Praying the Bible's Prayers

As we study the Bible this year, let us note the prayers of the Bible. (A quick online search will show a collection of prayers in the Bible)

How does the person praying praise God in the prayer? 

How does the person praying petition God in the prayer? 

How does the person praying vent to God in the prayer?  

What aspects of the Bible's prayers resonate with us? 

What aspects of the Bible's prayers make us uncomfortable? 

Keeping a Prayer Journal

One way that we can track our prayers is to write them down. When we write down our prayers, we can come back later to write updates and answers to the prayers.  If we are in a rough season, we can go back through our prayer journal and see how God has been faithful in the past. We can decide if we want the prayers arranged by date or by topic. A journal doesn't have to be a physical journal. If we prefer to type our requests, that's perfectly valid as well. 

Have you used a prayer journal before? What were the benefits and drawbacks to using it? 

Praying for the Persecutors and the Persecuted

Jesus' teachings are not always popular.

He taught us to love our enemies, pray for our persecutors, and forgive those who wronged us. These are easy things to talk about, but hard to actually live out. 

We are called to pray for persecutors, but also our brothers and sisters facing persecution. 

Pray for persecutors to encounter Christ.

Pray for persecutors to repent of their sins.

Pray for persecutors to be changed by God's mercy and grace.

Pray for the persecuted to remain faithful to God.

Pray for the persecuted to have the words to say to and the wisdom to know who to talk to.

Pray for the persecuted to stay free from hate and bitterness. 

How else can we pray FOR persecutors and the persecuted? 

Praying for an Hour: Part 12...Praise and Conclusion

Praise: Praise God For What He Has Done

See Psalm 150:1-6

What does it mean to praise?  Grab a dictionary and look it up. 

Is this an easy or difficult type of prayer for me? Why?

How often do I pray this way?

Search for praise in the Bible. Read the verses that use this word. 

What is God teaching you about praising? 

Conclusion

What has God shown you about prayer as we have looked at these 12 types of prayer? 

What are the benefits for each type of prayer? 

Why are all of these prayers necessary in a Christian's life? 

Which types of prayers are left off of this list? 

Take time, an hour to be precise, to go through all 12 prayers.

Praying for an Hour: Part 11...Listen

Listen: Listen To God. Ask Him For Guidance

“I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.” Psalm 85:8

What does it mean to listen?  Grab a dictionary and look it up. 

Is this an easy or difficult type of prayer for me? Why?

How often do I pray this way?

Search for listen in the Bible. Read the verses that use this word. 

What is God teaching you about listening? 

Praying for an Hour: Part 10...Meditate

Meditation: Meditate On His Word/Character

“May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.” Psalm 104:34

What does it mean to meditate?  Grab a dictionary and look it up. 

Is this an easy or difficult type of prayer for me? Why?

How often do I pray this way?

Search for meditate in the Bible. Read the verses that use this word. 

What is God teaching you about meditating? 

Praying for an Hour: Part 9...Sing

Song: Sing A Song To God

“ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” Psalm 40:3

What does it mean to sing?  Grab a dictionary and look it up. 

Is this an easy or difficult type of prayer for me? Why?

How often do I pray this way?

Search for song/sing in the Bible. Read the verses that use this word. 

What is God teaching you about singing?