Ernest Smith

How do I pray? What do I pray for? Have you ever asked these questions?

I have been in ministry a long time and I get asked one of these questions quite regularly. I love the question because it shows someone’s willingness to push the awkwardness of not knowing so that they can have a deeper intimacy with Jesus. I also love these questions because I asked these very questions myself.

I began learning how to pray not just through people in my life helping me, but through reading some of the prayers in the Bible. I began to understand what was important and what should I be praying for. I also began to understand how I am to pray. HINT: Be yourself…talk to God like you talk to others.

One of my favorite examples of prayer in the Bible is Romans 1:8-11 which says,

^8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ^9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you ^10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.^11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you.

I love this example of prayer so much we have it hanging on our living room wall and the Scripture reference was engraved inside of my first wedding band. Don’t ask why I have had more than 1 wedding band and only one marriage. J

This passage tells us that we should be praying for people in our lives all the time. That we should thank God for them and then pray that God would bless them and allow us a chance to bless them.

Let’s practice that today. Take time today and write down the names of people in your life and thank God for them. Then, pray that God would give you a chance this week to bless them in some way. What a cool prayer to pray for our church and for people God has placed in your life.

Prayer Focus – Day Six: Each campus of Front Range 

Pray for each of the three campuses at Front Range. Pray for Mesa, that God would use the people at that campus to reach the east side of Castle Rock. That God would bless that school and the relationship we have with them. Pray for the theater campus, that God would use that campus to be a blessing to the Meadows people and those who live on the west side of Castle Rock. Pray for the online campus, that God would create great community with them and use that campus as a front door to the church like it has been for so many already.