Priorities in Prayer

First things first.

If I’m going to get organized in life, I have to know what my priorities are. What is most important? What must be addressed first?

In prayer, most of the time (emergencies excepted), the priority is God- relating to Him and understanding who He is.

You can’t pray trustingly if you don’t know Him well.

So, how do you get to know Him well?

1) Meet Him daily in His Word (Scripture).

2) Praise Him for what you do know (C.S. Lewis says that we praise the things/people we love). You can do this by taking some Scripture and re-wording it so that it is a conversation between you and God.

Exercise:

Take this Psalm and pray it to God. See what happens in you and in your prayertime.

I sing to You, Lord a new song- one that I am learning just now.

I sing to You, Lord, and watch for all the earth to join me!

I sing to you Lord, bless Your name!

I proclaim the good tidings of Your salvation for me from day to day.

I  tell of Your glory to my friends and family- about what you have done for me and the nations.

I tell of Your wonderful deed among all the peoples.

For great are You, Lord and greatly to be praised.

Psalm 96:1-4 personalized

Praise

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.  I Timothy 1:17

Here’s a challenge: Write this scripture down and offer it in praise to God several times a day. How does the frequent praise affect your own heart?

Celebrating Firsts

My prayer buddy, Seung, celebrates firsts.

She celebrates God’s goodness towards her church family on the first day of each month.

She celebrates God’s goodness towards her students on the first school day each week.

Each time a first of some sort comes around, Seung celebrates God’s goodness.

What a healthy and Scriptural thing!

God tells us it is a good thing to give thanks to Him. The Bible is full of Scriptures reminding us of His goodness:

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…

Psalm 33:5 …the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord

Psalm 27:13  I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

What firsts can you celebrate? How can you celebrate God’s goodness?