Teach me how to pray

This question was a recurring theme for me personally in the first year or so after I was saved. There were many examples of prayer, long, short, loud, quiet, lots of words, very few words, on your knees, standing, face up, face down, hands up, hands folded. Wow. Prayer certainly seemed complicated, or so I thought. If you violate any of these, supposed rules, did that mean that God would not hear your prayer? A friend of mine used to brag about spending two hours a day in heavy prayer. Two hours? Heavy prayer? What in the world is Heavy Prayer?? If I spend only 10 minutes in prayer, does that mean I am going to hell?

Lets see if we can unravel some of the mystery of prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is direct communication with Almighty God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is dialog between you, the created, and God, the Creator. Prayer is personal. Prayer is sincere. Prayer can be silent, spoken, even cried. YOUR prayer has the capability of triggering the awesome and tremendous power universal in the very Word of God. Prayer is a really big deal. Prayer is the language of the spirit.

In Matthew Chapter Six, Jesus explains the basics to His apostles. Starting in verse five Jesus teaches: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” Jesus continues in verses six through eight; But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

What follows in verses 9 – 13 became the most often spoken and most beloved prayer of all time;

"This, then, is how you should pray: "

'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

'For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, AMEN.”

When you pray, be yourself, open your heart and speak to God with the love and respect due to a Father, our Father, He who created you!

There are books galore all espousing the ideal way, the effective prose, the best arrangement, giving you the best bang for your buck in prayer. Here is my tip. Just tell Him what is on your mind. Share your feelings, hopes, fears, expectations. Ask for what you need. (notice I said what you need......not what you want...) Never be afraid to ask for whatever you have on your mind and in your heart. If God does not agree with your request, it just won't happen.

Before you pray, try and organize your thoughts a bit. I suggest opening the prayer time with praise. Praise Him for his patience, His Majesty, His Mercy or His wondrous power. Thank Him for the breath of life, for your family, for your success. Fancy words are not necessary. God made you, remember? He truly loves to hear your voice and is always interested in that which interferes with His communication with you. Pause once in a while and just listen. Listen for that ever soft small voice from deep inside you. Many say it is much like hearing your own conscience speaking. If it is from God, it is always uplifting, beneficial, and always points to goodness and mercy. Most of all, be honest and be yourself. Don't fret about how much time you devote to prayer. Just pray. In closing your prayer, thank your Lord Jesus for His intercession, and His horrible sacrifice for all of us, each one a sinner, saved through His blood on the cross.

You can pray anywhere and in any circumstance. No batteries needed. As your day progresses, don't be afraid to quietly update Him on what you are doing, how you are feeling, ask Him if you can do something for His glory today. You will be amazed at the opportunities He will place in your path. When it happens, when He delivers an opportunity to you, and you recognize and react, it truly is one of the best feelings you will ever experience. Ever!

Lets Pray!