Sep 02 2008

How Should We Pray?

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." - Ephesians 6:18

Most all of us feel the need to pray, but we often are uncertain how to do it right. Sometimes we're stumped and have trouble getting past Now I lay me down to sleep... Jesus helped us with this by giving us a model, usually referred to as "The Lord's Prayer." His primary intention was not to have us recite it but to help us know how to pray and what to focus on when we pray. It was given to teach us how to talk with God - which is really what prayer is all about.

What does it specifically teach us?
1. We can know God as a father.
2. We need to take time to praise Him.
3. We are to pray for His will and blessings on His church.
4. We want to pray for others while also asking God to meet our daily needs.
5. We want to ask God to forgive our sins and help us forgive others who have wronged us.
6. And we want to ask for God's strength and power in resisting the temptations of the evil one.

Now that's a lot to be accomplished with a prayer, but there is actually so much more! You can enrich your prayer life by studying the prayer Jesus taught us. The God who created the universe wants to talk with you. The Lord's Prayer, which is really a disciple's prayer, is Jesus' model for us all.


Printer Friendly Version

You are reading a Daily Devotion from Right From The Heart. We invite you to comment, forward it to a friend, and subscribe to the daily email or RSS feed.

Subscribe Comment Forward

Subscribe to the Daily Devotion

We send out the devotion terribly early every morning. Enter your email address to get on the list.

RSS Feed

If you prefer, you can grab the RSS feed and read it in your favorite "feed reader."   Huh?

 Grab it  http://feeds.feedburner.com/rfthdevotions

 

5 Comments

Sep 02

I once heard an acrostic(sp?) that I found helpful: ACTS. A=adoraration; C= confession; T= thanksgiving; and S= supplication. I also like Phillipians 4:6-7. The last comment yesterday by Jerry was pretty good too. God knows what we need before we ask. We just need to open our hearts and seek him in sincere love and respect. He will hear us. - Grant

 
Sep 02

Grant is right...God does know what we need before we ask, but He also knows whatwe want as well. He knows everything that goes on in our lives. Another thought, God hears us when we are crying and calling out in prayer; He doesn't like seeing His childern cry. (I should know because I called to Him in prayer while crying.) - Kimberly

 
Sep 02

I read or heard somewhere that we should spend at least 5 minutes worshipping God before we start praying. I do this by singing. I love music and find that I can express myself much clearer in music. - jag

 
Sep 02

One of the things I love best about prayer is that it doesn't have to be about supplication or temptation. Sometimes it's wonderful to just talk to God about nothing at all really, like you would your best friend. I like examples like Moses and David, who could really be open with God and pour out everything before Him. - Amy

 
Oct 07

I know praise is the ONLY weapon given to us that NO ONE can take away from us.we all have to praise HIM and HIM ONLY.ALL praise and Glory belongs to the LORD only.Before we open our prayer list take sometime to thank him and lift HIS mighty name on HIGH.LET HIS will be done in our lives.TRUSt in HIM,HE will provide ALL our needs for his glory. - jesse