Is there a right way to pray?

Ave Maria · #11 31st October 2009, 04:57 AM

You should always pray in Jesus' name.

(John 14:13 TNIV) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
(John 14:14 TNIV) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

God Bless,
Frosty One

Jaws13 · #12 31st October 2009, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Frosty One

You should always pray in Jesus' name.

(John 14:13 TNIV) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
(John 14:14 TNIV) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

God Bless,
Frosty One

Yes, indeed. For those of you who don't know what that means, it means to ask for things that are in Christ's character: in Bible times, someone's name was equivalent to their character and will.

heymikey80 · #13 31st October 2009, 08:59 PM

You're not alone. Jesus' disciples asked Jesus too. Jesus gave them an outline example prayer, we call it the Lord's Prayer.

Different people have pointed out its main themes, probably the easiest mnemonic to remember it is ACTS:

Adoration - Praising God's attributes and character,
Confession - Confession of our sins to God,
Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving for the blessings we have received from Him and
Supplication - Petitions for the blessings we need.

In addition, God accepts the earnest prayers of His people. He'll fix what we do wrong.

Hope it helps.

over the rainbow · #14 1st November 2009, 07:29 PM

Jaws13 · #15 1st November 2009, 07:35 PM

Anytime.

MLEN · #16 1st November 2009, 10:43 PM

God knows that we all have different needs and express ourselves in different ways. As you continue to walk with God, your prayers will change depending on specific situations you encounter. I personally found great joy when I learned to also include in my prayers praise and thanks to him for all he has done for me throughout the day.

charita · #17 15th January 2010, 12:16 PM

About Praying

TO KEEP FREE from the world’s wicked influence, Christians especially need the help received
through prayer. Jesus said: "The Father in heaven [will] give holy spirit to those asking him."
(Luke 11:13) We need God’s holy spirit, or active force, even as we need to study his Word and
to associate with his organization. But to receive holy spirit, we must pray for it.
Prayer is respectful speech to God. It can be in the form of a request, such as when asking God
for things. But prayer can also be an expression of thanks or praise to God. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

In order to have a good relationship with our heavenly Father, we must regularly talk to him in
prayer. (Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18) His active force, which is received by our asking for it,
can strengthen us to do his will despite any troubles or temptations that Satan or his world may
bring upon us.—1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 3:20.
The Bible tell us that certain requirements must be met if prayers are to be heard. However, many
who pray show little concern about doing what God requires of us. God can see in our heart if we
have a wrong motive for praying. He always know if the person WANT to do his will, if he knew
how to do it. If we are unwilling to obey him, but rather do things our own way, then our prayers
may not be answered the way we want.....
What, then, does God require for our prayers to be heard?

Whose prayers is God willing to hear?
Ps. 65:2; Acts 10:34, 35: “O Hearer of prayer, even to you people of all flesh will come.” “God is
not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable
to him.” (One’s nationality, the color of one’s skin, or one’s economic circumstances have no bearing
on the matter. (But the motivations of one’s heart and one’s way of life do.)

Luke 11:2: “Whenever you pray, say, ‘Father, let your name be sanctified.’” (Are your prayers
addressed to the Father, the one whose name the Bible says is the allmighty GOD? (JHWH) Or, instead, do you address your prayers to Jesus Christ or to “saints”?)

John 14:6, 14: “Jesus said to him: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.’” (Do you pray in the name
of Jesus Christ, recognizing that as a sinful human you need his intercession on your behalf?)

1 John 5:14: “This is the confidence that we have toward him, that, no matter what it is that we
ask according to his will, he hears us.” (To have such confidence, however, you should know God’s
will.... Then be sure that your requests are in harmony with it.)

1 Pet. 3:12: “The eyes of God are upon the righteous ones, and his ears are toward their supplication; but the face of God is against those doing bad things.” (Have you taken time to learn what God says through his Word as to what is righteous and what is bad?)

1 John 3:22: “Whatever we ask we receive from him, because we are observing his commandments
and are doing the things that are pleasing in his eyes.” (Is it truly your desire to be pleasing to God,
and are you earnestly endeavoring to obey those of his commandments that you already know?)

Isa. 55:6, 7: “Search for God, you people, while he may be found. Call to him while he proves to
be near. Let the wicked man leave his way, and the harmful man his thoughts; and let him return to
God, who will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will forgive in a large way.”
(Mercifully, God invites even persons who have done bad things to call to him in prayer. But,
to have God’s approval, they must sincerely repent of their wrong ways and thoughts and change their course.)

What could make a person’s prayers unacceptable to God?

Matt. 6:5: “When you pray, you must not be as the hypocrites; because they like to pray standing in
the synagogues and on the corners of the broad ways to be visible to men. Truly I say to you, They
are having their reward in full.” (Also Luke 18:9-14)

Matt. 6:7: “When praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words.”

Prov. 28:9: “He that is turning his ear away from hearing the law [of God]—even his prayer is something
detestable.”

Mic. 3:4: “At that time they will call to God (JHWH) for aid, but he will not answer them. And he will conceal
his face from them in that time, according as they committed badness in their dealings.”

Jas. 4:3: “You do ask, and yet you do not receive, because you are asking for a wrong purpose, that
you may expend it upon your cravings for sensual pleasure.”

Isa. 42:8, Dy; Matt. 4:10, JB: “I, the Lord,(JHWH) this is my name. I will not
give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things.” “You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.”

(Prayer is a form of worship. If you pray before graven things, or images, is that going to please God?)
Isa. 8:19: “In case they should say to you people: ‘Apply to the spiritistic mediums or to those having a
spirit of prediction who are chirping and making utterances in low tones,’ is it not to its God that any
people should apply? Should there be application to dead persons in behalf of living persons?”

Jas. 1:6, 7: “Let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the
sea driven by the wind and blown about. In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything
from God.”

Exactly HOW should we pray?
Some persons have a hard time expressing themselves in words. However, this should not keep them
from speaking to God in prayer. We can be sure that he knows our needs and will understand what we
want to say. (Matthew 6:8) Think about it: Which expression do you most appreciate from a child—his
simple, sincere thanks or the special words someone told him to say? Our Father in heaven likewise
appreciates simple, sincere expressions from us. (James 4:6; Luke 18:9-14) No special words or religious l
anguage are needed. He will not even listen to those who pray in unusual or high-sounding language to
impress others, or who say the same things over and over again in an insincere way.—Matthew 6:5, 7.
Even when you pray silently, God can hear. When Nehemiah did, God acted upon his sincere request,
and likewise with Hannah. (Nehemiah 2:4-8; 1 Samuel 1:11-13, 19, 20) Nor is a person’s physical position
when praying the important thing. You can pray while in any position, at any time and at any place.
However, the Bible shows that a position of humility, such as bowing the head or kneeling, is appropriate.
(1 Kings 8:54; Nehemiah 8:6; Daniel 6:10; Mark 11:25; John 11:41) And Jesus indicated that it is also
good when personal prayers can be said in a place of privacy, unseen to men.—Matthew 6:6.

Prayers to help others....
Jesus showed by his example the importance of praying in behalf of others. (Luke 22:32; 23:34; John 17:20)
The apostle Paul knew the value of such prayers and often asked others to pray for him.
(1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Romans 15:30) While in prison he wrote: "I am hoping that
through the prayers of you people I shall be set at liberty." (Philemon 22; Ephesians 6:18-20) That Paul
was soon afterward released from prison indicates the benefit of the prayers that were said for him.
Paul also said helpful prayers in behalf of others. "We always pray for you, that our God may count you
worthy of his calling," he wrote. (2 Thessalonians 1:11) And to another congregation he explained: "We
pray to God that you may do nothing wrong . . . but that you may be doing what is fine." (2 Corinthians 13:7)
Surely it is good to follow Paul’s example and to make specific requests in behalf of persons whom we love.
Indeed, "a righteous man’s supplication [sincere pleading], when it is at work, has much force."
—James 5:13-16.

What are proper matters about which to pray?
Matt. 6:9-13: “You must pray, then, this way: ‘[1] Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.
[2] Let your kingdom come. [3] Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. [4] Give us today
our bread for this day; and [5] forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And [6] do not
bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.’” (Notice that God’s name and purpose
should be given priority.)

Luke 11:13: “If you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!”
1 Thess. 5:17, 18: “Pray incessantly. In connection with everything give thanks.”
Matt. 14:19, 20: “[Jesus] took the five loaves and two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he said a blessing
and, after breaking the loaves, he distributed them to the disciples, the disciples in turn to the crowds.
So all ate and were satisfied.”
Jas. 5:16: “Pray for one another.”
Matt. 26:41: “Keep on the watch and pray continually, that you may not enter into temptation.”
Phil. 4:6: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with
thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God.”
The Bible show that we can pray for ALL THAT WE NEED, no matter what. As long as it is in harmony
with God's will..... If a person for example pray for something that's not good for himself (without
knowing it) then God will not approve it. Sometimes he answer that prayer in a way that we didn't expect.
Just trying to get the person to understand that he's on a wrong path. Furthermore, the allmighty
God can easely see what we need, before we ask for it. But he want us to pray, with a humble heart and a humble attitude, and with strong faith.

STRONG FAITH is necessary in order to get what we pray for. James 1: 6,7,8 says: But let him keep
on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind
and blown about. 7. In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from God;
8. he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways."

seashale76 · #18 15th January 2010, 08:05 PM

Here are some great resources on prayer for you:
P r a y e r
Let us
Abbreviated Prayerbook
Prayer for the Living
The Message of the Lord's Prayer

dga · #19 17th January 2010, 03:38 PM

How did Adam and Eve prayed, when they were created, and were in the garden of Eden, before they fell into sin? What was their prayer and talking to God about?

kevlite2020 · #20 17th January 2010, 03:44 PM

blind post: I'm going to give you a really simple answer. Yes there is. The right way to pray is in spirit and in truth.

You can pray Bible verses, pray meditations of your heart, pray Our Father's, whatever you need to say to Him, but do it in spirit and in truth and you will be okay