Who am I praying to?

[Godlovesmetwo]

Is Jesus your Lord? I urge you to accept him as such in your life, and respond with actions in accordance with that, such as being baptised.

so you're saying I need to get baptised again?

 

[CodyFaith]

This is hugely embarrassing for me to admit but I naturally assumed that when Protestants say they are saved, it means they accept Jesus Christ as their saviour in a public Baptism. (often with lots of emotional music and so on)

In order to be saved in the Protestant sense one must make Jesus their lord and savior. When one puts his faith in Christ they are saved. The Holy Spirit enters into the believer and "seals them unto the day of redemption" according to scripture, they are born again and baptized with the Holy Spirit.

After they are saved, they are to obey God and receive a baptism in water as a proclamation of their faith and other things. This is not to get saved, rather just something we are commanded to do.

 

[Radrook]

That's how Jesus said we should pray.

 

[CodyFaith]

As to the original post, I personally pray to the Father and talk with the Father. I follow after how Jesus prayed and how he taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer.

I believe He hears believers prayers when they pray in other ways though. Ive called on Jesus many times.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

That's how Jesus said we should pray.

Sometimes the real substance of this prayer can hit me. Other times it just sounds like rote learning from childhood.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

When one puts his faith in Christ they are saved. The Holy Spirit enters into the believer and "seals them until the day of redemption" according to scripture, they are born again and baptized with the Holy Spirit.

So this can occur at home watching TV or in the garden playing with my dog. Anywhere?
I just thought it had to be more "official."

 

[JESUS=G.O.A.T]

God the Father?
God the Son?
God the Holy Spirit?
My boss?
My parent?
My friend?
My line manager?
My personal trainer?
My counsellor?
My judge and jury?

Part of the problem I have with praying is trying to imagine who God is? What role is He assuming? If He can be all of the above, then I am confused. Who is listening to me?
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this problem.
Just focus on God the Father then?

I would just say God tbh I mean jesus was just God in flesh after all.

 

[CodyFaith]

So this can occur at home watching TV or in the garden playing with my dog. Anywhere?
I just thought it had to be more "official."

Anywhere. You just have to be genuine and mean it. God knows our heart and our thoughts.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Anywhere. You just have to be genuine and mean it. God knows our heart and our thoughts.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I just have to trust my own sincerity.
Maybe I should pray for sincerity first. I don't want to be a fake.

 

[Radrook]

Sometimes the real substance of this prayer can hit me. Other times it just sounds like rote learning from childhood.

, Jesus explicitly warned against mindless rote prayers involving many words.

Math 6: 7
New Living Translation
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

So his model prayer is meant to be an outline of priorities on which to base our petitions and not to be a word by word mindless repetition. Notice that the sanctification of God's name and the importance of the realization of his kingdom should take precedence over our personal concerns.


BTW
I have seen charismatic ministers praying and punctuating every phrase with an emphatic "Ugh!" or "Huh!" accompanied by a handclap.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Jesus explicitly warned against mindless rote prayers involving many words.

Catholics may disagree. The Rosary for example? I don't mind what you say personally though.

 

[CodyFaith]

I just have to trust my own sincerity.
Maybe I should pray for sincerity first. I don't want to be a fake.

It's good to test ourselves to see. There may come a point where you just have to trust you are though. Me, I needed God to tell me. I needed assurance. Others can just trust once they see themselves trusting in Christ. God is relational, he related to us individually and knows is deeply.

 

[Greg J.]

So this can occur at home watching TV or in the garden playing with my dog. Anywhere?
I just thought it had to be more "official."

It only needs to be official in the eyes of the one who will ultimately judge you. Yes, you can be saved anywhere if you believe in him and make the commitment to God in your heart to accept him as your Lord and God. If you really do believe that the God of the Bible is real and make that commitment, and mean it, then know that you are definitely saved. Act on the fact that he is now your Lord, and it will complete your faith in you. It brings peace and rest—see Hebrews 3 & 4, not to mention that this becomes yours:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, 1984 NIV)

If you desire to be obedient to Jesus/God, then it is a good idea to learn the meaning of voluntarily choosing to be baptized (some churches go over this with you after you sign up to be baptized). Many people choose to be re-"baptized" (and perhaps call what they had as an infant Christening).

Please note that whether you were baptized as an adult does matter to some churches. Not knowing where you might find yourself in the future, it simplifies the decision to: yes, get baptized.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

And what about the story of the Russian peasant who prayed the same prayer 3000 times a day? "Lord have Mercy on me a sinner".
I can see value in using chant to encourage God's presence.. Its used by contemplatives. Ma-ra-na-tha, for example.

 

[Greg J.]

I just have to trust my own sincerity.
Maybe I should pray for sincerity first. I don't want to be a fake.

Through regular prayer seeking God to show you the truth of whether you really mean it in your heart, you will attain sincerity.

 

[Greg J.]

And what about the story of the Russian peasant who prayed the same prayer 3000 times a day? "Lord have Mercy on me a sinner".
I can see value in using chant to encourage God's presence.. Its used by contemplatives. Ma-ra-na-tha, for example.

Lots of people need to do various things to work through their faith problems. But from God's perspective you're saved according to what I wrote before.

You don't have to encourage God's presence. He is in you forever. Worshiping him does sometimes make his presence more apparent, though.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

If you desire to be obedient to Jesus/God, then it is a good idea to learn the meaning of voluntarily choosing to be baptized (some churches go over this with you after you sign up to be baptized). Many people choose to be re-"baptized" (and perhaps call what they had as an infant Christening).

I wonder if a Catholic priest could do this for me.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

You don't have to encourage God's presence. He is in you forever

But I mean "feeling God's presence". He is there I agree but I have to feel His presence in order to communicate better with Him.

 

[rockytopva]

If E = mc2 then we can divide and conclude that...

Mass (m) = Energy (E/c2)

And there are three varieties...

Natural E/c2 - All mass is basically cooled plasma
Mental E/c2 - Mentally, A mathematical formula, but this has chemical and spiritual properties as well.
Spiritual E/c2 - E (motivation, warmth, love) / c2 (faith, hope, charity, joy)

God the Father is the one above all, the source of all light and energy... Spiritually, physically, and mentally. Christ Jesus instructed us to pray...

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. - Matthew 6

Christ Jesus goes on to say...

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. - John 15:16

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. - John 16:23

So my prayers are to the Father in the name of Jesus....

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: - John 15:26

Notice that the Spirit of God proceedeth from the Father and testifies of Christ. I believe that the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus (especially as he is called son) proceedeth from the Father. And I believe that it is helpful to pray the Father in the name of Jesus for more of his Holy Spirit.

 

[Greg J.]

I wonder if a Catholic priest could do this for me.

You may have to decide whether you are going to follow the Catholic path or the Protestant one. From what I know, the difference boils down to the strength that is given tradition compared to Scripture. From a Protestant point of view they do conflict on important matters. Note that one thing is definite:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2, 1984 NIV)