{"product_id":"how-to-pray","title":"How to Pray","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDo you know \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ehow\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e to pray? \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e to pray for? \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ewhere\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e to pray? \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e your prayers aren’t answered? If you are unsure about any of these things, you’re not alone: even Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst of all, do we even need to pray? I have heard people say that since God already knows all (Omniscient), and sees all (Omnipresent), and has power over everything (Omnipotent), then there is no need to pray to Him since He already knows what we’re going to say.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, this argument breaks down immediately because the Bible tells us that God wants us to “always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1) as well as to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The Bible has many examples of God acting on behalf of His people as the result of prayer. God expects us to pray. He tell us to pray!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is Prayer?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrayer is communicating with God. That may sound like a difficult thing, but with some Biblical guidelines and a little practice, prayer should become just as natural as having a conversation with your best friend.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the Bible, prayer is always directed to God—it is absolutely unscriptural to pray to anyone else, such as “Mary,” or one of the other saints. Doing so is idolatry.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Should We Avoid?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He first told them some things \u003cstrong\u003enot\u003c\/strong\u003e to do  (Matthew 6:5-8).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first thing He said was that prayer is not a chance to make a show of how spiritual we are. Jesus described people who pray to get attention as “hypocrites” or fakes. His instruction was to go into a quiet, private place, and there pour out your heart to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe next instruction Jesus gave was to not simply repeat a prayer over and over. It is hugely ironic that many people have taken the example prayer He gave (“Our Father, which art in Heaven ...”) and done exactly that! When you pray you should always know what the words you are praying mean. Remember who you are talking to when you pray.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Should We Pray?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter telling His disciples what \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e to do, Jesus moved on to give them an example of effective prayer: “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’” (Matthew 6:9-13).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst, note that God is addressed as “Father.” Is God your Father? Are you saved—a born-again Christian? If you have turned to Him in repentance, trusting Jesus Christ as your personal savior, then you can call God your “Father.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNext, see that prayer is more than just asking for what we want. Jesus began this prayer by praising God (“hallowed be your name”), and we should not neglect this example in our prayers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen we do get around to making our requests, what should we ask for? We should ask for things that God would want us to have. One of the most important promises concerning prayer in the Bible is 1 John 5:14,15: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” However, if we just ask for things that we selfishly desire, God will not answer our prayers (James 4:3).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Should We Pray For?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKnowing God’s will means knowing the Bible. It means we should know Scriptural examples of petitions made in prayer by Biblical men of God like Paul (Colossians 1:9-12), Jesus (John 17), Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1), and others. We should seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) by praying for non-believers that they would come to Christ. We are told to pray for our leaders, those in authority over us (1 Timothy 2:1,2). Jesus also said to pray for those who may persecute us for our faith in Christ (Matthew 5:44).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGuidelines For Effective Prayer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDon’t mindlessly repeat anything! It’s a sin to do it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDon’t ask for anything unless you really mean your request: “Put your heart into it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlways get right to the point and ask God for exactly what you want.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualify your request—give God a Scripturally-justifiable reason why you are asking it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGive God a reason—again Scripturally-based reason—why He should answer it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlways accompany your petitions (requests) with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBe persistent—if your answer doesn’t come immediately, keep praying! (Luke 18:1-7).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn effective Scriptural practice in prayer is giving God a reason for granting a petition (request) by calling Him to remembrance of Biblical promises, prophecies or commandments relevant to the petition(2 Chronicles 20:6-12).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PrintMyTract.com","offers":[{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 100","offer_id":67950321303848,"sku":"ugp1792583986978","price":29.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 100","offer_id":67950321336616,"sku":"eep1792583986979","price":50.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 250","offer_id":67950321369384,"sku":"bbr1792583986980","price":67.38,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 250","offer_id":67950321402152,"sku":"ctc1792583986981","price":94.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 500","offer_id":67950321434920,"sku":"eqr1792583986982","price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 500","offer_id":67950321467688,"sku":"qht1792583986983","price":93.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 1000","offer_id":67950321500456,"sku":"dec1792583986984","price":115.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 1000","offer_id":67950321533224,"sku":"ymh1792583986985","price":167.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 2500","offer_id":67950321565992,"sku":"xje1792583986986","price":223.65,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 2500","offer_id":67950321598760,"sku":"smd1792583986987","price":268.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 5000","offer_id":67950321631528,"sku":"zlf1792583986988","price":400.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 5000","offer_id":67950321664296,"sku":"ljz1792583986989","price":478.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 10000","offer_id":67950321697064,"sku":"lbk1792583986990","price":515.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 10000","offer_id":67950321729832,"sku":"kyr1792583986991","price":651.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0976\/4044\/8296\/files\/how-to-pray_1.jpg?v=1792583990","url":"https:\/\/luxeluxora.shop\/products\/how-to-pray","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}