Conference yukon::christian_v7

  Good topic.  I know that my prayer life needs improvement.  I pray daily, but
  I don't think I spend enough time.  I hear of folks who spend an hour or more
  a day in prayer and am in awe.  




  Jim

    
    I dont believe that it is a matter of how much,how long, or what about.
    God loves and cares for us and he (believe it or not) wants to commune
    with us.  I believe that if we submit ourselves to prayer we will
    throughout the day, pray without ceasing, always being mindful of Him.
    
    Dan

      Funny you should put this in Markem.  I had a rough time last week
    just being a bit down and felt some convictions, only to find out
    that I have not been praying enough and keeping my eyes on Jesus 
    enough.
    
      Jesus prayed all the time. There's  no better example than him
    to follow.  Jesus often withdrew himself from the crowd and even
    his disciples to pray.  The disciples took notice of this and 
    asked Him to teach them to pray.  Which he did PTL!
    
      When the disciples could not cast out certian demons, the Lord's
    response was their lack of faith, plus for that certain instance 
    prayer and fasting were needed.
    
      I believe G_d does answer prayer.  A lot of times we don't like
    the answer we get however.  The answer could be yes, no, or not
    right now.  The yes answer is fairly basic since you know when it
    happens and shout and praise Him for it.  The no is not always nice
    since sometimes deep down it is revealed along the way the you may
    be asking amiss or it just has not happened.  The not right now
    one is a little tougher because there is no way of knowing that
    if you stop praying the answer may have been one more prayer away
    from being answered.
    
      In a study that I did some time ago using the Lord's prayer an
    easy way to remember what was in the prayer is to just remember
    ACTS.  Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, ans Supplication.
    
      I'm glad for prayer because it is a way to talk with G_od, Jesus,
    and the Holy Spirit.  Without it, things would be a lot tougher.
    
                                             JimGle
    

    I agree with Dan.  I do believe, however, that we need to learn HOW to
    pray.  I know that God is dealing with me in that way.  I believe he is
    telling me to obediently offer myself as a sacrifice each morning; to
    ask Him to cleanse my heart and mind from things that would hinder Him
    from working out His life through me.  I do not believe in the "name it
    and claim it" teachings; but I do believe that we should KNOW the
    promises of God and STAND on them in our prayers.  As we pray, know the
    basis of our prayers and as such know that they will be answered.  God
    has been dealing with me and some others I know of, also, to be
    specific in our prayers.  We need to know exactly what it is that we
    are asking God.  If we do not, how will we know when God has given us
    His answer?  As a rule, I always pray "In Jesus' name" because it is He
    that I pray to and as a reminder to myself just who it is that I receive 
    the hope and faith that my prayers are heard and answered.
    
    Fran

I spoke with a friend this morning over breakfast.  He was talking about
being comfortable with not knowing some of the mysteries of God, like
why some people are not spared from suffering, and why some prayers are
answered.  (Two reasons: (a) ye have not because ye ask not (b) ye ask
wrongly.)

It hit me (more clearly) that there are some things that my friend doesn't 
understand some things about me, and yet he's my friend.  And there are some
things I don't readily understand about him and he's my friend.

Prayer with God is part of the personal relationship.  If it is simply an
expulsion of all that's on our minds, a cathartic release, we'll feel better,
says psychology, but what have we really done?  Not prayed.

If God is a concept, or a Santa Claus in our minds and in our prayers, 
we need to ask God to forgive our foolishness!

God is a Person!  And you know what?  There may be some things you don't
understand about that Person, but He should still be a Person[al Friend] 
to you.  Thank the Lord there is nothing He doesn't understand about
you, and He's *STILL* your Friend!

Telephones have a transmitter and a receiver.  Too often in prayer, our
receiver is disconnected.  Connect it.  "Be still and know that I am God."
Listen!  Commune!

God is a Person who wants a personal relationship with you and with me.

    Something that recently came up that I want to add here.  God does not
    want to be treated as a "panic button" that we only press when there is
    a great, compelling need.  God wants to be God in our daily lives. 
    Consider the example of Saul:  "And when Saul saw the host of the
    Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when
    Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by
    dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants,
    Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and
    enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman
    that hath a familiar spirit at Endor." (1 Samuel 28:5-7).  Now, some of
    us would say that Saul prayed and nothing happened, so Saul went to the
    witch (which was an abomination to God).  However, from *God's*
    perspective, we see: "So Saul died for his transgression which he
    committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he
    kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar
    spirit, to enquire of it: And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he
    slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse." (1 Chr.
    10:13-14)  Saul went through the motions, but he never *really* sought
    the Lord.  Sometimes to really seek the Lord takes more than a single
    prayer or a single time.  It can take *serious* prayer.  "And he said
    unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and
    fasting." (Mark 9:29)  Why would God not reveal His answer after a
    single prayer?  I believe that at times He does so in order to draw us
    closer to Himself, to teach us a greater dependence on Him, to reveal
    more of Himself to us.
    
    Mark L
    
    
     

Thanks Markel.  You're right.  We've all used God as a panic button.
But, when you are in a relationship, it is okay to come to the
person who cares about you and about whom you care when something is
causing you panic.  But, as Markel is saying, think about coming to 
someone with a problem that you've been avoiding for quite some time.

Would you like to improve your prayer life?  The short answer is to just
do it.  Like that dirty word, exercise, you have to do it.  Discipline.

A friend of mine once quipped that if you can only start out with a 
one minute prayer each day, that's one minute more than not praying at 
all!  (So get off your discouraged fanny and pray!)

Don't allow discouragement to make you even more discouraged.  If you want
to pray more, to learn a discipline, maybe I can shed a wee tiny light of
help (for I'm am only a child in this myself - and want to know much much 
more).  Send me mail offline, please.

    Perhaps part of the problem many of us have with prayer is the way in
    which we think about it. We think of it as discipline, as something we
    must take time to do - perhaps time we'd rather give to something
    else.  But what if we think of it as what it is in reality - a joy, a
    privilege, the meeting of one of our deepest needs. As we are created in 
    the image of God, so we are dependent on the Spirit of which we are a part 
    for our very life. Coming to God in prayer is akin to quenching a thirst. 
    Our souls thirst for communion with the life from which they come. Our 
    greatest need is for God - by sharing with Him our needs, our wants, our 
    confessions, our worship of Him, we meet the deepest need of our being. 
    And He meets us. If it were a one way street, as it sometimes seems, when 
    it feels as if our prayers don't make it past the ceiling, it's worth 
    would be debatable - perhaps have value in the discipline alone. But it's 
    not. God is at the heart of prayer - He meets us there, and reveals 
    Himself. We begin to see Him as truly our Father, who longs for His 
    children to run to him with their scraped knees, or broken toys, placing 
    them in His hands in complete confidence that He will heal or mend. Or run 
    to him with the joy of a new discovery - we can take to Him anything, 
    anything at all, because that is His desire - that we love and trust Him 
    so that we rely on Him utterly in all things.  
    
    Rebecca
       

.8

Do you /have you ever had "dry spells," Rebecca?

Also, sometimes starting out is more of a discipline than a joy.  I have
experienced both discipline and joy, separately and together in my prayer 
life.  But a relationship that has gone untended for a while is difficult 
to come (back) to without effort, commitment, determination; discipline.

Yes, there is joy - at times; and sorrow in prayer - at times; and by
experience, dry times - even when there was nothing particularly wrong
in life (spiritual or otherwise).

I think I read that Dobson said that quantity was better than quality 
when it comes to the prayer discipline.  Practice, practice, practice.
He related a story of going into a restaurant that was reputed to have 
the best steak in town.  After ordering the waiter brings you a one-inch
square steak.  You are astounded!  But the waiter replies, "Sir, it's
the quality that counts, not the quantity, and this is THE best steak
in town."  (I remember now that this was a story about spending time
with your children, but it also applies to spending time with God.)

The song I used before my prayer today is reprinted below:

"Without holiness no one will see the Lord."  Hebrews 12:14

Take time to be holy; speak oft with thy Lord.
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friend with God's children; help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy; the world rushes on.
Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy; let Him be thy Guide,
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow thy Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy; be calm in thy soul -
Each thought and each motive beneath His control,
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shall be fitted for service above.

- Willian D. Longstaff, 1882

    
    
    I'll have to say that I like very much what Rebecca has pointed out.
    When we realize that it is a priviledge and a joy to come before our
    loving Father in prayer,rather than a chore or a discipline, then we
    find that we want to talk with God, because He cares for us more than
    we can imagine.
    
    Yak

    When thinking about prayer, I often think about the book of Nehemiah. 
    He is a great example of a man of prayer.  It is clear that he had a
    continuing conversation with God going on throughout the day.
    
    1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and
        wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God
        of heaven, 
    [prayer continues through verse 11]

    2:4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I
        prayed to the God of heaven. 

    4:4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon
        their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 
      5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out
        from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the
        builders. 

    5:19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done
         for this people. 

    6:14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these
         their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the
         prophets, that would have put me in fear. 

    [chapter 9 is a great example of prayer]

    13:14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good
          deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices
          thereof. 

    13:22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves,
          and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath
          day.  Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me
          according to the greatness of thy mercy. 

    13:29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the
          priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 

    13:31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the
          firstfruits.  Remember me, O my God, for good. 
    
    Mark L.

	My biggest dry spell in my prayer life came about from feeling
	that praying was an obligation.  I got so I couldn't face praying
	at times.  I felt like I was praying because I had to, or because
	Jamie expected me to, or my pastor expected me to ...

	Don't know why I felt that way, but I did.

	I've since had more dry spells - I guess I'm in a semi-dry spell
	now.  I'll pray when it occurs to me to pray, offering up thanks
	at various times, worshipping at various times, asking for help
	at other times.  I seem to pray more often for others right now,
	and much of my prayer is done throughout the day, even at my desk.
	Over the weekend, I felt prompted to pray at different times.

	It's occurred to me that I may be trying *not* to listen to God.
	I don't know why, I don't feel consciously afraid to hear anything
	he has to say, but noting that my prayer is more at times when
	I know I'm not just "getting quiet with God" makes me wonder.
	
	Mark's analogy to exercise was interesting.  I've often said that
	until you make exercise a priority in your life, you'll always
	find some reason not to exercise.  I guess the same is true for
	most things, and perhaps the sad truth is that I haven't made 
	prayer a priority.

	Here's to moving onward and upward...

	Karen

    .9
    
    Absolutely Mark. The point I was trying to make is that some folks only 
    see the discipline and therefore miss out on the joy. Sometimes it only 
    takes a shift in how we are looking at something to find another dimension 
    of it or to make the discipline involved more palatable. 
    Discipline/obedience is definitely needed, especially as one begins to 
    form the habit of prayer and for those times of dryness. I used to be a 
    long distance runner. I would rise every morning at 4:30 a.m. for my first 
    run of the day, and after the initial period of creating the habit of 
    running, my feet sliding into my running shoes was absolutely natural. 
    Sometimes I didn't want to get out of bed, and discipline was required to 
    force myself to move anyway. The reason I was willing to discipline myself 
    though was that I loved to run and I had goals that I had set for myself 
    to meet. The same with prayer. We want to fall to our knees, we desire that 
    discipline because we love God and we want to meet Him in prayer. 
    Discipline and love must go hand in hand to be effective. Dryness plagues 
    us all; sometimes we have no words, sometimes we cannot feel, sometimes we 
    have no desire, but I think if our discipline is rooted in love, if it is 
    spurred by our knowledge that we need God and that God has created prayer 
    for our benefit and our nourishment, that at its heart is God himself, 
    then the discipline has meaning. Does this make sense?
    
    
    Rebecca        

    
    
     God has used my family to show me many things about himself. My son
    once asked me " why do people call you Dan, and we call you Dad?"
    
    My answer was that because you are my son, you (and his sister) are the
    only ones on this planet that will ever be able to call me "Dad". It is
    the same with us, only His children can call Him Abba Father.  
    
    Yack

    
    
    When you pray, what image of God do you visualize?

>    When you pray, what image of God do you visualize?

    Uh oh, sounds like Yack's gone new age....  :-)
    
    Mark L.

>    When you pray, what image of God do you visualize?
    
    I often think of Him on His throne -- "Let us therefore come boldly
    unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
    help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
    
    Mark L. 

Thanks again, Rebecca.  More please.  :-)  Thanks for articulating 
that discipline rooted in love is a good thing.  I have always said that
some habits are good (like going to church).

Visualization:  I don't.  But I do sense/feel/perceive something similar 
to Markel's thoughts.  To me, God is Sovereign.  That word has a lot of meaning
to me.  He is Sovereign first, and my Friend second.  There is nothing more
I want than to please Him, not because He's Sovereign and I am a slave,
but because He Sovereign and yet God loves me!

The more I think about it, the more it "blows my mind."  God is Numero Uno
in all of creation and YET He chooses to have a One on one relationship with
[insignificant, one in 5 billion] me.  And I'm still nothing special,
EXCEPT through identification as a friend of *His.*

The more I think about it, the more it is important to me to know more,
get more, be more, love more of Him.

I don't know what God looks like.  Moses and 70 elders had a rare feast with
God on Sinai where God appeared in physical form, so yes, I believe God does
indeed sit on a throne in heaven and is not some amorphous cloud of energy.

Mark

I consciously avoid anthropomorphyzing Abba, as He is far more than I 
could ever expect my earthly Father to be. There have been many time,
recently, when all I was able to do in prayer was to weep and cry "Abba".
I could say nothing more, my heart was too broken, and the pain too great.
In those times, Abba picked me up, sat me on His lap, held me close and
allowed me to cry on His bosom as He rocked me and assured me that He did
have everything under control, and that everything would work out OK. Not
once did He chide me for feeling or expressing the pain, or for not being
"man" enough to "hold it in" and not cry. Rather, He encouraged the needed
catharsis, and healed me thereby. When that portion of the loneliness and
pain had been expiated, He hugged me, blew my nose, reminded me that He 
loved me greatly and would always be walking with me, and sent me back 
into the world to play. 

Shalom

    
    >I consciously avoid anthropomorphyzing Abba
    
    I didn't mean physical visualization, but rather I believe that when we
    come to God in prayer we "see" Him differently depending upon the
    situation.  Sometimes I am as a little child wanting my Fathers comfort
    and assurance within his outstretched arms, at other times he is seated
    upon his throne as I praise his name with thanksgiving.  He is all I
    could ever imagine, and much much more, this I realize.  I am in awe of
    his everlasting love for me, and am willing to receive his love, to
    commune with him through prayer.
    
    Yak  

>>>	pain had been expiated, He hugged me, blew my nose, reminded me that He

	The hugging I can see... the other ?? ;-) :-)

	Your note reminded me of a Rich Mullins song:

	"Everybody used to tell me Big Boys Don't Cry, but I've been
	around enough to know that that was the lie....

 	...


	And our Father still waits, and He watches down the road, 
	to see the crying boys come running, back to His arms..."

    Just got in on the tail end of this... :-)
    
    Rebecca your writing is a source of encouragement to me. Thanks.
    
    Mark you stated that you don't visualize... sounds new age came out of
    this .. but it was through visualization if you can call it that, that
    my prayer life became enhanced and joyful.
    
    I used to pray to God UP ABOVE... and when someone shared with me that
    which I already *knew*, but hadn't truly practiced, things became more
    intimate for me in prayer.  The thing I *knew* but hadn't practiced was
    
    Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
    that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
    
    
    I could now visualize myself at the throne... it became more intimate
    then on my knees to up above.
    
    Now when I pray if I need to feel His arms around me, I'm there.  God
    is no longer distant, but close.  He went from God to Father, to Abba
    as a result of this awakening.
    
    Nancy

The following text was taken from the book: Close To His Majesty
					    by David C. Needham


Receiving: An Object Lesson


	   When I was a boy, our family moved to a ranch in southern 
	California, where we had acres of rolling hills to explore.  
	My big dream was to get a dog. But not just any dog.  I had
	my heart set on an English setter.  I can't begin to calculate
  	all the times I spent reading about English setters--studying
	their pictures down to the smallest detail.  To me, there was 
	no dog like a setter anywhere in the world.

	   One day my dad gave me the word I'd been waiting for. "Okay
	son," he said, "you can get your setter."

	   Together, dad and I went down to the kennel. I spent the 
	better part of an hour examining a litter of fine English 
	setter pups.  I tried to be objective--to look for all the 
	qualities the books tell you to look for in a champion setter.
	The right earsand eyes and bones and tail and all that.  When
	I walked out with that little fellow in my arms, I was sure 
	I had the pick of the litter--the most beautiful pup I had
	ever seen. I called him "Mike."

	   IN the months that followed he received the best care I 
	knew how to give.  A solid redwood doghouse with a cedar-shake
	roof.  The best food.  But most of all, the best of my love.
	Yet as the months went by, one fact--one terrible fact-- became
	all too clear.  Mike didn't want me.  He didn't want my love.
	After a time, he didn't even want my food.  I'd put a dish 
	out for him and call, "Here Mike! Here Mike!" But Mike would
	not come.  Or if he did, he would slink around the side of the
	house, pedigree tail between his legs, work his way up to the 
	dish, wolf down his food, and then slink away again.

	   When the cold winter nights came I used to long for him
	to sit by the fire with me.  I just wanted him to lie beside
	me near the hearth so I could scratch under his neck and give 
	him a big hug and let him lick my face.

	   But he never came when I called . And winter went by.

	   He may have been a good watchdog; he may have chased 
	away the rabbits fron our garden--I really don't remember.
	I do know that eventually he discovered that if he ran full
	speed into the wire surrounding our chicken pen, the chickens
	would become a squawking brown cloud piling up against the 
	far side of the pen.  and once in a while, one of those terrified
	hens wouldjust manage to clear the top of the fence--and Mike
	would kill it and carry it away.  

	   We tried everything to get him to stop. Yelling at him. 
	Beating him (with a rolled up newspaper). Providing him
	more than enough to eat. My dad even suggested tying a dead
	chicken under his jaw and letting it rot there.  Perhaps that
	might cure him.  But nothing worked.  Mike simply didn't care.

	   Finally one day--a day I knew eventually had to come--one
	of the hired hands followed my dog over a hill on the far side
	of the ranch, while I waited behind.  I knew what was going to
	happen.  And it did.  I winced as a single shot echoed back 
	through the hills.  Mike was dead...and rightly so.

	   Undaunted, a few days later--it didn't take me long--I asked,
	"Dad, can I try again?" And dad said yes.  Off we went to the
	kenel to look at a whole new litter of setter puppies.  But this
	time I didn't look for the finest pup.  Instead, I waited for one
	of them to come running to me.  And one did.  I picked him up--a
	little ball os silky speckled black and white fur, his heart 
	racing like a motor--and he slobbered all over my face.  I took
	him home with me and named him Mike. (I was stubborn)

	   Maybe you can guess the rest of the story.  Mike became 
	everything I had ever dreamed of in a dog.  He wanted my love.
	He lived for my love. I wanted Mike, and Mike wanted me.

	   On winter nights, Mike waited eagerly to be invited in.
	Pressing against the big chair in front of the fireplace, as
	close to me as he could be, Mike relishedevery touch of love.
	In the spring, out on the hills with the tractor, Mike would 
	run circles around me all day long.  And every time I'd stop
	and climb down, Mike would be there to receive a big hug or to 
	rest his big head on my knee.  When water came running down the
	irrigation furrows,Mike would stretch out smack dab in the 
	middle of a furrow close to where I stood.  Of course he meant
	to cool me off!

	   When I went away to college a couple of hundred miles away, 
	I would try to get home whenever I could.  It would usually be
	late at night when I started up that long, curving road to the 
	ranch house on top of the hill.  Mom and Dad would be sound
	asleep, but Mike heard the sound of my car long before I came
	around the last bend.  Coming to a stop, I could see him dancing
	in the headlights. A moment later, Mike would crash into the 
	driver's seat and let me hug him and love him to my heart's
	content.

	   Years later, sitting on the edge of my bunk in a small,
	stark seminary dorm room in Dallas,Texas, I opened a letter
	from Mom. "We did everything we could do," she wrote, "but
	Mike had got fox fever. The veterinarian tried too, but he
	told us there wasn't any cure.  We loved him as you would 
	have done.  We made himas comfortable as we could.  But 
	yesterday, Mike died."  I remember falling back on my bunk
	in that lonely dorm room and crying and crying until the 
	ink was all smeared.

	   Mike had let me love him.

	   He had received my self-giving with pleasure.  His greatest
	delight was to be close to me.  I had lost a friend who never
	wearied of receiving my love.

	   What can we say then about our infinitely self-giving God?
	Some of us have developed such unbalanced concepts of God.  The
	awesome supreme Judge of the universe before whom all heaven
	trenbles? Yes, He is all of that.  But first...He is love.  He
	is the God who longs to fill our lives and our days with the
	wealth of His presence.  A God who cherishes our companionship.
    

    Dan,
    
    I really enjoyed that note.  God is definitely my companion.  It is so
    wonderful to have 24/7 coverage from God ;^}.  It is my desire that He 
    have the same coverage from me.  I count my blessings that I can pray 
    to God, just talk to Him and offer Him my praise 24 hours a day.  I 
    want to be open for Him to talk to me, too.  
    
    Your note touched my heart.
    
    Smiles,
    Fran

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything... present your
requests to God."  Philippians 4:6

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

- Joseph M. Scriven, ca. 1855

I was recently at a Youth camp, and the speaker (Russel Evans) had several 
thoughts about prayer that really have made a difference to my prayer life.. 
this was followed up by a welsh pastor named Ray Bevan who gave a greater 
insight..

God is our `Daddy' God.. he wants the best for us.. if that means discipline, 
then so be it.. However, God loves us, and delights in communing with us. 
Russel was saying that when he has his quiet times, he walks around (in private)
holding his hand out at his side as if he was walking with someone, and holding
their hand, consciously changing the image of God up there to 'Daddy' here
with me. I want a personal relationship with God, not a formal `rules & regs'
relationship, but one where I can honestly open my heart to Him.. 

Ray Bevan used a real-life example.. His son came into his office one day and
asked Ray for some money to go get an ice-cream. Ray's reaction was, of course,
to give the money. God spoke to Ray .. `Why can't you come into my presence like
that?' .. God doesn't want whining, snivelling people who ask from God's
bounty then run in fear of being struck down by lightning.. 

Stevo..

We don't pray.  I still don't pray like I ought and like I will pray when the
Lord teaches me more.  But before I began to keep a prayer journal, I didn't 
pray, except irregularly, like most other Christians I know.

People know their prayer life is anemic, are ashamed of it, but are too lazy 
(like ME) to do something about it.  That's because consistent and effective 
prayer causes stresses in the life of a Christian.  Stresses of caring, of 
commitment, of opposition to doing the Lord's work. People don't want that.  
Higher ground means struggle, and struggle means discomfort. Getting to heaven 
by "the skin of your teeth" is what most Christians want out of God.
Minimum Requirements mentality.

Perhaps God won't notice that I've ignored His promptings to open the
communication lines so that communication flows and doesn't come in 
sporadic and erratic pulses; praying without ceasing; knowing His 
*abiding* presence.  After all, if the phone rings, He may think I'm
not home.  "Leave a message at the Beep, Lord."

"Oh, how will I know God's will" is often interpreted as "Oh, I wonder if God
will approve of my plans."

Do you want to get out of anemia?  

I do and have begun to do something about it. I've got a ways to go,
but I'm going.

Mark

>We don't pray.  I still don't pray like I ought and like I will pray when the
>Lord teaches me more.  But before I began to keep a prayer journal, I didn't 
>pray, except irregularly, like most other Christians I know.

    Boy, can I echo this statement.  As I am intimate with your journal
    style, I know mine is much different as outlined in 200.4 .5 and .6. 
    But before I began to organize and focus my prayer life, it was much
    worse.  And I can testify as a result this commitment has been
    challanged many times by my lack of self discipline, as well as some
    spiritual testings.
    
    
>People know their prayer life is anemic, are ashamed of it, but are too lazy 
>(like ME) to do something about it.  That's because consistent and effective 
    
    It's something we just don't truly talk about.  We say yes, I'll pray
    for you and then a week passes and it's so easy to forget.  That's why
    I started a practice if praying immediately after saying I will pray
    for someone, whether it be with the person or privately in my mind and
    also to write them in my journal.  It's so easy to let  it slip by, not
    meaning to.. but admittedly I'm undisciplined well in this area.
    
>prayer causes stresses in the life of a Christian.  Stresses of caring, of 
>commitment, of opposition to doing the Lord's work. People don't want that.  
>Higher ground means struggle, and struggle means discomfort. Getting to heaven 
>by "the skin of your teeth" is what most Christians want out of God.
>Minimum Requirements mentality.
    
    That sounds good to me Mark!  I think sometimes I've struggled enough
    already in this life for two or three people and I honestly don't want
    any MORE!!! Harumph! %-}  Then, I realize that each struggle has proven
    to purify and cleanse and build even though it doesn't seem like it in
    the process. 
    
>Perhaps God won't notice that I've ignored His promptings to open the
>communication lines so that communication flows and doesn't come in 
>sporadic and erratic pulses; praying without ceasing; knowing His 
>*abiding* presence.  After all, if the phone rings, He may think I'm
    
    There is a difference between needs and desires.  God promises to MEET
    our needs, but He GRANTs our desires.  John 15 is a good chapter to
    read in regards to abiding.  For it is through abiding in the vine that
    we are GRANTED our desires.  Seek ye first the kingdom of God.
    
>"Oh, how will I know God's will" is often interpreted as "Oh, I wonder if God
>will approve of my plans."

    Another good point to abiding... if we know his voice then there can be
    no question as to His will.
    
>Do you want to get out of anemia?  

    More then I can say.
    
    Nancy

Re:Note 195.28
>>We don't pray.  I still don't pray like I ought and like I will pray when the
>>Lord teaches me more.  But before I began to keep a prayer journal, I didn't 
>>pray, except irregularly, like most other Christians I know.
>
>    Boy, can I echo this statement.  
>    

And I will echo-ohce-echo-ohce that aswell. 
   
>People know their prayer life is anemic, are ashamed of it, but are too lazy 
>(like ME) to do something about it.  That's because consistent and effective 

Prayer for me is the biggest struggle I have in disciplining myself as
a Christian. After years of wondering why it was so difficult to carry
out a very simple task I came to the following conclusion, and I believe
this is the reason why we all struggle with prayer. The plain and simple
fact is that.....


	We don't *really* believe in prayer.



Think about it.
Erich
    

    Please keep it going guys.This is good stuff.
    
    Dermot....
    

.	We don't *really* believe in prayer.



        I believe very strongly in prayer and the power therein.  Each
        day I see the evidence of the power of prayer.  My problem is, as has
        been mentioned, discipline.  I tend to leave my prayer time to the
        end of the day, after I've read the newspaper, after I've read a 
        book or watched a baseball game or anyother activity.  And by that 
        time I'm tired and ready to sleep..and so my prayer time becomes
        a brief run through of concerns.  

        I know I *must* work to discipline myself in this area, but I can't
        say that I don't really believe in prayer.  I've seen too much 
        evidence of the power of prayer in my life and the lives of those
        around me.




        Jim    

Re -.1

  Your statements remind me of an anecdotal newspaper story I read some time
  back. I believe it actually happened, and fairly recently...

  It seems that the members of a certain [insert your favorite conservative
  Evangelical denomination here] church were rather upset about the 
  existence of a smallish (but legal) distillery in their otherwise rather
  teatotalling town. They prayed mightily and frequently (and sometimes 
  publicly), imploring G_d to do *something* to eleviate the situation, and
  restore sobriety and temperance to their town. 

  In the course of time, a tremendous thunderstorm came upon the town one
  summer evening. The distillery was struck by lightning, and burned to the 
  ground. The town was rather impressed. The distillery owner, well known as
  an avowed atheist, was not.

  The distillery owner sued G_d (and as His agents on earth in this matter),
  the local church, the pastor and deacons individually (as leaders of the 
  action against the distillery), and certain members who were prominent and
  vocal in their prayerful opposition to the distillery, charging that they,
  through their prayers, had invoked the power and influence of G_d against
  him and his enterprise. Therefore, they were the primary cause of his
  economic misfortune, and should recompense him for his losses.

  The defense argued that the defendants could not possibly be viewed as 
  anything approaching a direct causitive factor in the naturally occurring
  event which precipitated the destruction of the claimants property, and 
  could therefore not be held liable for his economic losses.

  The judge, in considering this case, commented that this was the single 
  strangest set of arguements he had *ever* heard. On one hand, the claimant,
  who was by his own admission was an atheist, claimed that petitioners of 
  a G_d whom the claimant denied existed, were able to effect the volition 
  and actions of the Almighty. On the other hand, the defendants, well known
  proponents of the existence and attentiveness of a personal G_d, stated 
  that their petitions to Him to do *precisely* what occurred could not have
  been a causitive factor in the destruction of the claimant's property.

  Subsequently, the judge decided for the claimant, but allowed him only 
  US$1.00, in punitive damages, in that he held that the defendants were not
  the *direct* cause of the claimant's loss, and G_d (who *was* the direct
  cause of the loss) was not within the jurisdiction of the court.

    
    
    We are told throughout scripture to 
    
    		"..put on Love.."
    		"..put on the armour.."
    		"..put on the new self.."
    
     How do we do this? Through prayer.
    
    
    	We all (or most ;-0 ) of us get up in the morning - take a shower -
    and "put on" clean clothes to start the day.  Through prayer, we should
    "put on" these things to start a new day with our precious Lord.
    
    Yak

    Re .33 (anecdote)
    
    A related (and true) story.  I have some friends in a small town not too
    far away.  They and some other Christians were disturbed about a local
    video store that was carrying the trash that many of them tend to
    carry.  They had expressed their displeasure to the store's owner, but
    to no avail.  They prayed together that the Lord would deal with this
    situation.  Not too much later, a tornado hit.  The only thing damaged? 
    It took out the video store.
    
    Mark L.

I loved the anecdotes, fellows.

However, I want to stress the primary purpose of prayer is not the power to 
destroy and thwart the enemies of God, though prayer has been effective in
doing so (witness Elijah).  In each of these cases, it was *GOD* Who was
glorified an not those who prayed (they were edified).  It was to show
God's power, and not the power of us to influence the hand of the Almighty
to move, as if we could.

Prayer is primarily the open communication of the relationship you have
with God.  Before you begin to pray about the injustices and troubles of the
outside world, we my pray for the purity of our own hearts, minds, and lives.
How else can we love the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul, strength,
and minds unless, as Dan says, we put on these things each day before we
venture out into the world?

"Lord, let's get all inhibitors to our relationship out of the way so that
I can pray effectively for others!  Purify me that I may be suitable for use
by a holy God!  And use me!"

Nothing is more important - nothing - than your relationship with God.
And I don't mean going to church, doing good things.  I mean *relationship*
as you have with your spouse (I hope you have a good one), or your best,
best friend - intimate, comfortable, constant, consistent.

What does the Bible say?  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His 
righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."  Get your
relationship squared as Priority One, and THEN praying for others, 
the injustices of the world, etc, will be effective.  It means,
don't run off to seek to do good for God, or even pray to do good
or have good things happen until you have first sought to be righteous
in His sight, to advance His kingdom through His power, His grace,
His mercy upon your life (not ours, and not sitting idly by when God wants
to use us to advance His kingdom).  But the relationship must first be there 
before He can (will) use you.  "Be ye Holy, for I am Holy."

A daily prayer journal is a mechanism, an aid to helping you begin a 
discipline.  With the electronic media we have at our disposal, we can
enter our prayer into a file the first thing each morning - FIRST THING.
And we can look back and give God the glory when prayer is heard and answered,
because we have prayed according to His will and have, through prayer
and meditation on Him, aligned ourselves with his will, because prayer
is a growth experience, one that improves with use.

Don't make excuses anymore.  Do it.

Mark

>.	We don't *really* believe in prayer.
>
>I believe very strongly in prayer and the power therein.  Each
>day I see the evidence of the power of prayer......  
>......I've seen too much evidence of the power of prayer in my life 
>and the lives of those around me.
>
>        Jim    

Thanks Jim, I'm encouraged to hear you or anybody say that.
I really am !!!!! I am being completely honest in saying that 
I believe at the root of this "discipline" problem that many
of us have is the fact that we don't really understand or
believe in the "need to pray". I am sure many here have seen
the power of prayer in miraculous ways but when the Lord answers
our prayers I wonder how many of us think that this would have
happened whether we prayed for it or not, thus coming to the
conclusion that our prayers weren't really a significent
part in the result of the consequence.
I am just trying to highlight that maybe beneath this *laziness*
or *inertia* that many of us claim to have w.r.t. prayer is maybe 
rooted in not truely understanding the need to pray.
I believe there's always a reason behind any form of laziness or
indiscipline (e.g. I tend to be very lazy when it comes to servicing
or working on my car. Maybe if a mechanic were to open up and show 
me the dirt and the innefficienct way in which my car is working(?)
this would cause me to take more time in working on the vehicle).


Erich
    

    Good point, Erich.   Let's discuss it.
    
    What is the "need to pray?"

    In response to the NEED of PRAYER, let's take a Biblical look at the
    TYPES of PRAYER... if you know of other scripturally based TYPES,
    please add to.
    
                             TYPES of PRAYER
    
    1.  Personal Prayer
    
    Matthew 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and
                 when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which 
                 is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall 
                 reward thee openly.
    
    2.  Early Morning
    
    Mark 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he 
               went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there 
               prayed.
    
    3.  All Night Prayer
    
    Luke 6:12  And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a
               mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
    
    4.  Pastoral Prayer
    
    Acts 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
              ministry of the word.
    
    5.  Church Prayers 
    
    Acts 1:14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and
               supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of 
               Jesus, and with his brethren.
    
    Acts 1:24  And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the
               hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
    
    Acts 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
               fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
    
    7.  Fasting
    
    Matthew 17:21  Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and
                   fasting.
    
    Mark 9:29      And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing,
                   but by prayer and fasting.
    
    Luke 2:37      And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, 
                   which departed not from the temple, but served God with 
                   fastings and prayers night and day.
    
    

	Jim,

	This is my main problem, too.  It's even harder now that I'm
	pregnant, as I get tired much sooner at night.

	Again, it's the *priority* prayer has in our lives.  These
	other things that we do *before* prayer are like the thorns
	that choke out the good seed.

	Addressing Nancy's comment about praying for others:  I used
	to discuss prayer requests from the file with my husband on
	our way home from work.  I once commented on a mail correspondence
	I had with another noter, and told the noter we'd be praying for
	her.  Jamie replied, "If you say you're going to pray for her, be
	sure to do it.  Too many people toss off a quick 'I'll pray for you'
	and never do it.  Don't say it if you don't mean it."  That really
	got me to thinking, and I realized that I, too, had on occasion not
	prayed for someone that I had said I would.  Now, I consider it
	a serious committment that if I say it, I do it.  If I think there's
	a chance I won't, I don't say I will.  

	Karen

Questions for self examination:


         Did you pray today?


What do you pray about?  
Where is your focus in prayer?  
  Is your prayer primarily centered on yourself, others, or God Himself?
  What ingredients go into your prayer?
     Praise and worship?
     Forgiveness and being forgiven?
     Mercy for self; for others?
     Thankfulness?
     Needs?
     Wants and Desires?
     What proportions of these go into your prayer?
When do you pray?
  When you pray, why do you pray?
  Do you pray when things [begin to] get out of control?
  Do you pray when things are going "better than average?"

Why don't you pray?
  (And after you answer this one, ask again, "Why don't you pray?")
  (And after you answer this one, ask again, "Why don't you pray?")
  (And after you answer this one, ask again, "Why don't you pray?")

The Difference...

I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered. He answered, "You didn't ask."

I wanted to see the joy and beauty but the day toiled on gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn't show me.  He said, "But you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence; I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.

    - Author unknown

I have never ever seen this poem before today.

My prayer life has been wooden lately, and I haven't been taking the time to 
pray each day.  As one would expect, that woodenness has been creeping into 
other areas of my life.

So I come in this morning and scan this file, and discover this poem here.  A
poem, I'll reiterate, that I'd never seen before this morning.  And the very 
same poem that I saw, word for word, in a totally different place and context, 
not two hours ago.

His workings are quite amazing.

Paul

    Paul,
    
    Thanks for letting us know how God uses the little/big things to get
    our attention.  As I read your note, I was thinking what a loving God
    we have... I mean can you not only feel the chastisement of God, but
    the love emanating from Him as he PERSONALLY touched your heart today?
    
    :-)
    [okay, I'm a sap],
    Nancy

"wooden"  (I like that description, Paul)

We turn the tree into wood; God turns the wood into a tree planted
by Living Waters.

But beyond that, there are times when it seems that "important" things
crowd out "dispensible" things.  That is, "I can pray later."  I'm guilty.
But admitting guilt is not enough, and it took many, many, perhaps even
many times of guilt admission before I started to do something about it.

I really started in discipline when I became a moderator of this
conference, and have not stopped since stepping out of that role.
I prayed for this conference daily, as well as some of you by name
or by implication.  I prayed for the many (MANY) read onlies. The moderators
continue to pray for this conference... for the witness it presents.

I also prayed for myself, not to remain wherever I 
was spiritually (supposing that I was all I could be), but to continually
grow.  I know I have lots of room for growth and several of you would be 
the first to admit it.  ;-)  But sometimes, my prayer started to stiffen
up, like wood, and in that stiffness I didn't feel like praying - but
I did.  Like Rebecca said some notes ago, roll out of bed and put the
feet into the running shoes.  The hardest part is getting started.

Confession has become a part of my prayer.  Oh, not confession of willful
sin (unless I'm guilty of it), but confession of feelings of impinging
fears, feelings of mercilessness, anger, agitation, inadequacy (yes) - 
whatever and anything and everything that is on my heart whether in a 
flash, or festering.  I can do this now, because my relationship is close
enough to be vulnerable to my Friend and Loving God.  Funny how we accept 
the lie that we can't "expose" ourself to God, when God knows it all 
anyway; or the lie that because He already knows we don't need to 
confess it, talk it over with Him, etc.

Again, confession isn't enough alone - I tell the Lord to take them, 
and God helping me, I'll leave them at His feet.  Process.  Progress.
Growth.  Higher ground.

I pray for myself before I pray for you - do you know why?
I say, "Lord, make me pure and suitable for use by a Holy God."
I think of the utensils for the Tabernacle in the Old Testament
which were sanctified.  They had one purpose - to be used in
the function of the sacred, and if it was used for ordinary
purposes, it could not be used for the sacred.  If I am to be
used of God, I need to be sanctified as these utensils were - 
set apart for specific use.  (Oh, God can use any utensil - 
all things work for good to them that love God, to them who are
called according to his purpose.  So I may help another because God
had it in mind to help the other.)

Secondly, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
How can I avail much unless I am purified?  How can I pray an effectual fervent
prayer?  I'm still learning.  It's not a formula, or recipe to follow:
these are merely aids to the real thing.  The real thing comes by exposure
to the Almighty in communication and relationship with Him; He'll reveal
it, unfold it as we can handle it, as He gives it to us by His good pleasure.

And we should pray daily for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible
says to "Be [continually] filled with the Holy Spirit."  and "If ye then, 
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more 
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

The filling is there for the asking, folks.  My prayer life isn't where I
want it to be... yet.  But I know this much now: we have to do it out of
the act of the will to establish and maintain a relationship.  And when
you're tempted to think, "why doesn't God initiate, establish, and maintain
a relationship?" think also of the times you have been prompted and 
convicted.  Hasn't He initiated the relationship after all?

Mark

Nancy,

Sorry if my note showed only chastisement.  I'm feeling the love of the personal
touch much more than the chastisement.

Paul

She read it, too, Paul (but perhaps didn't communicate well enough to you
to say that she did indeed see God's love, and warmth, in tapping you on
the shoulder).  :-)

MM

    Thanks MM... it's true.  My humble apologies Paul for having worded so
    poorly my admiration for the event.
    
    Nancy

    A few months ago I was trying to figure out how to fit everything in
    that I want to do - spend time with my husband, exercise, work, practice 
    voice, work on my art - how to order my day - prioritize and squeeze it 
    all in. My longing to learn more of God's word and to spend time in prayer 
    was increasing dramatically at this point as well. And the question came 
    up "What's the most important thing?" It's important to me to take care
    of my body, it's important to me sing, it's ever so important to me to
    spend time with my husband, it's oh so important to work on my art, and
    I have to go to work - but isn't my soul more infinitely valuable than
    any of these things? Isn't knowing God, if I never accomplished another
    thing in my life, isn't knowing God the most valuable thing I will ever
    do with my time? Isn't it the only thing of any real importance?
    Knowing from experience that if I waited until the end of the day, that 
    my thoughts might be scattered and interruptions numerous, or perhaps I'd 
    be so tired I'd simply fall asleep or put it off 'til the next day, the
    answer was clear. First. God must be first. Prayer must be the first
    thing I do, and reading the Bible next, before I do another thing.
    You may have to take a little time from sleep, or maybe you'll have to 
    change your exercise routine, or whatever it is you do now first. But you 
    know what? You'll reap the benefits. God will take care of the rest. He'll 
    help you order your day, and the strength that He promises for the day will
    be the first thing you tap into, and will flow steadily throughout the day.
    He's faithful and He's there - just waiting to meet you, just waiting
    for you to ask - the *One* worthy of first place in our lives. 
    
    Rebecca   

 Thank you for that Rebecca..I've been examining how I order my day
lately and God has come up on the short end.  Your note is an inspiration.





Jim

>>    A few months ago I was trying to figure out how to fit everything in
>>    that I want to do - spend time with my husband, exercise, work, practice 
>>    voice, work on my art - how to order my day - prioritize and squeeze it 
>>    all in. My longing to learn more of God's word and to spend time in prayer 
>>    was increasing dramatically at this point as well. 

Rebecca, -- I could have written that !  Except that for me, I'm still in the
middle of trying to fit everything in that I want to do.  And practice
voice could be replaced by something else like - groom and walk the dogs,
or work on preparing a mini-series of adult classes on the Jewish holidays
and their significance to Christians, or gardening ....

I've been trying to re-establish a consistent quiet time with God every 
morning and have gotten better, but by no means to 100 % yet.  Thanks for the
reminder of how primary that need is, and how it outweighs all else in 
priority.

Leslie

    I'd just like to echo the sentiments of the last 2 replys....Rebecca
    hit the nail on the head!
    
    I have been dealing with this issue (just like the rest of you).  As I
    was browsing through this conference yesterday, I came across this note
    and read through.  
    
    I am currently looking for some direction in a specific area of my life
    and am realizing that I'm not doing my part.  As Rebecca said, when we
    put God first, he'll take care of the rest.
    
    I am mostly "read-only", but I want to let you know this conference has 
    been a blessing to me and I thank God for that and all of you!
    
    Karen

    Hi Karen!!!! :-)
    
    Good to *see* you in here.  And you don't have to stay a read-only! 
    Come on out and play with us. :-)
    
    And you're right Rebecca wrote excellently that which most of us
    experience from time to time.  I thank God for the wisdom in this file
    from many as well.
    
    Nancy

Our church has a child sponsor program of another sort, which we adopted
from someone else.  Feel free to adopt the program for your church.

1.  Collect photographs of the children in your church (from the parents;
    shcool photos or other).  We run the program from birth up to 6th grade.

2.  Tape each photograph on a Prayer Commitment Card (details later)

3.  Set up a table in your foyer with the Prayer Commitment Cards on
    them for people to take.  Make an announcement that by taking a card,
    you covenant to pray for this child[ren] every day.  

The picture and card are to be stuck to the refrigerator or wherever 
you will see the card each day as a reminder. The picture is a reminder
that this is a flesh and blood person for whom you are praying.

------------------------------------------------------------------
| PRAYER COMMITMENT                                -------------  |
|                                                  |           |  |
| Please pray for my...                            |           |  |
|                                                  |  picture  |  |
|  o  Salvation/spiritual walk                     |           |  |
|  o  Resistence to peer pressure and temptation   |           |  |
|  o  Relationships (siblings and parents)         |           |  |
|  o  ... a couple of other realted things         |           |  |
|           that escape me at the moment           -------------  |
|                                                                 |
| Signed ____________________________________                     |
|                                                                 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, you will find that it is easier for someone to give money than
it is to commit to prayer support for a child in your own church.
But if your church embraces this program, your church will change
because you will be praying for your future and the future of the
kingdom of God.

In reference to the weight loss (discipline) note, how about your prayer life?

And perhaps more significantly in reference to those who have tried and
failed at losing weight, you know what is the right thing to do, right?
Give up and feed your face, right?

Apply.

With love,

Mark

    This may or may not fit with this topic but here goes anyway.
    
    Ive heard a lot about using a prayer journal and have tried several
    times to get one going without much sucess. Im not sure what format to
    use and what works the best. Some things that come to mind are a
    section for long term prayers, short term requests, answers to prayer,
    inspirations during prayer etc. Any suggestions on how to structure and
    use a prayer journal would be appreciated.
    
    kym

    set note 200.4, 200.5 and 200.6
    
    200.6 is actual prayer journal structure. :-)
    
    Hope this helps!

Hi Kym,

My prayer journal entries almost always start out with a verse of song (ask
Jim).  Sometimes I can recall a verse from memory and my heart, having grown
up in a church with familiar hymns, and sometimes I have no "song in my heart."
For these times, I pull down a hymnal from my shelf and open the book, sometimes
resting on what is presented , sometimes leafing through for something to
strike a chord.  The reason I start with someone else's poetry and song is
because it often expresses beauty and brings my focus into prayer much more
than launching into prayer because "I can't wait to fulfill my obligation
to pray."  (And when we are honest with ourselves, discipline sometimes 
takes on this feeling with us in the ebbs and flows of life.)

After typing in my song verse, I begin my prayer.  Most of the time I start
with praise and honor and glory for God because He is worthy of it regardless
of my circumstances or pressures; they do not change the fact that God is Good
and that He cares for me.  The times that I don't start off this way, I may
be particularly troubled.  (Peter, when he began to sink into the sea,
didn't stop to say, "Oh, Lord, Creator of all things, Thou alone art worthy
of all praise.  And by the way, I'm sinking here and fear for my well-being,
but if it is according to Thy perfect will..."  He said, "Lord, save me!"
Jesus taught us to pray "Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name..."
but also taught us that He cares for each one of us.

My prayer are sometimes short, sometimes more lengthy (ask Jim).

Lastly, I have a few prayer partners (not just Jim, but Dan, and Phil)
with whom I share my prayer journal for accountability's sake and to 
provide and receive prayer support.  This helps me spiritually both in
the giving and receiving through prayer.

Mark

(And I can't believe Nancy stopped at .57)  ;-)

    well, it sorta felt convicted in the "prayer topic"to snarf... 

I would think a prayer journal might take any form you wanted.
Maybe a page or two where you jot down things to think about
while praying, and a page or two to jot down people, events,
things you want to bring before God in prayer, you might want to
leave some space to write down what happened - ie how an event
went so that you can go back and recall how your prayers were 
answered.  You would update this section as necessary, but not
necessarily every day.  

And then maybe a section where you write down whatever you thought 
about, or felt while You were praying.  Through this you may begin 
to see what God has to teach and tell You.  Some people write their
actual prayer in their prayer journal.  You might jot down some verses
that you read as part of your quiet/prayer time, or songs as Mark 
mentioned.

I like to have a quiet time where I read the Bible first, and maybe
some other book that is about God or the Bible, and after that pray.
I find it helps me focus to have spent some time reading the Word first.
Unfortunately, I don't always spend time this way every single day.
This week I think I've been able to sit down and do this maybe 3 mornings
before work.

Leslie