PRAYER

Blog & Resources
God is speaking…are we listening?

God is speaking…are we listening?

“And God said”...God spoke the universe into existence. In Psalm 29 we are told that His voice is powerful, full of majesty, and that it breaks cedar trees. His voice thundered out of a mountain top to the people of Israel. He spoke from a burning bush to Moses, in a...

What I Found Under the Bed

What I Found Under the Bed

My most life-changing memory from my middle school years started with the decision one day to skip school. Like every other school day I ate breakfast, got dressed, and then headed out the door for my mile hike to school. However, this day I had a different plan....

Pray With Me

Pray With Me

Teaching Children with Special Needs How to Pray. As a parent of a child with special needs, you know that prayer is your lifeline with God! Sometimes it is your minute by minute cry for help to God to just make it through the day and stresses of life.  Prayer is a...

WHAT IS PRAYER?

For some people prayer may feel awkward or intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. Imagine sitting down with your best friend to chat over a cup of coffee. You can share anything with your best friend. You can always count on her and you know there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you. You know she cares about you and accepts you in spite of your flaws. Easy conversation.

Prayer is like that. Prayer is simply talking to God! Think about it… What better person is there to have a conversation with? God knows you the best and loves you the most. He is always available 24/7. And, God actually wants to spend time with you. So, what are you waiting for? Strike up a conversation!

WHY SHOULD I TALK WITH GOD?

Our prayers play a dynamic role in God’s activity in the earth. Our intercession plays a significant role in the outcome of circumstances in our lives and the lives of those around us.There are countless reasons why prayer is vital to our lives as Christians. Here are just a few to consider:

Prayer Draws us Closer to God

Conversation is foundational to staying connected. Our relationship with God is no different. Our conversations with God bring us closer
to Him. 

Prayer Shows our Dependence on God

Just as the branch is dependent on the vine, Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing”. When we come to God in prayer it shows our dependency on Him.

Prayer Unleashes the Power of God

In the Bible, ordinary people accomplished extraordinary things by praying to God. Time and again we see God move on our behalf as we call out to Him in prayer.

HOW SHOULD I TALK WITH GOD?

When talking with God, it is often best to just be natural and talk to Him about whatever is on your heart. Or, at times you can just be still in silence before God, because He already knows what is on your heart. Still, even Jesus’ disciples asked for guidance on how to pray (Luke 11:1). With that in mind, here are a few “conversation starters” to guide your prayer time using the acronym CHAT:

Ask God to forgive you.

Confession of sin to God and asking for forgiveness opens up freedom in our lives and removes the barrier between us and God created by
wrongful choices.

Celebrate what God has done.

Take time to reflect and remember how God has blessed you. Thank Him for how He has answered your prayers

Tell God your cares and requests.

Pray for yourself and for others. When we do, we see God begin to change circumstances around us.

Honor God for who He is.

Praise God for His character and attributes. When we think about the splendor and majesty of who God is and what He has done, it inspires adoration.

Honor God for who He is.

Praise God for His character and attributes. When we think about the splendor and majesty of who God is and what He has done, it inspires adoration.

Celebrate what God has done.

Take time to reflect and remember how God has blessed you. Thank Him for how He has answered your prayers

Tell God you’re cares and requests.

Pray for yourself and for others. When we do, we see God begin to change circumstances around us.

Ask God to forgive you.

Confession of sin to God and asking for forgiveness opens up freedom in our lives and removes the barrier between us and God created by
wrongful choices.

Celebrate what God has done.

Take time to reflect and remember how God has blessed you. Thank Him for how He has answered your prayers

Honor God for who He is.

Praise God for His character and attributes. When we think about the splendor and majesty of who God is and what He has done, it inspires adoration.

Ask God to forgive you.

Confession of sin to God and asking for forgiveness opens up freedom in our lives and removes the barrier between us and God created by
wrongful choices.

Tell God you’re cares and requests.

Pray for yourself and for others. When we do, we see God begin to change circumstances around us.

TAKE THE 40 DAY PRAYER CHALLENGE

The 40 Day Prayer Challenge encourages you to pray daily in a conversational and authentic way that will draw you closer to God.

PRAYER RESOURCES

Family Resources

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children by Jodie Berndt. Through the encouragement of the Scriptures and true-life stories, you’ll find out what a huge difference your prayers really make in the lives of those you love most.

Praying the Scriptures for Your Family at mercyisnew.com

Creative Family Prayer Times: 52 Fun Ways to Pray Together by Mike and Amy Nappa. Innovative prayer ideas to help you add meaning to family devotions. Divided into daily, monthly, and yearly activities, these creative ideas will bring a change of pace to what you already do during family prayer.

The Power of a Praying Kid by Stormie Omartian. A fun and “kid-friendly” approach to prayer for a very special audience. Written with young hearts in mind, this short, easy-to-read book for 7- to 12-year-olds helps children learn to talk to God in a way that is meaningful and relational.

The Power of a Praying Teen by Stormie Omartian. Along with Scripture verses and true stories of teens in action, The Power of a Praying® Teen addresses key issues young people face.

The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian. Inspires women to develop a deeper relationship with their husbands by praying for them. This encouraging resource is packed with practical advice on praying for specific areas of a husband’s life.

The Power of a Praying Husband by Stormie Omartian. Helps men pray effectively for their wives and marriages. With stories and examples from her own marriage, Stormie encourages men to lovingly intercede for their wives in every area.

Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Books On Prayer

Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?  by Philip Yancey (Zondervan). Yancey asks questions that most people have… Is God listening? Does prayer change what happens? Why does prayer sometimes seem to “work” but not always? He reports his findings in a captivating way while inviting us into a deeper, more fruitful life of prayer. Very thoughtful and honest.

Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to Be with God by Bill Hybels (InterVarsity Press). Ideal for those who feel too stressed to take time to pray regularly, or for those who need guidance in the basics. As with most of Hybels writings, the book is deceptively simple, practical and quite profound.

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller (NavPress). Combines a deep, Biblical perspective with a profound sense of the goodness of God. Miller offers wise but down-to-earth advice, and shares engaging stories from his own struggle to deepen his relationship with God through prayer.

The Ministry of Intercession by Andrew Murray. A gold mine of biblical instruction and a series of excellent prayer motivators. Murray gives brief instructions on what and how to pray and gives Scripture references to go along with the insights.

Prayer: Why Our Words to God Matter by Corey Russell. Did you know the ministry that Jesus has in heaven at this moment is intercession? Jesus is an intercessor, and all believers are invited to share this high calling in Christ. In Prayer: Why Our Words To God Matter, Corey Russell invites you to embrace this identity in a fresh way, showing us from the Bible, from history, and from what God is doing around the world today that our conversation with God really does matter. Let this teaching help you on your prayer journey, a journey that if embraced will change your world forever.

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller (Viking) Keller shows us how to establish a practice of prayer that is genuinely meaningful. Using model prayers from the Bible as well as Christian teachers throughout history, he discusses ways to make prayers more personal and powerful.

Prayer Apps

Pocket Prayer Pro. This app not only holds prayers by category to guide your thoughts, but also has an enhanced prayer request section that allows tracking for answered and unanswered requests. Available on itunes.

Prayer Prompter. Allows you to spend time praying Scripture, thanking God, meditating, and even adding your requests. Using the shuffle mode, you can avoid getting into a rut with your prayers by mixing it up.