Honor God
Help People
CONNECTING WITH GOD
July 19, 2024Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Colossians 4:2-4
1. DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER. Prayer is communicating with God about things. Right when something starts bothering us, we can turn it into a prayer. We take our problems to Him and then take God’s promises and attach them to those problems. I learned as a young man to make my prayer life consistent with what God said in the scriptures instead of what I am worried about. God knows everything that is going on already, so when I pray, I focus on how good and able He is instead of only listing the details of the problem. This attitude change takes us from being pessimistic to optimistic, from being worried to casting our worries on Him and letting His peace flood our hearts.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 NLT
2. PRACTICE GRATITUDE. Thankfulness is a huge deal. I saw a bumper sticker while driving to work that said, “practice gratitude.” I don’t know where that person was coming from in their philosophies of life, but that stands alone as a good truth to practice gratitude, in my case, as a Jesus-follower. Let’s start our prayers with thankfulness. I so appreciate what God has done throughout the generations, from Adam and Eve to sending Jesus. I am grateful for my wife, my children, and my grandchildren. I am thankful for the food I eat and for the air I breathe. I am grateful I live in a place where there are green trees. I am grateful that God hears and answers prayers and that He bothers to listen to us human beings. I appreciate that and tell Him that often, and I don’t ever want to take that for granted.
3. PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY. 1 Timothy 2:1-5 directs us toward praying for those in authority over us, similar to what Paul wrote in Colossians, as he asked specifically for prayer for themselves as ministers of the gospel. Every time you go to a church service, take a moment to pray for the worship team that they’ll be on point and flow in the anointing. Pray that their hearts will be ready, that they will be worshipful, and that the congregation will join in. Pray for your pastor that God will open a door to the gospel so they may speak forth the mystery of Christ.
Take time to connect with God today through prayer. Get to know God not just philosophically at a distance but learn His personality and characteristics. Apply what you learn in the scriptures in faith. You can trust God with it all! I pray your prayer life takes on a thrilling new tone in these upcoming months.
PRAY THIS PRAYER:
God, You are so good. I thank You for hearing and answering prayer. I pray the life of God would come in on my situation: my relationships, my finances, my health – invade these areas and give wisdom to me. Show me what to do in these upcoming days. God, You said, if anyone lacks wisdom, we’re to ask of You, and You will give to all generously. I am not doubting, but I trust You fully for that wisdom. You are so good, and I believe I receive when I pray in Jesus’ name, amen. (1 John 5:14-15; James 1:5; Mark 11:24)
Press on,
Pastor Jeff Perry
de·vote, verb
To attach the attention or center the activities of (oneself) wholly or chiefly on a specified object, field, or objective.
Copyright © 2024 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Devote, V. (2). Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, C. & G. Merriam CO., 1971, p. 620.
