I sure hope you have a desire to know the Lord more today than you did yesterday. You can't know someone unless you spend time with that person. Hearing about someone is not the same as meeting with that person. In Sunday school we learn about Jesus, the words of God, and about characters in the Bible. This is great but it is nothing like having time alone with God.
The nice part about spending time with God is that you don't need an appointment, a new outfit, or a taxi or bus ride to get there. You can meet with God anytime and anywhere. You can even wear your old clothes. He doesn't mind.
So far, we've discussed five different parts of prayer: praise, waiting, watching, confession, and intercession. Some of these might sound like difficult tasks, but they are not. If you've added any of these to your prayer life, I'm sure your time with God has increased and meant more to you.
Today we're going to talk about Scripture praying. What is that? Well, it's taking a passage of scripture that you might have read or a verse that has a promise of God in it, and taking it to God. Today I read, James 4:8, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you..." So, I prayed something like this, "Lord, I am doing my best at this moment to be closer to You and to know You. Please draw nearer to me as you promised in James 4:8. Help me to know that the distance between us is always up to me, I must take the first step, be humble, and know that You are there."
Does that make sense? The next part of a verse says, "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded." We must ask God to cleanse our sinful actions and to purify our hearts of known and unknown sin. We cannot be doubleminded about the things of God. We can't have the attitude of having a second path to take if this one doesn't go exactly our way.
Scripture praying is agreeing with the words of God. Going to God with His promises. And having the faith to believe God will do His will in our lives.
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