Prayer methods

Reformed2 · May 28, 2017

So today in my sunday school class we talked about silence & solitude in regards to prayer; how we have numerous examples in scripture of Jesus doing this and how we are commanded by Jesus to do so.

My question is this, does anyone struggle with long, sustained prayer? I prefer what I like to call "popcorn prayers", which are short, sporadic, yet very numerous and all throughout the day and night. I pray at work, in public, with my eyes open, you name it. I admittedly feel awkward at times in lengthy prayer, and I know this is a spiritual discipline I obviously need work on.

What are everyone else thoughts, how do you prefer to pray?

ByTheSpirit · May 28, 2017

Speak less and listen more

Victory-N-Christ · May 29, 2017

All I know is that prayer changes things in our lives.

rockytopva · May 30, 2017

In the 1850's Robert Sheffey and his friend, Ben White, had a ministry to combat the growing problem of the Virginian bootlegged whiskey trade.

“Many areas of the Wytheville circuit are infested by the whiskey makers. Young men and old alike abuse and starve their families while under the crazed influence of drink. We want to shut down these stills and see if we can’t do something about this problem. You know the territory and many of the mountain people. Will you help us?” - Ben Whites invitation to Robert Sheffey

Well, the two of them spent a summer on this campaign and basically ended up beat up more times than not. The next year....

The first route of the next year was along the base of Cove Mountain. They were riding together when suddenly Robert stopped. “Ben, I want to pray before we go any farther,” he said. He left his companion sitting astride his horse, took his sheepskin prayer mat, and climbed up the side of Cove Mountain, where he knelt upon a rock. After a while Ben’s calling brought Robert to his feet. Ben sat in the shade of a large poplar tree with an embarrassed look on his face.

“I was worried about you, Robert. You’ve been up there for over two hours.”

Robert made no apology and said, “I have sought the will and the companionship of God. Unless He be with us our missions will surely fail.”

The next year the campaigns were successful as ever. There are many prayed over stills that are now churches. Story here...

brinny · May 30, 2017

beloved7 said:
So today in my sunday school class we talked about silence & solitude in regards to prayer; how we have numerous examples in scripture of Jesus doing this and how we are commanded by Jesus to do so.

My question is this, does anyone struggle with long, sustained prayer? I prefer what I like to call "popcorn prayers", which are short, sporadic, yet very numerous and all throughout the day and night. I pray at work, in public, with my eyes open, you name it. I admittedly feel awkward at times in lengthy prayer, and I know this is a spiritual discipline I obviously need work on.

What are everyone else thoughts, how do you prefer to pray?

Bless yer heart, you've just described "praying without ceasing", which is, in essence, a continual, un-ceasing "conversation" with God, which is what "praying without ceasing" means. A spontaneous sharing with Him throughout the day. Someone once says that prayers are sometimes our "thoughts" lifted to God spontaneously.

God bless you, dear heart, as you continue speaking to Him and staying "mindful" of His presence, and thus, the speaking with Him throughout the day.

And that is because He IS present.

Precious. (((hug)))

Greg Merrill · May 30, 2017

I do a lot of pop-corn prayer, but then I do some extended prayer as well. I have never considered myself a great prayer warrior, though I have grown in this area since retirement. I see a number of written responses to prayer requests that are not prayers, just statements that they say they will pray. I like to write my prayers out to these on line requests so people can see and know what I am praying, not for thanks are glory toward me, but for them to know what is being offered to God on their behalf, in hope of God answering it for their good and His glory. Pop-corn prayer is fine, but can you imagine that being all that Daniel, Jeremiah, Paul, and Jesus did? Some of the greatest prayers were short prayers (Elijah, Nehemiah, and even Jesus), but I think we need to get out of the comfort zone and put in some serious time in prayer; not just to say we prayed for an hour, but to give God more than a 20 second attention span.

Greg Merrill · May 30, 2017

If you haven't spent an hour in prayer before, consider it like doing push-ups. At first it is hard, and you don't last long, but the more days you work on it the easier it becomes. In the past, there were those that used the phrase "breaking through". This described that time in prayer where you suddenly move from laboring to pray...to enjoying prayer. At the end I usually think "Why don't' I do this more often. This was great!" In these times of prayer one might find them selves not wanting to stop, instead of WANTING to stop; of wanting to stay in this close communion with God, rather than going back to the "normal" routine of life. If you haven't experienced this why don't you try it? If you run out of things to say to God, start reading the Bible and look for things to respond back to God with. This becomes "prayer-reading" the Bible. You read, God talks, you pray, then read some more, respond to God when you can, and just keep going back and forth this way.

brinny · May 30, 2017

beloved, "delighting" in the Lord and in His presence is a "prayer" in itself. He DELIGHTS in us when we seek His face and speak to Him continually this way. When we speak to Him frequently throughout the day, delighting in Him, He DELIGHTS in us, and rejoices over us with singing. His joy will just be poured into us to overflowing, spilling out onto others as well, and we will be "smiling" from the "inside out" as the Holy Spirit generates that smile and joy inside us.

Praying, precious, that He continues to confirm to you what He delights in and that His joy will be yours. Father may it be so, in Jesus name, amen (((hug)))

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." ~Zephaniah 3:17

Reformed2 · May 30, 2017

brinny said:
Bless yer heart, you've just described "praying without ceasing", which is, in essence, a continual, un-ceasing "conversation" with God, which is what "praying without ceasing" means. A spontaneous sharing with Him throughout the day. Someone once says that prayers are sometimes our "thoughts" lifted to God spontaneously.

God bless you, dear heart, as you continue speaking to Him and staying "mindful" of His presence, and thus, the speaking with Him throughout the day.

And that is because He IS present.

Precious. (((hug)))

Thank you brinny

Reformed2 · May 30, 2017

Greg Merrill said:
I do a lot of pop-corn prayer, but then I do some extended prayer as well. I have never considered myself a great prayer warrior, though I have grown in this area since retirement. I see a number of written responses to prayer requests that are not prayers, just statements that they say they will pray. I like to write my prayers out to these on line requests so people can see and know what I am praying, not for thanks are glory toward me, but for them to know what is being offered to God on their behalf, in hope of God answering it for their good and His glory. Pop-corn prayer is fine, but can you imagine that being all that Daniel, Jeremiah, Paul, and Jesus did? Some of the greatest prayers were short prayers (Elijah, Nehemiah, and even Jesus), but I think we need to get out of the comfort zone and put in some serious time in prayer; not just to say we prayed for an hour, but to give God more than a 20 second attention span.

Well said Greg, thanks. Also I really, really like the idea of prayer reading.. good stuff brother thank you.

brinny · May 30, 2017

beloved7 said:
Thank you brinny

God bless you sister in Christ and beloved daughter of the Most High God. Continue seeking His face as you have been doing. Praying (((hug)))

Reformed2 · May 30, 2017

brinny said:
God bless you sister in Christ and beloved daughter of the Most High God. Continue seeking His face as you have been doing. Praying (((hug)))

I'm a man, beloved means David, which is my real first name haha!

brinny · May 30, 2017

beloved7 said:
I'm a man, beloved means David, which is my real first name haha!

Hahaaaa i apologize sir. God bless you David, brother in Christ, and beloved son of the Most High God. What you have been describing on here, gives us a hint why God Himself called David a man after His own heart, and the "apple of His eye". David DELIGHTED in God and sought His face and poured out His heart to God, and walked and thus talked with God.

God bless you brother.

Reformed2 · May 30, 2017

brinny said:
Hahaaaa i apologize sir. God bless you David, brother in Christ, and beloved son of the Most High God. What you have been describing on here, gives us a hint why God Himself called David a man after His own heart, and the "apple of His eye". David DELIGHTED in God and sought His face and poured out His heart to God, and walked and thus talked with God.

God bless you brother.

Thank you brinny

brinny · May 30, 2017

beloved7 said:
Thank you brinny

You are most welcome.

God bless you

Goatee · May 30, 2017

Greg Merrill said:
If you haven't spent an hour in prayer before, consider it like doing push-ups. At first it is hard, and you don't last long, but the more days you work on it the easier it becomes. In the past, there were those that used the phrase "breaking through". This described that time in prayer where you suddenly move from laboring to pray...to enjoying prayer. At the end I usually think "Why don't' I do this more often. This was great!" In these times of prayer one might find them selves not wanting to stop, instead of WANTING to stop; of wanting to stay in this close communion with God, rather than going back to the "normal" routine of life. If you haven't experienced this why don't you try it? If you run out of things to say to God, start reading the Bible and look for things to respond back to God with. This becomes "prayer-reading" the Bible. You read, God talks, you pray, then read some more, respond to God when you can, and just keep going back and forth this way.

What prayers do you pray? Are they written? Interested to know.

I have a small prayer book with a selection of prayers that i pray from it. I have to admit that i usually hurry through them!

SpiritofaDove · May 30, 2017

I'm more like you, popcorn prayers. But I do journal/write to God every day. I suppose it ends up being a long prayer because I can really get lengthy in my note to Him. Sometimes I praise Him and sometimes I turn all my troubles to Him, depends on life. But popcorn prayers are my favorite. I talk to God all day long, thanking Him here and there, giving thanks to Him. I sometimes wonder if he gets tired of hearing from me.

Greg Merrill · May 30, 2017

The Lord's Prayer I rarely pray. Other than that one, I don't think I have any memorized except scripture possibly (Psalms 139:23-24 and Luke 18:13), and
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep, and if I die before I wake, I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take." I don't pray that one either. I pray from my own spirit, not from books or other people. I once was painting a house for an elderly couple in the church. They invited me to join them for lunch and the man prayed the best prayer before a meal I had ever heard. I was really impressed. The next day we had lunch again, and he prayed the exact same words. I was disappointed. I do not "recite" prayers. I have written down a lot of prayers that I have offered, but I don't save them or refer back to them and use them again. Each prayer is just me talking to God from my heart. Father, I pray these words will be of benefit to encourage the readers of them just to pray their own prayers, for I know those are the ones You really want to hear. Amen.

brinny · May 30, 2017

Goatee said:
What prayers do you pray? Are they written? Interested to know.

I have a small prayer book with a selection of prayers that i pray from it. I have to admit that i usually hurry through them!

Pray as you see fit, my friend, with the unction that the Holy Spirit gives. Sometimes a prayer is a sincere "Thank you" from the heart.

brinny · May 30, 2017

Greg Merrill said:
The Lord's Prayer I rarely pray. Other than that one, I don't think I have any memorized except scripture possibly, and
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep, and if I die before I wake, I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take." I don't pray that one either. I pray from my own spirit, not from books or other people. I once was painting a house for an elderly couple in the church. They invited me to join them for lunch and the man prayed the best prayer before a meal I had ever heard. I was really impressed. The next day we had lunch again, and he prayed the exact same words. I was disappointed. I do not "recite" prayers. I have written down a lot of prayers that I have offered, but I don't save them or refer back to them and use them again. Each prayer is just me talking to God from my heart. Father, I pray these words will be of benefit to encourage the readers of them just to pray their own prayers, for I know those are the ones You really want to hear. Amen.

Are you assuming that does not happen?

Prayer methods

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Love to pray! :)

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Jesus, please forgive me, a sinner.

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