it is what He has promised in His Word. Another reason we don’t have to worry is because Matt 6:33 tells not to worry, and if we are told not worry, then we have the ability not to! And if you look at it another way, if He tells us not to worry, when we do, we are in sin. Let’s be obedient, and cast our cares on the Lord! He cares for us. Instead of worry, let’s pray! Father, in the Name of Jesus, I pray that you would help everyone who hears or sees this to be encouraged to bring their worries and concerns to You, and leave them there. We believe Your Word, and put our trust in You completely. We will live by faith, and not be moved by fear. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN! Don’t worry, be happy!

06

We all want to know the secret to powerful prayer. What really is the best kind of prayer? The best answer I know for that question is…the one that is needed at the moment. God has given us the keys to the kingdom and has shown us how we can pray to change circumstances on the earth. It is important that we know that prayer is our responsibility, and at the same time, it is a privilege. The God of the universe wants us to communicate meaningfully with us. How amazing. Living a life with God at the center makes prayer as natural as breathing. A need arises, talk to God. Something praiseworthy happens, thank God. It isn’t the last resort, it is what we do first. We abide in Him, and we will bear much fruit. Our prayer life will be fruitful when His Words abide in us.

I want to encourage you more than ever, line your prayers up with the Word of God. Know what God says on a topic and pray according to the will of God. Pray with all the different kinds of prayer. Be specific when you pray, and expect things to change. Prayer changes things, but it also changes people. Choosing to be a person of prayer will change you. Let’s pray effectively, to accomplish what God wants to have done on the earth! II Tim 1:6 tells us to fan the flame and stir ourself up! Hold fast and follow the pattern of wholesome and sound teaching. Guard and Keep the precious and excellent truth which has been entrusted to you to be an effective pray-er. Make a commitment today to make prayer more of a priority in your life!

It is easy to be distracted, and lose focus. God wants us to be attentive and listen. We are to listen an be familiar with His voice. You get to know someone’s voice by being around them, and listening. It says in John 10:4,5 that I know His voice, I won’t follow the voice of a stranger. Listening is more than hearing with your natural ears. He that hath an ear, let Him hear. Mark 7:16 If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend by hearing is how it is stated in the Amplified Bible. God knows how to speak to you! He spoke through a donkey in Num 22, so surely He can handle speaking to and through you! Be attentive, and pay attention! He’ll bring the Word to your remembrance – John 14:26. The important part of remembering it is having it in your heart to begin with. That is why we are to hide His Word in our hearts. Get the Word in! Jesus will take what is God’s and reveal it to you! John 16:14-15. If we’ll be teachable and attentive to His Words, He will teach us if we will listen! I John 2:27. It is proof that we are God’s sons and daughters when we are led by His Spirit. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. Rom 8:14
Pay attention to God in your prayer life by stopping, looking and listening. He needs our spirit to be quiet and concentrating on Him, and our ears and eyes attentive to what He wants us to see and hear. If we want our prayer to be effective, we must stay vitally connected to the vine, and whatever you ask will be yours. John 15:5-7 What a promise! Today remember to pray for our nation and the many issues we are facing. God is bigger than it all!