Pentecost

One of my very favorite places in all of Scripture is Acts chapters 1-2. In the first chapter, we’re told that the disciples gathered as one in an upper room for prayer (Acts 1:14). In the second chapter, we read that God moved mightily in that place—filling those gathered with His Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) just as Jesus had promised (Luke 24:49). The church was born on that marvelous first Pentecost Day. Friends, just as God honored that prayer meeting two thousand years ago, He will surely do the same today. Let’s start gathering together to lift up our voices to God more often. Surely, we will see the winds of God blowing and the fire of the Spirit falling afresh in our day. Now that’s something to pray about!

Psalms

Psalm 4:1 reads: “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.” David, the man after God’s own heart, had such a poetic way of weaving his deep heart cries into songs that would eventually come to be recognized as the Psalms we read in Scripture. Throughout church history, God’s people have turned to Psalms like this one in times of prayer because of their heartfelt emotion and relatability. Let me encourage you to read through a few Psalms this week. Let the words on the page become your own prayers. Surely, the same God who drew near to David will draw near to you. Now that’s something to pray about!

Motherhood

“My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47). Those were the first few words of a song that Mary sang when she was pregnant with her Baby, Jesus. I find it fascinating that God made sure this motherly melody was recorded in Scripture. I tend to think that the Lord takes extra notice when mothers sing and pray, because, well, nobody loves quite like mom. So whether you’re expecting like Mary was, or your kids are grown—or somewhere in between—always remember that God is listening, and He loves you more than you love your children. Now here are my three oldest boys—Caleb, Noah and Joshua—to sign us off, “Now that’s something to pray about! Love you, Mom!”

Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:10 says that Jabez called on the God of Israel. He prayed, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” And God granted his request! You know, sometimes we can feel like we’ve caused too much trouble in our past for God to listen to our prayers. Maybe even Jabez felt like this at times. Keep in mind that, as a follower of Jesus, you’re a new creation. God—the same God Jabez prayed to—now looks at you with favor and delight. So pray with confidence. Your loving Father in Heaven is eager to answer your faith-filled prayers. Now that’s something to pray about!

Teach Us To Pray

“Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1) is what one of the disciples said to Jesus as He finished a time of prayer. I tend to think that this particular disciple, as well as the others, were beginning to make the connection between Jesus’ prayer life, and the power He ministered with. Nobody had heard teaching quite like this Rabbi. He had tremendous authority on His words. He healed all manner of sicknesses. He commanded demons to depart and they obeyed. Jesus spent much time alone talking to His Father in Heaven, which is what He then taught His disciples to do. Brothers and sisters, let’s regain this “teach us to pray” mentality once again. We need the power of God in our churches like never before. Now that’s something to pray about!