Prayer is a vital part of the Christian faith. It is our means of communicating with our Heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul had much to say about prayer in his many letters. In his letter to the Colossians, he states, "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart" (Colossians 4:2, NLT). What he is saying is that we should establish and maintain an active prayer life.
As we pray, we need an "alert mind" so that our enemy (Satan) does not interfere. As 1 Peter 5:8, 9 (NLT) state, "Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy....Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith." I have found that when I try to pray at times, my mind gets very distracted from the main focus of my prayer. Knowing that distraction is a tactic of Satan to keep me less focused, I am more determined than ever to keep my mind aware of other tactics he may use to prevent me from praying.
With a "thankful heart", we show our gratitude to God, our loving Heavenly Father. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) tells us that being thankful is "God's will for [us] who belong to Christ Jesus." What do we have to be thankful for? God's unconditional love, His saving grace, and His faithful promise to never leave me nor forsake me come to mind.
May God bless you all every day.
As we pray, we need an "alert mind" so that our enemy (Satan) does not interfere. As 1 Peter 5:8, 9 (NLT) state, "Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy....Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith." I have found that when I try to pray at times, my mind gets very distracted from the main focus of my prayer. Knowing that distraction is a tactic of Satan to keep me less focused, I am more determined than ever to keep my mind aware of other tactics he may use to prevent me from praying.
With a "thankful heart", we show our gratitude to God, our loving Heavenly Father. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) tells us that being thankful is "God's will for [us] who belong to Christ Jesus." What do we have to be thankful for? God's unconditional love, His saving grace, and His faithful promise to never leave me nor forsake me come to mind.
May God bless you all every day.