Some of us grew up writing down a "New Year's Resolution" every start of the year! We set off with a new journal or planner to jot down our Resolution on losing weight, working out more, healthy eating, start reading, engaging and communicating better, etc. but after the first 30 days of the year, where has your New Year's Resolution gone to?
So instead of a New Year's Resolution this new year, I have decided to focus on something particular, a spiritual discipline. I am choosing to PRAY! I want to focus and PRAY MORE... PRAY MORE FOR... PRAY MORE WITH...
I have been putting this off for the longest time, but for the last two years I felt GOD has been speaking to me to do more prayer: Â To make it not just an everyday ritual but an every moment ministry. I have always felt compelled to volunteer and pray for people I met at Bible Studies, on our online community, and for friends far and away.
Have you had that feeling that you are being called to do something? Could this be my GOD Dare? Something that GOD has been calling me to take a plunge into this year? even this decade? Could this be my calling? A ministry for me to build on?
PRAY MORE...
How is your prayer life? What does praying regularly look like for you? How regular you pray? How often? How much more are you praying?
When I was a child I used to wonder how eloquent those big people's prayers were. Amazing how they use such "big words" in their prayers! As I grew up I have learned that Prayer is how we communicate with God. It is our lifeline to our Father. Our most personal moment and a chance to thank and praise Him for all the blessings we've received.
I love how Max Lucado on his book "Before Amen" described PRAYER in the simplest form. "Prayer is not a privilege for the pious, nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child."
The Word of God says "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It also encourages us to "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2). For when we pray "we approach God with confidence" (1 John 5:14)
Prayers are not measured by its length nor by the eloquence of it. Prayer is our heartfelt utterance to our Father up in heaven who has authority over all, our Sovereign God who is able to answer our prayers.
In praying more, let us prioritize giving praise to our Sovereign God, our loving Father. Let us not forget to give Him the highest honor and glory in our prayers first of all. Our God's character is in full display as we continue to praise and give Him thanks. With our prayers let us give thanks with a grateful heart "for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." (Psalm 136:2). This whole chapter of Psalm 136 enumerates the reason why we should give thanks to the Lord. Why don't you try praying this scripture over as your thankful prayer in glory of our Lord God who endures forever.
Do you have any specific Prayer request that you need someone to pray for or pray with you? Click our PRAYER WALL and share with us your petitions, we can pray for you and with you. Rest assure that we will keep everything private and confidential as you would prefer.
PRAY MORE FOR...
Living in a world like where we are now, it is so easy to be found wandering, lost, depressed, needy, hungry, angry, rebellious and even violent at times. Everyone has a need. Everyone has a petition. Everyone is weary with themselves, their lives, their family, their job....basically unhappy with everything and everyone. What a sad world we live in, but we can do something about it. We can do our part as children of God. We can pray. We can pray more. We can pray more for others too.Â
When we pray let us also remember to pray more for others. Who are those "others"? Those others are our families, friends, neighbors, even our enemies, school and work colleagues, up to our government officials, church leaders and the church as a whole. It could mean everyone, and why not? We should pray more for everyone.
In our circle of friends there is always someone with a petition, whether they share it with us directly or just in passing we can offer to pray for them. We can also offer them God's promises in His Words about prayer and through prayer.  My favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:6-7 that says... "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  In whatever we are going through let us remember to kneel down and come to the Lord in prayer. This is my "go-to" Bible verse that gives me encouragement and hope everyday, everytime.  It always reminds me of where to run to in times of needs and difficulties. It also gives me peace knowing that God is faithful to  His promises.Â
Since I have been part of the Women's Bible Studies at our church, I have made a prayer relationship with one of the ladies that I have met for the first time during this event. We are in different stages of our lives but we found prayer as our common ground, and every Tuesday at Bible Study we will write down and exchange our Prayer Requests and Praise for the week and each of us will pray for the other all throughout the week. It is such a great way to be praying more for one another. Once in a while, within the week, we will message each other to follow through with what we are praying for. Through this I have found comfort opening up to these women, they have also encouraged me in many ways through prayers.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
Let us be praying more for others, more for one another and more for the world around us. Through prayers we can reach out to the farthest souls we could ever think of.Â
PRAY MORE WITH...
I remember in the church I grew up with, we have this group called "Prayer Warriors". This is a group comprised of church members from all age group who are welcomed in to commit to coming together once a week to pray together purposely for specific Prayer Requests. These lists of prayer requests can start from our very own personal ones to the most complicated issues in the government and the present state of our church leadership and its growth. Every week, we come together at a certain time of the day usually on a Saturday afternoon, done inside the church sanctuary and later on we had a designated Prayer Room. For an hour or so, we sing, listen to testimonies, pray in smaller groups and then we pray all together as one group. It is so moving to hear children of God praying simultaneously and lifting up their praises, thanks and requests up to our Father in heaven. Â
Corporate prayer is the term given by the church to address this ministry. This term is coined whenever two or three people gather together and pray with one another and together for the church. Remember what Jesus' said, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20) As part of a bigger community that serve God and others, we must come together and do our duties of praying for each other continuously.Â
I have also explored prayer partners. Â I have been praying with a friend who lives in Sydney, Australia. She is a dear friend whom I pray with on a certain day of the week, on a specific time that we can both pray simultaneously in private. We would identify one request to pray for each month and then follow through regularly. We have so far prayed for the most personal and private requests that we each have brought up to the table. Last year, we prayed for a common friend that needs intercession. We have grieved together for family loss, praised God together for blessings that have overflowed through us. Our prayers has brought us closer as friends even though we are continents away from each other.
There is great joy to be praying more with one another. Family devotion is another great example of this. My parents have made it a point growing up that every night we would come together after dinner to read the Bible led by my father and each one of us pray afterwards. This has grown on me and I am sure help mold who I am today, believing in the power of a simple and regular everyday prayer.
There are different ways of "praying more with others" that we can be part of in our church community. How involved are you in your church ministries? Do you pray with other church members for your church and your community?
In our most recent church campaign, we are focusing and learning "The Lord's Prayer" on Matthew 6:1-15. Praying with one another is highly encouraged by our church leaders as it builds community which is what we are about. Two weeks on to the Campaign Study in our Women's group, we have grown closer and been blessed in significant ways learning more about private and corporate prayers.
I therefore encourage you to PRAY. Give it more time. Make it a habit. Build your life in prayer. Let us also learn to PRAY MORE often no matter how short, no matter how simple. Make prayer part of your everyday life, like air we breathe. Whisper to God every minute of the day.
Also PRAY MORE FOR one another, pray more for others. Let us include "others" in our prayers- our family, community, church, country and government. Even the world! Â
Lastly, PRAY MORE WITH others. A community of praying Christians is a great movement in action, a powerful tool to empower the church. An active prayer life is our best fighting chance against the devil prowling around us.
So this New Year let us start PRAYING MORE... PRAYING MORE FOR... & PRAYING MORE WITH....
BE BLESSED!