What the Bible has to say about Prayer Navigate A Study about Prayer Christine's prayer
Where to Pray
In your private room or secret place		But you, when you pray, enter into your room. And shutting your door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. Mat 6:6
In church		My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the LORD. Psa 26:12 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward the heavens. 1Ki 8:22
Everywhere and anywhere		Therefore, I desire that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1Ti 2:8
When to Pray
In the morning		My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will look up. Psa 5:3
Morning, noon, and night		Evening and morning, and at noon, I will pray and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice. Psa 55:17
Day & night		O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before You. Psa 88.1
Every day of the week		Be merciful to me, O Lord; for I cry to You daily. Psa 86:3
Do you get it? God is "on duty" to hear YOUR prayers 24/7/365! You will NOT be put on hold.		Then Jesus spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart Luke 18:1
How to Pray
Pray boldly		Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16 [for an example of bold prayer, see Gen 18.22-25]
Pray with an attitude of deep love and respect for God		Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. Ezr 8:21
Pray "conversationally." God is a person -- namely, your Father. Prayer is a deeply personal, intimate CONVERSATION with your Father -- not some *magical incantation* or religious babbling.		And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Mt 6:7
What to Pray
In "the Model Prayer," Jesus taught you to... Pray to the Father. Acknowledge God's holiness. Seek God's kingdom and God's will. Request God's daily provision. Confess your sins, and seek forgiveness. Request strength to resist evil and temptation. Offer praises unto God.		(Jesus taught you...) After this manner therefore pray ye... Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespassess, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Mt 6.9-13
Share your sorrows and joys with God.		Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Jam 5.13
Pray for spiritual and physical healing for yourself and others.		Pray for one another, that you may be healed. Jam 5.16b
Pray for those who govern your nation and the world, that we may live in peace and godliness.		(Pray...) for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. 1 Tim 2.2
Pray for wisdom and discernment.		If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Jam 1.5 (see also 1 Kings 3.5-14)
Pray for your enemies.		(Jesus said...) I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you Mt 5.44
Pray for all your needs. Give thanks always unto God. Seek and receive God's peace that surpasses all understanding.		Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philipp 4.6-7

Christine's Prayer Request

11/9/03 Christine writes -  My husband lost his job at the age of 55 and we have lost our health insurance and other benefits as well. We do have enough to pay our bills for a while and I am fasting and praying until God shows us His will in this trial in our lives. I want to be the kind of person who trusts God, not just in the midst of prosperity, but during difficult times. He is a wonderful God and He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. I come from a large family of four girls and two brothers. One brother has almost no contact with our family. We are all Christians but have never been very close, though all of us girls now live in the same city as my parents. All of my family is very well off and no one has ever lost their job or been in any real financial need, except for one other sister who is now doing fine. I have never asked my family for financial help and would not do so now. Finances are not my greatest concern in regard to my family. I do not expect them to take care of me. I have a job and am working hard to help my husband find one. He is planning to go to a seminar about becoming a truck driver that is being offered in a few weeks. He would be gone a lot but he wants to find something where he could make enough to get out of debt and set some aside. We are asking God to show us His will and to help us to do it. My deepest concern is the lack of emotional support my family offers. No one except my mother and older brother has phoned me. My mother and father live in a 4000 square foot house, and my mother let me know that I should not even consider moving in with her. My brother is pushing to sell my home and move and use the money I get to rent and live on. However, there are things I would need to do before selling my home. These things cost money that I do not have and even when I do them it would take time to sell it. My husband lost his mother when he was in high school and his father died a few years ago. He does have two brothers and he tries to stay in phone contact with them. He phoned two of his mother's surviving aunts. The third one is in constant touch with us through emails. They are not well off financially and have gone through many trials of their own, and are still in the midst of many of them. They have been very supportive of us. Perhaps that is because of their trials. It does make the Christian more like Jesus. Thus, we are more sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. I do not feel my family is much different from the American church. We have so much materialistically that we have sought to build our kingdom here on earth. In doing so we have fallen so in love with the world that we have lost any real love for God and His Kingdom. I am reminded of these verses... Whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. I John 3.17-18 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.1 John 2.16 Most of us have fallen in love with the world and, in doing so, the love of the Father is not in us. God has convicted me of that in my own life, and He who is the Author and Perfecter of my faith is the one I am asking to fix it. If by losing the "things" I have I gain a deeper love for God I welcome losing it all. I do not want to settle for God giving me my requests, but sending a leanness in my soul, as it says of the Israelite in their wilderness wanderings. Sometimes we wonder why we have been given a certain trial and do not have eyes to see that is a wonderful gift from God -- if it leads us to a closer walk with Him and causes us to focus on Him and not the things of this world. I know that the greatest gift God gave my mother's father was the kidney disease that he died from, because it was the tool God used for him to become a Christian. He did not have as many years on earth with us, but we will have sweet fellowship with him for all of eternity. Thank you for your prayers. I am safely in His arms of love. Christine

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