Recommended Books for Reflection on Prayer
With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray
Andrew Murray gives an explanation of what intercessory prayer is and why many people do not get their prayers answered. Reading this book will give you a sense of what it means to pray by abiding in Christ and worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Click on the button to read the book.
Prayer Availeth Much by Tony Marshall Anderson
The brief messages on prayer contained in this little book have been written for the purpose of stimulating a greater interest in the importance of praying without ceasing.
I am convinced that the people of God have not explored the boundless possibilities of prayer.
We evidently believe that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, but we are often aware of the fact that very little has been accomplished by our own prayers.
It has not been possible to present a complete study of the subject of prayer revealed in the Holy Scriptures. For one to undertake such a task would be like an attempt to measure eternity by a span.
It is my sincere desire to encourage God’s people to pray without ceasing. When once they understand the fundamental principles of prayer, they will not find it difficult to accomplish some amazing results through effectual fervent intercession.
Your Servant in Christ Jesus,
T. M. ANDERSON
Quiet Talks on Pray S. D. Gordon
In the 1900’s S. D. Gordon wrote a popular series of books titled “Quite Talks“. One of the more popular books in that series was Quiet Talks on Prayer. Logos.com explains the book in this fashion, “S. D. Gordon explains the meaning and mission of prayer, hindrances to prayer, the “how to’s” of praying, and Jesus’ habits of prayer. Identifying prayer as the world’s greatest “outlet of power,” Gordon encourages a vibrant, two-way communication with the God who longs for communion with His people.”
If you don’t feel as close to God as you used to…
Guess who moved!
Bible Apps that make it easy to Read your Bible daily.
Logos is a powerful Bible app with reading plans, study tools and prayer list you can use on your phone. There are in-app purchases and upgrades you can buy but the free app is pretty cool. Click the link to check it out:
Blueletterbible maintains a website that you can use for bible study, reading plans, and word study. They also have a mobile app for your phone and it is free. Click below to check it out:
Olive Tree Bible App is another good choice for daily reading plans, Bible study, and notes. The app does have in-app purchases but the free version is good. Click on the Link to check it out:
Take a spiritual assessment. Here is a spiritual assessment from LifeWay. It is a good way to get an action plan going. It is. not enough to have knowledge we must have action. Faith without works is dead.
Why Do We Need People to Stand in the Gap for this Country? Here is a short clip of Billy Graham who explains it well.
Showreel
Prayers whose wording make them a good addition to your prayer arsenal!
1.
Famous Prayer worth Reciting
This is a collection of prayers by famous people that speak to our own hearts making them good options for personal use.
2.
Praying Scripture
Check out this article:
12 Reasons You Should Pray Scripture
BY ANDREW DAVID NASELLI
Click here to check out more prayers that actually pray Scripture
3.
Real Prayers by Real People
This is a collection of prayers from people who shared why they prayed them. One of them is a prayer by Demario Davis who prayed “God I need a new heart.”
Prayers You Can Recite or Adapt:
Prayer for Peace
attributed to Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
George Washington's Prayer for this country. This prayer is read each day at Mount Vernon's public wreath laying ceremony and is used regularly at "the President's chapel" of the George Washington University
Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The original Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that You will make all things right, if I surrender to Your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen
Praying Scripture
The Lord's Prayer Matthew 6:9-13
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
A prayer based on Psalm 91:9-12
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to make thee my habitation that no evil may befall me neither shall any plague come nigh my dwelling. I pray Thou mayest give thy angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways.
A prayer based on Matthew 5:14-16
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to let my light shine for others to see. Help me to be more like Christ who is the light that lighteth every man. Help me to walk in that light and do good works that others may see those good works and glorify thee.
Real Prayers by Real People
“God I Need a New Heart”
“Do you believe that God can change your heart? Can He remove addiction from your mind and body? How can we turn from sin? Cleveland Browns defensive captain Demario Davis takes us on a journey through his fatherless upbringing, where his role models were drug dealers…” Sports Spectrum
Watch Demario’s testimony: click on Watch Now button then when website comes up, scroll down to see video.
Disturb Us, Lord (prayer attributed to Francis Drake)
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrive safely because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst for the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity,
And in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas,
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes,
And to push into the future in strength, courage, hope and love.
A Prayer That God’s Will May be Done in Our Nation by Billy Graham
This prayer was spoken at the 1997 inauguration of President Clinton. At a time when society has seemed to away from Christianity, these words remind us that God is still in control of our nation, and greater world.
Lord… remind us today that You have shown us what is good in what You require of us; to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. We ask that as a people, we may humble ourselves before You and seek Your will for our lives and for this great nation. Help us in our nation to work as never before to strengthen our families and to give our children hope and a moral foundation for the future. So may our desire be to serve You, and in so doing, serve one another. This we pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The prayer and information listed above was found on CrossWalk: https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/5-powerful-prayers-from-billy-graham-that-still-uplift-us-today.html
Stop and Check This Out: These Two Resources can help you Think Soundly and Grow Spiritually.
Albert Mohler.com
Albert Mohler is the President of the Louisville Southern Baptist Seminary. His website and podcast “The Briefing” will give you a Christian perspective of current events and politics. This is a resource that can be helpful in developing your spiritual growth and theology. Click the button to check it out.
Focusonthefamily.com
Focus on the Family has good resources to help with marriages, parenting and gender identity. However, it also has resources to help you engage today’s culture. Focus on the family calls on us to be socially responsible and to support the institutions of family, church, and government according to God’s purpose and design. Click the button to check it out.
Response requires action so start with an action plan!
Reading God’s Word daily is part of your daily bread. Jesus said man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Reflecting on that daily word through meditation and prayer is also part of our daily bread. We need to truthfully seek to understand what it is that God is communicating to us. When we know in our hearts what God is telling us to do; we need to respond with obedience and action so that we are not hearers only but doers of the word. Taking a spiritual growth assessment can help us find the areas in our lives that we need to work on spiritually and develop a more tailored action plan. Here is a spiritual growth assessment by LifeWay that you can be very beneficial for your personal spiritual growth.