I know this is a stupid question. But how do you properly pray?

[zippy2006]

These are really great questions!

I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray?

In some ways you are simply relating and sharing with a friend.

Would God care about the tiniest details of my life?

Sure!

Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something?

That would be just fine.

An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever.

There is nothing sinful about sharing simple things.

Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him?

That's a good prayer. Jeremiah, Jonah, and Moses offered prayers of anger and frustration, to name a few.

I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

You don't need to be too concerned about filtering yourself in prayer. You can share things with God even if you don't understand them or see how they fit in to the big picture.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God?

Yes.

Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud?

God hears prayer in thought. This is called "mental prayer."

Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6?

Communal prayer is also encouraged (Matthew 18:20), especially between husband and wife (Tobit 8:4-8).

Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

It's up to you. The traditional liturgical prayer of the Church is to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. In that case you would be praying to the Father through Jesus while abiding in the love of the Spirit. But you are free to pray to any of the persons of the Trinity as you see fit.

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God?

Whatever you intend. Often in the Christian tradition of prayer "God" has referred to the Father.

Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

Yes, He knows the desire of your heart.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

Read the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

A good way to get yourself in the habit of praying is by doing it at regular times during the day. For example: when you wake, before you eat, and before you go to sleep. Incorporating Scripture or set prayers can also be helpful, for we can be lifted up and edified by the holy words of others.

 

[usexpat97]

What I was afraid of when I was younger and what has kept me from praying to God for long periods of time was my fear of talking so much that God doesn't hear or want to hear from me anymore...God probably gets sick of the same things being brought up over and over again. Especially on things that he's already given an answer to.

Actually, Jesus said to do more of it. Pray again and again. Luke 18:1-8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+18:1-8&version=NIV

King David prayed for God to save his son again and again, even after he got his answer. In 2 Samuel 12:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+samuel+12:22-23&version=NIV
God still did not answer his prayer the way he wanted, but He didn't condemn him for asking, either.

Revelation 5:8 has another passage that says to pray over and over again, and that it does not tire God out. It does the opposite. Although it's a bit harder to understand (it is, after all, Revelation):
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+5%3A8&version=NIV
God views our prayers as fragrant, aromatic bowls of incense.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Please understand that I don't mean to sound like a troll on any of these questions. They are all honest and genuine questions from the heart. I honestly have been apart from God for so long that I don't know how to properly pray. Both my wife and I could use help on this. My wife has only prayed a few times in her life when she was Catholic as a kid. But she's always believed in Christ from the moment she was born. I on the other hand, was also raised Catholic but never shared my mother's faith so I didn't bother with praying much. I prayed sometimes but I still feel like as a kid I prayed the wrong way because I used to pray to Mary and to the saints and all of the other Catholic ways which I don't feel comfortable doing now as a protestant.

But yeah, I was an atheist for most of my life so I missed out on the whole "How to pray" thing. I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray? Would God care about the tiniest details of my life? Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something? Lol An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever. Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him? I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God? I know some Christians would give varying answers to that question so maybe I can't be helped on that one. Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud? Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6? Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

Scripture pretty much says to pray to God the Father only but yet many Christians pray to the Trinity why is that when never in the New Testament do we see examples of Prayer to Jesus or the HS and Jesus never prayed to the HS? It makes sense why he wouldn't pray to himself but there's still another part of him that's fully and equally God and equivalent to himself so why didn't he pray to him to help guide him in his earthly mission?

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God? Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

The bible is the basis for all prayer. It is God's written word to us. So our prayers need to align with the word of God.

So prayer should be 2 things, reading the bible (the word of God) before or after prayer, and actually praying.

Jesus gave an example of how we should pray, now Jesus was known to pray all night, so this prayer is a template not an actual prayer that you just parrot off. I explain what each of these lines mean to me:

Mat 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Although your father was not a good example to you growing up, a Godly father loves for and provides for his children. When we pray to God we are acknowledging Him as a good father, but also as one to be respected. We should also pray that HIs name be lifted high, or seen as good in the nations.


Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Next you should spend some time praying that God's kingdom be expanded on earth, this is mainly asking God to bring about salvation for those who don't know Jesus. Healing for those who may be sick etc, or healing to broken parts of our world.

Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread,

After we have prayed for others, we can then pray four our own needs (our daily bread)

Mat 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

We should then look into our hearts to ensure we are not holding any grudges.

Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

We should also ask God to protect us from the devil, and the devils negative plans for us.

Mat 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
Mat 6:15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

As for your fear about who to pray to, I always pray to Jesus directly, some pray to the Father, it makes no difference for they are one.

 

[thecolorsblend]

So you just say those prayers and then get on with what you want to say or do you only say them alone?

Either. Sometimes I want to give God my praise and thanks in formal prayer. In those cases, I simply pray the formal prayers, then I ask my favorite saints and my patron saint all to pray for me. And then that's the end of it.

Other times, there are issues I want to take to Him and get help with. So I pray the formal prayers and then I pray about what I need His help with.

I know Catholics use the Rosary because I was taught to do so as I was a kid. Where does the rosary fit in with that?

The Rosary is a devotional exercise. The different decades of the Rosary have a different intent behind them.

The purpose is to receive spiritual fruits from the Joyful Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries, Glorious Mysteries and Luminous Mysteries. Each one focuses on a different aspect of Our Lord's conception going right on through to His Ascension. Elements of Our Lady's life are included as well.

The following is taken pretty much directly from Wikipedia:

Joyful Mysteries
The Annunciation. Fruit of the Mystery: Humility
The Visitation. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of Neighbour
The Nativity. Fruit of the Mystery: Poverty, Detachment from the things of the world, Contempt of Riches, Love of the Poor
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Gift of Wisdom and Purity of mind and body (Obedience)
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: True Conversion (Piety, Joy of Finding Jesus)

Sorrowful Mysteries
The Agony in the Garden. Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin, Uniformity with the Will of God
The Scourging at the Pillar. Fruit of the Mystery: Mortification (Purity)
The Crowning with Thorns. Fruit of the Mystery: Contempt of the World (Moral Courage)
The Carrying of the Cross. Fruit of the Mystery: Patience
The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance in Faith, Grace for a Holy Death (Forgiveness)

Glorious Mysteries
The Resurrection. Fruit of the Mystery: Faith
The Ascension. Fruit of the Mystery: Hope, Desire to Ascend to Heaven
The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of God, Holy Wisdom to know the truth and share it with everyone, Divine Charity, Worship of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption of Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Union with Mary and True Devotion to Mary
The Coronation of the Virgin. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance and an Increase in Virtue (Trust in Mary's Intercession)

Luminous Mysteries
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit, the Healer.
The Wedding at Cana. Fruit of the Mystery: To Jesus through Mary, Understanding of the ability to manifest-through faith.
Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Fruit of the Mystery: Trust in God (Call of Conversion to the Messiah)
The Transfiguration. Fruit of the Mystery: Desire for Holiness.
The Institution of the Eucharist. Fruit of the Mystery: Adoration.

Rosary - Wikipedia

Hope that helps.

I think if I was going to use premade prayers I would want to add my own communication with God and not just cite off some random prayers that other people have just made up.

That's understandable. I suppose some people like it and some people don't.

The thing about formal prayer is that it's supposed to benefit our prayer lives. They do that for me because, as I say, I'm not always very good with extemporizing. I suppose some are better than others. But I still want to pray and have devotional time. So the formal prayers give me a way to offer God private praise and worship in a meaningful way.

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with using formal prayers and there's also nothing wrong with praying to God in your own words.

 

[Willie T]

Jesus prayed in secret to God the Father. He never prayed in groups or to the Trinity and he always asked for God's will to be done not his will. He wanted to come to Earth to do God the Father's will and to free us from our sins.

What I meant was that He just began talking with His Father. Just plain talking... no special preface or "official" Salutation... no "order" that He followed... and no "canned" ending as an authorized "sign-off."

 

[Neostarwcc]

The bible is the basis for all prayer. It is God's written word to us. So our prayers need to align with the word of God.

So prayer should be 2 things, reading the bible (the word of God) before or after prayer, and actually praying.

Jesus gave an example of how we should pray, now Jesus was known to pray all night, so this prayer is a template not an actual prayer that you just parrot off. I explain what each of these lines mean to me:

Mat 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Although your father was not a good example to you growing up, a Godly father loves for and provides for his children. When we pray to God we are acknowledging Him as a good father, but also as one to be respected. We should also pray that HIs name be lifted high, or seen as good in the nations.


Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Next you should spend some time praying that God's kingdom be expanded on earth, this is mainly asking God to bring about salvation for those who don't know Jesus. Healing for those who may be sick etc, or healing to broken parts of our world.

Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread,

After we have prayed for others, we can then pray four our own needs (our daily bread)

Mat 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

We should then look into our hearts to ensure we are not holding any grudges.

Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

We should also ask God to protect us from the devil, and the devils negative plans for us.

Mat 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
Mat 6:15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

As for your fear about who to pray to, I always pray to Jesus directly, some pray to the Father, it makes no difference for they are one.

I know that God is one with himself but why is every example of prayer in the NT prayers to God the Father? But yet many Christians (myself included so d/w I'm not judging you) try to pray to and worship the trinity? True the Trinity is God and all members of the Trinity are one with each other but it does raise many questions. I opened a thread recently that asked if we worshiped three Gods and people were helpful to me and tried to explain how the Trinity works. I think I have it down pat. But I still don't understand why most Christians pray to the Trinity when the only examples of prayer in the NT are to God the Father. I don't want him to be angry at me if I'm supposed to be worshipping and praising him you know?

 

[Neostarwcc]

What I meant was that He just began talking with His Father. Just plain talking... no special preface or "official" Salutation... no "order" that He followed... and no "canned" ending as an authorized "sign-off."

If have to reread scripture but you're probably right. Actually Jesus's prayer in John 17 has him just talking to God the Father and telling him everything and for The fathers will to be done on Earth as he draws to the close of his mission.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Please understand that I don't mean to sound like a troll on any of these questions. They are all honest and genuine questions from the heart. I honestly have been apart from God for so long that I don't know how to properly pray. Both my wife and I could use help on this. My wife has only prayed a few times in her life when she was Catholic as a kid. But she's always believed in Christ from the moment she was born. I on the other hand, was also raised Catholic but never shared my mother's faith so I didn't bother with praying much. I prayed sometimes but I still feel like as a kid I prayed the wrong way because I used to pray to Mary and to the saints and all of the other Catholic ways which I don't feel comfortable doing now as a protestant.

But yeah, I was an atheist for most of my life so I missed out on the whole "How to pray" thing. I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray? Would God care about the tiniest details of my life? Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something? Lol An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever. Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him? I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God? I know some Christians would give varying answers to that question so maybe I can't be helped on that one. Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud? Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6? Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

Scripture pretty much says to pray to God the Father only but yet many Christians pray to the Trinity why is that when never in the New Testament do we see examples of Prayer to Jesus or the HS and Jesus never prayed to the HS? It makes sense why he wouldn't pray to himself but there's still another part of him that's fully and equally God and equivalent to himself so why didn't he pray to him to help guide him in his earthly mission?

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God? Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

Start with a short prayer and then work your way up.

Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

M-Bob

 

[GraceBro]

Please understand that I don't mean to sound like a troll on any of these questions. They are all honest and genuine questions from the heart. I honestly have been apart from God for so long that I don't know how to properly pray. Both my wife and I could use help on this. My wife has only prayed a few times in her life when she was Catholic as a kid. But she's always believed in Christ from the moment she was born. I on the other hand, was also raised Catholic but never shared my mother's faith so I didn't bother with praying much. I prayed sometimes but I still feel like as a kid I prayed the wrong way because I used to pray to Mary and to the saints and all of the other Catholic ways which I don't feel comfortable doing now as a protestant.

But yeah, I was an atheist for most of my life so I missed out on the whole "How to pray" thing. I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray? Would God care about the tiniest details of my life? Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something? Lol An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever. Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him? I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God? I know some Christians would give varying answers to that question so maybe I can't be helped on that one. Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud? Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6? Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

Scripture pretty much says to pray to God the Father only but yet many Christians pray to the Trinity why is that when never in the New Testament do we see examples of Prayer to Jesus or the HS and Jesus never prayed to the HS? It makes sense why he wouldn't pray to himself but there's still another part of him that's fully and equally God and equivalent to himself so why didn't he pray to him to help guide him in his earthly mission?

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God? Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

You just talk to God. There's no formula, procedure, or prayer to recite. If you're in Christ, you simply have a conversation with Him. Any obstacles you are having is most likely based off something you are believing that is incorrect. What I suggest you do is take every question you have laid out before this group and ask it of God. He might just be waiting for you to ask Him and not an open forum. Grace and Peace.

 

[com7fy8]

Some Christian's believe that playing video games is a sin against God. Others like myself only view it as a sin if you spend too much of your time on it. One of us is right and if God doesn't approve of me playing video games I dont want to anger or upset him. Do you see what I'm saying?

It can depend on the game, too.

You don't want to anger or upset God, and God cares about what you are feeling. He doesn't want us to be bored or lonely. But some things we do can be because we are trying to keep from getting bored or lonely, and these things can't love us.

There are things that make us feel good, but we can't learn how to love with them. And what you are thinking about this, right now, can be the prayer that God is hearing.

 

[Neostarwcc]

You just talk to God. There's no formula, procedure, or prayer to recite. If you're in Christ, you simply have a conversation with Him. Any obstacles you are having is most likely based off something you are believing that is incorrect. What I suggest you do is take every question you have laid out before this group and ask it of God. He might just be waiting for you to ask Him and not an open forum. Grace and Peace.

You're right. I will do so. I just figured is ask my fellow Christians for help.

 

[All4Christ]

Sometimes we may not even know how to express our prayers. Other times, our thoughts are busy, and it may be hard to focus. Other times yet, we may be in the middle of the day and dealing with something going on that may be frustrating or difficult.

For all of these situations (and at all times), this short prayer is very helpful.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

While I do use a prayer book personally, I recommend also praying what is in your heart. Praying pre-written prayers doesn’t prevent personal communication with God. They help guide us in our prayer, just as the Lord’s Prayer helps guide us. God is, however, always ready and willing to listen to us in our own words - and He also is ready to listen to us by affirming and praying words that are already written.

 

[Mathetes66]

This scenario may be of help to you, as if God were answering you, to more fully understand the Lord's prayer of example, that we should prayer in a SIMILAR manner.

The Witness Pages - The Lord's Prayer Skit

Prayer: Our Father which art in heaven,

God: Yes?

Prayer: Don't interrupt me. I'm praying

God: But you called me

Prayer: Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. Our Father which art in heaven,

God: There you did it again

Prayer: Did what?"

God: Called me. You said, "Our Father which art in heaven." Here I am. What's on your mind?

Prayer: But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done."

God: All right. Go on.

Prayer: Hallowed be Thy name.

God: Hold it. What do you mean by that?

Prayer: "By what?"

God: By "Hallowed be Thy name?"

Prayer: It means. It means.... Good grief, I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?"

God: It means honored, holy, wonderful.

Prayer: Hey that makes sense. I never thought about what hallowed' meant before. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

God: Do you really mean that?

Prayer: Sure, why not?

God: What are you doing about it?

Prayer: Doing? Nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there."

God: Have I got control of you?

Prayer: Well, I go to church.

God: That isn't what I asked you. What about your temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money - all on yourself. And what about the kinds of books you read and what you watch on TV?

Prayer: Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as the rest of those people at church."

God: Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it. Like you, for example.

Prayer: Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others."

God: So could I.

Prayer: I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I'd really like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free."

God: Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together, you and I. Some victories can be truly won. I'm proud of you.

Prayer: Look, Lord, I need to finish this up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does ... Give us this day our daily bread."

God: You could cut out the bread. It would help you lose weight.

Prayer: "Hey, wait a minute! What is this, 'Criticize, ME day?' Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups. Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know.

God: That's what I'm trying to get across to you. Keep praying. I'm interested in the next part of your prayer.(Pause) Well, go on.

Prayer: I'm scared to."

God: Scared? Of what?

Prayer: I know what you'll say.

God: Try me and see.

Prayer: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

God: What about Ann?

Prayer: "See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord she's told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the money she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!"

God: But your prayer? What about your prayer?

Prayer: "I didn't mean it."

God: Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun carrying that load of bitterness inside of you, is it?

Prayer: No. But, I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She'll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood."

God: You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But, I can change all that.

Prayer: You can? How?

God: Forgive Ann. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart.

Prayer: Oh, you're right. You always are. And, more than I want to get revenge against Ann, I want to be right with you. But ... (Pause) ... (Sigh) ... All right. I forgive her. Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Someway, somehow, show her the right way.

God: There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?

Prayer: "Hmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all. I feel pretty great. You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest."

God: You're not through with your prayers. Go on.

Prayer: "Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

God: Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

Prayer: "What do you mean by that?"

God: Don't turn the TV on when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also about the time you spend with your friends, if you can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should rethink the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn't be your standard for "keeping up." And please don't use me as an escape hatch.

Prayer: "I don't understand that last part."

God: Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get in trouble and then you come running to me: "Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again." You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?

Prayer: Yes, and I'm ashamed, Lord, I really am.

God: Which bargain are you remembering?

Prayer: Well, there was the night that my husband was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember saying, 'Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip my devotions again."

God: I protected you, but you didn't keep your promise, did you?

Prayer: "I'm sorry, Lord I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn't expect anything to happen like this."

God: Go ahead and finish your prayer.

Prayer: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen

God: Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?

Prayer: "No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you. I can see what a mess I've made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers."

God: You just answered the question.

Prayer: I did?"

God: Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, there is no telling what we can do together.

Prayer: Lord, let's see what we can make of me, OK?"

God: Yes, let's see.

 

[Ronald]

Please understand that I don't mean to sound like a troll on any of these questions. They are all honest and genuine questions from the heart. I honestly have been apart from God for so long that I don't know how to properly pray. Both my wife and I could use help on this. My wife has only prayed a few times in her life when she was Catholic as a kid. But she's always believed in Christ from the moment she was born. I on the other hand, was also raised Catholic but never shared my mother's faith so I didn't bother with praying much. I prayed sometimes but I still feel like as a kid I prayed the wrong way because I used to pray to Mary and to the saints and all of the other Catholic ways which I don't feel comfortable doing now as a protestant.

But yeah, I was an atheist for most of my life so I missed out on the whole "How to pray" thing. I know prayer is just talking to God and telling him about how you feel and thanking/praising him but what's expected of us when we pray? Would God care about the tiniest details of my life? Like say I want to pray about playing Video Games and tell him how happy they make me feel or tell him that I want to get to a certain level or something? Lol An honest question that I'm really embarrassed to ask. Let me explain. I don't want God to not care about what I have to say or if I'm committing a sin against him I don't want him to be angry at me or whatever. Or if I want to share with him that since I never achieved the goals in my life that I'm semi angry with him? I'm mostly angry at my dad but mostly because my dad physically abused me when I was growing up and told me that I would never amount to anything and basically that I was a loser. I've told God multiple times that I want to let this anger go in my life because God probably didn't want me to achieve the goals of my life and I should accept it. God also gave me my father for a reason. Maybe so that I would love my heavenly father more. Who knows.

Should we get in the habit of praying daily to God? I know some Christians would give varying answers to that question so maybe I can't be helped on that one. Does God hear our prayers in our thoughts or do we have to pray out loud? Would God hear my wife and I if we started praying together or is prayer supposed to be done by us individually in private like Jesus seems to command in Matthew 6:6? Do I pray to the Trinity or just to Jesus/God the Father the Holy Spirit alone?

Scripture pretty much says to pray to God the Father only but yet many Christians pray to the Trinity why is that when never in the New Testament do we see examples of Prayer to Jesus or the HS and Jesus never prayed to the HS? It makes sense why he wouldn't pray to himself but there's still another part of him that's fully and equally God and equivalent to himself so why didn't he pray to him to help guide him in his earthly mission?

If I just say "Dear God". Or just simply "God" when I start my prayer does that mean I'm praying to the Trinity or to a random false God? Does God know the desire of our hearts when we pray? Sounds like a stupid question but it's sincere. Like say if I pray "Dear God" does God know that I intend to pray to him or to pray to the Trinity? I really don't want him to think that I'm praying to some false God.

How do you overcome fear of rejection and the awkwardness of prayer? My wife feels extremely guilty and like God will smite her down any second because she's barely prayed to him. Nor do we really live for God and are just Christians on paper (That's changing).

I think that's about it for my questions for now. I'll probably ask more as this thread gets bigger.

You have so many questions and concerns. I'll start with the main question. Since I learned how to pray in church, while listening to my pastor and other Christians, I found my own prayers. Some people rattle on and on while you are praying in groups. This can be helpful or annoying. They may be well meaning, addressing the concerns, but also sometimes trying to give you their own personal message/advice. Like, "Lord, help Johnny to realize that playing video games all the time is
addictive and isolates him to the point where it disconnects him from reality and people and that this is exactly what Satan wants to do. Let Johnny realize that life is about relationships with God and people and so if he is on his computer, watching TV, playing video games too much, this is not your purpose for Him." So, they are not just asking God, but giving you advice and it could be God speaking through them at times. Sometimes they are off base too. I often felt some pray in these long elaborate prayers just to impress others if how super-spiritual they are. Well, lets try not to do that.
Anyways, sometimes we ask for the wrong things: "Lord, I would really like that Mercedes ..." or "Lord, if I could only win the Lotto just this once, I will share it with others and do good things ... you'll see _ promise!" Maybe he might test you on that one and then once you got the money, you would not keep your promise and be greedy with it and end up bankrupt, learning a hard lesson.
He knows what you pray for before you ask. He knows what you need. He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground,He clothes the field with beautiful flowers, provides for millions of animals, so YOU are much more valuable. Trust that you will get what you need and what is good for you. And as we mature, we realize worldly things aren't really good for us. They are temporal. God is not a cosmic kill joy, He wants you to live life in the full ... full of love, peace, joy, self control, kindness, goodness, patience, faith and hope. Those are things to pray for. Pray for wisdom, read your Bible and pray for understanding, discernment.
Among all your concerns, know that you have a dual nature, that is once you are born again. Your flesh is where sin dwells, and so you must die to your old self, your old ways. Your spirit battles against the flesh so their is this tug of war going on inside you. As you mature, you'll grow to the awareness of sin in your own life and learn how to say no when temptation comes and mortify it. He will teach you to focus on things above, what are good for you. You will live by the Spirit - He will guide your spirit and sanctify your soul. It gets easier.
He knows what you want, and that isn't always good for you so sometimes the answer is NO.
But really, short concise prayers work as good as 1000 words, BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED ALREADY.
START by addressing your Father, His will, thank Him for all that He has given you and then talk to Him about your concerns, questions, needs. It is good to pray first for others in your life first, and maybe that becomes a regular prayer and on occasion, for yourself. The "Our Father ..." is a template and good to use if you don't have any specific things in your mind. But to repeat this over and over repititiously is not necessary. Do you think God needs to hear that ten times or once?
And praying to the Father and ending the prayer in Jesus name, glorifies Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Sometimes I pray, "Father, thank you for all your provisions, your love and forgiveness. Please keep us safe, out of danger, protect us from the evil one and guide us. Your will be done in our lives, in Jesus name, amen." Or I will just talk to Him for a half hour. It's a relationship. Sometimes in your conversion, He will put thoughts into your mind. All our thoughts are not self generated and you'd be surprised after a long conversion with God, you will realize somewhere in those thoughts, the answer comes. The Bible says, pray without ceasing! That means we don't leave God out of any part of our lives. We are always thinking, "Lord, what shall I do in this instance, what direction shall I take", or just simply, Lord, help me!" You really don't have to tell him the details, He knows. But as I said, it should be a continuous open relationship, anywhere, anytime, know that He is always with you. I have learned from good pastirs, here's one of them.

 

[Skittles]

Great questions and may God bless you both on your journey. I found the points that Bishop Barron makes in this video to be worthwhile:
- prayer includes God reaching out to us
- think of it as a conversation among friends
-make the time to pray
- think of prayer as finding your center (which is God)
- use it as a means to speak to God with honesty
- listen attentively: it’s a conversation so make room to hear what God is telling you (especially when you incorporate sacred scripture into your prayer life)
- silence is a key element; we live in a distracted world and some of us (guilty) foster a sort of ADD: you need silence to allow prayer to come out of that silence

Not contained in the video is a concept (that I first heard from Bishop Barron but I don’t think it originated with him) that when we Christians prays we really are praying IN the Trinity and not TO the Trinity. The best I can do as a means to explain it is to use a lame analogy. We sort of see God as existing inside a campfire and we are way outside that campfire yelling into the circle around the fire and (maybe) hoping we hear something back. Rather we should see ourselves sitting inside the campfire with Jesus with His arm around us helping us with the power of the Holy Spirit to pray to the Father. I.E. we’re in the midst of God when we pray.

Anyway - I know that’s a lot and some of it fairly explicitly Catholic but I hope it helps you both as you seek to strengthen your friendship with God.

(Video link - about 13 minutes long)

 

[Neostarwcc]

You have so many questions and concerns. I'll start with the main question. Since I learned how to pray in church, while listening to my pastor and other Christians, I found my own prayers. Some people rattle on and on while you are praying in groups. This can be helpful or annoying. They may be well meaning, addressing the concerns, but also sometimes trying to give you their own personal message/advice. Like, "Lord, help Johnny to realize that playing video games all the time is
addictive and isolates him to the point where it disconnects him from reality and people and that this is exactly what Satan wants to do. Let Johnny realize that life is about relationships with God and people and so if he is on his computer, watching TV, playing video games too much, this is not your purpose for Him." So, they are not just asking God, but giving you advice and it could be God speaking through them at times. Sometimes they are off base too. I often felt some pray in these long elaborate prayers just to impress others if how super-spiritual they are. Well, lets try not to do that.
Anyways, sometimes we ask for the wrong things: "Lord, I would really like that Mercedes ..." or "Lord, if I could only win the Lotto just this once, I will share it with others and do good things ... you'll see _ promise!" Maybe he might test you on that one and then once you got the money, you would not keep your promise and be greedy with it and end up bankrupt, learning a hard lesson.
He knows what you pray for before you ask. He knows what you need. He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground,He clothes the field with beautiful flowers, provides for millions of animals, so YOU are much more valuable. Trust that you will get what you need and what is good for you. And as we mature, we realize worldly things aren't really good for us. They are temporal. God is not a cosmic kill joy, He wants you to live life in the full ... full of love, peace, joy, self control, kindness, goodness, patience, faith and hope. Those are things to pray for. Pray for wisdom, read your Bible and pray for understanding, discernment.
Among all your concerns, know that you have a dual nature, that is once you are born again. Your flesh is where sin dwells, and so you must die to your old self, your old ways. Your spirit battles against the flesh so their is this tug of war going on inside you. As you mature, you'll grow to the awareness of sin in your own life and learn how to say no when temptation comes and mortify it. He will teach you to focus on things above, what are good for you. You will live by the Spirit - He will guide your spirit and sanctify your soul. It gets easier.
He knows what you want, and that isn't always good for you so sometimes the answer is NO.
But really, short concise prayers work as good as 1000 words, BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED ALREADY.
START by addressing your Father, His will, thank Him for all that He has given you and then talk to Him about your concerns, questions, needs. It is good to pray first for others in your life first, and maybe that becomes a regular prayer and on occasion, for yourself. The "Our Father ..." is a template and good to use if you don't have any specific things in your mind. But to repeat this over and over repititiously is not necessary. Do you think God needs to hear that ten times or once?
And praying to the Father and ending the prayer in Jesus name, glorifies Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Sometimes I pray, "Father, thank you for all your provisions, your love and forgiveness. Please keep us safe, out of danger, protect us from the evil one and guide us. Your will be done in our lives, in Jesus name, amen." Or I will just talk to Him for a half hour. It's a relationship. Sometimes in your conversion, He will put thoughts into your mind. All our thoughts are not self generated and you'd be surprised after a long conversion with God, you will realize somewhere in those thoughts, the answer comes. The Bible says, pray without ceasing! That means we don't leave God out of any part of our lives. We are always thinking, "Lord, what shall I do in this instance, what direction shall I take", or just simply, Lord, help me!" You really don't have to tell him the details, He knows. But as I said, it should be a continuous open relationship, anywhere, anytime, know that He is always with you. I have learned from good pastirs, here's one of them.

Thank you very much for your reply and for answering my questions! It's almost 10:30PM so I don't have time to reply to you tonight but I will reply to you tomorrow. Just thanks for now.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Great questions and may God bless you both on your journey. I found the points that Bishop Barron makes in this video to be worthwhile:
- prayer includes God reaching out to us
- think of it as a conversation among friends
-make the time to pray
- think of prayer as finding your center (which is God)
- use it as a means to speak to God with honesty
- listen attentively: it’s a conversation so make room to hear what God is telling you (especially when you incorporate sacred scripture into your prayer life)
- silence is a key element; we live in a distracted world and some of us (guilty) foster a sort of ADD: you need silence to allow prayer to come out of that silence

Not contained in the video is a concept (that I first heard from Bishop Barron but I don’t think it originated with him) that when we Christians prays we really are praying IN the Trinity and not TO the Trinity. The best I can do as a means to explain it is to use a lame analogy. We sort of see God as existing inside a campfire and we are way outside that campfire yelling into the circle around the fire and (maybe) hoping we hear something back. Rather we should see ourselves sitting inside the campfire with Jesus with His arm around us helping us with the power of the Holy Spirit to pray to the Father. I.E. we’re in the midst of God when we pray.

Anyway - I know that’s a lot and some of it fairly explicitly Catholic but I hope it helps you both as you seek to strengthen your friendship with God.

(Video link - about 13 minutes long)

Actually I thought I had time to reply to this but It's getting really late just one thing I'd like to add though. It makes sense that we are praying in the trinity. Because when Christ prayed for us believers in John 17 he said "Make them one as we are one". So it makes kind of sense

Don't be worried about it being mostly Catholic advice though. Even though I don't practice Catholicism anymore and converted to Protestantism when I accepted Christ doesn't mean that I can't adopt another Christian's way of prayer. Just don't expect me to be doing any hail mary's or any of the other prayers to saints and figures other than God that I learned as a kid. Prayer should be reserved for God in my opinion. And yes, Catholics are Christians just as much as Protestants are Christians. No matter how confusing your doctrine and methods are to us. We need to learn to stop the hate and stop saying which denomination is right. Even if we think our denomination is the correct one and has the correct interpretation of scripture.

Anyway, my wife is waiting for me to get off the computer. I've been on here a majority of the day it's time to get off. See you tomorrow!

 

[LoricaLady]

Though I gave some suggestions from the Bible, in an earlier post above, the Father does not want you to be formulaic. Even before I was a believer, even when I was making fun of the Bible, sometimes I would get desperate and pray. I just basicly asked, "God help me with....". And I saw some amazing things happen as my prayers were answered! Of course over time this helped lead me to being a believer.

I'm sure there are many people around the world, say in North Korea, who have had little formal training on the 'Bible, if any. The Father will not insist that they do this and that before He will hear from them, or from you. As I said earlier, the one factor that must be present is a sincere heart in your prayers. The words can be helpful, but without heart in the prayers, they are wasted.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Though I gave some suggestions from the Bible, in an earlier post above, the Father does not want you to be formulaic. Even before I was a believer, even when I was making fun of the Bible, sometimes I would get desperate and pray. I just basicly asked, "God help me with....". And I saw some amazing things happen as my prayers were answered! Of course over time this helped lead me to being a believer.

I'm sure there are many people around the world, say in North Korea, who have had little formal training on the 'Bible, if any. The Father will not insist that they do this and that before He will hear from them, or from you. As I said earlier, the one factor that must be present is a sincere heart in your prayers. The words can be helpful, but without heart in the prayers, they are wasted.

When I was a kid and my dad was hitting me and verbally abusing me I would sometimes cry out to God for help so I can relate and he obviously heard my prayers and my pleas back then because he's turned me into the person I am today.

So I guess I believed in God a little bit when I was growing up because I kept praying to an "invisible man" and expecting him to answer. But when I hit the "age of reason" I stopped believing completely. For several years until God actually woke me up.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Great questions and may God bless you both on your journey. I found the points that Bishop Barron makes in this video to be worthwhile:
- prayer includes God reaching out to us
- think of it as a conversation among friends
-make the time to pray
- think of prayer as finding your center (which is God)
- use it as a means to speak to God with honesty
- listen attentively: it’s a conversation so make room to hear what God is telling you (especially when you incorporate sacred scripture into your prayer life)
- silence is a key element; we live in a distracted world and some of us (guilty) foster a sort of ADD: you need silence to allow prayer to come out of that silence

Not contained in the video is a concept (that I first heard from Bishop Barron but I don’t think it originated with him) that when we Christians prays we really are praying IN the Trinity and not TO the Trinity. The best I can do as a means to explain it is to use a lame analogy. We sort of see God as existing inside a campfire and we are way outside that campfire yelling into the circle around the fire and (maybe) hoping we hear something back. Rather we should see ourselves sitting inside the campfire with Jesus with His arm around us helping us with the power of the Holy Spirit to pray to the Father. I.E. we’re in the midst of God when we pray.

Anyway - I know that’s a lot and some of it fairly explicitly Catholic but I hope it helps you both as you seek to strengthen your friendship with God.

(Video link - about 13 minutes long)

I watched the video a lot of it was interesting and things I had never comprehended before. Thank you for posting it, it was very helpful.