April 1: Putting Prayer into Practice

Take some time today to review your prayer habits. Ask yourself these questions: Do I quiet myself before the Lord prior to prayer or do I usually pray hurriedly, just to get through one more task in my day? Do I pray sporadically and haphazardly, or do I pray purposefully according to God's word? Is there any sin in my life that I’m trying to justify? Do I have a prayer schedule that I follow daily or do I pray only when I have the time to hurry over a prayer? Do I have a prayer closet/a dedicated place to pray at when I’m home?

This week, make an effort to gradually incorporate the twelve action steps into your prayers. If you have been justifying wrongdoings in your life, agree with God that they are sins and truly repent by turning from them and ask God to cleanse you from all unrighteousness (See 1 John 1:9). Take one of your prayer requests and start living in expectation of it, practice active belief. Anticipate that what you pray for according to God’s word will happen, and make preparation for the answer. Note: This month, begin to practice to pray, believe, and expect! Your prayer life this month should be much better than what it was in the previous month(s). May God prosper your life of playfulness, in Jesus’ name.

Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me principles for prayer in Your Word. Help me to continually meditate on your precepts and contemplate your ways. Don’t allow me to walk away from your truths and forget them. Help me to study these principles and consider carefully your desires as revealed in your Word. Encourage me, Lord, to step out in faith to put these principles into practice in my life. As I do, I thank you for answering my prayer and doing immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to your power that is at work within me. I pray this in the name of Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. Amen.

Today’s reading: Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49

Begin to Pray, Believe and Expect.