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How
To Pray
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> How To Pray
Following the 'Master' of Prayer
There is no doubt about it that Jesus is the best person to
follow when it comes to learning how to pray. His prayer life was
one that was intimate with God and so devoted that people asked
him to teach them how to have the same level of prayer. What he
taught them, we still have today as our guide on how to pray. We
know it as the Lord's prayer.
Matthew 6: 9-13 - The Lord's Prayer
"This, then, is how you should
pray:
'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Forever and ever. Amen.' "
The Lord's prayer is prayed daily by
thousands of Christians, and can be seen both as a model for prayer,
and as to be repeated as part of our daily prayer.
It starts by addressing God as our Father
in heaven, that although His name is honored, and above all other
names, we are His children. As such, we occupy a place of privilege,
and He wants us to spend time in prayer with Him.
The Lords prayer then moves on to pray that
God's Kingdom, or rule, will become the norm on earth, replacing
human rules and governments, which too often are driven by greed
and power. Only then do we turn to our own needs, and ask our
Father for our basic human needs to be satisfied, and that He
would forgive the wrong things that we
have done. We ask for God's guidance and protection as we journey
through life. Finally we turn back to God, and acknowledge His
supremacy and position as the Almighty ruler.
Use the Lord's prayer as a guide to deepen
your own personal prayer life. Take your time going through each
verse. Think about what Jesus wants to say to you specifically
in each verse.
Following that principles of the Lord's prayer, some Christians
pray according to the acronym "A-C-T-S".
A-doration is how we adore God. It is to
worship him to the fullest and obey the greatest commandment to
love God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all
your strength.
C-onfession is the time to bring before
God all the things that continue to be a hinderance in your relationship
with God. Sins are what keeps interrupting our relationship with
God but by confessing, through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are
able to come before God.
T-hanksgiving is where we thank God for
the blessing that He gives and has done. This is not limited to
just ourselves but thanks for the things in other peoples lives
as well. Often thanksgiving is confused with adoration but they
are different.
S-upplication (or more appropriately intercession)
is the time where we can pray for the needs of others.
To learn more about prayer and just how effective it can be, we
recommend checking out this book
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The Power of Personal Prayer: Learning to Pray with Faith and Purpose
By Jonathan Graf / Nav Press
God intends for every believer to have a great prayer life, but few do. Although we may pray fervently when we face a crisis, many of us find it awkward - even impossible - to have a meaningful prayer life at other times. In an easy-to-understand and encouraging manner, Jonathan Graf presents the keys to a dynamic prayer life. He teaches the foundational truths of what prayer is and how essential it is in our relationship with God. He tackles tough questions about different types of prayer and when to use them. And he offers practical tips on how to pray more effectively. Whether you're a new believer or one who has struggled with prayer for years, this book will help you grow in your prayer life.
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