Several readers have commented in various ways to my last post. I requested help in coming up with an organized prayer plan. Since the needs are so great--families and friends, churches and communities, nation and world, societies and governments--we must have a plan that will cover all of these. In addition, the organizational part of our plan must be detailed enough to keep our plan running smoothly. Surely then, the more details and specifics we put into our plan, the more effective our prayer lives will be...
WRONG!!! That idea seems to just bog most of us down. Conversely, the most prevalent suggestions and most helpful means used by most of you who commented, were very simple and succinct. For those who actually pray as a regular ministry, the plans involved Three (3) Simple Steps.
STEP ONE--SET A TIME
None of us will ever have an organized prayer plan without setting time for praying.
I don't mean by this a certain amount of time. For a very few of us the amount of time is not a problem--but very few. And, for those who may have plenty of time available, they are not likely--all of a sudden--to start spending lots of time praying. For some, an hour per day may be realistic. For others, it may be difficult to find five minutes straight in any given day.
Most of us will probably be fresher in early mornings before the day gets too busy. Many are not naturally morning persons. Shift workers will not always have the same times available. Very few will be able to set the same amount of time at the same time of day routinely.
All of us, however, (barring illness or other occasional circumstances) can set aside some time during every day. That is assuming, of course, we want to. Legitimate excuses not to pray regularly can always be found.
Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:7 (KJV), "Pray without ceasing." Find some time to pray daily.
STEP TWO--MAKE A LIST
None of us are likely to be very organized in our prayer plans unless we record for whom, for what and why we are praying.
James 5:16b (KJV) reads as follows, "The effectual fervent pray of a righteous man availeth much." More often than not, the "fervent" and "righteous man" conditions are emphasized. But, the word "effectual" means "having effectiveness." Praying in a general manner about general needs will never be "effectual."
With a list we can
1. Remember the need (i.e., the person, the event, the circumstance, etc.)
We can't rely on our memories all the time. Nor do we usually try. We usually make a list when going to the grocery store. We usually follow a recipe when preparing a meal or a special dessert.
2. Categorize the needs (i.e., for one's salvation, illness, wisdom, etc.)
Know what you're praying for specifically. I recall no prayer recorded in the entire Bible that is a "Lord, Bless everybody" or "Lord, Heal everybody" kind of prayer. Nor do I recall those kinds of prayers being answered.
Continuing with James 5:17-18, James recorded that "Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not...And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain." (KJV) He prayed specifically. A list of needs with categories will help.
3. Record when we prayed, with results as God answers. This suggests that a journal of some sort is a good way to keep our list. This could be your computer or a notebook or a legal pad. But, keep a record.
STEP THREE--FOCUS
We may develop an organized prayer plan, but we will never be effective until we focus, with real compassion.
Our focus should be on our mission of prayer. That mission is to present the needs we know about to the only One Who can meet those needs. Jesus taught us about this focus. Luke tells about it in Luke 9:51. Jesus' mission was to make redemption available for all mankind. In fulfilling that mission, He had to go to Jerusalem, where He would be crucified, resurrected and then ascend to heaven again. Luke said, "..When the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51b KJV). He steadfastly set His face! Look up the word steadfastly. That's real focus.
Time and again, before Jesus performed miracles or other great deeds, the Scripture tells us "He had compassion." (See Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 15:32, Matthew 20:34, Mark 1:41, Mark 5:19, Mark 6:34, Mark 8:2, Luke 7:13.) He accomplished His mission on earth by staying focused on it and never lost His compassion. For us to have an effective, organized prayer plan, we must do the same.
Do you have such a plan?
Are you maintaining it on a daily basis?
If not, I challenge you to begin today.
I am convinced that the more you pray, the more you want to pray.
Let me hear from you with your results, with your answered prayers.
Share with others to encourage them.
And, by all means, please add me to your list.
WRONG!!! That idea seems to just bog most of us down. Conversely, the most prevalent suggestions and most helpful means used by most of you who commented, were very simple and succinct. For those who actually pray as a regular ministry, the plans involved Three (3) Simple Steps.
STEP ONE--SET A TIME
None of us will ever have an organized prayer plan without setting time for praying.
I don't mean by this a certain amount of time. For a very few of us the amount of time is not a problem--but very few. And, for those who may have plenty of time available, they are not likely--all of a sudden--to start spending lots of time praying. For some, an hour per day may be realistic. For others, it may be difficult to find five minutes straight in any given day.
Most of us will probably be fresher in early mornings before the day gets too busy. Many are not naturally morning persons. Shift workers will not always have the same times available. Very few will be able to set the same amount of time at the same time of day routinely.
All of us, however, (barring illness or other occasional circumstances) can set aside some time during every day. That is assuming, of course, we want to. Legitimate excuses not to pray regularly can always be found.
Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:7 (KJV), "Pray without ceasing." Find some time to pray daily.
STEP TWO--MAKE A LIST
None of us are likely to be very organized in our prayer plans unless we record for whom, for what and why we are praying.
James 5:16b (KJV) reads as follows, "The effectual fervent pray of a righteous man availeth much." More often than not, the "fervent" and "righteous man" conditions are emphasized. But, the word "effectual" means "having effectiveness." Praying in a general manner about general needs will never be "effectual."
With a list we can
1. Remember the need (i.e., the person, the event, the circumstance, etc.)
We can't rely on our memories all the time. Nor do we usually try. We usually make a list when going to the grocery store. We usually follow a recipe when preparing a meal or a special dessert.
2. Categorize the needs (i.e., for one's salvation, illness, wisdom, etc.)
Know what you're praying for specifically. I recall no prayer recorded in the entire Bible that is a "Lord, Bless everybody" or "Lord, Heal everybody" kind of prayer. Nor do I recall those kinds of prayers being answered.
Continuing with James 5:17-18, James recorded that "Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not...And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain." (KJV) He prayed specifically. A list of needs with categories will help.
3. Record when we prayed, with results as God answers. This suggests that a journal of some sort is a good way to keep our list. This could be your computer or a notebook or a legal pad. But, keep a record.
STEP THREE--FOCUS
We may develop an organized prayer plan, but we will never be effective until we focus, with real compassion.
Our focus should be on our mission of prayer. That mission is to present the needs we know about to the only One Who can meet those needs. Jesus taught us about this focus. Luke tells about it in Luke 9:51. Jesus' mission was to make redemption available for all mankind. In fulfilling that mission, He had to go to Jerusalem, where He would be crucified, resurrected and then ascend to heaven again. Luke said, "..When the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51b KJV). He steadfastly set His face! Look up the word steadfastly. That's real focus.
Time and again, before Jesus performed miracles or other great deeds, the Scripture tells us "He had compassion." (See Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 15:32, Matthew 20:34, Mark 1:41, Mark 5:19, Mark 6:34, Mark 8:2, Luke 7:13.) He accomplished His mission on earth by staying focused on it and never lost His compassion. For us to have an effective, organized prayer plan, we must do the same.
Do you have such a plan?
Are you maintaining it on a daily basis?
If not, I challenge you to begin today.
I am convinced that the more you pray, the more you want to pray.
Let me hear from you with your results, with your answered prayers.
Share with others to encourage them.
And, by all means, please add me to your list.
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