"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11:1
In "HeartCall: A New Heart" (http://www.namb.net/heartcall/), which is a free downloadable simple discipleship guide, session seven teaches about Prayer! I would like to share with you the simple Pattern for Prayer - A CALL to Prayer that is written in "A New Heart". Please feel free to download "A New Heart" and share it with others!!
"This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:9-13
In these verses (Matt. 6:9-13), we see some specific steps to take as we pray. Jesus is calling us to have a lifestyle of prayer as we share heart to heart with Him. Every believer is called to prayer. God is always there, always listening, and always has an answer to our prayers based on His Perfect Will! Don't you love to talk with someone that loves you and always has your best interest in mind? God is the one that loves you more than anyone else and He has a special plan for your life! (Jer.29:11-13) Let's look and learn a simple pattern for prayer using the acrostic CALL:
Confess your sins so God will hear your Prayer! "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matt. 6:12
Confessing your sins is simply admitting to God the things that you have done that are not pleasing to Him. Psalm 32:5 teaches confession, repentance, and forgiveness. Take some time to write Psalm 32:5 in your own words. Read Psalm 103:3, & 8-12. According to these verses, what does God do with your sin when you confess it to Him and turn away from it? Confession is a Key to our Prayers being heard by God!
Adore God for who He is as we praise Him! "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." Matthew 6:9
To "adore" is to praise, respect, love, cherish, honor, esteem highly, worship, idolize, and much more. God is the ONLY ONE that is worthy of our total adoration! He Is Holy!! Read Psalm 63. Fill in the blanks of Psalm 63:3-4 "Because your __________is better than _________, my _________will __________ you. I will __________ you as long as I __________, and in __________ __________ I will lift up my hands." Psalm 63:3-4. Let's pause right now and pray a prayer of adoration and praise to God as we admire Him for Who He Is! Write down some of the words of adoration and praise that you just shared with God in prayer.
Let go and trust God to provide for your daily needs! "Give us today our daily bread." Matthew 6:11
God knows what you need and He wants you to turn to Him for everything! Are you totally depending on God? He is your daily provider in every area of your life. When you pray and ask Him to provide for your "daily bread", you are acknowledging that God is in control of your life. As you pray and communicate to God that you trust Him, you are letting go and letting God have control of your life!! You can TRUST God!!! He will never leave you, forsake you, or let you down...fall into His arms, let go, and let God have control of everything in your life! Make a list of all the burdens, cares, or concerns that are in your life today. Write down a commitment to God, sharing with Him the 100% trust you have placed in Him. If there is a struggle with trusting God, pray and ask Him to help you and teach you how to trust Him, He will answer your prayer!!
Lift up your requests to God, thanking Him for every answer to prayer! "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...And lead us not into temptation, deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:10, 13
As you pray, God wants you to lift up your specific needs, one by one, as you ask Him for His Will to be done. God has a special purpose for each one of His children! Ask God to show you His special purpose for your life. He will! It is important to also ask God for help to live for Him daily as you stay away from evil. When (not if) you are tempted by the enemy, God will provide the protection and deliverance you need to have Victory over temptation. You can live a victorious life in Christ that is dedicated to God daily through prayer!! Read Psalm 141:1-2 and make a list of the prayer requests that you have. According to these verses, how should you begin your day? Set a specific time and place that you go to God in prayer daily. Keep a record, a prayer journal, of your prayer time with God. You may want to us a spiral notebook, tablet of paper, prayer folder on your computer, or journal to keep a HIStory of prayer requests and answers to prayer!
When we lift up everything to God through prayer, we will have the peace of God ruling in our lives! Prayer protects our heart and mind because we are using prayer as a guard in Jesus Name!! Let's ask God to turn our worries into prayers. The more we pray, that less we will experience anxiety (Phil. 4:6-7). This sounds like a Prescription for Peace = Confess, Adore, Let-go, and Lift-up...CALL on GOD today!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmiebkAEzfc (When I Call on Jesus! by Nicole Mullen)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCtnCoYYWhU (Let Us Pray! by Steven Curtis Chapman)
