Continue to memorize our theme verses for the next 28 days:
Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. Colossians 4:2-6
A word about fasting…
If you feel that God might be calling you to a fast over these next 28 days, whether it is for one day, one week, or the entire 28 days, I want to encourage you to click here and read about fasting and the different types of fasting that you can observe.
As we get going on this 28 day prayer journey, maybe you are thinking up front that you aren’t that good at praying. While you may agree that it is important, you still struggle to make it an important part of your life. I have great news for you. Prayer can be learned. And what better place to start than learning from the prayer life of Jesus.
In Mark 1:35, the Bible tells us, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.”
Let’s notice a couple of things from Jesus prayer life.
1. He had a set time.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark…”
Jesus got up very early in the morning to spend time with His Father in prayer. We need to do the same and start our day with prayer. I’ve never been of the mindset that one had to get up before dark in order for prayer to be effective. I think what we can learn from this is that while our day should start with prayer, we need to have a set time that we can pray everyday when we are not rushed or distracted.
2. He had a set place.
“He went out and made His way to a deserted place…”
Jesus got alone to be with God. He found a deserted place where there would be no distractions Your regular place of prayer should be free from distractions as well. Turn off the cell phone and the computer. Get alone with God. That way you can talk to Him out loud if you want. You can even sing a little during your prayer time when no one but God can hear.
3. He had a set plan.
“and there He was praying.”
When Jesus’s disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He gave them a plan we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” This prayer has been outlined over years, but my favorite is probably also the most pupular. It’s called the “ACTS” plan. It stands for Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication.
Adoration: Start your prayer with worship.
Confession: Confess any known sin to God.
Thanksgiving: Be grateful for what God has done for you and tell Him thanks.
Supplication: Let your requests for others and for yourself be made known to God.
It always helps to go into prayer with a plan. So today, at your set time, find your set place and don’t just say your prayers, PRAY them!
Randy Norris 