Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. My faith connects me to the God who made the universe, the earth, and me. In the Person of God the Father, He is my Abba (Daddy), Creator, Sustainer, and Healer; in the Person of Jesus Christ, He is my Lord, Savior, Brother, and Friend; in the Person of the Holy Spirit, He is my Guide, Comforter, Teacher, and Intercessor. He is all this and ever so much more. Indeed, He is everything to me. Without Him, I am nothing. Without Him, I can do nothing. But with Him, I can do all things, because He strengthens me. How does He strengthen me? Through daily communication with Him—God talking to me, and me talking to God. This happens when I pray and read the Bible, waiting quietly to hear His still small voice.

Over the years my relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit has become increasingly real. My salvation is not just my ticket to heaven anymore. Now, it is my way of life here on earth. Am I perfect? No. But God, in His mercy, is chipping away at my imperfection and conforming me, ever so slowly, into the likeness of His dear Son.

But something else had to happen first. This relationship had to have a beginning. For, you see, I was not always a child of God. Nor were you. Every man, woman, boy, and girl who was ever born, was born with a sin nature, passed down to us from Adam through the fall. We were God’s enemies from birth, prone to follow our own will and reject His. But God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to become sin for us, that we could become righteous before Him. We accept the righteousness of Christ by faith. This is the only way to please a holy God. This is where the relationship begins. If you have not accepted the gift of salvation, then the first prayer you need to pray is the one asking God to forgive you of your sins. I will not provide you with that prayer, because that is between you and God alone. No man can put those words in your mouth. But I will share the message briefly with you here, and if you need more, I will gladly talk with you further if you will contact me. God’s plan of salvation is demonstrated in both the Old and New Testaments because it is the message of the entire Bible to the entire world.

Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

There are many promises connected to praying according to God’s will. And how better to pray according to God’s will than to pray the Word of God? If you search online and in bookstores, you will find a plethora of collections of prayers taken directly from the Scriptures. I too have begun to compile my own collection of prayers from the Scriptures, beginning with the Psalms, since we have recently concluded our studies on that precious book. My Praying through the Psalms volume includes 129 prayers arranged by topic. It will be available in print and Kindle format in 2019. But beginning January 1, and continuing throughout the month, I’ll feature 31 of those prayers right here on my blog. Be sure to follow so the Prayers from the Psalms can go straight to your inbox each morning.

May the Lord bless you now and in the coming year!

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Photo taken in Milton, FL, 2018