Tag Archives: prayer

August 21, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Being Quiet

I’ve noticed that when people are nervous, there are those who get real quiet and those who ramble on. I find myself in the later group a lot of times. For me, talking helps me to figure out what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling. It helps me to sort out the problem, but it also keeps me from listening to good advice and can make others around me more nervous. I was once told, “You have two ears and one mouth. You need to listen twice as much as you speak.” That’s something I have to remind myself of quite often.

When it comes to prayer, I can find myself in the same boat. From the time we are young, we learn that prayer is talking to God. What we’re not taught is that it’s listening to God as well. I think God talks as much or more than we do, but we can’t hear Him over our own talking. Being quiet in the presence of the Lord requires discipline. You have to learn to shut down your mouth and your mind. The silence can be deafening at times, but it’s in those moments where we hear God the loudest.

Psalm 37:7 says, “Quiet your heart in his presence and pray; keep hope alive as you long for God to come through for you” (TPT). Many times there is a nervousness that God may not answer our greatest need. If you’re a talker, quiet your mouth. If you’re the quiet type, silence your mind. God doesn’t answer our prayers on our timetable. If we’re listening to what He says, and trust that what He does is always right and for our good, we can have hope in any situation. God is good all the time, and He sees beyond our most pressing need at the moment. Get quiet and still in His presence today, listen for His voice and give Him freedom to answer His way instead of yours.

Photo by Franco David on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word. 

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 31, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Invest In Prayer

A few years ago I left corporate America to be self employed. My 401k money was sitting there and I needed to roll it into an IRA. I did it in January of 2020. They put everything into a money market account until I chose what funds to invest in. After a few weeks, I made my choices and moved the money into them. The next week the markets began crashing due to Covid. My money was shrinking at an alarming rate. I called my advisor in a panic wondering if I should put what was left into the money market. He reminded me that I was in it for the long haul. Then he encouraged me to keep investing even when times were bad. In fact, I’ll get the best return on my investment when I buy funds at their lowest.

Jesus was a person who invested. No, he didn’t invest in a stock market. He invested time in prayer. You’ll constantly read in the Gospels where Jesus withdrew to a quiet place to invest in prayer. Almost every time you read that statement, major miracles occurred. You can also read how on the night He was betrayed, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He was constantly making deposits in prayer. He understood that no matter what was going on in His life, He needed to be investing time in prayer. He didn’t panic or even look for some to blame. He looked for God’s presence instead.

Ephesians 6:18 says, “With all prayer and petition, pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people” (AMP). It’s always a good time for us to invest in prayer. Nothing in your life will pay greater dividends than spending time in God’s presence. If you’re facing adversity, invest more time in prayer. If you want to do greater ministry, invest more time in prayer. If things are going well, invest in prayer. You will only receive dividends according to what and where you invest. Prayer is something that pays dividends now and throughout eternity.

Photo by Arina Krasnikova on Pexels.

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word. 

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 29, 2025 · 5:26 AM

Approaching Jesus

I love the story of the parents who had a child that was learning to play piano. They wanted him to love it so they took him to see a famous pianist in concert. Just before the concert began, the child slipped away. While they were looking for him, they heard “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star being played from the piano on the stage. They were mortified. As they scrambled to get to the stage, security officers and stage hands alike began to move towards him as well. Just then the maestro appeared and began playing the song with the child. He encouraged the kid to keep playing until the song finished. The audience was treated to the best version they’d ever heard of the song, and the kid was encouraged to keep learning piano.

In Matthew 19: Jesus was teaching a crowd and answering their questions about God’s Law. Just then a group of parents brought their children to Jesus to bless them and pray for them, but the disciples kept them away and reprimanded them. The disciples thought they were protecting Jesus’s time and dignity by keeping unimportant children away. However, Jesus replied, “Leave the children alone, and do not forbid them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (AMP). Jesus affirmed their value, though they were considered the least in society. He also made it clear that no one is to be held back from being able to approach Him.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (NLT). You may at times feel unworthy or too unimportant to take your requests to God, but approach Him anyway. Shame my try to tell you you’re unworthy to talk to Him, but go to Him in prayer anyway. Others may try to make you feel like you’re not enough, but Jesus bids you to come anyway. You can boldly go to His throne room where you will find grace, receive a blessing and be loved when you need it most. When you feel like you’re a nuisance, Jesus will see your value and come along side you to encourage you. Don’t let anyone or anything keep you from approaching Jesus,

Photo by Conikal on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 28, 2025 · 5:40 AM

Valuing Prayer

Years ago I did a research paper on D.L. Moody. One of the things that stood out to me was his emphasis on prayer. Ne believed that prayer is the key to a vibrant spiritual life. He also understood that prayer has the power to move both God and people. When I read that he often spent up to eight hours a day in prayer, I was challenged. Prayer wasn’t just an optional thing he did every now and again. It was critical, to his relationship with God and his ministry. His prayer life created a constant connection and conversation with God. It also was the power behind his ministry. He had found that behind every great move of God was a person, or group of people, who persevered in prayer.

In Daniel 6, we read the famous story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den that most of us learned as a kid. He had an excellent spirit about him, and as verse 4 puts it, he was faithful, responsible and trustworthy. When the other officials tricked the king into creating a law that no one could pray to anyone but the king, Daniel still went home to pray to God three times a day. He valued his prayer time with God more than his own life. When he was thrown into the lion’s den, God met him there and shut the mouths of the lions because of his faithfulness to God and prayer. The king then made a decree for the people of his nation to fear and honor God.

Colossians 4:2 says, “Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving” (AMP). Imagine how much would change if we each had a persistent and devoted prayer life. Daniel and D.L. Moody were able to change their nation because of their attention to prayer. I’ve always taught that we have time for what we value, and I believe it’s time we as Christians returned to valuing prayer in our lives. If God is truly the most important relationship in our life, we will make time to converse with Him. The depth of our relationship with Him is in proportion to our prayer life. We must have focused, purposeful prayers if we want to grow spiritually, be effective in our work for Him and see another great move of God in our world.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 12, 2025 · 5:15 AM

Heartfelt Prayers

There are some incredible prayers recorded in the Bible that I’m sure you’ve read and or prayed. The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-12) is one that nearly everyone has memorized and prayed at one time or another. The prayer of Jabez (1Chronicles 4:10) is a great prayer to increase the things you have in order to be a blessing. I’ve prayed David’s prayer (Psalm 51:10-12) for forgiveness before in order to have a changed heart. The last one I’ll mention is Mary’s prayer of submission (Luke 1:38) right after she was told she would carry the Savior of the world. She simply asked God to have His will and to do what He said.

All these prayers have something in common. They’re pretty short. They are some of the most powerful prayers in the Bible, yet they’re not long or complicated. Sometimes I think we overly complicate prayer thinking that we have to say the right words, speak to God in King James or impress Him with the length of our prayers. While there’s nothing wrong with praying that way, God is simply looking at our heart. All these prayers I’ve mentioned are heartfelt prayers that touched God and resonate with us. You can pray them, but if you do, make sure they’re coming from your heart and not your memory.

Just before Jesus taught us the Lord’s Prayer, in Matthew 6:7 He reminded us, “And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” (AMP). Heartfelt prayer isn’t about repetition. It’s crying out to God in your moment of need. It’s being vulnerable about your insecurities. It’s conversing with God on a personal level. While these memorized prayers have their place, they cannot replace your conversations with God entirely. You must be real with God, and He will be real with you. Open up to Him today, speaking from your heart. He doesn’t measure our prayers for their length or flowery words. He honors heartfelt prayers no matter how long or uncomplicated they are.

Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

June 3, 2025 · 6:00 AM

God Of Breakthroughs

In 2023 there was a young lady in Ohio who got accepted into the school of her choice. The problem was that she couldn’t afford to go there. She tried, but was unable to secure any scholarships to help pay for it. She prayed all summer about it. As the deadline was approaching, she was preparing herself to reject the offer. That’s when she got a letter stating that she got a full ride scholarship from a Christian organization she had never heard of. A month or two before she had mentioned it at youth camp. Someone heard and submitted her for the scholarship. God made a way just as she was about to give up.

In 2 Samuel 5, David had just become king when the Philistines came to challenge him. They spread out around the city he was in and surrounded it. David went into the stronghold and began to pray. He asked God if he went out to fight, would He give him victory. God told him yes, so he and his men went to fight the army that was surrounding them. They won a swift victory. Verse 20 says, “So David came to Baal-perazim, and he defeated them there, and said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.’ So he named that place Baal-perazim (master of breakthroughs)” (AMP). Just like water breaking through a dam, God showed up and gave them victory at the right moment.

Isaiah 43:19 says, “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” I’ve learned that God answers on His time and not mine. I’ve also learned that His breakthroughs come swiftly and decisively. You may be standing in a desert right now wondering where God is as the time runs out on your situation, but keep standing and believing. He will burst through and give you rivers in that desert. He is the God of breakthroughs and breakthroughs start with surrender to His will, His timing and His way.

Photo by Gary Yost on Unsplash

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 1, 2025 · 5:42 AM

New Year’s Prayer 2025

The tradition for my site is to start off each year with a prayer you can pray over your life for the upcoming year.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for bringing me into a new year that will bring new opportunities. As I move forward, open my eyes to see your hand at work in my life over the last year. Bring healing to my life in the areas that are broken, strengthen the roots that go down deep into your truths and hide me in the shadow of your wings as I trust in your faithful promises. Make your Word come alive in me this year as you reveal yourself to me through it. Open my eyes and ears to see your hand at work in my life and to hear your voice more clearly. Help me to read the Bible with renewed zeal for you, and hide it deep in my heart so that the Holy Spirit can teach me and guide me with it.

I ask that you war against any enemy who would come against me and the plan you have for my life this year. Unplug the wells of blessings that the enemy has stopped up. Cover my mind with the Helmet of Salvation. Use it to block out the lies that cause me to think less of myself than you created me to be. Apply the Breastplate of Righteousness over my vital organs so that my heart and all that I am fully trusts in you and your plan. Wrap your Belt of Truth around me to keep me trusting in you. Let me walk in peace this year wherever I go. Cover me with the Shield of Faith. Use it to block all the fiery darts the enemy tries to throw at me. Turn each accusation and attempt from the enemy into a blessing and a stepping stone that bring blessings instead of curses.

Help me to have dominion over the territory you have given me. I want to work in partnership with you in all that you have entrusted to me. Give me wisdom to multiply all that you place in my hands as you multiply the harvest of the seeds I sow. Help me to expand my territory, my influence and my resources. Give me ideas on how to have dominion over my thoughts, my health, my growth and my finances. Let this be the year where I see your promises fulfilled in my life. Bring to pass what you have spoken over me. Make your path clear to me as you open doors that enemy has tried to shut. Help me to overcome the temptation of trying to go through doors you have closed. Use me in any way you see fit this year. I yield myself to you and your plan. Thank you for all you are going to do this next year.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Photo by Worshae on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

December 11, 2024 · 5:38 AM

Quieting The Noise

There was a time in my life when every time I got in the car, I would call someone. As soon as I got home, I would turn on the TV. I wouldn’t necessarily watch it most of the time though. Then one day my wife asked me why I did that every time. I didn’t have an answer for her, but it got me to thinking about it. I was addicted to living my life with background noise. I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts. I then decided to make a conscious choice not to call someone every time I turned on the car. I even started turning off the radio so I could ride in silence. What I discovered was the noise wasn’t just keeping me from being alone with my thoughts, it was also blocking me from hearing the voice of God.

As you read through the Gospels, you’ll find that Jesus was surrounded by noise. The disciples always had questions about what He taught. People would follow Him everywhere wanting to hear His message or needing His healing touch. Luke 5:16 mentions that Jesus would often go away from everything into the lonely places. In Mark 6:31, Jesus invited the disciples to go with Him into a quiet place. Jesus even practiced solitude as shown in Mark 1:35. Why did He make quieting the noise a discipline? He knew He needed to hear His Father’s voice and to we needed a model to show us how to be alone, to be quiet and to be stop and wait on God.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world” (NLT). When is the last time you quieted the noise around you, found solitude and got still? Our breakthrough is often found in those moments. It’s why Jesus told us to go into our prayer closet. Our lives are filled with noise, and that noise is available everywhere we go. I believe God is asking us to find a lonely place, to seek solitude and to be still so we can hear His voice and honor Him. Take time today to think about where your noise is coming from. What do you need to do to quiet it? Where do you need to go to be still? God is waiting for you if only you would be intentional about quieting the noise.

Photo by lee Scott on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 11, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Before You Start

I, like you, have a pretty busy day and week ahead of me. From the moment I woke up I started thinking of all the things I need to do to accomplish everything today. My mind races to find solutions to scheduling conflicts, deadlines, and how to be in two places at once. I’ve got a to-do list a mile long and a very short time to accomplish it. With all of that happening, do I have time for God?

It’s tough not to put God on a back burner on busy days. He’s the easiest one to “reschedule”, but He’s the last one I need to reschedule. “He’ll understand”, I reason in my mind. “I’ll read my Bible and pray later,” I tell myself. The truth is that I won’t have the time later either. If I don’t make Him a priority right now, I won’t make Him one later. If I don’t slow down now and take time to reflect on Him and His Word, I won’t do it.

God told David in Psalm 46:10, “Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God” (TPT). David was a king and I’m sure he had a lot on his plate too. He would cry out to God in times of need and celebration. He would throw those 911 prayers up to Heaven like you and I often do. “God, I have a lot to do today. Help me to get it all done”, is what we pray. God wants more than that. He wants us to stop, take a moment and spend some time with Him.

In the world we live in, it’s easy to mix up the temporary with the eternal. It’s easy to reverse their importance. Today, stop, breathe, meditate on His Word, and thank Him. Rest in His arms before you do anything else. Give Him more than a 911 prayer and truly thank Him for another day of life. Thank Him that you even have things on your schedule. Know that He is God and really that’s what matters more than anything else I’ll accomplish today.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 1, 2024 · 5:30 AM

New Year’s Prayer 2024

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all you did in my life in 2023. I give you glory for the victories that were won, ask for help in understanding the losses and seek wisdom to grow from the challenges that this year brought. I know your ways are higher than mine, so I ask that you give me the strength to trust your ways when things didn’t happen the way I thought they should have. I trust you with my life, my health and my future. You know the every aspect of my life and see the greater picture you’re creating with my life. I choose to walk in the steps you have ordered for me in the coming year.

Let 2024 be the year of promises fulfilled in my life. I stand on your Word and trust you to complete the good work which you have already begun. Open doors in my life that no one can shut, and shut doors that no one can open. Make this the year that you restore what the locusts have stolen. Open the windows of Heaven to pour out blessings I’m unable to contain so that I may be a blessing to others. Use my life to make the lives of others better. Help me to point people to you. I receive from you all that you want to give me in this coming year. You know my greatest needs so I’m asking you to meet them. Bring healing where there is brokenness. Bring your strength where there are weaknesses. Bring grace where I fall short.

I ask that you would help me to put on your full armor so that I may stand when everything else seems to crumble around me. Help me to fight the good fight and to take ground this year. Expand my territory and keep your hand of favor on my life. Bring the right relationships into my life that will help me to get where you’re leading me and place me in other people’s lives so I can help them get to where you’re wanting them to go. Let this year bring me into a closer relationship with you. Open my mind to understand your Word like never before and open my heart to receive the seeds you want to plant so that my life will produce the fruit you want it to.

I give you thanks for what you’re going to do this year.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

4 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,