A confession and a request. I am wrestling with prayer. I need prayer in this area from the brothers and sister on this list.

I hunger for righteousness and closeness to God, but struggle with prayer. I need help breaking through this discipline in my life. Is there a place where the prayers of revivlaists or other Godly men were written down as an example for us to follow? This area of prayer is something I need help breaking through. Any thoughts or counsel would be a blessing. I pray some but I know there is more. This is a desire of my heart for deep intimate prayer, hunger for prayer, more than for the world. Do others wrestle with this too in their lives?

Thanks!

Grace,
Doug

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a Jesus freak

Doug,

Was just listening to Keith Daniel yesterday and he suggested praying through the Psalms when our prayer life is dry. Martin Luther did it and other great men of God. Just a suggestion. I have found it to be a reliable way of sparking passion in prayer.

Blessings,

Jon Speed

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Jon Speed

ill give you a thing that will release you from your struggles.
just talk , cry out ask him to pray through you? its opening your heart not following some other guys prayers.
sure there great but there not the cry of your heart?
he put that desire in you for you to respond to him we learn by intimacy not copying others ,though the suggestion of praying psalms is good?
pick some that convey your feelings

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scot

I agree Jon!

In fact it has become a constant outworking in a manner of [i]pray without ceasing[/i] so that everything is a matter of prayer.

Certainly there is a difference, albiet slight.

One is on the order of "Practicing The Presence of God". Here's a series of messages that may be helpful [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=743&forum=34&start=10&viewmode=flat&order=1]Hans Peter Royer at the Toronto Spiritual Life Convention[/url] and if you go through the thread the links to the above mentioned book from Brother Lawerence of which there is two
'versions', one is the original that you can get for free, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice.html the other is with additional comments from Frank Laubach, http://www.seedsowers.com/virtual_html/books/deeperlife/practicing.html

The other being those times of intimate prayer. Am not much one for formulas and yet realise the necessity of discipline, being that we are often challenged in our circumstances and daily doings.

The best I can recommened on all things related to prayer is [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=category&cid=45]E.M. Bounds[/url]
available here at SI as well as http://www.ccel.org/b/bounds/

Doug, I am certain that you can have this desire met brother. Have found that like something I read about Tozer, where he would just layout on his face before God in silence is just as much prayer than actually applying 'words' to it...

[i]Rom 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes with groans too deep for words,[/i]

I know this is a lot and may the Lord discern what is useful to you. I will pray that the Lord gives you that which you desire, that it may become not a 'have to' but a 'get to', that it stirs up within you that which you can't wait to do, to be in His Presence.

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Mike Balog

he dougkristen

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William

That's great advice.

Praying the Lord's prayer is a great place as well Doug. Since I'm an emotional person, I struggle at times in the prayer closet when I don't have an emotional response or simply don't feel like it which happens when I'm quickened to pray in the middle of night (still getting used to that).

Some days I spend a lot of time in prayer and I struggle at other times as well. When we place ourselves on the altar, Jesus will send the fire. Pray for the fire, surely He will send it.

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Ed Pugh

Actually im really gald you posted this thread as recently i have had such a desire to literally shout out in prayer to God. Theres a kind of burning inside my heart (i feel it right now in fact) to call out to God. I have this awareness of how sinfull i am and a few moments in prayer (about half an hour in the morning) doesnt seem to be enough although im so busy with the children and due to give birth to my third any day now. I feel God calling me to a new depth in my relationship with him which can only be an answer to prayer. The only way i can seek God more is if i get up at least an hour earlier to give Him the firstfruits of the day, does that make sense?
I've got to a point where apart from praying for others which i can do, when it comes to praying for my sinfull self im lost for words. I just don't know where to start even though i can be keeping short accounts it goes much deeper than that. I long for God to create in me a clean heart and fill me with His grace EVERYDAY. I've come to realise how dependandt i am on Him for everything.
There is one thing i am having a major struggle with and maybe this is what God is speaking to me about.It's been somthing on my mind a lot for a long time and then i read only a week ago The pursuit of God by Tozer and chapter 2 hit me hard right through the heart. After that chapter is a prayer a very good prayer which i need to make. I couldnt have worded it better myself it speaks into my very situation. Its all about giving up those things you hold dearest to you and releasing them to God so He may then take the place of these things in our heart and dwell there without a rival. This is key for me to move on in my relationship with God but it scares me because when you put yourself in Abrahams place and think about what he went through the moment God told him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. He would have agonized in prayer alone just as Jesus did in the garden. This i feel is what i must do to release and give up those things in my heart i may hold dearer than God. Thats an awfull thing to have to admit, that i could hold something closer to me than God!
I should have started a new thread for this but i didn't mean to go on as long as i have. It's really helped though. If anyone could relate to this could they please share their experiences and tell me do i make any sense? Just when i thought things were going to get tough with having a little blessing enter our lives any day God puts this on my heart!!
Praise God,
In His love Geraldine
Please could anyone pray for me that the whole birth will go well and naturally. I pray God will be there every step of the way. I have a fear of needles and drips so i pray God will deliver me from this fear also!

Geraldine,

As a father of 6 children I have watched my wife go through 6 (actually 7 births, a long story), and by God's amazing grace made it through all of the pain (back labor). God will go with you and the birth of a new life He will protect you and your baby through the entire process. I will pray... right now.

Grace,
Doug

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a Jesus freak

Doug,
Just want to say thank you for praying for me it means so much and is very comforting to know. Thank you brother. God bless you and your family.
Geraldine.

Dear Lord, for our sister Geraldine --- no drips or interventions, please Lord. Just her and her loved ones with as little interference as possible. You know what she needs, Lord, she's perfectly designed for the task ahead of her. Remind her, Lord, of that fact and let her give in to the process completely, right to the core of each marvelous contraction.

Let us know how things go! When / if you have any time!

Mrs. Fred

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Mrs. Fred