Keep praying without ceasing!

Acts 12:5

"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church."
NKJV

I encourage you to begin 'walking in prayer'. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray without ceasing." At first glance, this seems impossible. In considering this further, we see that Paul is telling us to walk in prayer. A portion of my own prayer life is made up of simple short prayers as I commute to work, wait in line at a local store or on a walk alone. This makes me much more aware of the presence of God in my life. Often when someone asks me to pray for them, I pray for them right then and there. I want the person to know I have prayed for them. Let me encourage you to begin walking in prayer today. You will discover what an amazing difference it will make in your life.

Life Lesson: We should pray (which is simply talking and listening to God).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for the gift of prayer. Thank You for the gift of being able to talk to You and listen to You wherever I am, whoever I am with and whatever I am doing. I ask, Lord, that I would develop a life style of talking and listening to You. Help me to pray throughout my day and enjoy the time I get to spend with You. Also, God, help me to remember to pray for others. Thanks God for listening to me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

(Note: Pastor McGee was how I used to start my blogs in the beginning. I used his to guide me then I wrote my own comments. I hope you enjoy reading some of the early ones. As time goes on I update them sometimes taking Pastor McGee's part out. Other times I feel his words are important to the message. He is on-line and has radio casts on CSN and other stations. He is a favorite teacher of many.)

My Comments: Jesus gave the Disciples, soon to be Apostles, and us the outline or guide on how to pray to the Father in what many mistakenly call the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).  We give the Father honor, we praise Him who gave us everything, we petition and give thanks, we ask Him to protect us and guide us. Sometimes we pray with specifics in mind, a friend needs to be healed, saved, a new job or for the money to pay the bills and other times we are just talking to our best friend ever. Sometimes it is our Abba or our Savior yet always we are talking to God and we trust Him and have faith He will answer when and how it is best and we always say "Thine will be done Lord" because we know He knows best.

We can pray in singing and dancing to Him (not disco or other) playing an instrument for His glory can be prayer. Just sitting and enjoying the sunrise or sunset with Him and rest in Him, being with Him as a child upon the lap of her dotting Daddy in contentment. This is prayer. Praying by ones self or in community; each has a place and it is important to be in community and to pray as one for a purpose. When we petition Him or thank Him or praise Him, read His Word and anything we do that includes Him is prayer as long as it is for His glory we do it.

Like David McGee I like to pray right away if possible for the person who is asking for prayer as I feel the Lord is asking me to do so. If one comes to my mind I know from experience I am being shown by God that that person or situation needs praying for and I do. When I wake in the middle of the night with someone on my mind I know the Lord is showing me I need to hold that person up in prayer.

Prayer is very important. The Lord Jesus went daily to prayer off by Himself to be alone with the Father. We should do well to follow His example. When He was Baptized and came into His own He went for 40 day and nights into the desert to pray and was tested. Prayer strengthens us and helps us be ready for the trials that will come so we are not overcome.Friends keep in constant prayer and often get away by yourself as possible and be in relationship with Abba. Read His Word and listen to what He has to tell you and you won't  go wrong.

Abba Father, thank You for all You shower upon us, teach us to pray unceasingly give us Your Word in our hearts on our minds flowing forth from our mouths so we may praise and glorify Your Holy Name. We will stumble sometimes Abba as we pray yet we know and trust You to guide our hearts, minds and prayers so they will be pleasing to You and beneficial for those we pray for and with. In Jesus precious Name in union with the Holy Spirit, we thank You, praise You and want You to know we love You and trust You to work our lives out for Your glory, Amen