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Mark
1 : 35
And
in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus)
went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there
prayed.
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Thessalonians
5 : 17-18
Rejoice
evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
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Romans 8 : 26-27
Likewise
the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what
is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession
for the saints according to the will of God.
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Philippians 4 : 6-7
Do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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Luke 11 : 1-5
And
it came to pass, that, as he (Jesus) was praying in a certain
place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him,
Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which
art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by
day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also
forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not
into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
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Matthew
7 : 7-11
Ask
and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock
and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks
receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the
door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks
for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish,
will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who
ask him!
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Luke 18 : 1-8
Then
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they
should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a
certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor
cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who
kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against
my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally
he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care
about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I
will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually
wear me out with her coming!' "And the Lord said, "Listen
to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about
justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and
night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will
see that they get justice, and quickly.
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The knowledge
that God exists and that through a trust in his son, Jesus Christ,
a person can be saved from sin and can go onto eternal life with
Him, will change that persons whole perspective. Part of that
change will be a need to have a personal relationship with this
wonderful God. To communicate with Him. And we can meet that need
in prayer.
Certainly,
prayer was important to Jesus who specifically took time out to
pray (as written in Mark 1:35). Jesus is the perfect example
of the way christians should lead their lives and the bible mentions
many other times that Jesus took time for prayer (sometimes deliberately
going away from others to do so). St. Paul also emphasises the
importance of prayer in Thessalonians 5:17-18 where he
writes that it is the will of God, in Jesus Christ, that Christians
should constantly turn to God in prayer. So why is prayer so good
for us?
Phillipians
4:6-7 can be a starting point to understand the benefits of
praying. Here Paul says that Christians have nothing to be anxious
about because we can go to God in prayer with everything that
concerns us. We can bring our requests, along with thanksgiving,
to God. Remember, nothing is too little or too big to bring to
God in prayer.
In Matthew
7:7-11, Jesus assures us that when we come to God in prayer
He will listen (his door is open wide) and that He will give you
what you need. Jesus notes that as a parent would do their best
for their child, so how much more will God do for you. For he
is our heavenly father because of our relationship to Him through
our faith in his son Jesus Christ. If we bring our requests to
Him he will respond in love.
More than
that, Jesus says in Luke 18:1-8 that those who come to
God in prayer regularly will be given justice. God will not be
slow in looking after you if you come to him in prayer.
It does
not say you will always get what you ask for, just as a child
will not get everything he asks for from his parent. God, as your
heavenly father, will give you what is best for you. Philippians
7:7 mentions one of the most wonderful benefits of prayer;
that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Jesus
Christ. We can hand ourselves and our concerns into God's hands
in prayer, and experience the peace that brings.
Prayer is
not only a time time to ask God for help. As noted in the 'How'
section of this page (to the right) , we should use prayer for
adoration, confession and thanksgiving;
Prayer gives
us the opportunity to praise God for who he is and what he has
done. The psalms, contained in the bible, are poetic prayers that
contain magnificent praises to God that recognise his power, glory,
wisdom and mercy. We can gain from reflecting on all God is, was
and shall be.
Prayer gives
us an opportunity to turn to God and ask forgiveness for the sins
we have committed, confessing them and asking forgiveness. When
we receive forgiveness, through Jesus in prayer, we can move forward
towards eternal life in heaven.
And prayer
gives us the opportunity to express our gratefulness to God. In
Philippians 7:6-7 Paul states that as we come to God in prayer
with our 'petitions', we should do so with thanksgiving. With
thanks for all that he has done and will do for us, not least
that God has freed us from sin through His son.
When you
pray, be ready for God's answer. If you are ready for that answer
you may gain more from it, not least because it may be through
your own actions that God answers your prayers. The answer will
probably not be dramatic; for example you might find a feeling
of peace about taking a decision in a certain way that you were
confused about before.
The ultimate
destination of our lives is heaven or hell. The most important
matter in our lives is our relationship with God, through Jesus
Christ. That relationship, or lack of relationship, determines
our destination. Prayer is an essential element in that relationship,
a relationship that brings peace in this world and eternal life
in heaven.
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Many find
prayer more difficult than they expect, and then feel a failure.
Don't. The fact that you have turned to God to pray is what matters.
The important thing to realise is that you do not need eloquence
or intelligence to pray. You can simply come to God and talk to
Him. God is not looking for a beautiful set of words, he just
wants you to talk to Him. Just take out some time to be with God.
To begin
with we should reflect that we could not come to God in prayer
without the 'mediation' of Jesus Christ. We fall so far short
of what God wants from us that we could not come to God in prayer
without fear of condemnation. However, through Jesus' sacrifice
on the cross, our trust in Jesus allows us to come to God. Our
trust in Jesus enables us to have the relationship with God that
allows us to come to Him in prayer.
There is
no universal method to prayer. Each of us has a different character
and life. Therefore one method will be perfect for one and be
useless for another. For example, going for a walk and silently
praying about what concerns you is just as good as going to a
particular room to pray aloud. It's what suits you.
However,
many do find it useful to use a suggested approach and then change
it to fit their personal needs.
A popular
approach to what to include in your prayers can be remembered
by the word; ACTS; Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving
and Supplication.
Adoration
- start by giving praise and honour to God. The Lord's prayer,
which Jesus taught us, starts 'Our father which art in heaven,
hallowed by you name' (Luke 11 : 1-5). We are talking to
THE creator. God's power and glory are beyond our imagination.
He deserves our praise.
Confession
- then you can admit all those things that have been wrong in
your life and have brought you away from God. A moment when you
can come closer to God by asking his forgiveness and turning anew
to do what is right.
Thanksgiving
- having confessed you can know that, as you believe in His son,
Jesus, he has forgiven you. In that knowledge you can thank God
for His gift of forgiveness. Thank God also for all the things
he has provided to you and done for others in the world.
Supplication
(this is a long word which means 'asking for something') - now
you can turn to your concerns, worries, joys and hopes and bring
them to God. Just honestly talk to God of you needs and wants,
your emotions and concerns. Turn over those things and people
you care for, as well as yourself, to God.
ACTS is
just one approach to prayer of many. Some use specific prayers
such as the Lord's Prayer or the many prayers written over the
ages. Some can just turn to God in quiet meditation; dwelling
on his greatness and mercy. Many find a list of matters and people
to pray for helpful. Find out your way to take that special time
to meet God.
So far,
this section has just talked on a personal level, but prayer is
not only a solo activity. The bible is full of events when Christians
came together in public prayer to God. The early church did so
often, as recorded in the bible's book of 'Acts'. The prayers
of those early believers were heard by God and many miraculous
and wonderful things were done.
Fellowship
and praying together are a part of the Christian life, and the
knowledge that others are praying for you, as you are for them,
brings one great reassurance and strength. Enderby parish church's
'church meets' meetings will
include a time to pray together for the concerns we have as followers
of Jesus Christ, as a community of believers and for the parish
and beyond.
There is
a degree of discipline in regular prayer, as there is in the struggle
to stop your mind wondering off during prayer. However, many have
said that regular prayer time can become one of the most special
times of the day. Don't feel condemned because you miss prayer
for a while or your mind wonders, but do not use that as an excuse
not to pray to God again. Time with God in prayer can be a blessing
in your life.
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Prayer is our principle means of communicating with God.
Prayer
is an important element of a living Christian faith.
There is not one specific way to pray. Find the way that suits
you most
Jesus
made prayer an essential part of his life
The
bible assures us that God will answer prayer
Jesus is the 'mediator' that allows us to approach God in prayer
A.C.T.S., as described in the 'How' column, is one approach of
many
Part of Christian fellowship is praying together
Prayer is spending time in the presence of the One who loves us
more than any other
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Easton's Bible Dictionary Definition of Prayer
Prayer
is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation
or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental,
occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching
the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord"
(1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20);
"seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing
near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14).
Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and
willingness to hold intercourse with us, his personal control of all
things and of all his creatures and all their actions.
Acceptable prayer must be sincere (Heb. 10:22), offered with reverence
and godly fear, with a humble sense of our own insignificance as creatures
and of our own unworthiness as sinners, with earnest importunity, and
with unhesitating submission to the divine will. Prayer must also be
offered in the faith that God is, and is the hearer and answerer of
prayer, and that he will fulfil his word, "Ask, and ye shall receive"
(Matt. 7:7, 8; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13, 14), and in the name of
Christ (16:23, 24; 15:16; Eph. 2:18; 5:20; Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 2:5).
Prayer is of different kinds, secret (Matt. 6:6); social, as family
prayers, and in social worship; and public, in the service of the sanctuary.
Intercessory prayer is enjoined (Num. 6:23; Job 42:8; Isa. 62:6; Ps.
122:6; 1 Tim. 2:1; James 5:14), and there are many instances on record
of answers having been given to such prayers, e.g., of Abraham (Gen.
17:18, 20; 18:23-32; 20:7, 17, 18), of Moses for Pharaoh (Ex. 8:12,
13, 30, 31; Ex. 9:33), for the Israelites (Ex. 17:11, 13; 32:11-14,
31-34; Num. 21:7, 8; Deut. 9:18, 19, 25), for Miriam (Num. 12:13), for
Aaron (Deut. 9:20), of Samuel (1 Sam. 7:5-12), of Solomon (1 Kings 8;
2 Chr. 6), Elijah (1 Kings 17:20-23), Elisha (2 Kings 4:33-36), Isaiah
(2 Kings 19), Jeremiah (42:2-10), Peter (Acts 9:40), the church (12:5-12),
Paul (28:8).
No rules are anywhere in Scripture laid down for the manner of prayer
or the attitude to be assumed by the suppliant. There is mention made
of kneeling in prayer (1 Kings 8:54; 2 Chr. 6:13; Ps. 95:6; Isa. 45:23;
Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; 9:40; Eph. 3:14, etc.); of bowing and falling
prostrate (Gen. 24:26, 52; Ex. 4:31; 12:27; Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:35,
etc.); of spreading out the hands (1 Kings 8:22, 38, 54; Ps. 28:2; 63:4;
88:9; 1 Tim. 2:8, etc.); and of standing (1 Sam. 1:26; 1 Kings 8:14,
55; 2 Chr. 20:9; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13).
If we except the "Lord's Prayer" (Matt. 6:9-13), which is,
however, rather a model or pattern of prayer than a set prayer to be
offered up, we have no special form of prayer for general use given
us in Scripture.
Prayer is frequently enjoined in Scripture (Ex. 22:23, 27; 1 Kings 3:5;
2 Chr. 7:14; Ps. 37:4; Isa. 55:6; Joel 2:32; Ezek. 36:37, etc.), and
we have very many testimonies that it has been answered (Ps. 3:4; 4:1;
6:8; 18:6; 28:6; 30:2; 34:4; 118:5; James 5:16-18, etc.).
"Abraham's servant prayed to God, and God directed him to the person
who should be wife to his master's son and heir (Gen. 24:10-20).
"Jacob prayed to God, and God inclined the heart of his irritated
brother, so that they met in peace and friendship (Gen. 32:24-30; 33:1-4).
"Samson prayed to God, and God showed him a well where he quenched
his burning thirst, and so lived to judge Israel (Judg. 15:18-20).
"David prayed, and God defeated the counsel of Ahithophel (2 Sam.
15:31; 16:20-23; 17:14-23).
"Daniel prayed, and God enabled him both to tell Nebuchadnezzar
his dream and to give the interpretation of it (Dan. 2: 16-23).
"Nehemiah prayed, and God inclined the heart of the king of Persia
to grant him leave of absence to visit and rebuild Jerusalem (Neh. 1:11;
2:1-6).
"Esther and Mordecai prayed, and God defeated the purpose of Haman,
and saved the Jews from destruction (Esther 4:15-17; 6:7, 8).
"The believers in Jerusalem prayed, and God opened the prison doors
and set Peter at liberty, when Herod had resolved upon his death (Acts
12:1-12).
"Paul prayed that the thorn in the flesh might be removed, and
his prayer brought a large increase of spiritual strength, while the
thorn perhaps remained (2 Cor. 12:7-10).
"Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him
not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when
it never returned at all.", Robinson's Job.
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