What to pray for?

[LittleLion]

What to pray for?

What should one pray for?
It is at God's discretion which prayers He will answer. So one might just as well pray for nothing.

Or?

 

[searle29678]

I let God know what I want as specifically as possible, but I end my prayers with "Your will be done." I know that not everything I pray for is going to happen because it may not be what God sees as what is best for me. I pray for forgiveness and I pray to give thanks to Him as often as possible for what He has done for me--that sometimes includes not giving me everything I pray for.

In my opinion, prayer isn't just about giving God a laundry list of things you want. Prayer is keeping "in touch" with God.

 

[appleofhiseye]

Hi there, my prayer is a prayer of thanksgiviing. I also pray that the promised blessings of the rightous are given to me. IOW, I pray that I be made rightous to receive God's blessings.


" and if I belong to Christ, then I am Abraham's offspring, an heir according to promise". Galatians 3:29(paraphrased)

Yea, I want to belong to Christ.

 

[DIVA_for_Christ]

What to pray for?

What should one pray for?
It is at God's discretion which prayers He will answer. So one might just as well pray for nothing.

Or?

First one needs to pray a prayer for salvation.

Afterwards, I pray confessing who He is, giving Him thanks and praise for all that He's done and for just who He is, I pray for forgiveness, then I ask the Holy Spirit to guide my prayer.

A person could pray for needs, other people, the world, etc. It depends on what is placed on your heart by the Holy Spirit at the time you pray.

 

[ITBM]

What should one pray for?
It is at God's discretion which prayers He will answer. So one might just as well pray for nothing.

Here are a few things I try to keep in mind when I pray...

When you accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour He takes your prayers to God the father for you. Being totally blameless and perfect before God, who better to present your prayers to God the Father?

Remember to pray for others first. When you pray for God to bless or heal others before yourself it makes you a bit more like Jesus (who always put others before himself). I also find that when I think of the troubles others go through before my own it keeps me from praying about frivilous things.

I then thank God for how He has blessed me. Sometimes it's hard. But you can always think of SOMETHING (Waking up in the morning).

Next, confess any sins to God and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Lastly I pray for myself and ask God to bless me, encourage me, help me in various parts of my life.

I end by asking that no matter what that "His will be done". This is because God is perfect and I'm not. Things I want and pray for may not fit into His perfect plan for the world.

One thing to ALWAYS remember: Prayer is simply your way of talking to God. So be yourself. Don't use big words you hardly understand. God already knows your heart. He simply wants you to be willing to reveal it to Him.

Initially it might feel like a one way conversation. But if you right down the things you pray for. And look for the answers you will be amazed how God does answer back.

 

[ITBM]

Oh yea.... God answers ALL prayers. Even though we might not like it... "No" & "Wait" are still answers

 

[Adstar]

Hi LittleLion

What to pray for?

What should one pray for?
It is at God's discretion which prayers He will answer. So one might just as well pray for nothing.

Or?

Well the first thing we should pray for is the wisdom to know what to pray for. We don't want to spend out time praying for things that have no value do we.

Praying is not always about making requests for material things often it to share your thoughts with God. Now of course God already knows out thoughts but it is to our benefit that we express our thoughts to God. Just being in conversation with God brings me peace.

If we have the faith that God hears all our prayers and He has all wisdom and power to know and provide what we need, then we can pray for all things fully confident in the knowledge that God knows what’s best for us. Whatever we pray we know that God will see that we get what is good for us to have and will keep away things that are bad for us. We do not need our requests granted we need to know that God loves us and will provide what we need.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Edial]

First one needs to pray a prayer for salvation.

.....

DIVA_for_Christ, did you know of any instance of Christ rejecting anyone that came to him?
I do not.

MT 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Thanks,
Ed

 

[DIVA_for_Christ]

DIVA_for_Christ, did you know of any instance of Christ rejecting anyone that came to him?
I do not.

Huh??? Not sure why you are asking this. When did I say Christ would reject anyone who came to Him?

Salvation would be a pre-requisite to your relationship with God and we build our relationship through communion with Him through prayer. How can one have a prayer life if they haven't first accepted Christ and been saved?

MT 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Rafael]

We are to pray according to God's will which is written in the Bible.

1Jo 5:14 ¶ This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

We have examples of prayer and specific directions on who and who not to pray for. It's all in the Bible, but be careful to take the whole of God's word about prayer to rightly divide the truth about it. Taking scriptures by themselves can lead to false ideas about prayer, as the Bible also warns us of false prophets who would come in the last days, making merchandise of the flock and teaching them to lust after the material things of this world, as they do, rather than focusing upon the battle as good soldiers.

2Ti 2:4 And as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army.

Titus 2:12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God,

 

[Godless Geek]

Pray for the separation of church and state!.

 

[Adoniram]

I just posted this in another tread and it fits here as well.

I believe there are several "rules" which must be followed in asking something in prayer.

1) We must ask "in faith" and "in confidence." James 1:6 "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." We should have confidence that God will hear us and respond. 1 John 5:14-15 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

Which brings us to Point 2) We must ask according to God's will. James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Even Jesus prayed for the Father's will to be done. Matt. 26:39 "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" The Lord will not give what he knows not to be in our best interests, whether short-term or long-term.

3) We should be specific in what we ask for. There are plenty of examples but here is just one- James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Thus your prayer is focused rather than rambling. A prayer such as "Lord, please provide the means for me to make my house payment this month" is much more likely to be answered positively than "Lord, help me win the Lottery this week."

I hope this helps, and I pray that God will help you figure it out.

 

[LittleLion]

If we have the faith that God hears all our prayers and He has all wisdom and power to know and provide what we need, then we can pray for all things fully confident in the knowledge that God knows what’s best for us.

How do you know if you have that faith?

 

[Adstar]

Hi littleLion

If we have the faith that God hears all our prayers and He has all wisdom and power to know and provide what we need, then we can pray for all things fully confident in the knowledge that God knows what’s best for us.

How do you know if you have that faith?

Well one has it or one does not have it. It is not very hard to have faith that God hears my prayers. God is God. He knows all the thoughts that all men have ever thought even before they ever thought them. So of course God hears everyone’s prayers.

1 Cronicles 28
*“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

Those who believe in God have no doubt that He hears their prayers. The only uncertainty for a believer is how will God answer their prayer?

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[LittleLion]

Well one has it or one does not have it. It is not very hard to have faith that God hears my prayers. God is God. He knows all the thoughts that all men have ever thought even before they ever thought them. So of course God hears everyone’s prayers.

I'm sory, but that is terribly simple then! Too simple even! Or so I think.

for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.

So if I believe that, then I also have the faith that God will hear my prayers?
(I do believe what that verse says.)
(I just thought that faith is something awfully hard to do.
***Must*** be somehihng awfully hard to do.)

 

[Adstar]

So if I believe that, then I also have the faith that God will hear my prayers?
(I do believe what that verse says.)
(I just thought that faith is something awfully hard to do.
***Must*** be somehihng awfully hard to do.)

Not all things are as hard as we make them out to be. Even salvation is a simple thing, but people with Works based thinking just know it cannot be as simple as that.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[LittleLion]

Adstar,


Don't you make fun of me now.
Grr!
I'm a lion! Albeit a little one, but a lion nonetheless.

 

[belladonic-haze]

I pray for several things.....ie what I have read in the paper (sometimes just a small message about theft...sometimes for victims of war, acts of violence and so on...
But also for my loved ones and for people from my church...I also pray for other living beings on this planet and beyond.

I hardly pray for me...although I do sometimes....cause God knows what I want. It is written on my heart....

 

[AnarKiss]

What to pray for?

What should one pray for?
It is at God's discretion which prayers He will answer. So one might just as well pray for nothing.

Or?

If we pray FOR something, hoping that God will somehow see fit to supply it - doesn't that make God somewhat of a glorified Santa Claus. Similarly, if we pray hard and lots expecting it to somehow influence the results - isn't that making God able to be manipulated by human actions?

For me, prayer is as much inward as outward. Through prayer, I can cultivate a sense of awe. I can become more grateful. I can analyse my deepest thoughts, errors and decisions. I can consider possible outcomes of future decisions. I can look at the world differently.

But most importantly, prayer is a way of life. When Paul said "pray continually", I think he meant that every little action and thought of our day was to be seen as a prayer. As a connection to and awareness of God.

This is what makes prayer valuable in my life.

 

[AnarKiss]

Pray with honesty. Share your deepest loves, hurts, emotions, dreams and fears with God. Be real.