Pray Each Day With Scotty Smith Using Your Smart Phone

I’ve made it no secret that my own prayer life has been enriched by including the daily prayers of Scotty Smith.  First in his book Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith and now with his daily “prayer blog” Heavenward on TheGospelCoalition.org blog list, I join him in prayer daily.

Things have gotten better – or at least easier – to do that.

If you have a smart phone search your app store – available free on both Apple and Android – for the PrayerMate app developed by Andy Geers.  Click Here to learn more about PrayerMate from Andy himself.

Just Assume You Don’t Get It

Just assume you don’t get “it.”  “It” being the Gospel of grace.

One of the most honest and important steps any person can take towards growing in Christ, is to simply accept the fact that you don’t really live by the Gospel.  Take that step in your thinking, and you will be open to repenting and then pursuing the Gospel.  Think that you “have got the gospel” and you will want to “move on” to whatever you think is next.  And in that, you step away from the Gospel.

What Do My Friends and Family Hear From Me?

I was deeply moved this morning by Scotty Smith's prayer for the day from his blog Heavenward.  Click Here for the entire prayer post.

This is our defining and delighting identity as your church—your called-out, beloved people.

     Our organization and flow charts don’t define us.  Our ecclesiastical heritage and theological nuancing don’t define us. Our worship style and pulpit don’t define us. Our mission statement and ministries don’t define us. Your unbreakable commitment to us and inexhaustible love for us are what make us who we are, and thrill us beyond all imagining, Lord Jesus.

     We are the people upon whom you have set your heart, for whom you gave your life, and to whom you are returning as a great Bridegroom. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! There’s no other relationship that comes close to offering the peace, joy and hope as your relationship with us.

Learning to "Pray The Scriptures"

Have you ever heard someone use the expression "praying the Scriptures?"  It's easy to wonder just what they are referring to.  Is it using a Bible text as a special chant?  Is it reading the Bible and calling it prayer?

People at Christ Covenant have heard me mention how my own prayer life has been revitalized and deepened by using Scotty Smith's Heavenward website as part of my regular devotional time.  His April 17th prayer - A Prayer for Measuring the Measureless Riches of Grace - is a great example of "praying the Scripture," in this case Psalm103.  I include the entire post below:

Resources for Your Prayer Life

Cultivating a prayer fruitful life requires more than collecting lists and forms for prayer.  At it's core, prayer is a conversation between the Heavenly Father and His child.  When I look for resources to encourage my own prayer life or to share with others, that is the goal I have in mind.  Does this resource cultivate conversation?  Or does it replace conversation? 

Here are some specific suggestions.

Learning To Pray

I want to pass on to you the most inspiring prayer resource that I have encountered in many years.  "Heavenward" is  a blog by Scotty Smith, pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN.  Each day he posts a prayer.  Each prayer is now a part of own my daily time with my Heavenly Father. There is no better resource for learning to pray from a "gospel of grace" perspective that I have been able to find.

You can go directly to the blog by clicking here.  Once there, mark that in your browser and then pray daily with Scotty, just as I do.  There is even a link on that page to have the prayer emailed to you each day.  Do whatever works best for you, but don't miss the opportunity to see your prayer life grow and the roots of your heart dig deeper into the gospel of grace.  Let me encourage you by giving you a taste of today's prayer: