S. O. A. P

Here’s your 90 second AM devotional!

S-cripture:

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

O-bservation:

The Great Apostle directs all who read and who claim to be followers of Christ to just pray all the time. Spiritual prayers are prayers that are private. So in a private way pray about everything, and especially pray for every one of The Lord’s people. Of course, this includes your own friends.

A-pplication:

Somehow, in order to pray all the time in a spiritual sense, we must “close out the noise” and “discipline ourselves.” Closing out the noise has to do with the media. Which as you know is self-inflicted. Disciplining ourselves has to do with talking to God about everything all the time. This activity of prayer is probably the only thing that could be termed a digital activity that our limited brains can actually engage (especially men). In my own experience, when I’m preaching I’m also praying in my mind “Oh God help me clarify that last statement,” or “Oh God Please help me present with emphasis what I’m about to say,” or “Thank you Lord that people are going to respond right now.” And YOU can study or design or build or converse with others while at the same time praying in the Spirit. And all this is being done … “When No One Even Knows.”

P-rayer:

Dear Jesus,

Today I ask that you would strengthen me to “close out the noise” in my life, like the media, in order to pray in the Spirit. Also that I would discipline myself not to wander throughout the day in my thinking. But instead to pray in the spirit about what I’ve been wondering about. Amen