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How to Pray - Prayer Ideas

Ever get stuck into a routine of prayer that has become boring or dull?  Here are some helpful ideas to apply prayer in a new and deeper way!


 “Those who know God the best are the richest and most powerful in prayer. Little acquaintance with God, and strangeness and coldness to Him, make prayer a rare and feeble thing.” - E. M. Bounds

PRAYER IDEAS


Here are some suggestions for prayer...

1.      Pray over the names of God.  Reflect on who He is and adore Him (from God Is by Ken Hemphill)
a.      Alpha (beginning), Omega (end),  Our Advocate, the Almighty, the Author & Finisher, the Beloved Son, the Bread of Life, the Bright Morning Star, Captain of our Salvation, the Chief Shepherd, the Cornerstone, Our Creator, Our Counselor, Our Deliverer, the Door, the Faithful Witness, Everlasting Father, the First Begotten, the Good Shepherd, the Great High Priest, the Holy Child, the Head of the Church, the Great I AM, Immanuel, Jesus, the Just One, the Life, the Lamb of God, the Light of the World, the Lion of Judah, the Lord of All, the Lord of Glory, Our Master, the Man of Sorrows, Our Mediator, the Messiah, the Mighty God, Our Redeemer, the Prince of Peace, Our Rock, the Resurrection & the Life, Our Savior, the Rose of Sharon, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the True Light, the True Vine, the Truth, Wonderful, the Word of God, & the Way

2.      Pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6)

3.      Pick a Psalm and pray through it, reflecting how you might be feeling and thinking in a similar way or situation
a.      150 Psalms – 5 per day

4.      ACTS
a.      Adoration (of God)
b.      Confession (of sins)
c.      Thanksgiving (for His work)
d.      Supplication (how can you ask God to help you or others)
                                                              i.      Spend time praying over each of these areas

5.      Remain in silence – reflect on how the Lord is working upon your life

6.      Pray for Missionaries – International, across North America, & Military chaplains

7.      Pray over the 10 commandments and ask for forgiveness of those you have broken (Exodus 20)

8.      Journal out (write) down a prayer

9.      Write your sins on a dry erase board or a piece of paper.  Pray for forgiveness and then erase them or tear up the paper.

10. Pray out loud.

11. Pray for five of your friends by name.

12. Pray for Students, Families, Children, or Senior Adults at your church by name.

13. Pray for a non-believer by name.  Pray for a struggling Christian by name.

14. Pray for the leaders of your church:  Staff. Lay leadership. Sunday School teachers. Volunteers.

15. Pray for five members of your family by name.

16. Pray for opportunities to witness and for boldness and courage to do so.

17. Pray for increased growth in your own spiritual walk with Christ: Bible Reading, Prayer, Worship, Stewardship, Service, etc..

18. Thank God because we are: the salt of the earth, the light of the world, witnesses of the Gospel, branches in God’s vine, friends of Jesus, called by Christ, Saints of God, justified before God, walking in newness of life, in the Spirit, Sons of God, more than conquerors, one body, strong for the weak, filled with God’s goodness, not Spiritually lacking, in Christ Jesus, God’s field and building, God’s temple, the Members of Christ, known by God, the Aroma of Christ, given over to death, protected from Fear of Death, a new creation, ambassadors for Christ, strong when we are weak, crucified with Christ, heirs with Christ, sons and not slaves, not under the law, sealed with the Holy Spirit, created to do good, fellow citizens with the Saints, Christ’s household, not quitters, protected by God’s power, God’s people, blessed when we are cursed, called God’s children, from God (from We Are by Ken Hemphill)

19. Pray for strength and ways of escape with certain struggles and temptations you are dealing with.  Pray for Satan to remain far from you.

20. Prayer walk:  Walk around and pray for the areas and people you see.

21. Pray for specific needs/concerns of others.

22. Pray for your future spouse or children (if the Lord wills).

23. Randomly open your Bible and pray over the Scripture you read.  Reflect how you may have experienced or are experiencing similar things.

24. Pray freely as you feel led.

25. Pray an ancient prayer of a Puritan (a book called: Valley of Vision)

26. Pray through a church prayer sheet or bulletin.

27. Pray standing up.  Kneeling.  Sitting down.  Laying down.

28. Pray every morning.  Pray every evening.

29. Pray in a group over each others needs/requests and as you feel led

30. Pray as you watch the news. As you are sitting in class.  As you are driving a car (eyes open!)


  1. Pray when you receive news by email, text message, phone calls, or Facebook.

"The life, power, and glory of the church is prayer…without it, the church is lifeless and powerless” – E.M. Bounds

How to Pray - Prayer Truths

Ever struggle with praying?  Not know how to pray?  Here are some good truths about prayer to help direct you towards starting or deepening a habit of prayer!

Personal Prayer(Matthew 6:5-15, ESV)

Prayer is Personal Conversation

v.5-6 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Prayer is Meaningful Conversation
v.7-8 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” 

Prayer is God-Focused Conversation
v.9 Pray then like this:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12  & forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.


14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Bible Verses on the Death of Babies and Children: Scriptural Help in Times of Abortion, Miscarriage, Illness, and Accidents


When babies or children die, the pain of parents, family and friends is immense.  Whether the situation is from an intentional act (abortion or crimes) or an unintentional act (miscarriage, illness, accidents), grief abounds.  Tough questions arise.  Answers are sought.

What happens to babies or children who die before they are mature enough to respond to the Gospel? John MacArthur helpfully and succinctly answers this question, "Instant heaven."

Here are 5 Bible Verses that are helpful to seeing these truths:

  1. David's Response to the Death of His Baby (punishment for his adultery with Bathsheba):  David realizes he will be united in heaven with his child one day. “Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ 22 He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.’” (2 Samuel 12:21-23, ESV)
  2. Entry into the Promised Land is Granted to Young Children.  Why? Israel's sin of rebellion against God (for not entering into the promised land) was held only against those who were mature enough to discern between good and evil. “And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.” (Deuteronomy 1:39, ESV)
  3. Job's Response to Suffering: Job realized that to be stillborn was better than to be alive.  Why?  Job understood stillborn babies to be in heaven.  “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire? ...13 For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest 16 Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light? ...17 there the weary are at rest.” (Job 3:11-17, ESV) 
  4. King Solomon's comparison of living a prosperous, long-lived life with that a stillborn child. Who is better off? A stillborn child who "finds rest."  "If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he." (Ecclesiastes 6:3-5, ESV)
  5. When unbelieving parents sacrifice their children for their own selfish purposes, God refers to them as "innocents." This implies God’s grace in looking upon them as innocent."Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kinds of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents." (Jeremiah 19:4, ESV). 

Are babies and infants conceived in sin? Do they sin? Yes.  Are they guilty before God and deserving of eternal death?  Yes. (Original sin, inherited sin nature, total depravity) (1 Kings 8:46, Isaiah 48:8, Proverbs 20:9, Psalm 58:3; 143:2, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:3) "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."(Psalm 51:5, ESV) 

“It is true they sin, little ones sin. Little children disobey, they're selfish, they're angry, etc. But they are incapable of understanding the moral essence of that sin. They are incapable of understanding God. And they are incapable of understanding the gospel. They are incapable of exercising a true repentance toward God and a saving faith so that they are with excuse.  Whereas the pagans in Romans 1 are without excuse because they are capable of knowing and understanding the revelation God has given them in creation and conscience and they are capable of faith. So unbelief for them is a willful choice. ” John MacArthur

Does God’s grace cover those babies and children who die?  Yes. The weight of Scripture points to them being safe in God's grace.  

“All children who die before they reach the condition of accountability by which they convincingly understand their sin and corruption and embrace the gospel by faith are graciously saved eternally by God through the work of Jesus Christ being elect by sovereign choice, innocent of willful sin, rebellion and unbelief by which works they would be justly condemned to eternal punishment. “ John MacArthur

Want to know more?  Click HERE to find more answers and resources on the topic...


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