Thoughts for Life: #24 Praying the Ordinary

Alvin Vandergriend- "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Eph. 6:18).

Did you notice the four "alls" in this passage — "all occasions," "all kinds," "always," and "all the saints"? What a simple way to say that prayer is tremendously important, that all of life is to be brought to God in prayer. (Google image, A Case for praying out loud)

Praying begins not with self but with God. To "pray in the Spirit" means to pray with the help of the Spirit, under the influence of the Spirit. It means praying the thoughts that the Spirit kindles within us. What is impossible in our own strength becomes possible with the Spirit's help.

Pray "on all occasions" means that prayer is to be as broad as life itself. Talk to God about your problems, your joys, your temptations, and your struggles. Let Him in on your everyday life: your work, your bill paying, leisure time, shopping, visits to the doctor, and time with friends.

There is nothing in life that cannot be prayed about. Welcome God right into the middle of your sometimes mundane, usually busy, occasionally stressful, and always complex life. Pray about the ordinary.

Pray "all kinds of prayers." Let there be no blessing without a word of thanks, no sin without expressed confession, no need arising without a prayer of supplication, and no glimpse of God's glory without a whispered prayer of praise. If prayer is the talking part of a love relationship with God, keep up the love relationship by talking with God about all kinds of things.

Pray "always"! this means that prayer is not to be cubby-holed into special times and special days. It never needs to be put off. There is never a better time to pray than at any given moment. Prayer is meant to be a natural, ongoing part of all our days and nights.

Also be sure to "pray for all the saints." this isn't possible if it means praying for every Christian in the world by name. But you can pray specifically for Christians you know — family members, friends, fellow church members, neighbors. It also works to pray for categories — for church leaders, persecuted Christians, Christians in power, Christians in media, believers of different ethnic backgrounds, Christians in specific countries with great needs.

Because of prayer the weakest Christian does not have to fear "the devil's schemes" or all "the powers of this dark world and . . . the spiritual forces of evil" (Ephesians 6:11-12). Every true believer can live in constant fellowship with the mightiest ally in the world — God Himself. In Him we have the strength to stand. Prayer is the God-given way our relationship with God is maintained.

(pp. 64, 65 in Love to Pray- 40 Day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life by Alvin Vandergriend)

Let's pray-

Father, we ask that You reveal to us how we fail at times to bring our concerns to You. Our glimpsing over the past few days reveal to us where You've met our concerns in ways we didn't see at the time. We appreciate that You are constantly watching over us and our loved ones and friends.

Our prayers go out to those who are in harms' way today, that You would enable them to be victorious in the trial they are facing. May the devil's schemes not overpower them, but will cause them to look to You for their help.

We praise You for Your intervention in their affairs, as You are well Able in each situation to show Yourself victorious. We ask for Your Spirit's help for us to be conscious of their needs, and to talk with You throughout the days ahead about them. It is our desire that You enable our friends and family to be able to stand in the face of the evil one's schemes.

We ask that You make good use of their troubles, that You will bring good out of what seems so bad. We trust Your Ability, Father, for we know that You love each one of us who is struggling.

May we set time aside to pray for the needs of others, for they depend upon us to do so on their behalf. It is Your plan for them and us, to lift them up in their need. We pray in the name of Jesus, that Your will be done, and that Christ will be glorified in all that will take place. Amen.

Our Ambassador to Israel, Michael David Evens' comments:

"God is on your side! And nothing can separate you from His love. When you go to him in prayer, you do not have to convince Him to help you - He loves you and is ready and able to answer your petitions."

Romans 8:31-34 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."

Today's Bible verses-

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Psalm 94:14 (The Message) “God will never walk away from his people never desert his precious people.”

Proverbs16:24 (NIV) "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Quote for today-

~ A response written in a devotional book:

“The aspects of God that I delight in: