What is PRAYER? Real simple….PRAYER is talking to GOD. That conversation with God can be between an individual or group. It can be organized, unorganized, spontaneous or planned and He will be there for all of it. Whenever you’re ready, He’s ready. God doesn’t tell us how to pray, but He did provide a template in Matthew 6. You have probably heard it before. “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven….” Now it’s just a guide. We get to customize it to fulfill our needs and purposes. Prayer can occur any time, day or night. Some people like to pray before they go to bed at night. Some people like to start their day off in prayer. Then of course their is prayer before meals, special occasions, holiday prayers and some people even pray when they have their morning or evening strolls. Some people write their prayers down too so that they won’t leave anything that’s on their minds out. There are different types of Prayers. Prayers of Adoration…that’s when you acknowledge God for who HE IS and our dependence on Him. Prayers of Petition…that’s when we tell God what we need. Prayers of Intercession…that’s when we pray for others. Prayers of Thanksgiving…that’s when we pray to thank God for what He has given us. The key to effective prayer is to pray what’s in God’s heart and those things can be found throughout the Bible. That’s why in the prayer template in Matthew 6, it reads, “Thy Will” be done.” You can’t really go wrong by praying for God’s Will., because what’s in God’s Will is what’s in His Heart. Sometimes it may not seem like it, but God does answer EVERY PRAYER…with either YES, NO, or NOT YET. You may not get an immediate answer so have patience, WAIT ON THE LORD for the answer, and pray that you know when the answer has arrived.Did you know there are also health benefits to Prayer? Prayer can strengthen your heart and brain, lower your stress level and increase your lifespan. Soooo, for your spiritual and physical well being, it might be to your advantage…to pray. AMEN
With Agape Love,
Willie Mae