Today is Day 5 in our quest to pray more continually. Check out the first four posts here:

Because I Don’t Want to Sleep Anymore

Praying to a Jealous God

Pray Continually Day 3

10 Things to Pray While Praying Continually

Have you tried praying scripture before? What I mean is using scripture as your guide or direction as you pray.

Praying scripture is powerful because we know God’s word is His will for our lives. God’s word holds promises for us, but sometimes we miss the point of the promises. For instance I have heard folks pray like this:

“God, You promised in Your word no weapon formed against me will prosper so I believe now I will be healed of cancer.”

It is true God’s word does promise “no weapon formed against you will prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). However we have to remember God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Cancer may bring physical death to the man or woman who prays this, but God brings victory in other ways. The weapon of cancer can only kill the body, but not the spirit and not for eternity. It will not prosper even if it results in physical death.

There are other examples of praying God’s word. I love praying about the armor of God as I shower each day. While I wash my hair I pray the “helmet of Salvation” will protect my mind and thoughts. I also ask God to remind me it is by His grace I have been saved and not by works so I extend grace to others. As I clean my feet I pray every where I go I am ready to share “the gospel of peace.” I pray I will live in peace with God and man as I share Jesus’ love and grace to a world hungry for Him.

Consider praying God grow the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Remember this is not fruit you can produce yourself. This fruit only comes from God’s Spirit. Praying He grows patience and kindness and gentleness in your life are wonderful ways to pray scripture.

Using God’s names as you speak to Him can be humbling and comforting. When you feel invisible pray to the God who sees you. If you can’t see a way through or out of your situation pray to the God who is able. When you struggle knowing what to do next pray to the God who has plans for you. Over all our prayers we also need to pray like Jesus did and pray “…not my will, but Yours [God's] be done.”

Praying scripture is powerful. What scriptures do you pray?

We are working through 30 days of praying continually. The first three posts in this series are:

Because I don’t Want to Sleep Any More

Praying to a Jealous God

Pray Continually Day 3

Some of you may keep a detailed prayer request list and pray over those items frequently. Others of you may have circumstances and situations that seem so huge you can’t stop thinking of things and details to pray for. But then there are some who don’t really know what to pray for or about. So here is a list of things we all can pray for.

1. Our Churches…the leaders would honor God, the members would grow closer to God, we would influence the world to want to love Jesus.

2. Our Schools/Universities (even if you don’t have kids in these places they need prayer)…pray for safety, professors and teachers to not discriminate on any basis, kids learn so they can lead productive lives, for funds, those in leadership, and discipline.

3. Our Countries…our leaders would make wise Godly choices, economy would recover, more jobs would be created, our countries across the globe would work together, diplomacy, unity despite diversity.

4. Our families…marriages, their spiritual lives, physical protection, emotional health, healing, for prodigals wandering away, wise spending of our resources, wisdom, direction.

5. Our friends…difficult circumstances, marriages, wisdom, direction, health for their bodies, minds and souls.

6. News flashes…each time you hear a news alert pray for God’s way in that situation.

7. Our environment…pray we use resources wisely, for God’s provision through the environment.

8. The world…famines, poverty, war, plagues, the lost, those who never heard the gospel, hungry (even in our neighborhoods), homeless, those suffering with cancer or medical scares….

9. Our medical communities…they provide excellent health care, they work well together in unity, they come to know God.

10. Ourselves…love God more deeply, obey Him more completely, read His word daily, pray more continually, confess our sins regularly, help when we struggle, peace and patience in the waiting, wisdom to do what He wants us to do.

I don’t know about you, but this list could keep me busy for a really really really long time. What are other things you pray for or that prompt you to pray? Would you share?

As my mind wanders it mostly wanders to the people in my life. So they become the subjects of my prayer.

As I drove to take my girls to school today, I thought of friends and family and church. I prayed for each person, I prayed our church would find a worship pastor, and for God’s immeasurably more to be shown for His glory.

So my mind wandering is becoming a prayer prompt. Instead of just wondering how someone is doing, I pray for them.

When I think about a situation I cannot see a way out of, I pray.

I heard about a 16-year-old boy who drowned yesterday. I prayed for his friends and family.

When sirens of an emergency vehicle screech loudly, I pray.

I feel convicted to pray for the driver tailing me and speeding past in such a hurry. Could it be a family emergency?

As I rehearse my to-do list in my mind, I pray for my ministry, my husband, my kids.

When anger flares I pray for wisdom that I may not sin in my anger. I pray for direction and for the person who hurt me.

Through God’s prodding, I am more alert. I am praying more. I fail. This is a process, but God is working it out through me.

Then I read this, “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” Psalm 55:17

When I cry out to God (in distress or in duress or in peace) He hears my voice. My prayers are heard and He delights hearing from me. He doesn’t roll his eyes at me when I say, “God,” for the thousandth time in two hours. No, He hears me. He hears us all.

What is helping you to pray more consistently?