Welcome to the first part of the "Solomon Survey" where the questions begin and the self-analysis digs deep!
In the last post, I mentioned how we were going to begin the conversation with the fact that we are not accidents....I want to retract that (we will still cover this topic) and instead begin with how we start our Prayer life, when do we pray and how are our prayers structured?
In the last post, I mentioned how we were going to begin the conversation with the fact that we are not accidents....I want to retract that (we will still cover this topic) and instead begin with how we start our Prayer life, when do we pray and how are our prayers structured?
First Things First
#1. When do you Pray?
Jesus Prayed bright and early in the morning. Of course He prayed at all times and without ceasing, but Scripture is very clear that He went to God first thing in the morning. Doing this helps to frame our mind and prepare us for the day ahead! I know the sports section is tempting, but dig in to Prayer and Scripture first!
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house
and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mark 1:35-39
Structure Of Prayer - Out Of The Blocks!
#2 Do you begin Prayers with Praise or do you just jump in thinking it's all about you?
We need to start out our Prayers with Praises To God! Our Prayers are not based on religion, they are based on a relationship. Prayer is not something you get done with and check off of your to-do list. Prayer is conversation with God, through Jesus, led by The Holy Spirit.
Solomon's Example
Remember the story about Solomon from First Kings? Solomon is having a conversation with God, he's not just going through some monotonous ritual that he needs to hurry up and get over with. Notice that even when God asks Solomon what he wants, see 1 Kings 7-8, he still begins the conversation by praising God...saying that God is loyal, reminding himself that it is God who gives, and understanding that he is God's Servant. Then in verse 9, Solomon makes his request understanding that it is impossible to live God's Will for his life without God's help.
Self Reminder
Don't get me wrong, there is not a formula for Prayer...all Prayers should be led by The Holy Spirit. However, we must Praise God first and foremost. It's not that God needs to hear us brag on Him, it's that we need to remind ourselves that He is The Almighty who can do anything and everything, and that nothing will block His plans. Take a look at the 'model' Prayer that Jesus teaches us to Pray and notice how it starts with Praise:
"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.'
So Instead of starting out with the typical Prayers of, "Lord, Bless me, bless me, bless me," begin with Praise. For Example, Start with Ps 145 to remind your self how AMAZING God is...verse 18 says: God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. Come to God in Praise and mean it!
Nothing Wrong With It
There is nothing wrong with asking God to Bless you, you will see Prayers for Blessings through out Scripture...we are even told in Matthew 7.7, and Thanks Be To God, to Ask, Seek, and Knock. In fact, God wants to Bless us and that is why Praise is so important. Take a look at the first book in The Bible, Gen 28.13-18 tells us how God wants to Bless our families and that He will be with us wherever we go..He already knows what we are going to Pray for anyway, so what Praise does is remind us how much He wants to Bless us and allows us to Pray with Confidence and Boldness!
Relationship Parallel
Can you imagine talking to your spouse, your boss, your team, etc and all you do is say, "Me, Me, Me, it's all about me...here is what I want you to do for me...." That would not be a very good relationship....So next time in Prayer, Start with Praises to God...you will be amazed at how much Peace will flood your soul as you are reminded how powerful God is and how awesome it is when Christ is at the center of your life!
Stumbling BlocksPlease tune in to the next post of "The Solomon Survey" and see what may be causing a stumbling block in your Prayer Life. How do you treat others? The Bible tells us that we "reap what we sow." Are you sowing good seeds? Are you criticizing? Romans 2 is very clear about criticism. If you criticize, you are saying that God is not a good artist....so tune in and see if you need to hold your self accountable and remove any stumbling blocks so that God will be able to prepare you with Blessings that He can trust you with!
