How to Pray ?

 Mountain view @ Kodaikanal

18 February 2012- 

When faced with difficult or insurmountable situations in day-to-day life, or when we are left all alone to tackle such grime conditions, we use the tool prayer. That seems to be the normal trend. 

BUT Prayer is the ‘life-line’ for us connected for 24hrs, all the 365 Days- immaterial whether we are happy or depressed. We are taught to draw ‘power’ from God to conduct ourselves in our daily life.

So follow the guidelines Jesus gave the disciples on sincere prayer.

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” Matthew 6:5

 When one of the disciples said to Jesus “Lord, teach us to pray’--  Jesus responded by giving the disciples a pattern to follow.

•        Pray with meaning, no vain repetition of words (to impress others)- Prayers from your heart reach God’s heart whether they contain many words or few.

“…..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. ^. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:6-8   

• Pray “Our Father, Hallowed be Your name.” Matthew 6:9  

 Even if praying alone, remember that you are part of the family of God.we must remember that He is our holy, heavenly Father and present your requests.

•        Pray that you will eagerly and patiently wait for the day for His purpose be done in our life.

“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” .Matthew 6:10  

•         Pray for daily needs. He knows your need, but acknowledge and thank God since HE is your Provider.

‘Give us today our daily bread’. Matthew 6:11  

•      Pray for forgiveness. Name all and specific sins. Trust that God will forgive you and enable you to forgive others too.

‘And forgive us our debts,  as we also have forgiven our debtors’. Matthew 6:12  

•  Pray to be protected from the Evil One and temptation.

'And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one’ .Matthew 6:13  

We may never fully be satisfied with the quality of our own prayers.'

Read the verses to learn about Jesus’ prayer life:

• ‘But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed . Luke 5:16 and

• ‘One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. Luke 6:12

How this influence your prayer life?

'For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15'

Read 

Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power
   and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
   for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, LORD, is the kingdom;
   you are exalted as head over all.
 Wealth and honor come from you;
   you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
   to exalt and give strength to all.
 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
   and praise your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 

Let your prayer fall within the boundary and should not be a self- boosting one.

Let God alone hear the heart’s voice lifted up in prayer( no need that it should be uttered in terms of words.)

Let us Praise God.

God Bless