“Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full,”  John 16:24.

 Let’s take a little time from our busy schedule for a meeting with our Heavenly Father!  Have you ever had the blessing of spending a “half day” in prayer with just your Savior and you?  Now, a “half day” might be about 4 hours, but it is enough time to praise and worship our Savior and petition Him for our needs and those of others.  The Navigators ministry emphasizes focusing on prayer, here are some tips from their writings for you to enjoy!

Plan a place where you can be alone and undisturbed.  The outdoors, a special room, even a friends’ backyard are good places.  Try not to get sidetracked by planning, worrying or observing nature, the dog, the cat or the clouds.  At times, nature reminds us of God’s goodness and creativity, but it can be a sidetrack.

As you begin, say a brief half-minute prayer that the Lord will guide you, give you light and liberty to listen to Him and for Him to speak to you.  Meditate on Colossians 1:9-12 or Epaphras’ prayer in Colossians 4:12.  Other verses to consider are:

Matthew 21:22

Jeremiah 33:3

John 14:14

1 John 5:14

John 14:13

Having gotten into the Word, let the Lord lead you to praise and thanksgiving, praising Him for Who He is, His love, His majestic glory, His wisdom, His power, His control of all things.  Praise Him for your salvation, His Holy Spirit living in us and for our glorious future in heaven.  Thank Him for daily guiding you, taking you by the hand and leading you.

Then take time to pray for yourself, for your family, friends and relatives who need Christ and the needs of those who are believers.

For believers, Ephesians 3:16-19 are wonderful verses to pray for loved ones.  Pray that they would take hold of the plans God has for their lives and not be satisfied with the values of the world around them.

For unbelievers, pray that God would open their eyes and convict them of their sin.   Pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the gentle urges of the Savior.  Give them the desire to know Him!

I find it helpful to have a notebook and pen, to write down all the things God is saying to me.  He will give you light for your path, give you fresh thoughts from Himself, even show you how to do a certain thing.  Take time for Him to speak to you and be refreshed!

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” James 5:16

Your friend, Jean