I’ve been trying to improve my prayer life. I’m kind of hesitant to share this because I don’t want anybody to think that I’m down on other methods of prayer or that I think I’ve gotten it figured out. But I really think this could be helpful to some folks because it’s been really helpful to me.

The idea is to have a more well-rounded prayer time with God versus just working through a list of requests. Again, not that that is a bad thing! But my own personal experience was that I was reading off a list to God, but it wasn’t relational or even God-centered. And it just felt very one way.

Use this approach to prayer as far as you find it useful, and if you are satisfied with your current prayer life, don’t mess with it! Here’s what I have found to be helpful in recent history. It has 5 steps, phases, or movements – whatever you wanna call them:

• Praise, thanksgiving, and worship
• Confession and repentance
• Petition and supplication
• Intercession
• Meditation

And here’s a restating of them in more common words that can serve as prayer prompts:

🙏🏼 Lord, you’re amazing…

🙏🏼 Please forgive me…

🙏🏼 Help me…

🙏🏼 Help others…

🙏🏼 I’m listening…

Now a little bit about what happens in each prayer phase

🙏🏼 Lord, you’re amazing… (Matthew 6:9) this a “hallowed be thy name” time like Jesus taught in what we refer to as the Lord’s Prayer. Or as the Psalmist said in Psalm 100:4 — I will enter his gates with thanksgiving and enter his courts with praise. I try to start with BIG stuff, like Salvation, Creation, His Sovereignty, Eternity, that kind of thing. Then I get closer to home with anything that comes to mind that I need to think him for. For me, I’ve nearly always just led a study or preached or something so I make it a point to thank him for the effectiveness of that tell him I know I can’t do anything apart from Him. You can do the same, no matter your occupation.
I also listen to worship music during this time. I use Pandora radio station but because of my ‘likes’ it’s a lot of Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Third Day, etc. I know people get really passionate about who is singing to them but I’m not. For prayer time I’m looking for songs that remind me how small I am and how BIG God is. If I feel like the song is missing that, I just skip it and go to the next one. I also write a lot of praise down. I think it helps me get going. I’ve been burning up journal pages. As you can tell I can get longwinded when I write. God doesn’t mind at all when I’m praising him 😃

🙏🏼 Please forgive me… (1 John 1:9, Psalm 139:23-24) this was missing for me. Oh I’d ask God’s forgiveness when something stood out to me or when someone called me out for something. But this as helped bring my attitude before God, my motives, my spiritual laziness, as well as any commandments I’ve broken. This section has put a light on my roles as husband and dad. I’ve learned I can justify impatience or being short. The Lord doesn’t let when I’m confessing and repenting more regularly. This is always humbling and cleansing. Much needed.

🙏🏼 Help me… (Matthew 7:11) asking for help next works great after confession. Lord help me be more faithful in all the areas I just said I’ve failed. I also just air out a lot of stuff I know I’ll worry about if I don’t bring it to him. And I ask for his help with silly stuff that would embarrass me unnecessarily if I shared with y’all. But just know I’m not afraid to ask my Heavenly Father for anything. And it actually feels a lot more natural to do so after confession.

🙏🏼 Help others… (James 5:16) this phase of prayer is where YOUR name likely comes up if you’ve asked me for prayer. I get a lot of prayer requests from people and if nothing else I make sure the names get said to God and ask he meet them however his perfect will allows. I also pray for my wife, kids and grandkids. My foster baby and the foster care system. My extended family. Our church — always for Unity and gospel fruit. Also for the different ministries in the church. Often for some pastor buddies. And sometimes I get really worked up stuff going on in the world or some group of people I’ve noticed being overlooked or wronged, so I’ll ask for help for them rather than just be quietly mad about it.

🙏🏼 I’m listening… (Psalm 1:2) I’ve really come to appreciate this. I tell God I need his guidance. I ask for his wisdom. I tell him I don’t know everything and I don’t know what I’m doing. I tell him I’m listening. And at this point, even if I’ve already read a devotional I’ll still go to the Word and read something slow with a pen in my hand. Many times it’s a Psalm that corresponds with the day of the month. I go slow, pause often and just meditate on what He’s saying. Often times I’ll think of something I forgot to pray for from an earlier part of my prayer time. I circle back and say it / write it down. Sometimes the Lord will bring someone to mind I need to check on or encourage. This’ll weird some people out — but I hear him better after the first 4 phases of prayer.

That’s it. I don’t get this done every day, but I am getting it in lots of days.

I think a question people may have and one that I had was how long should this take? Well, I don’t know. Sometimes it’s 15 mins. Or 10. Or sometimes 30. Sometimes I’ve gotten interrupted and had to pick back up. It’s really not about filling a time quota or even “getting through” all 5 parts of the prayer method. It’s about time alone with God. That’s the win. But I know I don’t need to rush through it. Any more than you should rush through time with anyone you love. And yeah I know we can spend time with God all day. But these focused times, even if their brief, help make the rest of our day with him more meaningful.

That’s all for now. Sorry this has gotten long and I know this is kinda different for Facebook, and it could be received differently the wrong way. I promise I don’t think I’ve arrived at this. I don’t think I ever will. But meaningful prayer is worth pursuing. Jesus is worth it. He’s worth all our time, devotion, everything.

Hope someone found this helpful and God is glorified.

Y’all keep looking up!

Church family and friends,

I’ve got something I’m excited to share with y’all. I’m sure you’ll hear this in a sermon of mine at some point, but I wanted to pass it along now. I recently shared a model for a Powerful Prayer Life with our elders and staff and asked them to recommit to the priority of prayer in their personal spiritual life. I’m shared from experience, as this is something that the Lord has been using mightily in my own life. I’m kind of embarrassed to say, that while I’ve always valued and practiced prayer, it was not that long ago the Lord revealed I needed a deeper, more committed, prayer life. I found myself desperate for the Lord in a way I hadn’t been before, which led me deeper in prayer than I’d prayed before. It’s actually just praying more like Jesus prayed. (Matthew 6:6, Mark 1:35, Luke 6:12, Matthew 14:33)

And I gotta tell you, it’s pretty amazing. God is uniquely BIG in prayer. Prayer isn’t just one part of the Christian life, it’s like the air you breathe while living the Christian life. It’s not just a spiritual discipline. It’s the spiritual discipline that fuels all the other disciplines.

Recently our church had a great time of prayer together, lead by 2 of our Deacons, Brad Olson and Jason Villalobos. I’m so thankful for those guys leading and thankful for everyone who was able to show up and pray. Before we dismissed, I asked everyone there to commit to a daily prayer time on their own, and encouraged them that if we all do that, our next time together in prayer will be so much more meaningful!

The prayer model is not original to me and there are others similar to it. But this one emphasizes 5 aspects of prayer, designed to bring a “balanced practice” to our time with God in prayer. This it’s not something we want to try and rush through. It’s designed to get us up close and personal with God. I’m not trying to be legalistic about a particular time that we need to spend on it, but around 30 minutes might be a good time to shoot for.

The prayer model is as follows:

• Praise, thanksgiving, and worship — Tell God how awesome He is. Use a Psalm of praise in the Bible to get you started. Thank him for everything. If it’s brought a smile to you, let it bring a smile to His heart when you thank him. Praise Him! I find worship music to be helpful for this part. Maybe turn on a God-centered worship song, close your eyes, and sing or say the words to God from your heart. Praise is praying!

• Confession and repentance — This is one we often overlook. We need to pray and lay out every sin that we can think of that we’ve committed. Confess it ask for forgiveness for it, and repent from it. Keeping short accounts with God helps keep us in step with His Spirit.

• Petition and supplication — We tend to know this one. Pray for yourself. Pray about whatever is heavy on your heart. Be honest. Be specific. Ask for His help. Give Him your worries. Pray big prayers for your life because you serve a BIG God.

• Intercession — This is praying for others. Tell God about the hardships and hurts of the people you love. Ask Him to help them in all the ways that you can’t.

• Meditation (listening and reflection) — This is so important. This is where we mainly just sit, reflect and listen. I typically pick up my Bible and read a psalm corresponding with the day of the month or some other passage He brings to mind. I read it and then just say, Lord I’m listening. Many times he’ll bring to mind another sin to confess or some promise I’m forgetting. I like to write a few things down in my journal from this time.

Y’all set aside some time and give this outline a try! Commit to doing it every day! One more thing, that may help. I rewrote the outline in words I’m more likely to use:

• I am in awe of you because…

• I’ve fallen short and need your forgiveness for…

• I really need your help with…

• Some people that come to mind with needs are…

• I’m listening to whatever you have to say…

I genuinely hope this outline is something that blesses y’all as much as it has me! And as a pastor I can’t help, but think and dream of what the Lord might do with a little church like ours, that simply committed to praying and seeking the Lord to be a faithful part of what He is doing!

Y’all have a great rest of the week!

Blessings,

Pastor Roy

Day 40

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Isaiah 40:28

[28] Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

Lord Jesus, we get so caught up in the immediate, we lose sight of the eternal. You are an everlasting God. You’ve created all things. You’re never tired. And your wisdom is beyond what I can comprehend. Yet, you care about us. You give us your Word and you give us the gift of our words. Help me to use them to glorify you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Day 39

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Revelation 4:11

[11] “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.”

Father in Heaven, you are worthy of all the glory, all the honor, all the power, and all the PRAISE. Everything is yours. Including my words. Help me use them for YOU. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen

Day 38

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Psalm 52:9

[9] I will thank you forever,

because you have done it.

I will wait for your name, for it is good,

in the presence of the godly.

Lord, if I would just express even a fraction of the gratitude you deserve, so many of my words would be filled with praise. I WILL thank you forever. Let thankfulness a condition of my heart and let it change the words I say. In Jesus name, amen

Day 36

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Job 1:20-21

[20] Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. [21] And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Father in Heaven, even on the darkest of days you are worthy to be praised. You give and you take away. And everything you do is righteous and just. Let me bless you with the words I use, Lord. Let me steward them like they are not my own, because they aren’t. They’re yours. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen

Day 35

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Psalm 119:172

[172] My tongue will sing of your word,

for all your commandments are right.

Lord, I WILL sing of your word! You are worthy of my song and all my words. Every one of your commandments are right. And I need your guidance and wisdom for everything I do, especially in how I use my words. Thank you for your word, Lord. Guide my words. In Jesus name, Amen

Day 34

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Psalm 29:1-2

[1] Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

[2] Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

Father in Heaven, our words are given to us to express your worth — to worship. Yours in the glory, yours is the strength, yours is the splendor of holiness. Let my life reflect you! Including an especially my words. In Jesus name, Amen

Day 33

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Psalm 32:7

[7] You are a hiding place for me;

you preserve me from trouble;

you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

SHOUTS of deliverance. What we shout with our mouth says so much about what we have stored in our hearts. Lord I pray that you be my hiding place, my place of refuge. That in my heart I treasure you and that my words reflect that. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

Day 32

PRAYER – Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your site, O LORD, my rock, my redeemer.

Romans 14:11

[11] for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Father in Heaven, one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. TODAY, let me confess that you are God. Let my life be a confession. And let my words be a confession. Let me use my words to prove you. All of my life including my words are yours. Help me be faithful as I abide in you. In Jesus name, Amen