Have you ever listened to yourself pray? You should try it sometime. It’s amazing how often we can ask God for things without a single notion of another's needs. We rush in and out of God's presence and expect the lasting joy and peace He brings.

I believe far too often are words are empty, like we just need to "fill the time" so we can get to the next thing. We may have found ourselves saying things like...

“Dear Father Lord God…”

Think about it. You wouldn't say to you father,

“Father, Dad, Daddy, Jim…”

It is unnatural and void of relationship. I don't know about you, but I certainly want my prayer life to be as natural as breathing. No awkward cliches or elongated recitations, just a heart fully and freely expressing to God the praise and honor He deserves!

I believe one of the greatest ways to pray and really capture the heart of God, is by praying through the Scriptures. It is not just using the Bible as a model (and we should do that) but it is using the Bible as your own hearts message to God. The more you pray the Scriptures the more you live the Scriptures.

So where do you start? Here are 5 points for praying God’s Word.

1. Pick A Passage

Obviously you’ve got to start somewhere. Ask the Holy Spirit what passage would best fit your current situation. Psalms and Proverbs is a great place to start since they are already prayerful in nature.

2. Personalize Your Prayer

When you look at a verse, ask yourself, “If this passage were my prayer to God, what would it say?”

Take Psalm 119:9-11: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Your prayer could look something like this:

Oh God! I pray that you would cleanse my way. Help me to take heed to your Word in everything that I do. Help me to seek after You with my whole heart and let me not stray from Your commandments. Hide Your Word deeply within my heart, so that I will not sin against You!

What about if you’re reading a narrative?

Take the principals that God illuminates to you within the story and make them yours! Remember it is a conversation with God, so talk to Him about what He is pin-pointing in your life. Profound, isn’t it?

3. Pray the Passage for Someone Else

Sometimes God doesn’t just give you something to get it, but to give it! We are so stingy sometimes aren’t we? When we find something good we immediately hide it away. The wonderful thing about our daily bread is that it can feed you and everyone else without being exhausted! You‘ll never reach the depth of His bountiful Truth.

Here are some ways you can pray for others according to God’s heart:

1. Salvation for another – Acts 2:21

2. Healing – Psalm 103:3,5

3. Repentance for another – Luke 15 – “…he came to himself…”

4. Put it on paper

One of the greatest things I learned to do as a teenager was to journal. I still write my heart out to God almost every day, and I can assure you it does my soul good. There is something that constitutes the validity of His hand working when you write it down. It becomes real, alive to you!

I personally make it a point to not write many study notes during this time. I have other ways I study for a message or a Sunday School lesson. I try to stick to one thing, and that is my response to the Truth God has given me.  Many times it is a cry for help to obey that truth. Other times I find that I can pray nothing but adoration.

Why write it down? Can’t I just pray and get on with it?

Yes, but I know from own experience that my prayer journal is one of the greatest sources of encouragement. I have re-read some of my prayers from years ago that I had completely forgotten about, and it is amazing to say, “Wow! God has honored that prayer, and I forgot all about it!”

5. Practice Holy Spirit Patience

Take your time! Don’t rush the conversation. There is no need to look at the clock. God already knows what time it is, and I promise He’s not in a hurry! As you pray the passage in front of you, slow down and truly meditate on what God is saying to you. If He says to stop on the first verse, stop. If He says to keep going, keep going.

#biblereading #prayer