I am writing you a new command, its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing to make him stumble. I John 2:8-9 When we pray, we open ourselves to God who is light. The … [Read more...] about Moving into God’s Light as Prayer

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Psalm 95:6-8 Our hearts long for God. Yet, too often, we defend ourselves against this longing. We protect our hearts by hardening them against the love we seek because we are … [Read more...] about Softening Our Heart as Prayer

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 As we move away from prayers that are rote, prayers that are performances, prayers that are attempts to appease or change God and we move into a life of prayer in which we are broken and open hearted, something begins to happen. We begin to encounter God. We begin to experience conscious … [Read more...] about Renewing Our Minds as Prayer

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6 The word "righteousness" as it is used here refers primarily to a relationship with God. So, when Jesus pronounces blessing on those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, he is speaking of those who hunger and thirst for a relationship with God. Jesus was saying, "You will be blessed when you … [Read more...] about Being Filled as Prayer

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Matthew 5:3 We tend to come to God full of ourselves. Full of pride, full of a need to "get it right", full of a need to prove ourselves, full of self-reliance. But prayer is not about all we have done, or all we believe, or all the ways we work to prove ourselves. Prayer is coming to God empty of all of this. Prayer is … [Read more...] about Being Empty as Prayer

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. I John 4:16 The most important gift that anyone can ever give us is the gift of themselves. More than anything else, children need their parents to give themselves in love to them. They need their parents to breathe life into them. To see them and know them and guide them and care for them. To teach them and nurture … [Read more...] about Receiving God as Prayer

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 Prayer is allowing God to radically change us. God is the One we speak to, listen to, worship, serve and rest with as we pray. Over time, in these encounters, God begins to change our heart. Our heart of stone is softened, broken open and … [Read more...] about Receiving a New Heart as Prayer