Unplugged & Unfiltered: An Hour You Won't Regret

Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

What if I said there is something out there that has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and blood pressure. It can also reduce cholesterol levels and boost the immune system. Who wouldn't want that in their lives? Overall, when we use this in our lives it can help our hearts, our relationships, even others.

     We talked about studying God's Word, the benefits we can gain diving into the Bible, and so much more. All these ideas are good and studying scripture is essential in our walk as Christians. Yet, there are times, more than I can count, that I sit down to study and get caught up in the academic side of reading scripture. Before long I can be knee deep in cross reference to cross reference. Or scrolling article after article supporting the study comparing verses to other verses. There are times I get caught up in the study part that I forget my real purpose: meeting with God and listening to His directions.

     Sound familiar, have you ever been there? Remember, be honest, this is only between you and the Lord and it's okay. Studying the Bible is important, gaining knowledge and learning new things the Lord shows us is important. But it's not the only thing.

     We all need quiet time to recharge our batteries. Jesus shows us that in Luke 5:16. He even needed time away to connect with God, to gain strength, to recharge before facing life's demands again.

     I am talking about prayer because, as studies show it's good for our health, but it is also one of the most powerful weapons we have. Prayer heals, prayer comforts, prayer guides, prayer brings strength, prayer is our connection to Jesus- “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”- James 4:8

     Prayers mentioned over 600 times. Yet, for many knowing how to pray or even where to begin can be a challenge. Or maybe you've prayed the same ‘prayer ideas’ so many times they have just become part of a routine and have lost their purpose, or you feel your heart isn't all in, when you pray.

     When the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus taught them the Lord's Prayer. Many still use that today, others have built off it with several acronym prayers. I even have several ideas to pray for both children and adults in my prayer books. All are good ideas and can help many bring prayer back into your life.

     The new challenge many face as this world continues on is finding the time to pray when their ‘busyness’ becomes an issue. Other than, ‘Lord, thank you for today’ or ‘Thank you for our food’ or a quick goodnight prayer as you're falling asleep. How is your prayer walk? Are you honestly seeking the Lord to deepen your life?

     While doing some blog research I came across an idea for prayer, one can use to draw closer to the Lord personally. When I say an hour prayer you may gasp, thinking ‘I don't have an hour to give or what would I talk about for an hour’. I'm going to break it down into twelve 5 minute ideas where you can start and where you can end. If an hour feels too overwhelming, take it two minutes at a time and allow yourself to grow from there. You may not be able to change the whole world, but you can make a difference in your world.

-        Praise & Worship- Hebrews 13:15

Begin your prayer praising the Lord. “Lord You are awesome, you are Holy, You are a friend…” Get creative and see how fast the time flies.

-        Confession- Psalm 32:5

Time to be honest. Are you spiraling down an unhealthy rabbit hole? Do you waste time idly? Do you gossip, slander those around you? The list can go on. Now is a good time to let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart so you know where you could grow more in your walk as a Christian. Confess and ask for forgiveness for those things that need to be forgiven.

-        Pray the Word- Philippians 4:6-7

For peace, for guidance, for strength, for protection, for wisdom, to claim God's promises.

-        Petitions/ Guidance- 1 John 5:14-15

This is your time to bring your needs to the Lord so don't be shy, be specific. Pray for wisdom, pray for direction, pray for things that you want that align with the Lord. Let the Lord know how you feel about yourself, put yourself first.

-        Intercession- Hebrews 7:25

This is the time to stand on the battlefield in place of another taking their requests to the Lord. When someone asks, please pray for me, pray for them. Next, ask the Lord to stand in the gap for you, taking any requests to our Father in Heaven. Pray for our leaders, pray for your church, pray for your enemies, pray for your family. Use names and situations.

-        Thanksgiving- 1 Chronicles 16:34

We all have something to be thankful for if not many things. Take the time to thank Jesus for... Be intentional not just fluff thanksgivings. Dig deep and think outside the box.

-        Singing- Ephesians 5:19

Make melodies from your heart, what a joyous idea. We all enjoy music and there are many songs with a great melody and lyrics that can bring us closer to Jesus. If you don't like singing, play some songs and let the words speak to you and for you, to the Lord.

-        Meditation/ Contemplation- Psalm 143:5

Take time to reflect on God's Word, what He has done in your life in the past and even now. Use the time to contemplate how you can apply God's Word to your life, what do you feel He is calling you to do and how can you do it. Find peace in your mind where you can come to the next part of prayer.

-        Listening- Psalm 37:7

The Lord is ready to tell us all good things. He's ready to help guide us and be there with His words of comfort, encouragement, hope. We simply need to be still and listen. His voice will come through if we open our minds and hearts letting go of all distracting thoughts.

-        Pray on your Armor of God- Ephesians 6:10-18

Daily, we are in a spiritual battle and the devil will come. Pray over each piece of armor putting it on and if you need, be specific where you need the help the most.

-        Commitment- Psalm 37:5

Take this time to recommit your life to the Lord, commit that you will do your part in letting His light shine to others. That you will submit to His will for your life and trust His leading.

-        Praise/ Conclusion- Psalm 135

Psalms is full of short chapters of praise. We begin by praising the Lord and it is good to end praising His sovereignty in our lives. Read the Psalms, come up with more ways to praise the Lord. Then conclude as Jesus taught us, ‘For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, amen’.

     Everyone will have their own prayer journey, some may pray longer, others may start shorter, but it's important to develop a prayer habit. When you do, you will see a change in yourself and the world around you.

     Paul tells us to be devoted to prayer. Jesus not only took time to pray but taught us how to pray. This is just one of many ways one can approach prayer and it doesn't have to be each time you pray. You could even start by making this a habit once or twice a week alongside your other prayer times. The idea is to simply pray, let your Bible study time not only be about the study but a time to draw closer to Jesus and grow your relationship with Him. The Lord has provided us this ‘weapon’ to get through our time in this world. Use it, grow it, and remember it's good for your health!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and if you'd like take a few more minutes to look around or click on my other links, God bless.

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