Do you pray?

[pmer]

I mean do you go deep in prayer? I have been wondering about this for a little while because on all Saints Day I was listening to a Catholic talk radio station and heard about a Nun that lived in the 1500's. She had a publication or book called The Interior Castle by St Teresa of Avila. you can download a free PDF of her book plus there's other ways to buy it. Yeah I'm a bit of nerd for this kind of thing LOL Spurgen, Luther, Sinners in the hands of an angry God etc. In her book she describes levels of prayer taking the soul deeper and deeper near to the Spirit.

As I read her rather artful descriptions and opinions on this subject I find it makes sense and I see where I've been stopped or hung up in my communication with the Lord in prayer. But when I was growing up in a Lutheran church they said not to meditate because of the spiritual danger. When I read the Gospels I see Jesus would sometimes pray all night long, I don't think that was 6-7 hours of small talk with God. Other parts of scripture might say "deep in prayer".

It seems the modern definition of meditating lends itself to Buddhism or maybe a new age mix of Christianity. If different religions mention meditation can any one religion lay claim to meditation? Is prayer just prayer or is prayer actually meditation. Or does good prayer lead to meditation which is actually prayer anyways.

For background I consider myself a born again Christian and go to an Evangelical Free Church (a bible church). My prayer life could be better and goes up and down in frequency.

[rancher1913]

yes, but its more like having a conversation

[pworley1]

I start every day with a personal quiet time with Bible reading and prayer. There are many short, mostly thank you prayers, during the day.

[Markopolo]

I pray. And I listen. Like somebody already said. I go to my quiet place, without distraction, and sometimes am just quiet.

[hoodat]

Yeah, I pray. I mean like WOW, I pray a lot. I pray with thanks, for help, for forgiveness, for wisdom, -- I pray for the welfare of our country, I pray for my enemies, I pray for the folks who don't know God. I pray for those who suffer, those who are lost, those who need more than they have, and those who have more than they need. I pray for guidance, for awareness, for compassion, for calm, for courage, for love. I pray to give and get kindness, and I pray for patience.

In our world, in these times, there is plenty of reason to pray, and pray hard and long.. I pray that y'all will pray often, and may God hear you. jd

[Milky Duck]

yes, but its more like having a conversation

Im with you on this one... a lot of praise and a little please may you..... do it a LOT while Im out hunting...ask for guidance and assistance while stalking along,oh and ask for the mojo to click with my dog....sometimes its uncanny just how clear cut it is when the big fella upstairs decides to lend a helping hand....

[pmer]

Thanks guys. Do you believe that God speaks to you in Spirit through what someone else says? Like when Paul was turned away from Asia and sent towards Europe.

I think this is another type of communication from the Lord, just today I was in a store and walked by something I needed for the house that I didn't know existed. The funny thing was it wasn't on my mind till I saw it and I wondered 3 isles over for no reason.

[Kosh75287]

Everytime I have to go to a public gun range...

[BLAHUT]

This may not be the place to put this out there and I have been mocked for saying this. December first, 2006, on the operating table I died, was sent back, what I remember was trying to get through the heavy vail, I will call it, like trying to swim through honey, to get to the pure bright white light. When I opened my eyes, I was back here, and in emence pain. Spent the next 30 days in ICU, in pain, it is now 2022 and I am still in pain. I have been to the other side, it is so beautiful, so peaceful, I have no fear of dying, I fear lingering and waiting for death to take me again. Do I pray? sometimes ? Not often. Not seriously. Some say prayer works, I DO NOT KNOW.. My GOD does work in mysterious ways

[rancher1913]

i have found that god gives me what i need, not what i want, sometimes they can be vastly different.

[GhostHawk]

For me most times it is like having a conversation.

However I will admit that some times you need a big dose of patience, persistence and perseverance.

[Thundarstick]

Yes! Differently for different occasions. I pray in a different way as I'm getting older. Prayers of thanks and adoration, God's will be done. I try and be careful not to pray for my will or a wish list (treating God like the Santa Claus in the sky)!

[pmer]

This may not be the place to put this out there and I have been mocked for saying this. December first, 2006, on the operating table I died, was sent back, what I remember was trying to get through the heavy vail, I will call it, like trying to swim through honey, to get to the pure bright white light. When I opened my eyes, I was back here, and in emence pain. Spent the next 30 days in ICU, in pain, it is now 2022 and I am still in pain. I have been to the other side, it is so beautiful, so peaceful, I have no fear of dying, I fear lingering and waiting for death to take me again. Do I pray? sometimes ? Not often. Not seriously. Some say prayer works, I DO NOT KNOW.. My GOD does work in mysterious ways

I think in one way or another we are all in some type of pain because of this fallen world. (Our bodies are frail the situations we put ourselves in) You are not alone, one good thing about praying in a group is sharing our pains and concerns with God and others. These types of prayers can be the most heart felt. Thanks for letting people pray for you.

[Dieselhorses]

Yes! Differently for different occasions. I pray in a different way as I'm getting older. Prayers of thanks and adoration, God's will be done. I try and be careful not to pray for my will or a wish list (treating God like the Santa Claus in the sky)!

I guess this part of the Bible always confused me... It's like, are we supposed to just pray for necessities?

Matthew 7:7-8
King James Version
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

[725]

Every day, brother.

[CBH]

I pray every day, constantly giving thanks for what and whom I have. Asking for the change in me that will help me deal with the wretchedness I see in the world. I pray for those in my life that are not saved.

[pmer]

I guess this part of the Bible always confused me... It's like, are we supposed to just pray for necessities?

Matthew 7:7-8
King James Version
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

These lines in scripture indicate persistence. In Luke 11:5-13 Luke shares a bit more on this and assures us that God hears all prayer.

[.429&H110]

We have an awesome God.

Anyone can try a simple experiment.
At our house we take our blood pressure (and blood sugar) every morning.
We have a reasonably accurate gadget that velcros on.

Take your blood pressure.
Then read a Psalm, doesn't matter which one, a different one.
(Ps2:1 "Why do the heathen rage..."?)
Think about what the Psalm says. Some might say meditate on God's Word.
Take your BP again. Goes down? Psalms could save your life.
Your BP goes up with pain.

Does it matter what you read? Election results, perhaps?
Yes! it matters. The crud of this world only raises your BP.
Psalms are songs of praise to God, with built in prayers, thousands of years old.
King David wrote his songs to praise God and ask His help.

A Psalm is a great way to start a prayer, start a day.
We have a God who answers prayers.

Blahut I am sorry to hear of your pain.
Here is my prayer for you to receive Grace and Mercy. Amen.
Owner's Manual reads: "God have mercy on me, a sinner". Amen to that!

Grace is getting what we do not deserve.
Mercy is not getting what we really deserve.

Every Wednesday night there is a group praying for you, me, us.
Only the Holy Spirit can save America from those who hate us.
I believe He will. I pray He will.
We all have a part in the Covenant that George Washington made with God.
God never forgets, but we forgot. God will forgive us if we repent.
We are free here, for now, free to serve God any way we want. That's freedom. For now.

[Stacts]

I don't pray near as often as I should. At least part of that is the difficulty in finding a private, quiet moment, but the rest is my own fault.

As far as "meditation" goes, I think it's easy for people to assign more spirituality to the word than is necessary. I can "meditate" on a game of chess. To meditate is to think deeply, and we as Christians are called to meditate on God's word. Many people certainly think of "meditation" only as it is portrayed in reference to certain Easter religions, but to pigeonhole the word to that extent robs English of a wonderful word that has a much broader meaning.

I think meditation is an essential ingredient to deep prayer. You should focus intently on God and God's word when praying.

[Good Cheer]

Every day but not near enough here either.

[BLAHUT]

We have an awesome God.

Anyone can try a simple experiment.
At our house we take our blood pressure (and blood sugar) every morning.
We have a reasonably accurate gadget that velcros on.

Take your blood pressure.
Then read a Psalm, doesn't matter which one, a different one.
(Ps2:1 "Why do the heathen rage..."?)
Think about what the Psalm says. Some might say meditate on God's Word.
Take your BP again. Goes down? Psalms could save your life.
Your BP goes up with pain.

Does it matter what you read? Election results, perhaps?
Yes! it matters. The crud of this world only raises your BP.
Psalms are songs of praise to God, with built in prayers, thousands of years old.
King David wrote his songs to praise God and ask His help.

A Psalm is a great way to start a prayer, start a day.
We have a God who answers prayers.

Blahut I am sorry to hear of your pain.
Here is my prayer for you to receive Grace and Mercy. Amen.
Owner's Manual reads: "God have mercy on me, a sinner". Amen to that!

Grace is getting what we do not deserve.
Mercy is not getting what we really deserve.

Every Wednesday night there is a group praying for you, me, us.
Only the Holy Spirit can save America from those who hate us.
I believe He will. I pray He will.
We all have a part in the Covenant that George Washington made with God.
God never forgets, but we forgot. God will forgive us if we repent.
We are free here, for now, free to serve God any way we want. That's freedom. For now.

Thank You

[BLAHUT]

I think in one way or another we are all in some type of pain because of this fallen world. (Our bodies are frail the situations we put ourselves in) You are not alone, one good thing about praying in a group is sharing our pains and concerns with God and others. These types of prayers can be the most heart felt. Thanks for letting people pray for you.

Thank You

[Rizzo]

My prayers do not get answered.
It's frustrating to me.

I know some people with medical problems and in discomfort and I say a prayer to God to please help and heal those people.
Nope...nothing....same-o, same-o.
Jesus, and the apostles, went around and healed many people when they asked for healing.
Why them and not us?

God has a plan for all of us and guides us along the way towards that end.
For whatever reason, babies are born with deformities (blindness, deaf, yada yada) that will be with them their whole lives.
Also the people I mentioned with medical issues......<sigh>
This is God's plan and He knows what is best.

Perhaps it's a Karma thing.
I know, I know. That doesn't sit well with a lot of you.

So, regarding prayer, who are we to pray to Him to alter His plan and change things?
He knows best.

Why pray at all?

Praying for forgiveness for sins we have committed does make sense.
Praying for world peace seems like the right thing to do also but......God's plan again.

Prayer does keep us in contact with God though, despite it being a one way conversation....for most people.

Despite all of this, I still do pray.
I pray that your prayers are answered, but given my track record,....well, you know.

[Wayne Smith]

God is absolutely in control of every detail - and knows everything. I don't have to advise God how to do things, I don't have to tell him what I need for he has already accomplished that. Prayer changes me, not me changing the world.

[Stacts]

My prayers do not get answered.
It's frustrating to me.

I know some people with medical problems and in discomfort and I say a prayer to God to please help and heal those people.
Nope...nothing....same-o, same-o.
Jesus, and the apostles, went around and healed many people when they asked for healing.
Why them and not us?

God has a plan for all of us and guides us along the way towards that end.
For whatever reason, babies are born with deformities (blindness, deaf, yada yada) that will be with them their whole lives.
Also the people I mentioned with medical issues......<sigh>
This is God's plan and He knows what is best.

Perhaps it's a Karma thing.
I know, I know. That doesn't sit well with a lot of you.

So, regarding prayer, who are we to pray to Him to alter His plan and change things?
He knows best.

Why pray at all?

Praying for forgiveness for sins we have committed does make sense.
Praying for world peace seems like the right thing to do also but......God's plan again.

Prayer does keep us in contact with God though, despite it being a one way conversation....for most people.

Despite all of this, I still do pray.
I pray that your prayers are answered, but given my track record,....well, you know.

Those are some very important and big questions. If God, why suffering? I don't think my answer will comfort many people, but it is what I believe.

Matthew's Gospel (26:36-46) describes Messiah praying repeatedly to "let this cup pass" but God's answer was no. Not even did Messiah receive everything He asked. This thought comforts me when I think or feel that God isn't listening. There may be a bigger purpose that will blot out my temporary suffering in the most glorious way.

Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect world replete with suffering and evil. I believe God had, not only a reason, but a good, important reason for creating this world as He did.

I think remembering that this is not our home helps me maintain a healthy perspective. We are not citizens of this world, we are travelers passing through.

[ioon44]

"May praise shape your every prayer and peace rule in your heart as you practice thankfulness to God in every situation."

I always try to follow this pattern when praying.

We are instructed to pray the results are up to God.

[pmer]

By far most of my prayers are one way conversations and it's easy to feel alone and ignored. However when the approach is humble and when I can put the cares of the day aside and concentrate on the majesty of God it seems I can get further along. St Teresa, talks about demons that are placed in these outer rooms that are actually distractions and you just can't get further in prayer till these are dealt with. You crush one and another pops up because they are all connected to each other and their design is evil wanting to keep you away from the Holy Spirit.

I wonder that when I ask for something in prayer, and if the thing I want doesn't stand with God's glory, IE for someone to be healed is God protecting me from myself when His answer is no? Keeping the person who prayed from thinking they healed the sick on their own. But if someone who believes and may not be versed in scripture makes a prayer like that they will feel like their credit card got denied and might grow cold on the idea of prayer. This scenario is brought on by ourselves but it is still a win for evil.

Jesus made it clear that it was the Holy Spirit that healed due to the faith of the people He was talking to. The contrast is that when Jesus went to his home town not much happened in regard to miracles.

In other words I think there are things we ask for that are not in our plane or doesn't fit with God's glory and with better understanding we might not have asked.

[Good Cheer]

pmer,
Sometimes I've had to think that I'm not smart enough to know what to pray for. But then I've thought about it to the effect that I'm confident God won't say yes to what I ask for if He knows better.

[1hole]

We have some good thoughts on honest prayer here. I've never spoken a prayer that didn't get answered. Sometimes it's "Yes!", sometimes it's "No", sometimes it's "Not yet."

I see my part of the praying job as presenting thanks for the many spiritual AND earthly joys I've already received and lifting up the tears and heavy burdens on my heart at the moment.

Then, as Jesus did the night before his crucifixion, I recognize that the Father's knowledge and wisdom is better than mine so I can leave my burdens in His hands and trust what he does. His answers can be, and often have been, amazing.

[Wal']

Nope.

[augercreek]

We have some good thoughts on honest prayer here. I've never spoken a prayer that didn't get answered. Sometimes it's "Yes!", sometimes it's "No", sometimes it's "Not yet."

I see my part of the praying job as presenting thanks for the many spiritual AND earthly joys I've already received and lifting up the tears and heavy burdens on my heart at the moment.

Then, as Jesus did the night before his crucifixion, I recognize that the Father's knowledge and wisdom is better than mine so I can leave my burdens in His hands and trust what he does. His answers can be, and often have been, amazing.

My thoughts on this are the same. The thing I try to do is follow up with thanks and praise no matter how He answers, because I know He always answers and knows best.

[brokeasajoke]

Yes I pray. Now here is what I believe, there is praying and we are to pattern it after Mat 6:9-13. Those exact words? No, But a pattern such as our Father which art in heaven which is first acknowledging who God is. Do we ask in prayer that we can consume it upon our own lust? Now touching on some other thoughts, did Jesus who was God in the flesh heal every single person on earth when he walked it? Did the apostles see healing with every single sick person they cam in contact with? We see Paul had a friend he worried for called Epaphroditus in Philippians ch.2 whom God had mercy on. Paul prayed for his thorn to be removed and it was not. Jesus prayed for the "cup" to be passed from him and it wasn't. Food for thought, what if God healed everyone you prayed for? Really think, what if? Would you become puffed up eventually? Would humanity begin losing faith because of so many works? My brother became an atheist because he worked on an ambulance and seen so much children suffering. Sin is still in the world and we see all to much the results of sin. Pain, sickness suffering. Now I can blame no one for my artificial hip because I broke it in a car accident going to fast not wearing a seat belt, but in that I have seen the hand of God work mightily over the years.Touching on deep prayer, I believe there is a groaning so to speak. A time when you may physically cry as well as a heart cry. A connection when you are so deep nothing in this world matters but calling out to Christ and lifting up his name all the while a urning in your body and spirit that can't be explained. I've seen healing it still happens. I've seen manifestation in church services of almost every gift of the Holy Spirit including tongues over the years. I've seen too much not to believe. Friends and brothers, I love you. Hold fast, hold tight, set your anchor in Jesus. Let not Satan pull you away when hard questions like some of these begin to pull on your faith. There is a day of reckoning coming as well as a day of perfect healing where the old shall pass and all will be new and sin with it's results will be gone. It's said Paul was beheaded and we know John was. Peter is believed to have been crucified up side down. These great men of God left out of this world in bonds and suffering but I For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared...

[hoodat]

Nope.

Wal, I'm gonna pray for ya. jd

[1hole]

Nope.

???

You may be right but would you elaborate a little?

[atr]

every night....praying for the safety of my loved ones

[pmer]

Yes I pray. Now here is what I believe, there is praying and we are to pattern it after Mat 6:9-13. Those exact words? No, But a pattern such as our Father which art in heaven which is first acknowledging who God is. Do we ask in prayer that we can consume it upon our own lust? Now touching on some other thoughts, did Jesus who was God in the flesh heal every single person on earth when he walked it? Did the apostles see healing with every single sick person they cam in contact with? We see Paul had a friend he worried for called Epaphroditus in Philippians ch.2 whom God had mercy on. Paul prayed for his thorn to be removed and it was not. Jesus prayed for the "cup" to be passed from him and it wasn't. Food for thought, what if God healed everyone you prayed for? Really think, what if? Would you become puffed up eventually? Would humanity begin losing faith because of so many works? My brother became an atheist because he worked on an ambulance and seen so much children suffering. Sin is still in the world and we see all to much the results of sin. Pain, sickness suffering. Now I can blame no one for my artificial hip because I broke it in a car accident going to fast not wearing a seat belt, but in that I have seen the hand of God work mightily over the years.Touching on deep prayer, I believe there is a groaning so to speak. A time when you may physically cry as well as a heart cry. A connection when you are so deep nothing in this world matters but calling out to Christ and lifting up his name all the while a urning in your body and spirit that can't be explained. I've seen healing it still happens. I've seen manifestation in church services of almost every gift of the Holy Spirit including tongues over the years. I've seen too much not to believe. Friends and brothers, I love you. Hold fast, hold tight, set your anchor in Jesus. Let not Satan pull you away when hard questions like some of these begin to pull on your faith. There is a day of reckoning coming as well as a day of perfect healing where the old shall pass and all will be new and sin with it's results will be gone. It's said Paul was beheaded and we know John was. Peter is believed to have been crucified up side down. These great men of God left out of this world in bonds and suffering but I For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared...

Thanks for your input. Do you find that the more you pray the more you learn about yourself? With redemption and forgiveness it seems okay to leave the scars of sin behind as we pray. Can Satan use the weight of sins in our past to keep us from reaching community with God even though we know this is trickery?

I'm wondering this out loud for some that might have despair in their comments here.

[.429&H110]

Wal' writes, "Nope".

Surely you do, we all do.
When we drive in traffic we pray (on some level) that we don't get rammed.
But sometimes things get bent, someone in Tucson will die in a SUV today.
We have faith in red lights.
Does an omnipotent God bother with our traffic jams?
Yup.
It could be that that Satan worshiper in that Lexus has a meeting scheduled with his deity.

Please remember our God has a sense of humor.
If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans...

We are born with our hardware.
Either God or the world will provide your software.
Some people never really learn to drive.
Wouldn't you like to teach them?
We really have trouble with the red light thing around here.

On Wednesday nights we have a prayer meeting.
We keep a list of prayer
people need visits
people need rides
people need prayer
and record prayers asked and answered.
It is astonishing.
God is outside of cause and effect.
Miraculous.

[BLAHUT]

YES; I pray, I pray, to give thanks for all that I have received............... That is all.....

[BLAHUT]

Matthew 11:28

[Good Cheer]

Wal' writes, "Nope".

Surely you do, we all do.
When we drive in traffic we pray (on some level) that we don't get rammed.
But sometimes things get bent, someone in Tucson will die in a SUV today.
We have faith in red lights.
Does an omnipotent God bother with our traffic jams?
Yup.
It could be that that Satan worshiper in that Lexus has a meeting scheduled with his deity.

Please remember our God has a sense of humor.
If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans...

We are born with our hardware.
Either God or the world will provide your software.
Some people never really learn to drive.
Wouldn't you like to teach them?
We really have trouble with the red light thing around here.

On Wednesday nights we have a prayer meeting.
We keep a list of prayer
people need visits
people need rides
people need prayer
and record prayers asked and answered.
It is astonishing.
God is outside of cause and effect.
Miraculous.

You're right. He really does have a sense of humor as well as other emotions.

[Good Cheer]

With the tech, social scoring and financial systems now being fielded we're staring right at what it takes to implement the mark. Recognizing that gave me a little different, I suppose somewhat more immediate way of looking at "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil". Until just now writing this I hadn't thought about it as something to pray about. As if to say, how many good people do you know that haven't a clue about the gearing up for the mark? Then again, perhaps Christians on this forum aren't versed in the tech, the social scoring systems, the financial systems; their eminence and immediacy. Any how, I'm adding some prayers about this for people who need help in becoming aware.

[scattershot]

No.

[pmer]

I was born into a Christian family, so I have followed a religion since birth. I am partially an atheist because I do not believe in God, but I like religion's benefits.

I imagine you've had some discussions and arguments with your family and I'm sorry about that.

So do you spend any time in contemplative thought if not prayer then?

[Pine Baron]

Without getting into a long winded tale of how I've gotten to this point, I will simply state "right prayer or wrong prayer, any prayer is better than no prayer".

[Rizzo]

................I am partially an atheist because I do not believe in God, but I like religion's benefits.
If you do not believe in God, then you are an atheist.
There is nothing partial about that.

[exile]

"Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.

For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd."

Zechariah 10:1-2 (E.S.V.)

exile

[Good Cheer]

Over breakfast the wife made mention of what we pray for. It reminded me of something I used to pray for, that our Lord not give up on our country, our people. And I don't know when I stopped praying that. But tonight before I go to sleep, yep.

[Chief TC]

I think prayer is very varied and diverse. You can have conversations with God, Jesus or the HS. You can do repetitive and organized prayers, you can do prayers asking for the needs of yourself and others, etc. I consider meditation to be a state of focusing on something for a specific reason and specific goal. Christians can mediate through prayer and is still based in the Lord. You can read Psalms and see all of this type of praying represented and various saints discuss all these types of prayers. Some people pray in tongues. I believe in it and don't do it myself and it is uncommon. Prayer and the HS are not limited by constructs of men and religion. Pray as you see fit and feels right but be open to diversity of prayers.

[GhostHawk]

I like to include "Not my will, but thine be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven"

Not sure why, it just feels right. But I don't get the impression the Lord is saying NO to my prayers very often.

I think it helps to stay humble.

If you have negative emotions in your heart towards anyone I don't think you will have much success.
That crap is a bit like radioactive waste. It will eat through any container you put it in and poison you.

Bring up that memory of pain, look at it again with Jesus's eyes. Why did this person do this? Any chance they were in pain and did not know how to make it go away?
Forgive them, allow tears to wash the pain away, cleansing your heart. Once your heart is clean and clear pray for the Holy Spirit to come dwell within it.

You may find it makes a big difference.

And yes while I sometimes forget to thank the Lord for another day on the green side of the grass. I am pretty good about thanking him for the day as I head to bed.

Remember that like any good parent. The Lord is not always going to give us what we want. But he will make sure we have what we need.

[.429&H110]

I'll take JackMac's partial atheist as encouraging...

One of the six kinds of atheist
are reasoning people who have carefully examined the Proofs of God
and said: Really? Don't think so...
(That was me, 46 years ago)
(Thank You Jesus!)

Government school teaches that Scientism can explain everything.
So people worship Scientists.
And tithe to that belief that man can explain everything.
So the IRS funds NASA "to explore the origins of the universe"
for six billion bucks and more.
Our telescopes did not see God.
So we need a bigger telescope?

God Knows!
We overturned RoevsWade
and God snowed on the Colorado River (Big Time!)
Cause and effect of prayer?
God Knows!