MAY I ASK YOU A FAVOR?: PERSONAL EACH BLOG POST AND PRAYER JOURNALING ENTRYReaders and friends, as you read this blog, can you personalize it for yourself?
I am writing this blog as a prayer journal. Everything shared and learned about prayer will be a prayer journaling entry. So, when I say I, me, my, put yourself in there in the blog post and prayer journaling entry and turn the prayer into one you offer to God.
After all, the theme of this blog will be: Life is one continual, never-ending prayer.
As we learn about prayer, and what the Bible says and teaches about prayer, we will pray.
The beauty about doing this blog in this manner, me writing the posts and you reading them, is each blog post and journal entry will be timeless.
Thank You, Lord.
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Psalm 5:3 Living Bible (TLB)
3 Each morning I will look to you in heaven and lay my requests before you, praying earnestly.
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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How do I pray, Lord?
When should I pray?
What should I pray?
Psalm 5:3 answers all of these questions in part.
Lord, this tells me to pray each morning and it gives me an example of how. I am to look to You, literally and figuratively. If I actually look up toward the heavens, it puts my heart and mind into the attitude of prayer. It is a physical reminder. It acknowledges You, Father.
Then, I pray my prayer requests, and I do so earnestly.
Here is another version or translation of the verse:
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Psalm 5:3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
3 At daybreak, Lord, You hear my voice;
at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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Lord this verse, in this version or translation of the Bible, adds another component as to prayer and when to pray and how to pray.
At daybreak.
This suggests getting up early intentionally to pray.
Pausing. I am letting that sink in for a moment.
What would be wrong, Lord, with me making this a practice--and an intentional one at that?
And, I am to present my requests to You like I am pleading a case.
Pause.
As I write this on June 17, 2015, the Aurora Movie Theatre Shootings Trial is now entering its thirty-third day and we just found out the fifth juror was released today. I live in Colorado and have family who lives near the theater, so this means something to me.
Have I prayed eight hours a day for thirty-three days about my requests, like the trial and pleading a case suggests? (Never mind without ceasing.)
No. I have not prayed this earnestly. Nor have I prayed with expectation to Your response.
There are several things here that I have learned and been reminded of, Abba, and I thank You for this. Please help me to learn all the lessons, all of the information, this verse teaches--and help me to apply all of them to my life and my prayer life. To You be all of the glory. Thank You, Lord.
IT'S YOUR TURNPrayer journal your thoughts, along with what you learned, and present your requests as a case in a court of law.
And, plan on praying earnestly early in the morning each day.
