{"id":3812,"date":"2017-06-06T13:15:49","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T17:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/?p=3812"},"modified":"2017-06-06T13:18:20","modified_gmt":"2017-06-06T17:18:20","slug":"a-prayer-for-boldness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html","title":{"rendered":"A Prayer for Bold Conversations"},"content":{"rendered":"

I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power\u2026 (Psalm 71:15)<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2026I will tell everyone that you alone are just. (Psalm 71:16)<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long\u2026 (Psalm 71:24)<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2026I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. (Psalm 73:28)<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"10997835056_2006b594f3_z\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sometimes phrases are expressed as though they were Gospel when they\u2019re most definitely not. Case in point:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPreach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.\u201d Since when do clever quotes supplant the Word of God? <\/span><\/p>\n

Just about every day!<\/span><\/p>\n

The Psalmist has a different take on sharing what he\u2019s learned about God and how deeply he treasures the Lord\u2019s love for him \u2013 He talks\u00a0about it constantly\u00a0to everyone who will listen.\u00a0 <\/span>Not just once in a while but, \u201cAll day long\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Hide it under a bushel?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes!\u201d screams the new cultural lyrics. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hide it under a bushel?
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Let it shine! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are the light of the world\u2014like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cLet your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you (Isaiah 60:1).\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Shine on! <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Perhaps you don\u2019t feel you have much to offer in the way of shining light. That\u2019s okay! I’ll let you in on a little secret: \u00a0Nobody does! We all just need to go to Jesus, look to the radiance of His beaming face and soak in His rays. The glow of His love for us and our intimacy in his presence will be reflected to others, and conversations will begin \u2013 conversations that are testimonies to the specific things God has done in our lives. <\/span><\/p>\n

For example, I meet someone who is depressed, and I simply share how God delivered me from depression. I meet someone in pain, and I testify to how God healed me. I meet someone whose marriage is struggling, and I share how God saved my marriage from destruction. I meet someone who is on the brink of giving into temptation, and I share how God spared me great sorrow by giving me grace to say no to the allurements of the enemy of my soul\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell everyone!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Why? <\/span><\/p>\n

Because they need what you have! You have been given the keys to abundant life and joy unspeakable. You have eaten of the fruit of the Spirit that every human hungers for! You have drunk from the fountain that truly quenches what you were thirsty for. <\/span><\/p>\n

We are all ravenous for real life, and only God can offer that through His Son Jesus and the gift of Holy Spirit, our nearest and dearest Advocate. <\/span><\/p>\n

Do you desire to be more bold in your verbal expressions of all that God has done for you? <\/span><\/p>\n

Pray this plain and simple prayer with us!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Father,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I have lived so much of my life in a fantasy bubble, thinking that all I need to worry about is me, myself and I, thinking,\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAs long as I\u2019m saved, forgiven, and all that, I can mind my own business and go on my merry way.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Forgive me! Oh, Jesus, You did not live Your life that way. You modeled a life that was lived on the basis of what You could do for others, indeed for all mankind. Get me out of my selfish bubble, and out there to share Your joy, Your love, Your smile, and Your hope with every human being I brush up against today. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Would You please go before me so my efforts to share Your love with others isn\u2019t forced? I want my testimony to be expressed\u00a0as naturally as I breathe! Teach me how. I know You will. I receive Your wisdom on this new journey of sharing Your love.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I make myself, my schedule, my calendar, my agenda, my appointments, my to-do lists, and all my day available to You, Sir, for I am Yours to command.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I love You! Thank You for setting me free from myself, my baggage, my broken history, and all the tangles this life has employed\u00a0to keep me down. I\u2019m free in You, and I am going to share that freedom with everyone I encounter today.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In Jesus\u2019 Name,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Amen!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Photo credit: raiznext via Foter.com \/ CC BY<\/p>\n

\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power\u2026 (Psalm 71:15) \u2026I will tell everyone that you alone are just. (Psalm 71:16) I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long\u2026 (Psalm 71:24) \u00a0\u2026I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. (Psalm 73:28) Sometimes phrases…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":478,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,15,7,4,25,3,1],"tags":[2109,874,2110,2111],"class_list":["post-3812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible","category-bible-prayer","category-daily-prayer","category-god","category-jesus","category-prayer","category-uncategorized","tag-evangelism","tag-good-news","tag-gospel","tag-sharing-your-faith"],"yoast_head":"\nA Prayer for Bold Conversations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Prayer for Bold Conversations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power\u2026 (Psalm 71:15) \u2026I will tell everyone that you alone are just. (Psalm 71:16) I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long\u2026 (Psalm 71:24) \u00a0\u2026I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. (Psalm 73:28) Sometimes phrases…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Prayer, Plain and Simple\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-06-06T17:15:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-06-06T17:18:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/files\/2017\/06\/10997835056_2006b594f3_z-300x177.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark and Jill Herringshaw\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Prayer for Bold Conversations","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"nofollow"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Prayer for Bold Conversations","og_description":"I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power\u2026 (Psalm 71:15) \u2026I will tell everyone that you alone are just. (Psalm 71:16) I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long\u2026 (Psalm 71:24) \u00a0\u2026I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. (Psalm 73:28) Sometimes phrases…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html","og_site_name":"Prayer, Plain and Simple","article_published_time":"2017-06-06T17:15:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2017-06-06T17:18:20+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/files\/2017\/06\/10997835056_2006b594f3_z-300x177.jpg"}],"author":"Mark and Jill Herringshaw","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html","name":"A Prayer for Bold Conversations","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/files\/2017\/06\/10997835056_2006b594f3_z-300x177.jpg","datePublished":"2017-06-06T17:15:49+00:00","dateModified":"2017-06-06T17:18:20+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/#\/schema\/person\/29563cda917dd596f93dba2ff3a7fedf"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/files\/2017\/06\/10997835056_2006b594f3_z-300x177.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/files\/2017\/06\/10997835056_2006b594f3_z-300x177.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/06\/a-prayer-for-boldness.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A Prayer for Bold Conversations"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/","name":"Prayer, Plain and Simple","description":"Prayer, Daily Prayer, Simple Prayers, Quick Prayers, Prayer Requests","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/#\/schema\/person\/29563cda917dd596f93dba2ff3a7fedf","name":"Mark and Jill Herringshaw","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/94f\/94fb184ea80985d82e603e3d8dd0056bx96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/94f\/94fb184ea80985d82e603e3d8dd0056bx96.jpg","caption":"Mark and Jill Herringshaw"},"description":"Mark and Jill Herringshaw and their four children have been ministering in their local church since 1990. Jill is an accomplished worship leader and recording artist with several CDs in Target stores\u2019 \u201cLifescapes\u201d collection. Mark is the former pastor of the 7,000 member North Heights Lutheran Church. He holds a Ph.D. in leadership from Regent University, is the author of three books and a recognized conference speaker.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/author\/mherringshaw1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/478"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3812"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3819,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3812\/revisions\/3819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}