Learning to Pray

We love it when the Lord ties together what we are learning at Ladies' Fellowship with what we are learning on His day, or in our own devotions.  Last night was one of those experiences.  For those of you that are unable to make it to Sunday School, I would recommend getting the notes.  Pastor Hodgins is leading us through the topic of "Sanctification" and specifically he is covering "Prayer and Sanctification".  Here is a link to the notes:  http://reformedbaptist.net/ss-notes-164.htm or listen to the lesson on Sermon Audio when it is available. 

Melissa was able to lead us through a practical discussion on how to  work out our sanctification with prayer.  We discussed pages 82 through 92 and hopefully many of us were able to take home some ideas to try and received encouragement to persevere in prayer.

Here are some practical ideas that were mentioned:

• Praying through the prayers of The Valley of Vision, especially when beginning our devotions.
• Listening to these prayers put to song on a CD by Sovereign Grace http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/Product/M4175-00-21/Valley_of_Vision_CD.aspx
• Going on prayer walks which allow for clear minds, fresh air, the sound of birds and the smells of flowers blooming.  Take your Bible and read, meditate, pray, walk, etc. 
• Try to make a place or time in our homes in which we are able to "retreat" to prayer everyday...even it it is a apron thrown over our heads! (this one never worked for me)
• Pray over our "to-do" lists everyday, keeping in mind that the Lord may add to it, and being ready for those opportunities to follow His lead, rather than the list. 
• Use prayer prompts to remind us to pray for specific people and issues throughout the day, ie) when you are loading the dishwasher, pray for those who ate off the dishes, when we are making meals for people in need, pray for the recipients of the meals, when passing an accident, pray for the injured, when passing a hospital or doctor's office, pray for the people we know that are sick, etc.  I remember in the past someone commented that every time a thought came up regarding a strained relationship, she would pray for that person...I like this one!
• In our prayer journals we can write our Psalms that we have prayed at specific times for specific needs. 

And, here are some great thoughts and ideas that came up, that may motivate us in our pursuit of fervent prayer:

• Do we talk to God like He really hears us?  Do we believe He hears us?
• When we make our "to-do" lists without consulting God, are we living like the pagans?
• And, here is a motivational quote about George Muller, that ought to motivate us to write down those requests that we have prayed for, "Muller recorded more than fifty thousand specific answers to prayer, thirty thousand of which he said were answered the same day he prayed."

There is a good place to leave off!

Learning to pray,

Tracy