"The interactive life of working with God to bring his Kingdom to bear on our reality."
Definition: A relational, ongoing conversation and engagement with God that develops intimacy and attentiveness to His movements.
What it is NOT: It is not a mechanical ritual, a way to move or impress God, or a tool for personal gain.
Jesus’ Model: Jesus’ constant prayer was not a religious obligation, but a lifeline of intimacy. It served as the continuous, transformative process of yielding His human desires to the Father’s perfect will, ensuring that His every action—from the start of His ministry to His final sacrifice—was an expression of complete, unified obedience.
Types of Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer: The teaching of Jesus on how to pray: Simple & complete. (I called “The Prayer Jesus Recommended”)
Intercessory Prayer: Structured time praying Jesus’ prayers for others, from heaven to earth.
Listening Prayer: Remaining quiet and receptive to hearing God’s leading.
Examen Reflection: Reviewing the day to notice God’s presence and work
Crafted Prayer: Taking time with Holy Spirit to discover what Jesus is praying over you or what He wants to highlight. Write it down and edit it light of His character. Then edit it into a prayer to pray over yourself.
Crafted Psalm: Processing your crisis through the character and nature of God in the form of a psalm.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:9–13; Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17
This week:
Add these weekly spiritual disciplines to your personal devotion times:
Pray The Prayer Jesus Recommended 3x (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
And two other prayer disciplines listed below (every other day)
TIP
Remember, remove all distractions, fully engage your attention on the Father, go slow, be thoughtful and intentional.
REMEMBER: Jesus taught us how to pray, so we could see the Father.
How to pray:
The practices & downloads
See Also
Inspired by:
Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. 40th anniversary ed. New York: HarperOne, 2018.
Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1988.