How to Pray  (How to communicate with God, revisited, yet again.) "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." - Jeremiah 33:3
What is Faith in relation to prayer? "And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." - Hebrews 11:6 Example: Rian, as a newborn baby, learned quickly and had faith that if he cried, someone would feed him. Like all newborns, he had no critical or creative thinking skills, but cried, knowing that there's someone out there.
What is Doubt in relation to prayer? "And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:22-24
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. Why won't God heal amputees? Why are there so many starving children in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians? Why did he get that disease? Why is my house going into foreclosure?
Because God doesn't exist? Because God doesn't care about those kids? Because things just happen? Because people get divorced at the same statistical rates? Because he was at high risk for a stroke, heart attack or diabetes? Because you couldn't afford it?
How do Faith and Doubt affect our prayers? "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Â For that person must not suppose that a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord." -Â James 1:6-8 God does whatever he wants with (despite) our prayers.
What happens to half-hearted prayers?
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. T you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:11-13 a.k.a. half faith / half doubt
What is Suffering vs. Misery in relation to prayer? "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Â -Â Psalm 37:4 Have you ever prayed while you were miserable?
How does coveting affect our prayers? "...and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." - 1 John 3:22 One of the commandments is to not covet -> Coveting is a sin -> Sin affects prayer - badly. Can you recall any prayers that were, in essence, covetous?
What happens to selfish prayers? Â "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." -Â Psalm 66:18
How can household discord be a hindrance to prayer? "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." - 1 Peter 3:7 "Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife." Proverbs 21:19 "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Â Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." -Â Ephesians 5:21-24
How can pride be a hindrance to prayer? '“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”' - Luke 18:10-14 When you're looking down on everyone, you're not looking towards God.
How can false humility be a hindrance to prayer? "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!" - Philippians 2:3-8 When you're looking down on yourself, you're not looking towards God.
How do we get rid of doubt, halfheartedness, misery, covetousness, selfishness, discord, pride, false humility, etc. in our prayers? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9
(See the Nehemiah series on Restoration on the website.)
The Lord's Prayer: line by line.
What is Acknowledgement in relation to prayer? "Our Father in Heaven..." - Matthew 6:9 Isn't that a form of faith?
What is a thankful prayer? "...hallowed be your name..." - Matthew 6:9 Isn't that a type of acknowledgement, which is a form of faith?
What does the euphemism "Kingdomminded" mean? "... your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. " - Matthew 6:10 This shows a an unselfish, non-covetous focus on the Kingdom of God.
(See the Kingdom of God series on the website.)
What is 'Daily Bread'? Â Is that a booklet? "Give us today our daily bread." - Matthew 6:11
(See 'Prayer is Not a Monologue' on the website.)
What is Forgiveness in relation to Prayer? "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." - Matthew 6:12 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." - Matthew 6:14-15 Can you recall an example of praying while being unforgiving to someone? See also Matthew 18:23-25
Knowing that God does whatever He wants with (despite) our prayers, how should we pray? "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:13 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Intercession: Where is everybody? "He saw that there was no man, and wondered, that there was no intercessor." - Isaiah 59:16 For each other To open their eyes For redemption Christ as Intercessor As watchmen on the wall In the name of Jesus As the Holy Spirit leads For the Kingdom For Laborers For Missionaries For Individuals For Ministers Joined together
James 5:16, Ephesians 6:18 2 Kings 6:17, 20 Psalm 65:2, Isaiah 53:12 Hebrews 5:7, 7:25, Isaiah 62:6, Colossians 4:2 John 16:24-26 Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 3:14 2 Chronicles 6:35 Matthew 9:37-38 Acts 13:3 Isaiah 27:12 Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 4:3 1:14,in Ephesians 4:4 Murray, Acts Andrew. Standing the Gap Christian Art Publishers, 2008.