Prayer -

Our study for Wednesday night class was on prayer and this past Monday night our video talked on prayer also - God is so good how He works these kind of things together. Before I go on any further please just look at the picture of the praying children above - I love - love the little boy that is raising his hands and the little boy next to him with eyes tightly shut and hands clasped together. Isn't it precious how they are praising God right where they are - torn shirt, dirty....still lifting holy hands to God -
God opened my eyes to a couple of points on prayer -
1. The definition of pray - verb. To pour one's heart out before God in praise, repentance, thanksgiving, and petition.
2. Prayer is a cycle of emptying and filling. Emptying ourselves of all the baggage that fills up in our life, pouring out our anxiety, laying our sorrow at His feet - when we empty self....it opens us up for God to pour in His Spirit, His Peace, His Joy.
3. Prayer is where we meet God - when we pray we are entering into God's presence....which is holy ground - this is a mind set of "who God is" and who we are - by the blood of Jesus I am His child, but I need to always remember that God is holy. He always will listen and He always cares.
4. Prayer is a conversation with God - it is a time we can come before God and pour out our hearts, come with a thankful heart, seek direction, comfort, help and know God hears every word. But a huge reminder is that a conversation should be 2 sided. I need remember that I do not need to give God my list and then amen it - I need to come and sit before God, not only in meditation but in prayer time - allow Him to speak to my heart. Listen for His answer, fill me with His peace.
In our video we learned that prayer works - We have to know and believe it! If you pray in the "moment" right before history is made, right before you say a word you cannot take back, right before you make a huge mistake - pray- This requires a mind that is Christ centered - I know if I want to be free in Christ - I have to run to Him and lay my burdens on Him.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:9