How I Do Prayer

It’s called The Lord’s Prayer, but I still get asked how to conduct a time of personal devotions. The following teaching is my personal experience as well as suggestions from many branches of Christianity. 

 I tell people they need a QUIET time and a quiet TIME each day. 

What I mean is if you want to build a deep friendship with God it will be advantageous to commit to a regular appointment for devotions each day.  Start with 20 minutes for talking to and hearing from God.

This happens serendipitously in all our lives but for spiritual development you need the discipline that a meeting time with God provides. Choose a time when you are most "awake". By 10.30pm I get sleepy. After that prayer is hopeless.

I can pray in the traffic too – in fact most times I have to, even if it’s just for patience!

To grow spiritually you need a quiet spot, far from the interruptions of daily living. You might have to rise before the rest of your house awakes. Dedicate a particular place where you do this.

You need a table, a chair, a bible, a notebook and a pen. I met a pastor who did prayer devotions standing up at a small shelf he put in the corner of his study. He was figuratively turning his back on all else but time with God. Whatever space you choose must be uncluttered. You'll soon discover why.

So now what?

Start with a prayer spoken softly, out loud. Come into God's presence with thanksgiving. Keep the prayer to 2 or 3 minutes. Even that might feel long when you are starting. Just calmly, in everyday language speak gratitude.

Now open your notebook. Enter the date plus in one-word entries the things for which you gave thanks. You might repeat some of these the next day. No matter.

Take 3 more minutes to practice silent prayer. Ask for nothing, give thanks for nothing. Just "behold the Father." consider His holiness, bask in His love or worship His consistency. Let your soul reach out to God.

If you are trying this as an atheist you will find that the mental filters you've erected will make the first few times feel foolish and then it will rock you as you begin to feel spiritual "connectedness" that you've long believed impossible.

Turn now to the Bible. You will not be reading for study, information or even background.

Each day, open to the passage after the one you read yesterday. (The headings in the New International Version of the Bible are helpful here.)

Read only the verses under that heading.

Write down where you are reading. The Bible's not like reading a book so don't start at the beginning. It’s more like a mini library. If you are not well acquainted with the Bible find the book of John’s Gospel (4th one in the New Testament) and start there.

Read the passage out loud (very important) from start to finish without stopping to think about anything in the text.

Another prayer: Ask God to speak to you from the verses.

Go back to it now looking: for a word of encouragement, of instructions for something to do or even for a rebuke. Start reading the same passage slowly and silently.

Turn each phrase in your mind until a verse arrests your attention.

Read NO further.

In these 5 to 7 minutes you have only one quest - to hear a word from the Lord. That’s right. I'm saying that you too can experience what millions before you have found:

The Book becomes a conduit to heaven. You'll find that every few days a verse will spring right out at you. You'll be amazed at its relevance.

Write that verse in your notebook.

Record what that verse is telling you to do, think, repent of, say or feel.

If you think it will take a while to get that task done turn ahead in your notebook and pen a reminder on that day's page so that by the time you get there you can see if you have been obedient.

Now it's time to go to the back page of your notebook and to list prayer requests. Leave a place at the end of each request to put the date that the prayer is answered.

Do the whole thing again tomorrow morning.

Power of Prayer

Art Print
Hahlbohm, Danny
20 in. x 16 in.
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The Miracle of the Book of Prayer - the Bible.