“Pray
without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)
Often in conversation I am told, “I wish
I knew how to pray.” Or I am asked, “How do (or should) I pray?” Sometimes
people tell me that they are afraid to pray for fear of angering God. First
off, God loves you and knows your heart. He doesn’t want a religion; He wants a
relationship with you. In prayer, you are talking to God. If you are in prayer
and worship with God, he will not be angry with you.
Unfortunately, we tend to spend little or
no time in prayer. A quick prayer before meals and before we got to bed, and we
are done. But God wants more than that. He wants you to talk to Him and worship
Him. He is a jealous God and wants us to spend more time with Him. He loves
you. Sadly, we rarely pray out loud, especially in the company of others. When
we do, it tends to be to when we are in dire straits and need his help. Chris
Hodges, Pastor of Church of the Highlands recently wrote a book entitled, “Pray
First.” The basic premise is “what if we went to God in prayer as a first
response rather than a last resort?”
Even more radically, what if, when we are
in prayer, we first thank God for the blessings that He has already bestowed
upon us? Let’s be honest, when we do pray, we are usually asking for help or
for something with the occasional “hey, thanks” thrown in. What if we reversed
the order? Trust me, it changes your prayer life. When you begin with gratitude
rather than attitude, it makes you realize how much you already have.
Additionally, you should know that everyday millions of people around the world
are praying for what you already have!
One other objection I get is that we
don’t have time. How about fifteen minutes a day? You can even do it in the car
going to work or running errands if you need to. But try to make it the first
fifteen minutes of your day if you can. They break down thusly:
-5 minutes in the Word. If you are on the
go, use your Bible app on your phone. If you are at home, grab that Bible and
dive in. God is the Word, made flesh by Jesus Christ. If you don’t know where
to start use a devotional or “The One Year Bible.”
-5 minutes in Worship. It can be a
favorite Hymn or worship song. Singing and praise are signs to God that you are
praising and in Worship with Him. If you are in the car, pop in a CD or stream
and get loud. Be like the chorus of angels in praise!
-5 Minutes in Prayer. The Lord knows what
is in your heart, but God wants you to talk to him. Again, if you don’t know
what to pray for or say, give thanks for your blessings. Thank Him for another
day. It’s a gift. Oh, and don’t close your eyes if you are driving!
These
are just suggestions. There are numerous resources online and your local
Church. Which you should be attending in person each Sunday or as often as
possible. Thanks to COVID, many Christians have gotten comfortable watching at
home online or on the television. It is important to pray privately daily and
continuously, but it is equally important to pray together as a body of
worshippers. Let me tell you, Satan hates this! He wants us to be alone, where
it is easier to divide and conquer us. He also hates for you to be in
conversation with God. He will do everything in his power to distract and then
destroy you! But the evil one knows he is going to lose eventually “…because
the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John
4:4).
Speaking of prayer, please remember the Camp
Prayer List.
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