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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Is it best to pray standing up, sitting down, kneeling, or bowing down? Should our hands be open, closed, or lifted up to God? Do our eyes need to be closed when we pray? Is it better to pray in a ...
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Joe Colling
Supporter
There is NO proper way to pray. Have the same mind set a small child has toward his father. Submissive. Trusting. Loving. Respectful. You are the small child and God is the father. On a side note - God doesn't want you to "want him" for what he can do for you, or because your afraid of going to hell, or afraid of keeping a set of rules and regulations.... God wants you to want him and pray to him [talk to him] because you WANT him. It's about love. And love has 2 sides. God has the WORKING side, meaning he does all the work. Our side is to trust him. That's it. The only reason we love God is because of the cross. Without the cross, we would all be lost and without God, just as we were under the dispensation of the old covenant. Remember, non-Jews have NEVER had a right to the Mosaic Law. It was never given to us. The only covenant God let NON-Jews in on is the new covenant. Think about that.... And just for clarity, to pray "unceasingly", as 1Thess 5:17 says, that doesn't mean to walk around all day praying. It means to always me mindful of God. In other words, don't grow cold in talking with God. Why? Because according to this new covenant - God [the holy spirit] is in you, God [the holy spirit] is with you, God [the holy spirit] is for you, if your born-again. Have a nice day.
Jon Davis
Supporter
What is the proper way to pray? There is another perspective than just "in any way as long as you are confident".
What is the proper way to ask something from a friend or respected family member? Are you lying on your back holding an Xbox controller shooting zombies while belching out a prayer of "oh hey God can you do this and that for me please?" Yes, it matters. God delights in hearing your prayers. But He delights in your attitude as well. Put the Xbox controller down. Sit up. Swallow your food. Close your eyes and think about your Creator. Stop dwelling on all the distractions. Admire your Maker. Thank Him. Think about how holy He is. Come to Him with humility and gratitude that He laid His life down for you so that you could come to Him like this. Should you be on your knees? You can get on your knees, if it helps you focus on Him. Does He notice? Of course He does.
The Biblical definition of "worship" is not "slow and emotional songs of wonder in a group setting", believe it or not. Rather it is to surrender yourself as a living sacrifice to God. In worshipful prayer, this means, stop thinking about how to please yourself, stop thinking about your comforts, and focus on I Am.
This is why there is fasting. Fasting is the setting aside of fleshly interests, such as food, to focus on spiritual interests, such as the holiness of God. In this age, especially in the United States of America where I live, setting aside fleshly interests in this manner is practically unheard of. Does God notice? Do you get "points" for doing this? Actually, yes, you do, He does notice, He is watching you and He rewards the sacrifice with more of Him. As long as you are careful not to make your sacrifices known to others, and you don't get haughty in your mind about it, rather you are only doing this as a way of showing God that you are completely giving yourself over to Him, you can be sure that He is tickled by this and He will reward and honor you with more of Him in return.
When we set aside our flesh in pursuit of Him and His will, amazing things happen. Our will becomes aligned with His will. We begin to see and appreciate what He wants to do, both within us and through us, as well as outside of us and completely independently of us. It will help us pray for things that matter to Him. When we pray in alignment with His will, and we have surrendered ourselves in righteousness, He will act on what we pray for.
Why can't he just do what He wants to do? Why does He wait for us to pray? Because He wants to do things in relationship with His people! He wants it to be an "us" thing! Also, He enjoys at times peering through your own eyeballs and seeing the world in your eyes, and He is glorified when you become the embodiment of His personality. That is just the dynamic way He likes to work.
The Bible says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Live righteously by maintaining close communion with Him and portraying His character in your privacy and in everything you do, and say, and think. In simple terms, if you're a little brat running around doing your own thing, do you think Daddy is going to be as interested in acting on your petitions as he would act on your obedient brother who deeply loves Daddy?
Jesus described how we should pray. Let your prayers be humble ("Our father who is in heaven, holy is Your name!) and not greedy ("Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven") but be content with simple needs ("feed me my daily bread today"). Let them be self-checks ("forgive me for my attitude, my lusting, my coveting, my badmouthing, as I've all but forgotten what people have done to me"). Let them be empowering towards God's holiness ("lead me not into hyperlinks that would have porn, keep me from rude and crude influences and help me keep a watch over my mouth"). Above all let prayer be a way to love God and people.
Gene Fowler
Supporter
When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.' Matthew 6:5-13 And it is THE SPIRIT of THE LORD'S prayer that we should model our prayers after, treating it as communication with OUR HEAVENLY FATHER (who we should strive to have a personal relationship with), not just some "wish list" for the big genie in the sky. Most of all, tell GOD how awesome HE is, how much you love HIM, and that you pray for HIS WILL because you trust HIM and HE knows best. SHALOM AND GOD'S BLESSINGS!!!
Alfred Vella
Supporter
I live in an island of Malta in Europe,a majority of Catholics and they pray rituals of prayers like the rosary and Marian prayers like parrots repeating and they think they are praying right.They give glory and exalt the Madonna and saints and don't have relationship with God. Jesus said come to Me (Jesus) to intercede to the Father in heaven through the Holly Spirit that lives in the temple our body. Prayers should be addressed only to the Father, worship in truth and spirit, can use words, mind, even a blink of an eye, a thought of God above, a tear,prayers from the heart, can be with sorrow or joy and hope, no doubt, with surrender no order on request, the Will of God.
Glenn Harrell
Supporter
I wonder if Jesus would say the same of prayer that he said of the Sabbath? Prayer was made for man and not man for prayer. How easy it is to make a false shrine of the action of prayer while void of the connection and contact-fulness prayer is to create with God. Eventually, because of thirst, the child of God will no longer prefer the ritual over the real.
Gene Farmer
Supporter
I found a model for prayer in the instructions given to us by our Lord called The Lords Prayer. # 1 I talk to my Father about our relationship. He created me for a specific purpose. He chose me out of a large crowd. I am special to Him. # 2 I talk to God about who I am in Christ. It is His Name that is alone to be praised. # 3 I pledge alliegience to my King because I have a place to occupy in His Coming Kingdom. # 4 l discuss with my spiritual Father some of the strategy He gives me from on high to get this job done here on earth. # 5 I talk to God about the regularity with which I plan to seek to act in a manner that will ensure my success in accomplishing His will. # 6 I admit it when I mess up. # 7 I'm not wasting time on my enemies. # 8 I'm suspect of the easy way. # 9 God always comes through for me. # 10 It's not my stuff. # 11 This life ain't what it's all about. # 12 We will win.
Janet Austin
Supporter
Answering “What is the proper way to pray?” I love to start my prayers with, “God, make Your desires mine.” I believe that beginning our prayers with a confession of our sins makes the most sense based on Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Two extremely important elements of prayer are being SILENT and LISTENING! What a blessing it is to hear God speak after you have poured out your heart to Him in truth and praise (and the above mentions things). Many Christians end their prayers with “in Jesus’ name.” This is likely in response to Jesus’ words in John 14:13 “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” The expression, however, has much deeper meaning. It means praying with Jesus’ authority as one who declares Him Lord and Savior. It means we have humbled ourselves as sinners, and now, with our sins covered by the blood of Jesus, we may confidently approach the throne of God. In other words, when you sincerely want God’s desires to become yours, when you want His kingdom to grow, and when you are praying for that which will honor and glorify God, you are praying in Jesus’ name. Sometimes I like to pray directly to God the Father (with praise and thanks, etc.), other times to Jesus (asking Him to intercede to the Father for me. Romans 8:34), and still other times to the Holy Spirit (asking for Him to guide me). I do not believe God cares who of the Trinity you pray to, after all, in Scripture we see that God the Father wanted to glorify Jesus and Jesus wanted to glorify the Father. They are all one! Just remember, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says Pray without ceasing. So…start praying!
Stephen Ventura
Supporter
Yes, here are a few elements that make up an prayer. 1. James 5:16 tell us that the prayers of a righteous man is effective. 2. We are to pray without ceasing (1Thess 5:17). We are to pray believing (Matt.21:22).
Jennifer Henkel
Supporter
Good answers! All I would add is a helpful acronym, ACTS. God seeks the following elements in our prayers: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (asking for stuff). The order is not important, though I usually start with Adoration or Confession. I ask The Lord to search my heart, and point out the wickedness therein, so that I can confess and repent of those things so nothing blocks my relationship with Him.
Richard Hammond
Supporter
Jesus, teaches very clearly, how we are to pray. One... You are not supposed to make a show of it, praying is supposed to be private between you and God,not a display. Also, jesus says not to go on an on because God already knows what you want and need. And then say the Lord's prayer as we were taught. This is not a hard subject, Jesus spoke drictly on the issue, read the words of Christ.
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