Day 2 - Fresh Start Devotion
TALKING TO GOD
In any great relationship, there is a great conversation! It should not surprise you that your relationship with God is no different. God is your Heavenly Father who loves you and wants to talk to you and for you to talk to Him. You may be asking yourself, “What do I say to GOD?” It probably sounds a bit intimidating to talk to this big God you cannot see. However, don’t let it intimidate you, and don’t overcomplicate it. All you need to do is talk to God in your own words in the sincerest way possible. Talking to God is simply known as prayer, and prayer is absolutely vital to stay connected to Jesus!
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. - Hebrews 4:16 NIV
Prayer is not a religious act; it is a sincere conversation with God. Every time you talk to God you readily acknowledge that He exists and that He is real and alive at the moment! And not only does He hear our prayers, but He also responds to our prayers.
… Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him. - Hebrews 11:6 NCV
HOW SHOULD I PRAY?
There is no magical formula for prayer. No matter how you are feeling, whether you are happy or hurting, you can talk to God about any and everything. No question is too big for Him, and He’s not afraid of our doubts or our concerns. Talking to God is a great source of peace as we grow in our relationship with Him and face the challenges of life.
A good place to start to learn “how to pray” is Luke 11:2 NKJV. One day, Jesus’ disciples asked Him how to pray and He responded, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
This is simply saying that when you pray, thank God that He is your Father (“Our Father in heaven”). Tell God that He is holy, or different than anything else (“Hallowed be your name”). Tell God that you want what He wants to happen here on earth (“Your Kingdom come”). Thank God for giving you what you need (“daily bread”). Thank God for forgiveness, and take a moment to forgive others who have wronged you (“forgive us our sins”). Ask God for protection from sin and from the enemy (“do not lead…but deliver”).
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
There is no specific place, time of day or amount of time that you should talk to God. Find the best time and place that works for you. You can start by finding a quiet place to talk to God every morning before you start your day, but don’t stop there. You can pray wherever you want, whenever you want, and as often as you want.
WHY SHOULD I PRAY?
1. Jesus told us to pray.
Jesus gave the disciples the best example to follow. We read of Jesus taking time to pray in many passages throughout the Bible. Also, on a number of occasions, He told them to pray.
So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name …” - Luke 11:2 NKJV
2. Prayer reveals things.
Prayer also helps us get spiritual insight into our lives. It is through prayer that we get a Heavenly perspective. As we pray, God reveals things to us. There are things about our own lives that will be revealed to us through prayer.
“Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” - Jeremiah 33:3 NLT
3. Prayer changes things.
God hears our prayers and He responds. He sometimes responds in extraordinary ways, but oftentimes He responds in ordinary ways. However, in every way, prayer changes things in more ways than we can comprehend.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. - 1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT
THE KEY TO PRAYER
You may have wondered why Christians say, “…in Jesus’ name” at the end of every prayer. We do this because Jesus told His disciples that whenever they asked Father God for anything ask for it in His name.
TODAY’S CHALLENGE:
Pause right now and talk to God for 5 minutes. Ask Him those questions you’ve had. Put your requests before Him and pray through Luke 11 as we referenced above. Make the decision that you’re going to pray for 5 minutes every day over the next week. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father IN MY NAME, he will give it to you.” - John 16:23 ESV
Fresh Start: Beginning Your Faith Journey
As a new believer, what’s next? Being a Christian is bigger than praying and asking God into your heart. Discover what your next steps should be through seven days of encouragement in our Fresh Start: Beginning Your Faith Journey e-Book, a guide that will walk you through how to move from just believing in Jesus to becoming His disciple. Click here to download your copy today.