Rules for Praying

[NJM24]

I don't always request things from God when I pray but I have done so at times.
When I do I ask, thank Him and believe it is done. When it crosses my mind again I thank him for it and continue whatever I'm doing. I was recently informed that I am praying wrong and was told when I request something from Him I should continue praying about it without ceasing until it is done. What are your thoughts on praying in that manner??

 

[GeorgeJ]

Here's Jesus' "rule".
Matthew 6:5-6
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

 

[PropheticTimes]

I don't always request things from God when I pray but I have done so at times.
When I do I ask, thank Him and believe it is done. When it crosses my mind again I thank him for it and continue whatever I'm doing. I was recently informed that I am praying wrong and was told when I request something from Him I should continue praying about it without ceasing until it is done. What are your thoughts on praying in that manner??

Praying without ceasing is a continual interaction with God. This is what it looks like for me - I talk to Him all day long, like my best friend, about everything..."Lord, please keep ___ safe on the way home"... "What a beautiful day, Lord, thank you" .... "Lord, please help me figure out how to finish this task"...etc...

The way you thank Him for answering your prayer when it comes to mind is wonderful, it shows faith in His answer, regardless of what that answer may be. Do keep in mind that His answers to our prayers do not usually come in the form we may be looking for it, so be open to His answer coming in other ways.

God bless!

 

[NJM24]

Praying without ceasing is a continual interaction with God. This is what it looks like for me - I talk to Him all day long, like my best friend, about everything..."Lord, please keep ___ safe on the way home"... "What a beautiful day, Lord, thank you" .... "Lord, please help me figure out how to finish this task"...etc...

Thankyou. I talk with Him all day like that...lol....I just considered it Talking to Him. The way ceasing was told to me was like constantly repeating the prayer to God which I considered badgering Him. I also know I have to wait until His timing but I hadn't considered receiving it in a different way. Thank you for that information.

 

[PropheticTimes]

Thankyou. I talk with Him all day like that...lol....I just considered it Talking to Him. The way ceasing was told to me was like constantly repeating the prayer to God which I considered badgering Him. I also know I have to wait until His timing but I hadn't considered receiving it in a different way. Thank you for that information.

You are welcome And as the Scripture GeorgeJ posted, He hears us the first time, I just think that most of the time we expect an immediate answer in a specific way or set of circumstances. But I have learned that, at times, He is working behind the scenes to orchestrate the best for us, and that usually takes more time than we would like. I have also found He usually waits until the last minute lol, but He does come through

 

[~Anastasia~]

Our Tradition has a long history of what we call "prayer of the heart" which is how we interpret "pray without ceasing". There are practices which amount to tools that help open the heart to do this, and one of them is frequent repetition of the JESUS Prayer, which is usually some form (maybe shortened) of "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy of me, a sinner". It can be just "Jesus" or "Lord have mercy". Other shirt petitions from Scripture may be used as well, "Lord make haste to help me". There are also other Christian practices which can produce the desired end result.

The desired end result is constant remembrance of God, a heart that seems to sing or pray to Him continuously on its own, and even continues communion with God while one is sleeping. I wouldn't venture to guess how many actually achieve this, but it is not everyone by any means, and it is not a "requirement for salvation". It's a deepened relationship with God.

But it's not about asking for anything, unless it's asking for that relationship.

As far as repeatedly asking God for something, I don't think that's wrong. Consider the parable of the unjust judge. But I also don't think it's wrong to ask only once. There are no set "rules" to fit every situation in that matter, IMO.

For myself, if it is a "hard" thing I ask, like seeing someone with no interest in faith turn to God, I tend to ask often and keep asking, until it is done. If it is something that I should simply trust God for, like provision, I tend to ask once and thank Him that He will answer as He sees fit and acknowledge that He never fails me.

 

[Gnarwhal]

2742 "Pray constantly . . . always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father."33 St. Paul adds, "Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints."34 For "we have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and to fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing."35 This tireless fervor can come only from love. Against our dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble, trusting, and persevering love. This love opens our hearts to three enlightening and life-giving facts of faith about prayer.​

We should consider the reason for repeated asking if we're constantly petitioning God for something. There's a difference, for example, between repeatedly asking God for the conversion of family, friends, strangers, etc and asking him for a new sports car.

We should also consider whether our repeated asking comes from a belief that God didn't hear us the first time and/or our asking repeatedly will somehow compel God to act, or if we're simply asking repeatedly because it's something that passionately weighs on our hearts.

I've been around charismatic protestant people who have prayed for something or someone and have literally said "Lord we're not moving here from this spot until you heal [name]." To me, that's not a righteous act, that's a defiant act, because it's not even willing to consider what the Lord's will in the situation might be. There are a fair amount of situations like this one which involve repetitive prayer, and I think it's needs to be weighed heavily.

 

[Jezmeyah]

I don't always request things from God when I pray but I have done so at times.
When I do I ask, thank Him and believe it is done. When it crosses my mind again I thank him for it and continue whatever I'm doing.

I do the same thing.

I was recently informed that I am praying wrong and was told when I request something from Him I should continue praying about it without ceasing until it is done. What are your thoughts on praying in that manner??

If one prays for the same thing after having prayed the initial request, is to ignore the Amen. Which calls to mind that the thing requested is done, it's on it's way.

Therefore to pray more than once for the same thing, is doubt. James said that praying like that is compared to being tossed to and fro. First time- believing. Second time- doubting.

No one is to think that his prayer will be answered when doing that.

As I understand it, praying without ceasing is referring to "don't give up hope/expectation." Praise and thanksgiving given at the reminder of the prayer that was prayed, keeps the believer's hope alive. While doubt will kill it.

So it is written, not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel. And, Exult in hope of the glory of God. Come what may, for hope does not disappoint.

 

[Mark51]

God’s requirements regarding prayer requires that we must lead lives in harmony with our prayers. Our course of action must please Him; otherwise, we cannot expect Him to consider our petitions and supplications with favor.

In fact, He repeatedly found it necessary to remind his people Israel of these truths. Read Proverbs 28:9; 15:29. Because of this situation, Jeremiah mourned: “You have blocked approach to yourself with a cloud mass, that prayer may not pass through.” (Lamentations 3:44) Truly, the warning that Micah was inspired to give was fulfilled: “They will call to Jehovah 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.”-Micah 3:4; Proverbs 1:28-32. Consider Genesis 27:41; chapters 32, 33; 2 Samuel 15:31-37; 17:1-14; 18:6-8; Nehemiah 4:9, 16.

For our prayers to be heard by God, not only must we be morally and spiritually clean but we must also prove the sincerity of our prayers by working at what we pray for. Prayer alone is not a substitute for honest, intelligent effort. God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves by earnestly applying the counsel of his Word and following the guidance of his holy spirit. We should be willing to do all we can in this regard so that he will have a basis for answering our prayers. Thus, we ‘should not be asking for more than we are willing to work for,’ as someone has well put it.

In the final analysis, it is knowledge of God’s will that governs the contents of a person’s prayers, for the supplicant must realize that, if his request is to be granted, it must please God. Knowing that the wicked and those disregarding God’s Word have no favor with Him, the supplicant obviously cannot request that which runs counter to righteousness and to God’s revealed will, including the teachings of God’s Son and his inspired disciples. (John 15:7, 16) Thus, statements regarding the asking of “anything” (John 16:23) are not to be taken out of context. “Anything” clearly does not embrace things the individual knows, or has reason to believe, are not pleasing to God. See 1 John 5:14; compare James 4:15.

 

[Ron Gurley]

A tool for PRAYER ?...Use ACTS ....A-C-T-S

PRAY:
1.TO God the Father
2.in the POWER of God the Holy Spirit
3.in the NAME of God the Son

A = ACKNOWLEDGE / worship the TRI-UNE God...pray:
...hallowed be thy NAME...WILL...REALM...kingdom...power...glory

C = CONFESS / agree with God that we have fallen short...
CLAIM forgiveness of specific sins...FORGIVE others...debts/debtors
CONVINCE the Spirit of needing guidance to know the WILL of God...lead us out of temptation

T = THANKSGIVING:
1. for "daily bread" = mana = necessities of life
2. for our progressive salvation through the Word made Flesh
3. for multiple blessings of family, friends, church, work, etc

S = SUPPLICATION / requesting blessings for others
1. personal and specific needs for: FAMILY + SELF + "NEIGHBORS" + WORLD

And some verses that EXPLAIN "prayer?

Mark 11......Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King....BELIEVE in the POWER of PRAYER...see also: Matthew 21
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. (PRAYER WITHIN THE WILL OF GOD )...Metaphors
23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’
and does not doubt in their heart but believes what they say will happen, it will be done for them.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Luke 11: 1-11...Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer...after the MODEL prayer:
CONCLUSION:
9 “So I say to you:
Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives;
the one who seeks finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ...how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Matthew 26: 41;38 (NASB)...Jesus: in The Garden of Gethsemane to Peter (and followers?)
Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation;
the SPIRIT is willing, but the FLESH (Body) is weak.”
He said to them,
“My SOUL is deeply grieved, to the point of death;
remain here and keep watch with Me.”

Matthew 21:22 (NASB)...Jesus: building up His follower's FAITH
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
"If you BELIEVE, you will RECEIVE whatever you ask for (spiritually) in prayer." (that is within the will of God)

PRAYING in the Early Church
Acts 1:14
Act 2:42

Romans 8: 26-27 (NASB)...Paul: Pray in the SPIRIT and SOUL (mind)
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we should,
but (the indwelling God) the (Holy)Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words...
I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also;
I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also...
building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 6:18 (NASB)...Paul: pray for all the saints (believers)
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."(believers)

Philippians 4:6 (NASB)...Paul: request everything you need
"Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to one another , and pray for one another so that you may be healed.
The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Matthew 6:5
"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 men.
I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."

2 Chronicles 7: 14 ...The "Reagan Prayer for The Nation"....The LORD Appears to Solomon
11 When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace,
and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace,
12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said: ....
....IF my people,
who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and
pray and
seek my face and
turn from their wicked ways,
THEN I will hear from heaven, and
I will forgive their sin and
will heal their land.

1 Thes 5:17 "...pray without ceasing...";

PRAYER from PSALMS / PROVERBS
Psalms 5:3
Psalms 6:9
Proverb 15:29

1 Peter 3:12 "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS ,
AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,
BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL ."