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Seemed like for the longest time I said the same thing over and over....I was bored so I figured God was too so I started talking to Him randomly throughout the day. If someone made me mad at work like a co-worker did one time really ticked me off I wanted to go tattle to the boss about the injustice, yes me an old 50 something year old woman wanted to go tattle tail on a mean co-worker....childish at best....God talked to my heart and pointed out that maybe Beth didn't have anyone to pray for her and that maybe I should do that so I did and did not go and tattle to the boss by the way.... It isn't that even Beth changed, but the thing is I did and eventually I even got to understand Beth a bit better and things worked out with God's help.
So angry, happy, sad, thankful I talk to God and when I have a problem this last year I have learned to just turn the whole mess over to God and say I have tried everything I know to do and it hasn't worked so I am giving the person and the problem over to You and then He seems to work it out and I trust Him to keep things going the way He wants it to. It is a real faith and trust builder and I am not driving myself crazy trying to figure out all the problems anymore. God really does move the mountains out of our way if we just learn to talk to Him and give them over to Him. He is our Dad after all He created us and knows everything about us and even knows what we are going to ask for before we pray. Sometimes I have said to Him I really don't even know what to pray and that is when the Holy Spirit comes in and speaks the desires of our heart to our Father in Heaven so it is o.k. not to know what to say sometimes as long as your heart is open to God and your ears are open to listen to what He is trying to get across to you.
Hope this helps....God bless in your walk with Jesus.
So angry, happy, sad, thankful I talk to God and when I have a problem this last year I have learned to just turn the whole mess over to God and say I have tried everything I know to do and it hasn't worked so I am giving the person and the problem over to You and then He seems to work it out and I trust Him to keep things going the way He wants it to. It is a real faith and trust builder and I am not driving myself crazy trying to figure out all the problems anymore. God really does move the mountains out of our way if we just learn to talk to Him and give them over to Him. He is our Dad after all He created us and knows everything about us and even knows what we are going to ask for before we pray. Sometimes I have said to Him I really don't even know what to pray and that is when the Holy Spirit comes in and speaks the desires of our heart to our Father in Heaven so it is o.k. not to know what to say sometimes as long as your heart is open to God and your ears are open to listen to what He is trying to get across to you.
Hope this helps....God bless in your walk with Jesus.
Who better to get an example from than our Savior; (also all verses are not about prayer, but I think a right mindset helps!)
Matt 6:1-14, "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you; They have their reward.
But you, when you pray, go into the secret place, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use mindless repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard only because they speak so much. Therefore, do not be like them; for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him. After this manner, you should pray: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed is Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us of our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not allow us to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever, so be it.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matt 6:1-14, "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you; They have their reward.
But you, when you pray, go into the secret place, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use mindless repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard only because they speak so much. Therefore, do not be like them; for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him. After this manner, you should pray: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed is Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us of our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not allow us to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever, so be it.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Mattithyah 6:19, "Do not store up treasures for yourselves upon earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal; For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matt 7:7-12, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you: For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. For what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would give him a serpent? If you then, being sinful, know how to give righteous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven give righteous gifts to those who ask Him? Therefore, all things you want men to do to you, do the same to them, for this is (the teaching of) the Law and the Prophets."
Matt 6:22-23, "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye is righteous, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is wicked, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light within you is darkness, how great that darkness is!"
Isayah 59:1-3, "Behold, Yahweh's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your own iniquities have separated you from your Father; and your own sins have caused Him to hide His face from you, so He will not listen. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; sin. Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness."
Proverbs 15:29, "Yahweh is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous."
1 Kepha (Peter) 3:12, "For the eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of Yahweh is against those who do evil."
Lamentation 3:41, "Let us lift our hearts along with our hands to Yahweh in heaven."
Psalm 141:2, "May our prayers be set before You like incense. May the lifting up of our hands be like the evening sacrifice."
Psalm 134:1-3, "Behold, bless Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in The House of Yahweh! Raise your hands in the sanctuary, and bless Yahweh! May Yahweh, Who made heaven and earth, bless you out of Zion!
I pray to know Christ better.
"17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength." Eph. 1:17-19
"17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength." Eph. 1:17-19
After so many years of being a Christian and praying all the time, you will definitely feel bored, repetitive and redundant. The secret to a not boring, exciting and make-you-feel-good-and-connected-to-Him prayer is praying for others, for the people around you and even for the people you see in the newspapers or TV or Internet.
I like to pray on my knees when I formally go to God, usually in the morning or before bed. I try to use Jesus' example in the garden and instructions in Matthew 6 when it comes to speaking to him. Basically, I start with the Lord's prayer, then go to him informally as myself for a while. Otherwise, I just talk to him throughout my day in my head.
M
I don't think there is such a thing as a wrong way to pray...the only exception is if you are doing it in public in a way to impress someone other than God. That is my honest answer. I pray in many ways, sometimes I will talk to God about a situation I am in and just utter the words "Father help me not to do this", "take it away Lord" or even just "Lord help me". He knows what I'm meaning, I don't have to explain. I talk when I'm walking, lying in bed, sitting at work - under my breath I hasten to add lol. So in answer to the OP anyway is just fine.
Incidentally, I used to have a real problem calling Him "Father", it felt like I was replacing my earthly father and therefore didn't feel right but I have no problem with it now - it's how I usually address Him.
Incidentally, I used to have a real problem calling Him "Father", it felt like I was replacing my earthly father and therefore didn't feel right but I have no problem with it now - it's how I usually address Him.
It is never wrong to pray to God no matter where you are what position or what you are doing....God loves to be a part of us in the moment. Standing, sitting, running, playing, working, laying down, kneeling. I think just talking to Him brings you close to Him as He is already there with you. He waits to hear you talk to Him and loves it when you do.
How not to pray is pretty easy. Do not pray vain and repetitious prayers like the pagans. Reciting formal prayers is pretty much useless.
When you pray and do pray often pray as though you are desiring to fellowship with God. I find it amazing that the Creator of the universe desires to have me come and commune with Him. God knows my every thought and my every need before I even ask but God has given me a need to come to Him to find that which only He can provide.
Ps 8:4 and Heb 2:6 the question to keep in mind as you approach the throne of grace.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
When you pray and do pray often pray as though you are desiring to fellowship with God. I find it amazing that the Creator of the universe desires to have me come and commune with Him. God knows my every thought and my every need before I even ask but God has given me a need to come to Him to find that which only He can provide.
Ps 8:4 and Heb 2:6 the question to keep in mind as you approach the throne of grace.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Hands up comes from a teaching of Paul? (1Ti 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; )
I think it is the way you are, the way you feel, the moment and the place where it comes to happen. I´m sure, when it comes to kissing or hugging, no tips will be asked and EACH does it the way he/she pleases.
I have seen some people being influenced by their denominations or leaders, but I often tried to ignore "their tips" when these tried to lead, also a simple prayer.
By instances, lately, on CC, the few times I prayed on the chat room or other room, I simple shut my eyes, poured my heart as well as some tears (no one but me leads my emotions, unless God´s dwells within me).