How Often Should you Pray?

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

Scheduled prayers are not necessarily robotic. Are Sunday morning church service prayers robotic (i.e., not "real") simply because they occur at the same time each week?

Thing is that people tend to make up their mind about things and sadly often derogatory so about things or practices of other denominations without know the why about it.

It's so easy just to judge canonical hours as robotic just like your granny told you about those darn Catholics on her way to the Pentecostal meeting thirtysomething years ago.
It's so sad.

It's not like we're any better so its not my intention to single out Pentecostal in particular they were merely used as an example.
If a Catholic or a Lutheran walked into a spiritfilled meeting of the Pentecostals we would've been very likely to commit the same mistake ourselves.

Not understanding hence build ourselves some nasty looking strawmen and clinged onto them instead of searching for some inside info as to why they do what they do.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Well I meant awake time, but the question is: what is prayer? For me it's not always a deliberate communication with God but a communion of spirit I.e being with Him. In Him we live and move and have our being.

Analogy: Hugging my wife is a form of communication.

I am most definitely communicating with God while talking to someone. I listen for His input in the conversation. Not in specific words necessarily, but to find the way to move forward and bless the person. This is called "living in the Spirit". And this, by my definition, is a form of prayer.

Jesus defined prayer. I trust His description.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

That would mean, in layman's terms, don't stop. It's an ongoing process. A constant activity, if you will. Keep an open line of communication with God.

So, you pray without stopping all day, everyday?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Scheduled prayers are not necessarily robotic. Are Sunday morning church service prayers robotic (i.e., not "real") simply because they occur at the same time each week?

Absolutely!

We live in a world in which any structure is spurned and said to be, "inauthentic".

 

[Colter]

An insincere prayer is an abomination to God! Pray sincerely. Don't say things that you do not mean or ask for direction you are unwilling to heed. And if one has to ask how often or when then they have missed the point.

 

[Shane2336]

So, you pray without stopping all day, everyday?

Do you think I do?

 

[Ken Rank]

unceasingly (did I spell that right???), isnt that what our Lord tells us to do?

That is the answer right there. Our lives should be walked out in such a way that a door of communication is ALWAYS OPEN between us and the Lord. That does not mean we have to sit on our knees for 18 hours a day. It means that as we walk through life, we should treat God as if He is standing right by our side (because in a sense He is) and we should talk to Him, ask Him questions, and wait on answers. Yes there are times to get down on our knees and speak to Him... but prayer is communication with God and that is something that needs to be done all the time.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

That is the answer right there. Our lives should be walked out in such a way that a door of communication is ALWAYS OPEN between us and the Lord. That does not mean we have to sit on our knees for 18 hours a day. It means that as we walk through life, we should treat God as if He is standing right by our side (because in a sense He is) and we should talk to Him, ask Him questions, and wait on answers. Yes there are times to get down on our knees and speak to Him... but prayer is communication with God and that is something that needs to be done all the time.

Do you pray "all of the time"?

 

[brinny]

Jesus defined prayer. I trust His description.

Please elaborate.

 

[Ken Rank]

Do you pray "all of the time"?

Yes, I just said that. Prayer is communication with God and when I am driving, walking, running... working (I screen print)... I am constantly talking to God, listening, trying to make connections in His word. When Paul said, "pray without ceasing," this is what he meant, what he was inspired to write. We can't sit on our knees 24/7, therefore... Paul's words were meant in another way and this is how I take them, Jimmy. Perhaps I am wrong... perhaps somebody else has a better answer... but this is how I take it and react to it. Blessings.

 

[Shane2336]

Yes, I just said that. Prayer is communication with God and when I am driving, walking, running... working (I screen print)... I am constantly talking to God, listening, trying to make connections in His word. When Paul said, "pray without ceasing," this is what he meant, what he was inspired to write. We can't sit on our knees 24/7, therefore... Paul's words were meant in another way and this is how I take them, Jimmy. Perhaps I am wrong... perhaps somebody else has a better answer... but this is how I take it and react to it. Blessings.

Well said, Ken. I gave the same answer (the only answer) and realized I have nothing else to add. Because there is nothing else. This isn't a debatable point! God Bless! *Shane2336 out

 

[Goatee]

Pray Continuosly

 

[Blade]

No option for ALWAYS! As it is written. This is how we know what is really going in this world and around us. This is the way you fall in love with Him. How can we love someone we dont know? So we pray in all things about everything. Now I dont mean like what tie or dress to wear lol.

The best example I know of is a woman that was a grandmother prayed 4+hours every day. The power of GOD and His presence was always on her. You could neve tell her thank you..it was always "thank JESUS" and all she had was a bible study. But when she prayed for you it got answered! Yet to get that..have that.. most of US dont want to pay the price.

So pray in all things and in the spirit.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Please elaborate.

"Teach us how to pray. . ." "When you pray. . ."

 

[jimmyjimmy]

No option for ALWAYS! As it is written. This is how we know what is really going in this world and around us. This is the way you fall in love with Him. How can we love someone we dont know? So we pray in all things about everything. Now I dont mean like what tie or dress to wear lol.

The best example I know of is a woman that was a grandmother prayed 4+hours every day. The power of GOD and His presence was always on her. You could neve tell her thank you..it was always "thank JESUS" and all she had was a bible study. But when she prayed for you it got answered! Yet to get that..have that.. most of US dont want to pay the price.

So pray in all things and in the spirit.

If 4 hours is good, isn't 8 better?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Yes, I just said that. Prayer is communication with God and when I am driving, walking, running... working (I screen print)... I am constantly talking to God, listening, trying to make connections in His word. When Paul said, "pray without ceasing," this is what he meant, what he was inspired to write. We can't sit on our knees 24/7, therefore... Paul's words were meant in another way and this is how I take them, Jimmy. Perhaps I am wrong... perhaps somebody else has a better answer... but this is how I take it and react to it. Blessings.

You "pray" every waking moment of the day, every day? Every moment?

 

[Ken Rank]

You "pray" every waking moment of the day, every day? Every moment?

You asked me this exact question here, and my answer was here.

I know the concept might be foreign if "prayer" has always been defined as something you do on your knees or laying prostrate or whatever. But you can "talk" to God all the time, as if He is right there next to you, because, in a sense, He is.

 

[YouAreAwesome]

Jesus defined prayer. I trust His description.

How did Jesus define it?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

You asked me this exact question here, and my answer was here.

I know the concept might be foreign if "prayer" has always been defined as something you do on your knees or laying prostrate or whatever. But you can "talk" to God all the time, as if He is right there next to you, because, in a sense, He is.

The word "prayer" does have a meaning. Do you agree with that? It's something other than brushing your teeth, I'm sure you would agree.

Also, to clarify, you pray every second of every day, and never, ever let a single second go by without praying? If I seem surprised, I just have never met anyone who has prayed more than Christ.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

How did Jesus define it?

Asked and answered.