All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
How should we pray?
I read an article the other day by a worship leader talking about how they will often prod people into worshiping, like cheering them on. He said he's done it but has realized it's wrong. Said people should come to worship without prodding. My pastor and worship leader have done it. I agreed with the guy that it's wrong but for a whole different reason.
Pastor will do the typical...."Can I get an amen?...Well that's 3 of ya agree. What about the rest of you? Can I get an amen?!!" At which point half the congregation shouts amen. And you can hear the prayers all over the place with all the "in the name of Jesus!" and "Holy holy holy!" and "Father God". And if you're not heard, it's like people don't think you're praying. Pastor has said "Comon'! Ya'll shouted louder than that at the Marshall football game this weekend!"
Errr, not me. I don't like games, don't go to them and never shouted at them. School pep rally's? Boring. Never liked shouting and hollering crowds. Usually I get a headache from them. And I often prayed for God to make me bolder in my prayer, help me to pray like that. I've practice in private and praying with my son, but it's not me. It's very uncomfortable and therefore, being uncomfortable, I lose that close connection with God.
I have my time with God in my thoughts, in my mind and heart. I shut myself off where it's just He and I. And I will often get a better glimpse of exactly what He's done for me that I will either have my head bowed or thrown back looking towards the sky (or church ceiling) with tears streaming down my face. Everyone else can be screaming amen to the top of their lungs. If that's what they fancy then good for them. But there is one piece of scripture that dawned on me...I shouldn't EVER feel bad because I prefer my quiet prayers between me and God and I don't go in for loud praying....
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
He has rewarded me too. But the greatest reward is spending private time with Him.
I have wondered about verse 5: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.....
But then I'm reminded of James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord
There are times when praying aloud is for the benefit of the person we're praying for/with. I've done that, but it's a different prayer than the ones I pray when just spending time worshiping God. But when we're not praying with or for someone and just shouting out in the congregation, can someone explain why they or others might do this? I don't think we're going to shout down the devil. He's not afraid of a little yelling. He's probably going to be around it for eternity in hell. So what is the reason for any of you who do this.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong. But I guess I got tired of others trying to prove to me that I was doing something wrong. I've read so many devotions and other online blogs where people claim the Bible TELLS us to shout and dance, praise Him with loud music, He will cause the rocks to cry out, praise Him with a shout, etc. They even spoke of marching around Jericho and shouting to bring down the walls. But what about when Daniel went home to his upstairs room? He didn't pray on the street. And especially when we're told God will openly reward us for our prayers done in private/secret.
All I know is that 10 to 1, I feel closer to God when I'm with Him, just He and I and I'm not trying to form words. I "think" words faster than I can form them. What comes out is often tongue twisted. And maybe that's why I like to pray quietly to God.
I don't know, but sometimes it seems like I just keep hearing the same words over and over by some of those who pray in the congregation...like it's memorized. A sweet elderly couple I've known for years sit across from me. I've often heard Joe praying there at the pew and up front at the altar. And many times, his prayer is: Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus. And frankly, isn't that all we need?
Simple. And he's not concerned if anyone thinks he needs to use a lot of words to express himself to God. Since God knows what he's thinking.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Seek on
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We have elders appointed to the altar to pray over people who come up. When they pray out loud, I feel that's a blessing. Often their prayers help to lift the spirits of the hearer that they're praying for. But just to be praying loudly so the congregation hears a babble of voices? I like when we have prayer services. They hold them from 7:00 til around midnight, during which you can go and leave as you please. They have flyers with suggestions on what you can pray for, government, educators, etc. and you're to pray in whatever way is comfortable for you, but it's all done quietly. They play soft music and have candlelight. You either stay at your pew, go to the altar or walk around the sanctuary, however is comfortable for you. I like those services.
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Amanda, I was raised Baptist & they also prayed as you said. They called on someone to pray & everyone prayed silently or cleaned their nails or whatever. They would call on women at times. They would have Weds night prayer meetings & at times, we just prayed. The older I got, I chose my own churches apart from mama's - not that her churches weren't great. It was just time to move on with my husband. I then started attending a Southern Baptist church but it was laid back, Bapticostal. The pastor was one of my old partying buddies & 75% of the church I went to school with & over 1/2 of them I use to party with. They all would pray, do the altar thing, people would go pray with those at the altar & most would pray out loud.
After my husband died, I remarried & moved to a non-denominational church - Christ Worship Center. My brother was one of the pastors & his brother-in-law was the other. The prayer part of the service was much like what I just described above. Altar, join those to pray with them, pray aloud, etc. I love what you said Seek about the prayer night. We use to have an assistant pastor who held those at my home church - CWC. It would be on Saturday nights. He wouldn't have many show up & yes this is sad to say but Saturday night was family night. The night the kids are off & the husband are off, etc. If it was any other night, I may would have attended from time to time. LT's church does the prayer night thing on Tuesday nights as well. I read Jim's Cymbala's series of books: Fresh Wind Fresh Fire; Fresh Faith; Fresh Power. He talks about how he started the Tuesday night prayer service. He felt this was the most important service they had. At first, they only had a few but then it grew. If you get a change ladies, you ought to try to read at least the first one. Powerful testimonies in there. Can you tell Tim is out of town & I'm bored to tears so I'm typing myself silly? hahaha I'm not proofing this so I hope everything is typed correctly.
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Come for a visit. We have another this Friday at 7 pm. LOL Then we have our Easter program with choir and drama. Praying my foot holds up to standing through 5 songs, opening and offering for TWO services on metal risers. Yuck. I'll be taking me a mess of ibuprofen before service and again after.
Then in mid-April we have a revival service. Tonight was the last night our home group met until they start again in September. Too hard holding them in the summer as no one shows.
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I can get to praying inwardly that everything else is tuned out. I've prayed at the altar and when I finally get up to go back to my pew, the 20 others that were there have already gone and I've been there by myself.
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Permalink Reply by JB on
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Prayer! There are those that have pre-structured prayers that is they feel they must say certain things in order, must verbalize with a certain tonality, some even in Elizabethan English, thinking God will understand them better. I heard a preacher on radio and at times on TV use thee, and thou in his prayers. I guess that is fine with me, if some heard me pray, would probably think I was a little off as well. However when I pray in church, with the congregation, I’m usually praying in the spirit, “tongues” not necessarily to be heard, because they wouldn’t understand it anyway. That’s between me and God.
But I have noticed lately my way of praying in English, I find it to be more of a thanksgiving rather that supplication, Because when I start to ask for things, I find myself referring to scripture, example; if I were to pray at a bible study I would probably say Lord, I can’t ask you to be in our midst, because your Word says in Mat.18:20 where two or three are gathered together in My Name there am I in the midst of them. So I just thank Him for being in our midst, because we gathered in His Name, so why would I ask Him to do something He has already done? Or do I doubt His Word? And if I ask Him to bless us, I’m reminded of the scripture that tells me that I am already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Him. Or if I ask Him for anything that pertains unto life or godliness, then I feel I am not believing what He says in 1Pet. According as His Divine power has given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue.
See I think we sometimes forget what the Word is telling us due to the lack of knowledge of His Word, or what it is actually saying to us. Though it might get a little confusing at times, because it says in James 1, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given to him, but let him ask in faith nothing wavering, for he that wavereth, is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed, for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord… See a wavering faith will not produce any fruit. And we waver a lot when we don’t know what the Word says about the things we are praying about.
But now we turn to 1Cor.130, and we see that “of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” and what did we have to do, or what performance have we done to deserve, or get any of those 4 things? Nothing, they are all in Christ, who is in us, and we in Him.
So I can’t see asking God to bless John Doe, the offering, the sermon that we are about to preach, because I see it as already done, so I just thank Him for it, we can’t ask Him to bless His Word, because He says that His Word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish that which He pleases, and prosper in the things where unto He sent it. Isa55.
We hear people say in their prayers, God forgive me I’m just a poor old sinner, well if he is born again, he is not a poor old sinner, he was a poor old sinner, but now he is saved by grace and he is now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. A person is not a sinner just because he sinned. There is a difference in being a sinner, and sinning. So sinning doesn’t make you a sinner, no more than a dog wagging his tail makes him a dog. We were all born sinners, but once you have been born again, or believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Eph.1:13, so as 1Thes.5:17, Says, Pray without ceasing. That’s not altogether begging God for things, but in Php.4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Sorry didn’t mean to write a book, God bless.
JB
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Yikes! I really like this. What's the matter with me?! I usually want to argue with you, JB. :)
Something really connected for me as I was reading your response. I've heard it said a lot but it never really set in before -- that we aren't sinners because we sin but we sin because we are sinners, or were sinners, whichever the case might be, before or after being born again. The old nature is gone. The new is here.
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Feel free to do so, my skin has gotten pretty thick over the years. lol
When Adam fell, we fell with him, but when Christ came to redeem us from the fall, we changed locations, from Adam, "death, or separation from God" to being in Christ, which is life. Passed from death unto life in Christ Jesus. Not only did we change locations, but changed natures as well. Amen?
JB
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Amen. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, Colossians 1:13, ESV.
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Well, I often pray, Lord you said if I ask for wisdom that you will give it.......umm, would you teach me how to use it?
LOL
Sunday before last I just felt so blessed watching Tracy (16) at the altar just praising God and such a look of joy on her face. I've sort of unofficially adopted her though her parents still claim her. LOL
But as I watched the teens, my eyes fell on Emily, my ex-fiancés daughter. I was suddenly overwhelmed with a strong need to pray for her and it was like a heavy load that wouldn't ease. Then I had a feeling persist...2 or more. I motioned for Robin to step into the foyer and I was crying so hard and just said we need to pray for Emily. She's Emily's grandmother. She said she'd been praying and had a feeling that's what was hitting me. So we prayed together in the foyer then returned to our seats. I sat through the rest of the service still with this weight that didn't lift. At altar call I wanted to go get her and ask her to go up and let me pray with her but waited to see if she would go. And it wasn't even a full minute and she was there. The praise team leader's wife, knowing nothing of the situation kept coming to her that morning and now she left the stage and came to pray for her again. Me, her, grandma and step grandma, pastor, teens. I still had the burden and prayed that God would break through her chains as they sang that song. I whispered in her ear that it's in the past now and she can let it go. After some time that burden lifted. I still feel a twinge and keep praying but not the all-consuming weight I felt then.
Emily, almost 14, was molested by her step dad. She's being forced on the stand in open court to testify against him because of this state's barbaric laws on child testimony. I had known this a couple weeks. What I didn't know is that, she confided in a few friends she thought would be there for her. Instead it's gone around the school and the kids are saying all kinds of nasty things. She's gone into such depression that the doctor wants to medicate her.
I know you're wondering what that has to do with this. Well, you said "So I can’t see asking God to bless John Doe, the offering, the sermon that we are about to preach, because I see it as already done, so I just thank Him for it". Well He blesses, He gives peace and joy, but in our burdens we fail to recognize it. This is where Emily is. So to pray He breaks through that and let her feel His presence and peace and joy overtake her, especially to pray this in her presence as encouragement to her, just seems natural.
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Permalink Reply by mary l correa on
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I Love to go to Church but I don't drive... So I pray here at home. And also the Lords Supper, on Sundays We have a wonderful relationship. and read Christian books. and I also sing spiritual songs. What do u all think about how I pray to my Lord jesus Christ.
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