Anderson Hills

All too often we pray safe prayers like, “God bless me.” Or “God, guide me.” These are safe in that no matter what happens, our confidence in God remains unchallenged. God desires for us to pray prayers that are life-altering and soul-shaping, the kind of prayers that wreck our lives in a good way to make us more like Christ and draw us to closer intimacy with God. One such prayer was prayed by the early church leaders. It was a prayer for the Lord to make them bold, asking God to give them unshakable spiritual convictions. Boldness was a requirement for the Gospel to spread then and it still is required today. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you bold—you may see opportunities to be bold in ways that you never saw before!

All too often we pray safe prayers like, “God bless me.” Or “God, guide me.” These are safe in that no matter what happens, our confidence in God remains unchallenged. God desires for us to pray prayers that are life-altering and soul-shaping, the kind of prayers that wreck our lives in a good way to make us more like Christ and draw us to closer intimacy with God. One such prayer was prayed by the early church leaders. It was a prayer for the Lord to make them bold, asking God to give them unshakable spiritual convictions. Boldness was a requirement for the Gospel to spread then and it still is required today. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you bold—you may see opportunities to be bold in ways that you never saw before!

David prayed, "Search me, God, see if there's "any offensive way” in me." When you pray that kind of prayer, God is going to show you things that have to go so that He can reclaim your heart, these things that you’ve allowed that have not only captured your heart, but have created a stronghold in your mind. A stronghold is considered a thought or behavior that is not pleasing to the Lord that you cannot seem to stop. Asking God to search your heart is inviting Him to show you areas of impurity so that He can bring you into a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, transforming you to become more like Jesus.

David prayed, "Search me, God, see if there's "any offensive way” in me." When you pray that kind of prayer, God is going to show you things that have to go so that He can reclaim your heart, these things that you’ve allowed that have not only captured your heart, but have created a stronghold in your mind. A stronghold is considered a thought or behavior that is not pleasing to the Lord that you cannot seem to stop. Asking God to search your heart is inviting Him to show you areas of impurity so that He can bring you into a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, transforming you to become more like Jesus.

Prayer in its essence is communicating with God, our Father. It is going before His throne of grace. Any form of real, meaningful communication is not just one-way communication. In other words, praying to God is not just talking to Him, but praying is actually listening to God. God can do way more when we listen to Him than when we only talk to Him. If you have the faith and the courage to pray, "Speak to me, Lord," then when God does, His voice may convict you. His voice may challenge you. What He asks of you may seem completely impossible. He will stretch you and teach you to depend on Him and live with even greater faith. Let this be your everyday prayer: "God, speak to me today. And give me the faith to follow Your voice.

Prayer in its essence is communicating with God, our Father. It is going before His throne of grace. Any form of real, meaningful communication is not just one-way communication. In other words, praying to God is not just talking to Him, but praying is actually listening to God. God can do way more when we listen to Him than when we only talk to Him. If you have the faith and the courage to pray, "Speak to me, Lord," then when God does, His voice may convict you. His voice may challenge you. What He asks of you may seem completely impossible. He will stretch you and teach you to depend on Him and live with even greater faith. Let this be your everyday prayer: "God, speak to me today. And give me the faith to follow Your voice.

As we spend more time seeking God through His Word and in prayer, we will come to better know Him and His character. Conversation with God leads to an encounter with God which leads us to know Him more and more. It is through prayer that we sense His presence, learn His character, and receive His joy, His love, His peace and confidence. And in that way, we are changed in attitude, behavior, and character. Our prayers are not to be focused solely on ourselves. We need to use prayer to come to know God intimately which will increase the desire to spend time with Him. This week we will focus on coming to know God as our joyful Provider, wise Counselor, gentle Healer, loving Friend, and most importantly, our Lord.

As we spend more time seeking God through His Word and in prayer, we will come to better know Him and His character. Conversation with God leads to an encounter with God which leads us to know Him more and more. It is through prayer that we sense His presence, learn His character, and receive His joy, His love, His peace and confidence. And in that way, we are changed in attitude, behavior, and character. Our prayers are not to be focused solely on ourselves. We need to use prayer to come to know God intimately which will increase the desire to spend time with Him. This week we will focus on coming to know God as our joyful Provider, wise Counselor, gentle Healer, loving Friend, and most importantly, our Lord.

We were made to function best in a prayerful relationship with God. In Scripture, God commands us to pray, thus prayer should be considered an act of obedience. Prayer was an important part of Jesus' life of obedience. He prayed because of His relationship with the Father and because of the confidence He had in His Father's perfect provision and plan. He also prayed to teach us that as children of God our obedient submission to the will of the Father will bring us spiritual blessing. As our prayer life grows, so does our worship and love for Christ. Meeting with God is not to be ignored. In fact, seeking His face and His presence is to be our first priority in order to grow in faith

We were made to function best in a prayerful relationship with God. In Scripture, God commands us to pray, thus prayer should be considered an act of obedience. Prayer was an important part of Jesus' life of obedience. He prayed because of His relationship with the Father and because of the confidence He had in His Father's perfect provision and plan. He also prayed to teach us that as children of God our obedient submission to the will of the Father will bring us spiritual blessing. As our prayer life grows, so does our worship and love for Christ. Meeting with God is not to be ignored. In fact, seeking His face and His presence is to be our first priority in order to grow in faith