I talk to a lot of people that grew up in a church atmosphere, and for some reason most of these people still don’t understand how to pray. I have heard people tell me that “I feel like I’m doing it wrong” or “I don’t think I understand prayer”. Guys, listen up!
PRAYER IS NOT A METHODICAL RELIGIOUS MOTION YOU TAKE!
Prayer is simple. It is coming to God from a sincere heart, and ‘talking’. In John 15:15 Jesus said “I call you friends”. Think for a moment about your friends. Now think about a specific friend, or mentor that you greatly admire and respect. How do you talk to them? You can start with that idea, then imagine God: A holy, beautiful, sinless, perfect “person”. It is hard to understand with human understanding, however my case stands that you can talk to God like he is sitting in the chair next to you (with upmost respect of course).
For instance, when I get up in the morning, I say a short small breath prayer. What is that? Well, it goes like this: God, lead me guide me and direct me today. Let me be a light unto a dark world, Amen.
However, I generally worship “talk to” God all throughout the day. When I am getting ready for work, I talk to God about my concerns for the day. When I am driving to work, I pray he protects me as I travel, and put me where he wants me. When I am at work, I thank him for the blessings that happen immediately as they occur. I give thanks in EVERYTHING. 1 Thes 5:18 says give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. If I hear a praise song that makes me remember what God did for me, I praise him and thank him and glorify him in my still, quiet places. This song always gets me going :
When I think about the Lord http://youtu.be/QsEGRB695hs
Children are often times the BEST prayers. Why? Because they pray because they want to, not because they feel they have to.
Prayer is basic. Prayer is heartfelt. Prayer is the sincere wanting and needing to be closer to God, not just about asking God to grant your wishes like a genie. God is not going to give you everything you ask, and it doesn’t mean you have to blame him when you don’t get what you thought you wanted. It could be that there is something better coming down the pipes for you. Prayer is giving your heart to God, and asking him to search it, and reveal what belongs there and what doesn’t. Prayer is humbly presenting yourself for searching. Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Prayer is that simple. A little advice, prepare yourself before you come to God. I used to pray this BEFORE I prayed – “God, shut down my thoughts and restless body, let me forget this world for a few uninterrupted moments with you. I want to come to you today, please reveal yourself to me Lord.”
There is no right or wrong way to pray. Prayer is between YOU and GOD. If you pray, and feel God – then he heard you. If you are unsure, maybe you can visit with someone who can help guide you. Sometimes “being unsure” is just a matter of the heart. Sometimes you just feel too full of sin or guilt to feel like you are “worthy” of God to listen or talk back. If that is you, LET IT GO. God will take your burden if you just ask. Matthew 11:28 says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
IF GOD SAID IT – HE MEANT IT.
I will leave you with this: Rev 3:20 Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
If you still aren’t sure that you are being heard, or you feel you don’t understand prayer – Here is something you can start praying for and it may change your life.
Amen
Well tonight was quite an eventful evening. I decided to come home after work and go watch a movie and have dinner like a mini-mid-week date night. Well after watching Wrath of the Titans (I do not recommend it btw) we went to dinner. That is where all the fun happened! I’m sitting across the table from my date, and we are having casual, random conversations.Then all of the sudden, he closes his eyes to pray. (Granted I thought it was a little odd because we pray when the food comes, not generally before I smell it coming out of the kitchen)..
But at any rate, I rolled with it. I noticed he prayed an awful long time, but I felt it would have been rude of me to interrupt. So I sat, waited, watched, huffed *once. After that he looked up and said “God is on me”. I didn’t look at him like he was crazy because I know how God shows up, but I was perplexed not knowing what he was showing up like that for.
I ended up eating half my meal alone because he went to the car to take the phone call. At any rate, I just sit here and think about it. Who would have thought that God would show up before dinner prayer? Before Sunday. It reminded me how we forget that God is all around us all the time. I have spent so much time calling out to him here lately, that I probably wouldn’t hear him call me because my line would be busy. I was a little jealous tonight when he got the call from God, the holy spirit of God, and I was left wanting. Then again, I sit here and realize that the call wasn’t for me this time. This situation reminds me of the Brookshires Holy Ghost experience….Ohh Ohh.. I have my next Blog!!
Cherish
Talking to God today, I was asking him a specific question. I got frustrated because he’s not giving me my answers. I want to know now! I’m one of those people that when I pray I want God to show up, be all over me, and give me the answer immediately. You know sometimes as tough as it sounds – it’s just not that way. I sit and think about how selfish I am being and how the “I want it and I want it now” hissy fits arise. I’m human…. I think back on this past year and you know what I found? I think God, has revealed so much to me, he revealed so much to me that I didn’t even know I needed the answers to. God is going to talk when he’s ready to talk. You know there are answered and unanswered prayers out there, there are answered and unanswered wants out there and sometimes we don’t get what we think we want. Sometimes what he wants is greater than our imaginations. It’s all timing. I wrote a blog several months back about being veiled. This blog spoke about the veil being taken off our eyes and the fact that we are only allowed to see certain things.
There are several places in the bible that illustrate that. So it’s just that we are covered and veiled for a time period. We can get out of Gods will because we have free will and we have the flesh which we always battle. But we are allowed to see certain things at certain times and I think sometimes we just try to get ahead of ourselves, and I know that is all I am trying to do. Ive lived my life that way. I’ve always tried to get ahead, ahead of myself, but sometimes I just need to back myself down and say “you know what..I don’t want to get ahead of God”. I want God ahead of me, so I can just follow the path that is already lit for me. So you know what? If God doesn’t feel like answering me, there is probably a good reason. Maybe the time isn’t right yet. It is so hard as a human being to realize that I’m not gonna get my answer! In my head I’m thinking “you mean I’m going to talk to you and you’re not going to answer me and tell me what I want to hear?” (stomping my foot…I can visualize it)
I’ve given up a lot to God. I’ve given about 80% over to God. And it say that with all honesty because I can’t say 100% just yet, but I’m working on it. I am in no way perfect, and I think everybody that reads this blog knows that. I am a sinner just like everybody else and I am humble enough to admit it. I beg and ask for forgiveness everyday. And by Gods grace I’m forgiven. I don’t have to carry those burdens on my shoulders. Praise God. And somedays grace is enough. Sometimes just knowing that God has you in his hand, that he is wrapped around your shoulder, is enough.
So God I am sorry I keep bugging you about this one particular issue. We live in a time where things happen in instants. Instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant prayers, instant emails. I’m sorry. We are in a generation where microwaves take too long, and we grow impatient waiting for hot water from the faucet. How silly you must think we are!
There are so many things that I want answers to but your not giving them to me. But looking back today, you have given me what I needed. You don’t think like I think, because I would not be here in my life if not for you. At that point, I have to be thankful. I wouldn’t have been there by myself, so it’s you I have to thank for putting me where I am. God I know you will put me where you want me, and give me what I need because you have already. So I will just sit and wait a little while longer. I will still pray about it, because it’s on my heart- but at the same time, it’s ok now if you don’t answer me. Im not going to get angry with you and point my finger at you and yell ” God why won’t you answer!” maybe it’s not that at all. Maybe it’s just not the right time for me to know. After all if I knew the answer, I would go after it, if I knew what you wanted me to do, I would be doing it,and I would be out of your will if you told me ahead of the time you needed me to know.
So I will quit harping on the issue. When you get ready to speak to me God, you will let me know.”
I’ll leave the door open for you on this one.
Matthew 7:7 King James Bible
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
modernmiracleme 