practicing petition
Open Your Bible
Matthew 26:36-46, Philippians 4:6-7
BY Diana Stone
Text: Matthew 26:36-46, Philippians 4:6-7
Practice makes perfect – and that is what we strive for in our lives spiritually (to be like Christ). While we understand that we’ll never achieve perfection here on earth, part of God’s will for us is to strive for a closer relationship with His perfection. It is His ongoing act of sanctification in our lives.
Today sisters, let’s begin to practice how we approach the Lord with our petitions in life. No matter how great or small your desires may seem, they are important to you, and therefore, important to Him. Like the familiar words in Joseph Scriven’s hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” remind us:
“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.”
We can come to Him for safety, for wisdom, with our desires, and more. Scripture tells us to be persistent, to approach God boldly, and to rest in knowing that He loves us like children and wants to give us good gifts. And in the gospel, Christ demonstrates the importance of praying that God’s will be done above all.
For today, let’s practice biblical petition together – use a journal if you’d like:
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Thank God for being your Father who you can trust to provide and care for you. Repent if you find that you’ve kept your petitions, needs, desires from Him.
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Call to mind some things you can ask your Father for.
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Be specific when you pray. Don’t be afraid that He can’t handle your needs and desires.
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Be bold in what you ask. We might forget that simply because something seems impossible to us, nothing is impossible for our Lord.
End with the simple words, “Not my will, but yours be done.” As hard as this may be to say, begin to trust that God has “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
34 thoughts on "practicing petition"
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Thanks for the prayers. They are much needed and appreciated. I found this site skimming thru for my next bible plan on my YouVersion bible app. I am happy I clicked on! :)
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I am loving this whole series on different prayers! It has taught me so much already, and I can't wait for more revelation from God! I am so honored and blessed to be able to not only learn from the devotional, but from all you lovely ladies' beautiful comments. It's something I look forward to everyday when I wake up!
Now I just need to focus on spending time with God alone, WAITING on Him, and soaking in His presence. I am a very impatient person, and the Lord knows that better than I. So I pray that He can give me the patience to just praise and worship Him and wait on His sweet Holy Spirit.
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"What a friend we have in Jesus". My grandmother lived with us and this was her song! She sang it throughout the day! As children,we even got tired of her singing the same hymn over and over and over again ! So the whole family knew it and we carried it in our heads and hearts day and night. As " Mama " grew older she declined physically and mentally. She did not recognize us and she withdrew in general, BUT she continued to sing that hymn throughout the day! She ministered to us by demonstrating the power of prayers and being at peace in the Lord. Today, we her family, are witnesses to a woman of faith, who stayed close to God thru all the physical and mental challenges of growing old and focusing on life in eternity. Thank you SRT and sisters for guiding and supporting each other as we travel to being in a closer relationship with God, through His risen son, Jesus Christ. Have a "prayer-ful" day.
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Such a blessing you are to me today, Gail. What a testimony!
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Thank u 2 for sharing. My grandmother also taught me that song.
When I feel alone I hum that song. Bless u
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The garden of Gethsemane reminds me of how weak we are we struggle to obey The Lord.
But Phil4:6-7. Reminds that with The Lord I am strengthened and need not worry. My faith must never be in my own abilities but in the power of God that works through me -
Hi ladies. So glad to be back. I have been reading the devs but kept getting errors so I couldn’t write.
I’ve spent the last 2 days praising the Lord. For some reason my spirit has been taken over with breath prayers. I have just been thanking him or bursting out in song
When I leave this devotion today I will go to my journal and enter my petition!
I will be deliberate and I won’t consider whether I am worthy.Ladies may your Wednesday be full of worship and wonder! Blessings.
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Thank you for this reminder today. I’m on day 3 of a five day conference my org is putting on. Exhausted after four 14 hour days. Please lift me in prayer today. I feel the need to ask for this. Thank you all.
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LindaG praying for rest in the short, quiet moments & strength in the busy moments & JOY ALWAYS.
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Linda praying for energy to get you through!
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Suebee, praying for you. Beth, also praying. O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.”I have heard this hymn so many times, but it hit me today. all because we do not carry *everything* to god in prayer. I need to be more intentional about this! I say in the morning i want to do this, but let the world crowd in and don't. Everything. god cares about everything. Every little concern. loved also what you all have said about prayers of praise.
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I hear you, Jesusgirl71, we don't carry "everything" to God in Prayer nor do we "Surrender All" no matter how boldly we sing the words. Praying that For All Of Us! Because imagine the change that would bring to us all. Oh, God, arms full, head full, body full, relationships full…Bringing it all and plopping it right at your feet..GIVING UP ALL!
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How I needed this today! I received a call a couple of days ago telling me my hours have to be cut at work. A first I'm thinking " this can be a good thing" because lately I've been feeling overworked and too tired to enjoy life and maybe it's what God wants .BUT I am so totally into details and have controlling issues at work…..like I need to do it all. Plus fear about money and paying the bills keeps me hanging on to those controlling issues. Since joining in with all you wonderful ladies I have been praying for answers to this. I KNOW God is in control and able to see and handle all these things….yet I still fall back into these same thoughts and patterns.. UGH!!!!! Please pray for and with me that I don't let this continue and that I may find answers that will work.
Thanks so much!-
Praying God's will and intervention into your work situation, knowing He has good things in mind for you. I understand hating to lose control of the bits and pieces…I am so that way…praying for us both that we can commit all these threads of control we think we have to his strong and able hands.
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I am praying for u. He truly has the whole world in his hands. He’s got you girl. I to struggle with or did struggled with control issues, especially at work. No one could do it like me. I increased my overtime by 30 hrs, yep! I was working sometimes 70 hrs a week. I lived in my office. Wow, I look back now and I should da been committed lol. Well one evening after working a 16 hr day as I exited my floor I was thrown from an elevator. I was rushed to the hospital. The injuries I sustained kept me at home for a long time. Workers compensation was a joke and I had been on my job long enough to receive 100% disability. I was worried and frantic. Oh but for my heaveningly father who whispered to me on many occassions , Baby girl I got this! I watched God do it all. I had more with less. Nothing was cut off or repossed. And most importantly God taught me to walk n what I already knew, He is my source, he supplies our every need. Sunbee God has gotcha, he’s got a plan. Believe it or not when I returned to work in 3 months my department closed and I was among 250 laid off. But God had a plan, he had already prepared me. I knew that if He could keep me in that thing he surely would keep me in this thing. Recession is just a procession for God’s children. Nowdays I get excited when I see or hear of trouble coming. I can’t wait for God to show up and show out! Believe it or not manytime he’s already
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He’s already been there.
Sunbee he is not a respector of persons. A way has been made.
And in the midst he teaches us how to relinquish control of things
That we really have no control over.
God grant you peace in the midst of your storm.
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