Joyfull Living

Beginning a  committed time to pray may take some adjustments and sacrifice. But, once the habit is established we position ourselves to seek and hear from God much deeper. This will become a precious time to begin each day, but will also equip us to face any challenges through the day we may face. Prayer will become your immediate reflex rather than your last resort. Here are a few ideas in life that can become prompts to pray: Newness:  Take time to pray whenever you begin something new. Pray at the start of each day, dedicate it to God asking for His cleansing, protection and guidance. Begin each new year, job or relationship seeking God's wisdom, help and direction. Needs: God is able to meet any need. When we face physical, emotional or spiritual needs, may these prompt us to pray. Blessings:   What has God done for you today? Daily He loads us with benefits and blessings. He protects us, forgives us and guides us. May we be ready to thank Him for a...

There are many times in our life we are extremely motivated to pray. A crisis, hope, all consuming fear will drive us quickly to our knees. It is almost an instant reflex - a cry for help to the God who can. But prayer and God is much more than a relief system, it is about a relationship - and they take time and effort. As we grow in the area of prayer, a daily time set aside to pray is a valuable and powerful tool in our walk with the Lord.  I Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to 'pray without ceasing'.  Although the constant action of prayer continually is not feasible, our attitudes can be in tune to talking or listening to God all through the day. It should become a natural part of our thinking, not only in our scheduled prayer time but through the chaos each day may bring.  God desires that prayer become an ongoing opportunity we engage in by quietly praising, thanking and leaning on Him at any moment. But along with this constant attitude of prayer, th...

There is such great freedom in prayer since it is simply communicating with God. If prayer were set on a schedule or with a formula, there wouldn't be any room for heartfelt expression. But if prayer is approached too casual, the effectiveness may be limited. What is the balance of freedom and structure? Four broad types of prayer can be explained in the acronym A.C.T.S. Most every prayer will fall under one of these types. But a vibrant prayer life will probably incorporate each of these for a beautiful balance of remembering Who we are praying to, searching our hearts for anything that will hinder prayer, a time to be grateful and to think and support others.  These four types of prayer provide a useful and natural progression as we interact with the Lord.  A.: Adoration is a prayer that praises and worships God. Through this type of prayer, we are not requesting anything from Him, merely adoring Him and honoring Him in our hearts. It turns our complete attention...