speaking of praying

In honor of keeping things real on the blog, do you ever try to pray and really don't know what to say?  Or does what you pray seem mundane, or repetitive?

That happens to me.  When that happens, I tend to open up the book of Psalm and read aloud the scripture to God.  I know He hears that, and I know it must please Him, because He is the word.

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."  John 1:1

Sometimes I am so tired when I wake up that I cannot seem to focus on anything but trying to stay awake.  Those are the mornings when my prayer is short.  Other mornings, it seems as if I could go on forever.

I also have a book of prayer prompts that are straight out of the Bible.  In it are prayer prompts for my husband (or wife, if a man is reading), my kids, my family, the lost, government, warfare, etc.  I don't feel bad reading from the pages, because all of the prompts are Scripture with references.

And not only can this happen with prayer, it can happen in reading the Bible.  Do any of you struggle with this?  I do sometimes with that, as well.  I was reading the Bible through, chronologically, but I stopped in March, because I wasn't paying attention to what I was reading.  I was doing it only as something to get done.  I don't know about you, but when I read the Bible that way, it surely does NOT transform me.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is~His good, pleasing and perfect will."  Romans 12:2

Our minds are renewed when we read His word.

I usually do have something in mind to read when I open the Bible, but sometimes I just flip through Psalms.  Or I will read through the shorter books in the New Testament.  Not too long ago, I was reading in Acts, but for the last couple of weeks, I have been pouring over Ephesians.  I don't recommend this way of reading the Bible.  It's good to have a plan to stick with.  I used to use devotional books, but I no longer use them.  I just read the Bible.

One thing I know, though, and that is what Hosea 4:6 says about not reading God's word.

"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.  Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."

Ignoring the law equals not knowing or not reading His word.

Those are some scary words.  I came across this picture last week and it goes along with what I'm talking about.

Stay hungry for the word of God.  Pray that He will make you long for it, as a deer longs for water.  (That's somewhere in the book of Psalm.)  When something will bring glory and honor to Him, He will answer.

Love to all.