All relationships need communication. Many struggle to enter into conversation with God. A prayer journal offers a ‘structure’ to help you develop time with the Lord. I have used a variety of journals over the years to help me track prayer requests–and answers, dig deeper into Scripture, and find healing in the Word of God.
One of the things I love to do is help others create a prayer time structure that will help them grow in their connection to the Lord. In fact, Jesus IS life. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came so we might have an abundant life. Time with Him is the only way to step into that life. He lives within anyone who asks Him to do so … the power and purpose of HIS life becomes ours for the taking.
But it doesn’t just happen. We must invest in getting to know Him — in releasing our individual opinions and demands because we PREFER HIM to ourselves. We must nurture Christ’s life within us if we ever expect it to grow.
Jesus devoted Himself to prayer – to communication with the Father. His followers asked Him how to do the same, and He responded by teaching the model prayer, “Our Father who art in heaven…” (see Matthew 6:9-13). This is often referred to as a ‘pattern prayer’ – the words are not ‘magical,’ they are outlining how to approach our heavenly Father. Using this pattern, you find that Jesus began with reverence for the Father – ‘hallowed be thy name.’ This was followed by humble confession, recognizing need for His help – ‘forgive us–feed us.’ Requesting the Father’s leading and protection in the ‘stuff of life’ comes next, and the prayer closes with the understanding that our GOOD GOD is sovereign over all.
With these concepts I mind, I often structure my prayer journals with an acrostic such as PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) or ACTS (Adore, Confess, Think/Thank, Seek). Over the years, I have compiled many resources that guide my thoughts during my time with the Lord. If you would like to build your Prayer Journal in a similar way, you will find numerous resources at this Google Drive link. May God richly bless your efforts to grow closer to Him.
For more information on deepening your prayer-life, check out the Fit Faith Prayer Workshop PDF. It provides as outline you can use personally or present at a gathering. Alternatively, please feel free to contact me to schedule a workshop for your group if you prefer. It is my joy to do so.
