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“What you pray for reflects what you believe about God.”

A thought by Craig Groeschel from his book, Altar Ego: Becoming Who God Says You Are (p. 178). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Ok, that thought caught my attention and it looks like it did you too.

Craig says, “What you pray for, or what you don’t pray for, reflects what you believe about who God is, what his character is like, and his disposition toward us, his children. It’s as if the words we use in our prayers are like pieces of mirrored glass, each one reflecting our beliefs about the one we’re addressing.”

He goes on, “For example, if you don’t pray at all, then you likely don’t believe in God or don’t believe he answers prayer. If you pray very small prayers all of the time, you probably don’t really believe in a God who answers big prayers. If almost all of your prayers are for yourself and your own well-being — ‘bless me, help me, comfort me, be with me’ — then this reflects your belief that God is there to serve you. People who hold this belief, whether they admit it or not, often end up getting angry and disgruntled if God doesn’t give them what they asked for.”  Have you ever been angry with God?

Craig later says, “No matter what we prayed for last week, I’m convinced that if we really want to make a big difference in this life, we must learn to pray some very bold prayers.”

He then gets personal, “I dare you to ask God to use you in other people’s lives today. Pray, ‘Lord, use me today, use me for your glory, make me bold, stir me up, give me eyes to see the needs of those I work with, give me a heart sensitive to those who are hurting, give me a prompting of the Spirit to minister to those who are around me.’ You pray and you watch as God will do something in you, and that stirs you up with boldness for his glory.”

And this prayer, “Father, I ask that in your presence, you would stir me to real, deep, and growing faith in you. You know me too well. I kind of pray smaller prayers or more self-centered prayers, and I really want to pray some bold prayers. I want to believe you for big things. I want what I pray for to reflect what I believe about you. And I want to live in the truth that you are all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing. I truly believe that all things are possible with you. I ask for boldness so that I may make a bold difference for your kingdom. In the name of your Son, Amen.”

For some it starts with 1 John 1:9, “But If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness?”

Is that the prayer you want to pray? 
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