Our reading in Luke 11:1-13 (Monday) has some great food for thought today, but I want to hone in on verses 9-10 where we see Jesus telling us "ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." It got me thinking about what I pray for and how I pray. What I uncovered was that I sometimes neglect to ask as I should. What I mean by that is, something will really be on my heart and I think God has put that desire or feeling there. But instead of taking it to the Lord in prayer and asking Him about that desire and fulfilling it, sometimes I just go on with day and activities because my thinking is something like this--well, God knows what's on my mind and heart and if it's from Him, then it will happen. Have you ever done that? Now don't get me wrong, this is not my template for navigating life. It is, however, how I proceed sometimes. But Jesus makes it clear in this passage today that our prayer life, communication and relationship with God is really important. So I can see I need to work on this area.
So what do your prayers look like? What are you asking for, and are they the appropriate things? Maybe you're a little sporadic in your prayer life or you miss the boat sometimes like my example today. Any thoughts on how we can work on that together? Or, maybe you're a prayer warrior and you're all over this. If so, tell us about what you do and how you got there. That could be a great help to those of us who aren't quite there yet. Either way, send me your thoughts, some examples, ideas, you name it because the bottom line is we all need to be praying more! Tami W.
P.S. Speaking of praying, if you'd like us here at BttB to pray for you, please let us know. We consider it a privilege and I'm guessing the rest of our P4 group (almost 6,000 now) would love to pray for you too!
Prayer is something I really wrestle with. A lot of times I just find I don't know what to say. As a result I think I may be missing the boat a lot. I don't do a lot of praying on my knees. Instead I will just pray in thought as I am driving or walking etc. I think that I should pray more but like I said I don't feel like I know how to pray. I kinda figure that God knows what I need and I trust that he will provide without me asking for it. Is that wrong?
I find myself in the same trap. I often say that God knows my deepest desire and therefore I don't need to ask him for it. If it is in his plan it will happen. Praying has never been a strong point for me because I don't like to ask for anything, I just let it happen. I'll praise Him, and thank Him and just glorify Him but I have a real difficulty asking Him for help.
The passage reminds me that I need to ask, that I need to pray a little more for what I want as maybe it is God's desire for me to come to Him. Maybe it should be a lot less me and more Him working in my life!
i want to thank God for this programme, whilst reading i just find my self, because am also the same that just think of that God Knows as long as he has impress it in my mind he will do it. but now i tried to over come it by praying whatever comes in mind, u will agree with me that sotimes it is not easy,when those times comes i speak in touges
Good morning all.
Tami you've made a really good point there. I believe that it is very important of, HOW we Pray. Yes I've done that too, believing that God knows my Heart, and then Trust Him to give'it to me. But very soon I realize that, I didn't ask.
Ones I realize that, I go on my knees, and ask for forgivenes first, and then I Thank God for everything He has done for me, sending His only begotten Son Jesus, to be born here on Earth, and to live here to teach me how to live, and then to Die on the Cross for my Sin. Then arose from Death, after a few, went back to the Heavenly Father, to sit on the right hand side of the Father, and sending down the Holy Spirit, to live within me (us). Praise the Lord, Halleluja. Amen.
Only then, I'll ask Him for whatever the reason may be.
That has got me this far, hope this is a help for someone.
Please correct me, if I'm wrong, I need to know.
Love to hear from you.
Praise the Lord
Good morning;
Prayer has been difficult for me over the years, partly because I thought I was not worthy, now I know better. Other things I struggle with is being uncertain how to pray, our my prayers selfish, and is my heart in the right place.
What I am finding is the more I talk (pray) to our Lord, the more He teaches me about prayer. The more I read His Word the more I learn about Him; which helps my prayer life. The more I fellowship with like minded believers the more I learn about prayer.
I don't know if I will ever truly have it down, but, I do know He wants me to continue seeking Him and living His Word,in doing this I will run the race and finish to His glory.
I find myself asking the Holy Spirit to search my heart and help me to discern what I need to pray about. I know that the closer I get to God, through prayer, the clearer it will get on what I need to pray for. I pray daily for his will to be done in my life.
This verse of scripture is vital to our prayer life. Prayer is an area that I struggle in as numerous other believers do. But to help put this in motion. I believe Jesus keeps it simple for us. Prayer is
1) Declaring his Greatness Luke 11:2
2) Releasing our Will and Submitting to His Agenda. Luke 11:2
3) Being Totally Dependent upon God Luke 11:3-4
When we are in prayer God wants us to have intimacy with him and alot of times we miss the point by giving him the laundry list.
I pray that all of us may continue to Grow in this area.
I put to practice in prayer every day on my knees, usually in the restroom for people that need salvation or just for an encouraging day or other request. Tami, the hope is that all of us as p 4 blog members can put it in to practice, knowing that there is a God that really cares for us out there. Our hearts won't feel like we ran into a cactus as along as our focus is on JESUS; Matthew 18:19. Remember, whether you are impressed or depressed JESUS is always waiting for a prayer from somebody out there in need it could be you, Susanna, annie, Roxanne or Nick. This, definately is how we lift each other up in the LORD Galatians 6:9. As I trust in the the Lord for my P4 partners that this powerful subject, prayer will build our hearts up on a daily basis, we then by faith in JESUS can leave it all in His hands and be focus all day. James 1:1, Proverbs 16:3.
I'm not sure why we have to pray when God knows our every thought, but I accept what the Word has to say, and it says that we should pray. I sometimes have trouble asking for my needs to be filled, because God isn't Santa Claus, and I worry about asking for things that will bring on hard lessons. For example, if I pray for strength, I may end up in a situation that is so bad that my strength increases greatly, and my prayer is answered, but at the same time, I didn't really want the grief that lead to the growth. You've got to be careful what you ask for, because you may get it, and it may come in unexpected ways. Since I'm now trying to find a way to finance the fight against cancer I'm doing a lot of asking, and receiving blessings galore, but they're not the blessings *I* think I need. We just have to accept that God knows best, and loves us as we love our own children.
I'd like to ask everyone to pray for us at this time. Today I found out that I need one and a have million bucks for my treatment, and if God doesn't step in, I simply won't be able to afford the treatments. Don't you people worry about me, because the Lord is with me in this, but do pray for me.
Thanks,
Charles
First, I would like to thank God for this program. It is given people like me a platform to speak to other christians and get some of my deepest questions answered.
My problem is similar to the rest. A feeling of unworthiness, and selfishness falls over me when I pray and also the feeling of not doing it right. All my christian life, I've been told Jesus is a friend and to speak to him as such. I'm at the point in my life, i'm tired of being told about him. I want to meet him for myself. I want the revalation that everyone else seems to have that I don't seem to get.
I often wonder if I am praying correctly or not. When I was younger, the pasters would always say these long drawn out prayers including anyone in the congregation that we asked to pray for as a church. But I don't always know those people. So I pray for the ones I DO know. I also challenge myself for the right frame of mind...I feel like I tend to drift (type A personality mind trying to "multi-task") and not really focusing on my walk (or talk) with God. Sometimes, I'll finish my prayer and then 30 mins later think of someone (or something) else I need to pray about. I ask that we all pray for each other as we walk in the light with Jesus Christ and discover more every day through our readings.
Your question is universal for all of us in that we tend to think, more times than I care to mention, that GOD already knows our needs and our wants, so why bother? Well, the truth is that GOD wants a personal relationship with us as our Creator, and therefore, desires to have communication with us. So what I do is reflect back on GOD's words "return to me and I will return to you" (remember that one?). GOD wants us to return to HIM, not as a favor to HIM but as an invitation to commune with HIM. Too often we miss the boat on that one. If we will just stop ourselves right in the middle of thinking "he already knows my needs" and acknowledge that GOD wants our attention simply because he loves us and has something very life-changing to tell us. Make room for GOD in our thoughts! That's how we combat those derailing thoughts that come across our minds. Listen, Tami, thanks for meeting with Susan and I here in your recent visit to Jacksonville. We enjoyed meeting with you and hope to spend more time with you next time you come. Blessings!
Bob
Charles, please know we'll be praying for your situation. Tami
Hi Tami,
A big part of our prayers have been answered. As it turns out, the people who were quoting me such high rates for my treatment were giving me estimates that were out of line with other hospitals, by orders of magnigude. As it turns out, I can get the same treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for less than 1/10th. the cost we were quoted. We are checking around locally now, because we may be able to get the tests and treatment locally for even less. Now I don't have to worry so much about being able to afford the care I need. One lesson in this is that it pays to shop around when you're about to buy expensive medical care. Costs vary widely.
Tami, we are not far enough along with this yet to even know whether or not my condition is going to be treatable, and frankly, the odds don't look good. Throw in my wife's knees, my mothers condition, and the current economic climate, and it seems as if I should be worried or depressed. I'm not that strong, yet even when it looked like I might have to go without treatment (leaving me a matter of a few weeks or a couple months at most), I was somehow able to put it in the Lord's hands, and it is not burdening me. I sleep well at night, wake up happy and looking forward to the day ahead, and I'm enjoying every minute of every day. It may sound strange, but life has never been better. Even my wife and daughter are at peace with whatever comes, and that's the thing I've been praying for the most. You know first hand how hard this kind of thing can be on loved ones.
Anyway, I want everyone here to know that even though the best I can expect is a hard fight, and the worst is no fight, there is no reason to feel sorry for me or my family. In spite of what we're facing, our cups are all still running over, and the Lord is with us and will see us through whatever lies ahead. I'm not a brave man, but Praise the Lord, I don't have to be. We do need everyone's prayers though, because it DOES make a difference.
As for the questions about how to pray, I think we worry about it that a lot more than the Lord does. What matters is that we pray, not how we pray. We come to the Lord just as we are, and what we are doesn't matter. The coming is what counts. As a child, I was taught "Now I lay me down to sleep."
Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
God bless mommy.
God bless daddy.
God bless ...
... Amen.
I would rattle off every name I could think of, asking God to bless them, every night. That's such a simple, childish prayer, but how could our Lord NOT be listening and pleased? I think it's a GREAT prayer. "Lord, take care of my soul, and when I die please take it. God, please bless everyone I know, and everyone I don't know. Amen." When that comes from the heart, it can't be wrong.
The important thing is to talk to God. He knows your heart, so don't worry about it, and just be yourself. God will understand.
Thanks to you all, and God bless,
Charles
Nick,
Tami asked me to respond to your question.
Taking any and every opportunity to talk to God is good. Keep in mind, however, that when you're driving, walking, etc., you really can't give your total attention to prayer. So while it's good, it's not the best. Instead, the Bible instructs us to set aside time specifically for talking to God. Jesus says in Matthew 6:6, " But you, when you pray , go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." Jesus' own life demonstrated this truth. In Matthew we're told "He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray" (Matthew 14:23). And, again, Mark tells us: "He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35). If the Son of God needed to make quality time to talk with His Father, how much more so do we.
If knowing how to pray is the problem, you might want to use the acronym ACTS. This stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Begin your prayer time by expressing your appreciation for who God is (His holiness, His compassion, His power, etc.). Then admit those times when your attitudes and actions fell short of what they should have been (confession). Then take time to thank Him for all He's done for you. Finally, spend some time asking Him to meet your needs and the needs of others. Follow this pattern and you'll have no problems finding things to talk to God about.
Allen, Biblical Correspondent at Back to the Bible