Try Writing Out Your Prayers

Current Teaching Series 40 Days of Prayer

Try Writing Out Your Prayers By Rick Warren — Apr 14, 2018 “The Lord gave me this answer: ‘Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance’” (Habakkuk 2:2 GNT). If you want to hear God speak, you need to withdraw to a quiet place, wait patiently and expectantly, ask God to give you a picture of what he wants to say to you, and then write down God’s responses to your questions. In the book of Habakkuk, the Lord commands the author to “write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance” (Habakkuk 2:2 GNT). That’s how we got the book of Habakkuk. In chapter one, Habakkuk wrote down what he said to God. And in chapter two, he wrote down what God said back to him. That’s also how we got the book of Psalms; many of those psalms came directly from David’s quiet time. David meditated on the first five books of the Bible, the Torah, and then he wrote down his thoughts, and they’re called psalms. In many of the psalms, he starts out with what he’s feeling and then ends up with what God says. If your prayer life is stuck in a rut, and you tend to pray the same things over and over —“God, be with this person” or “Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies” — then here’s what you need to do: Start writing out your prayers. “What? You mean I don’t have to say them?” That’s right! Writing them down is a prayer. God can hear it in your thoughts. Just write it down. Is it okay to write out a prayer and then read it? Of course it is. When you’re writing it, you’re praying. When you’re reading it, you’re praying. This is called the spiritual habit of journaling, and it’s one that all Christians should understand and practice. A journal is not a diary. A diary is about the things you did. A journal is about the lessons you learned — the mistakes you made and what God has taught you from those things. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over What are different ways of writing things down besides paper and pen that you’re more comfortable with? What has God been teaching you that you can journal about today? Start a prayer by writing down your answers to these questions: What attributes of God do you love? Who in your life needs God’s intervention? How do you need God to provide for you? What can you thank God for today?

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Series Summary Session 1: Do You Really Want to Grow Up? Session 2: A Beginner's Guide to Prayer Session 3: Who Do You Think You Are Talking To? Session 4: Praying in Five Dimensions Session 5: How To Pray Throughout Your Day Session 6: How To Pray for Healing and Restoration Session 7: When God says "No" PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at pastorrick.com. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, which has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered around the world. This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe