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I tell those who are close to my age or older how I pray asking God to save me from being an old Christian man who becomes a fool. I say that because Noah was one prime example of such a man.

“Lord, don’t let me become a wicked old man.” – George Mueller

My guess is that there is not one of us who does not face the constant struggle against sin. Serious prayer is what I am doing. To that prayer I add other serious types of prayer. One being that I need to be praying for individuals to become disciple makers.

As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  So he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in.  Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest.” – Matthew 9:36-38 GNT

The background for this type of prayer comes from Jesus’ own travels. He looked at individuals and saw them as ones who needed a shepherd. I believe my prayer needs to be one of compassion – illustrates why prayer is so essential to reaching the lost. Ezra has some more serious types of prayer to give us.

When the time came for the evening sacrifice, I got up from where I had been grieving, and still wearing my torn clothes, I knelt in prayer and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God.  I said, “O God, I am too ashamed to raise my head in your presence. Our sins pile up higher than our heads; they reach as high as the heavens. – Ezra 9:5-6 GNT

This was Ezra’s prayer, but he prayed it before everyone during the evening sacrifice (3:00pm). He showed them what serious prayer sounded like.

“The officiating minister is not merely to pray before the congregation, while the people kneel as silent auditors. His prayer is designed to guide and help their prayers, so that there may be ‘common prayer’ throughout the whole assembly” Adeney

Serious prayer usually lands me on my knees too and when I need to surrender or show God I am all in or even ready to receive, I can be found with my hands all the way up in the air above my head.

Do you think Stephen’s prayer was serious as he was being stoned? Do you think it had a serious effect on Paul who was listening?

As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”

 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said.  “But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.” – Acts 9:3-6 GNT

There was something working on Saul’s conscience despite all of his outward confidence. I believe Stephen’s serious prayer mattered.

I want very much to succeed in the world with what I want to do. I have prayed to You about this with my mind and my nerves on it and strung my nerves into a tension over it and said, “oh God, please,” and “I must,” and “please, please.” I have not asked You, I feel, in the right way. Let me henceforth ask You with resignation—that not being or meant to be a slacking up in prayer but a less frenzied kind, realizing that the frenzy is caused by an eagerness for what I want and not a spiritual trust. I do not wish to presume. I want to love.

Oh God please make my mind clear.

Please make it clean. – Flannery O’Connor