Praying back the Scriptures a Quiet time skill

Daily Growth for March 7

Daily Prayer

http://www.kenboa.org

I have several ways to have a quiet time. In my late 20s, a friend of mine Daniel from Grand Rapids used to go up onto John Ball Park that overlooks the city of Grand Rapids. At 5 o'clock in the morning we would pray by rewriting scripture with personal pronouns. We were praying to start a ministry where nobody had a Ministry. As we looked over the city our eyes went where nobody had a ministry.

Many years ago I came across a three month devotional written by Ken Boa, Face to Face. Thoughtfully Ken put scriptures to be prayed with with the appropriate Time for responses. The book is well worth your investment. Today you can get these daily prayers email to you when you go to his site. Over the years I use them from time to time to give purpose in my quiet time. 

Below is a Sunday adaption and the responses are geared to worship. In the daily guides there are more responses to pray for others. The (blue) text is the actual Scriptures Ken paraphrase from. You can appreciate Ken's approach (black) and careful work. The (brown) text gives you a glimpse of my responses in my quiet time today. What I benefited from was my mind focusing on the prayer. If you did this your response would be different.

A healthy quiet time uses several techniques. So in that spirit here is one more, keep walking

Adapted from Simple Prayers

Daily Prayer Day 66

I DRAW NEAR TO YOU, GOD

I praise You, Lord, that You are intimately acquainted with my ways and that You always love me and have my best interests at heart.

May I not be like those who draw near to You with their mouths and honor You with their lips, but whose hearts are far from You, and whose reverence for You is made up only of rules taught by men.  (Isaiah 29:13)

13 "The Lord said: Because these people approach Me with their mouths to honor Me with lip-service — yet their hearts are far from Me, and their worship consists of man-made rules learned by rote" —HCSB

As I am praying I am aware I am talking to God. I am not concern with man-made rules to please people; but I am focused on talking to God and His point of view.

I desire not only to call You Lord but to do what You say.  By Your grace, I will come to You, hear Your words, and put them into practice.  Then I will be like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock, and when a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  (Luke 6:46-48)

“Is there something that I should obey God about? There may be something I'm already thinking about? Can I focus on what it is? Is there some principle I should be putting into action? I want to build on the foundation of obeying God. It has been my experience that God is interested important things. Man-made rules tend to obsess over on unimportant details."

46 “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn't shake it, because it was well built. HCSB

Take a moment to offer this day to the Lord and ask Him for the grace to grow in your knowledge and love for Him.

"Lord may think on and learn things today that are beneficial. What I experience and learn increase my love for you and others. Lord may “my little grey cells” increase in my care for you and others grow".

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

Jesus is Your beloved Son in whom You are well pleased.  (Matthew 3:17; 17 And there came a voice from heaven: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him! HCSB 

Mark 1:11; 11 And a voice came from heaven: You are My beloved Son; I take delight in You! HCSB 

Luke 3:22) 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You! HCSB 

“To actually hear your voice Lord, I cannot wait to know you by sight and not just by faith. In faith I hear your wonderful voice as you look down and you were pleased with your Son. May you look down and be pleased with me.”

Apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  (Romans 3:21-24) 

"Lord because what Christ did on the cross, I've been forgiven and accepted in the beloved. I did not earn it, but it was given in grace. As a child of the King I know you work through me to do practical steps of righteousness in the power the spirit. I know it today if You want me to say encouraging things and you also want me to do acts of kindness, acts that are beneficial for my self and others, respond with the quiet strength of gentleness that can turn away wrath."

21 But now, apart from the law, God's righteousness has been revealed — attested by the Law and the Prophets22 — that is, God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by His grace through the •redemption that is in Christ Jesus. HCSB 

I LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS OF TRUTH

You have loved me with an everlasting love; You have drawn me with lovingkindness.  (Jeremiah 31:3)

3 the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you. HCSB 

“Thank you for loving me before I love you. Thank you for all the people you brought into my life to draw me to you. Thank you for Judy, Bob, Harvey and Chuck who help me find you despite all the chaos in ignorance. Thank you for Good News for Modern Man as you began to reveal yourself to me in your word.”

MY RESPONSE TO YOU, LORD

I will be strong and courageous, and act.  I will not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God is with me.  He will not fail me or forsake me.  (1 Chronicles 28:20) 20 Then David said to his son Solomon, 

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He won't leave you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the Lord's house is finished. HCSB 

"Thank you Lord for being with me when I was depressed, attacked with anxiety's and overcome with negative emotions. Your presence was ever with me then and I thank you for the support of Barb and my children who intervened for me at that very scary time. I thank you Lord for being with me now providing needed exercise that I can do. Lord, thank you for being with me as I get older reminding me life has challenges that are filled with joy. I thank you Lord that the 'fat lady' is not singing and I can live for you today.”

What is my hope or joy or crown of rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus at His coming?  My glory and joy is the people in whose lives I have been privileged to have a ministry.  (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

“Lord I thank you today and give you praise for my three Liberian boys whom I taught, trained, and included in my ministry as we traveled through the bush. Thank you for the three that protected me in the jungle and helped me to talk to people of a different language. They have survived war, deadly disease, poverty and loss of parents. Thank you that the relationship I had with the boys has helped them become men, men of faith, pastoring and caring for their families. It is more than I could of hoped for.”

19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy!

HCSB

Lord, I thank You for Your beloved Son and for the righteousness which comes through faith in Him.  I thank You for loving me with an everlasting love, and I ask that I would act with courage and hope.

"Amen"