How do you pray?

[ayin jade]

When we pray, how do we pray? Do we jump in there with our requests, or even our demands to the Lord? Or do we thank Him for things first? What is our heart like when we approach the Lord? I admit freely that I sometimes just beg....a quick short prayer puh-lease Lord gimme.....but is that the way we should be?

My favorite passage, Phil 4:6-7, says to pray with thanksgiving. Other passages mention that too. Although I try and thank the Lord in prayers, I should be more conscious of thanking the Lord everytime for all He has done for me instead of just asking Him for my needs. I certainly could use the constant reminder of all He has done for me. The Lord is good to His people.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:19-20)

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

I start my prayer with thanksgiving.I thank HIM first for the new day HE has given me.I believe we can use the LORD'S PRAYER as a guideline to how we should pray.Always give HIM praise.He knows our needs before we pray.Pray from the heart with honesty.

p.s great post jade!

[Guest Thomas I believe]

When we pray, how do we pray? Do we jump in there with our requests, or even our demands to the Lord? Or do we thank Him for things first? What is our heart like when we approach the Lord? I admit freely that I sometimes just beg....a quick short prayer puh-lease Lord gimme.....but is that the way we should be?

My favorite passage, Phil 4:6-7, says to pray with thanksgiving. Other passages mention that too. Although I try and thank the Lord in prayers, I should be more conscious of thanking the Lord everytime for all He has done for me instead of just asking Him for my needs. I certainly could use the constant reminder of all He has done for me. The Lord is good to His people.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:6-7)

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:19-20)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ayin , I used to pray selfishly, you know how the prayer went, give me give me give me. I believe thay yes we have things that we need, but God already knows our needs. My approach to prayer is to draw ourselves into a closeness with the Lord. To give Him Thanks to worship Him. If we trust in the Lord then we really don't have to say anything. Its ok to mention certain things in our prayers but God knows our hearts and those hearts should be full of thanksgiving first and foremost. After all every breath we take, something we always forget about, is a gift from Him. If we really examine things closely He answers prayers that we never realized we had. The Holy spirit will guide us in prayer, all we have to do is let Him.

[O'Dannyboy]

Colossians 4:2

[jesussaves]

I love the example Jesus gave us of prayer. I love the way He thanked the Father before He saw the results of answered prayer.

I love the way He showed us how to totally surrender to the Lordship of the Father as He humbled Himself in the garden, and prayed, Father, not My will but Thy will be done.

I love the way He showed us how to pray for our enemies as He prayed Father forgive them instead of, Father You see what they did and I know You will judge them one day.

I love the way He prayed for the Father to protect us, sanctify us and give us His joy and the hope of an eternal home with Him.

Jesus gave us more than a model prayer to use as we seek the face of the Father...He modeled it for us.