How and where do you pray?

[HDoggie19]

This may seem like a silly question. But how and where do you pray? As in location or position? Do you have a "prayer closet?" Do you get on your knees by your bed at night or in the morning?
I've always usually prayed in bed, with my hands folded across my chest, until I drift off to sleep. But I sometimes feel like this is disrespectful. Should I get on my knees to pray?
Of course, if I'm active during the day, like working, and can't immediately stop, get on my knees and pray, I just silently pray about whatever concerns I have at that moment.
Is position important? Hmm... Just something I've been pondering for awhile.

[hopehome]

"Pray often rather than very long at a time. It is hard to very long in prayer, and not slacken in our affections." -- William Gurnall

I try to do just that!

[Ps 119:164]Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

[Eph 5:20] Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

[1 Th 5:17-18] Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

[Col 3:17] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

[Heb 13:15] By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

[Resting In Him]

I don't believe it matters where or how you pray. I pray everywhere I go whenever I am inspired to pray which is often. Short prayers, to the point.

I do like to wait before our Father and see if He has anything to say to me.

It's surprising though, when I least expect it I'll hear a message from Jesus. I love it when that happens.

How you pray is determined upon who you are. Personally, I just talk to Him from my heart and share my burdens. I bellieve it's important to offer Him thanksgiving and praise and adoration. I don't believe we have to be unnatural or formal in our prayers. He knows our frame and enjoys our fellowship. We honor Him with our attention and devotion.

I guess you couldn't call it prayer, but I like to just think about God the Father. I just look up at the sky sometimes and say "hi" and just wait to sense His presence.

We don't feel Him like we would like to, but we approach Him by faith believing He hears us. This is what pleases our Father - believing. That can't be emphasized enough.

[LDinthewoods]

I pray at my computer & in my truck. I usually pray through out the day. I don't dare kneel on the floor. My knees would be smited & I would never get up again. :lol

I do close my eyes & most of the time fold my hands. The only thing I'm having a problem with is, even though I pray throughout the day, I can never remember to pray before I eat. I think it is because I'm single & I eat at home a lot. (And because I usually don't even sit down to eat.) Anyway....I'm trying to get better at remembering to do this.

[†MARANATHA†]

I guess you couldn't call it prayer, but I like to just think about God the Father. I just look up at the sky sometimes and say "hi" and just wait to sense His presence.


I do that too :): One time I did that (said, "Hi Jesus") and then I said, "Hmm is that ok to say to A Holy God, Lord?" And He said, "It's what you say to a friend." :):

Good post, BTW :nod

[tootie]

I believe there are all kinds of ways to pray that pleases HIM........HE created us all different, we all communicate differently so prayer should be between you and HIM. The important thing is to pray....confess......repent.......tell HIM your sorrows, ask HIM for HIS will.........seek HIM through prayer.

I pray on my knees, prostrate on the floor, in my chair, bed, standing........Some days I am in constant prayer it seems........I pray silently or out loud. I thank HIM for JESUS who gives us access to come boldly to the throne of GOD!

[HeIsEnough]

:):

When I wake up and when I lay down.
When I'm driving and when I'm posting
When I'm praising and when I am alone in a crowd

Pray all the time, beseech the Lord with your love, hopes, dreams and disappointments. Converse, ponder, meditate, seek, praise, give thanksgiving to our Holy God. This is the way I understand prayer to be. He is our ever-present help in time of need, always there to listen to my sillyness. I can't help but to feel He shakes His head a lot, but then He knew what I was like too. :D:

[kingdomgospel]

Admin Edit: I asked you to keep this to Apologetics.

[Gray Fox]

Because God is everywhere, you can pray anywhere and at any time.


* Prayers must be prayed to be answered. You must ask to receive. * All prayers must be prayed in Jesus' name. * Ask according to the will of God. Selfish and unspiritual requests will not be heard. * You must pray with true faith that God will answer your prayers. * Your prayer requests must be very specific and detailed. * You must have no un-confessed sin in your life. * You must have forgiven all others and have no unresolved conflicts.

[SilverLHS]

KingdomGospel,
If I had to remember everything you just wrote, I'd never do any praying.

Personally, I don't think the Lord cares how I'm praying to Him as long as I'm not blasphemous or disrespectful. He is my Friend, my Refuge, my Comforter, my Advocate and He could never be any of those if I had to follow protocol.

He is gracious and my prayers are effectual because I remain in fellowship with Him through the confession of my sins.

Oh and BTW, I pray to my Father in the name of His precious Son, Jesus. It's always worked and it ain't broken so I don't think I'll try to fix it.

[Green Darner]

Well, my kids and I have many conversations (some silly, some serious) - sometimes we're sitting, sometimes we're standing, sometimes we're laying around or doing chores, or whatever. I'm just glad that my kids will talk with me. I figure it's much the same with our heavenly Father. Prayer can be anytime, anywhere.

I do believe that there are times to pray more formally or seriously (much like there are times in our house when we have a "sit at the table" talk). I believe the Holy Spirit lets you know when it's time for a "sit at the table" talk.

When it comes to prayer (as in all things) let the Holy Spirit do the leading. :):

[kingdomgospel]

SilverLHS,

I thoroughly enjoyed your response to my little teaching on protocol prayer, especially the part where you said, "If I had to remember everything you just wrote, I'd never do any praying."

The simplified version of protocol prayer would go something like this:

In the name of Jesus, I invoke Saint Christopher's intercession and intervention for today's travels!

Now, that's short and sweet while still giving appropriate respect to the hierarchy that's already in place, ruling & reigning with Christ.

KingdomGospel

[katdoula]

SilverLHS,


The simplified version of protocol prayer would go something like this:

In the name of Jesus, I invoke Saint Christopher's intercession and intervention for today's travels!

Now, that's short and sweet while still giving appropriate respect to the hierarchy that's already in place, ruling & reigning with Christ.

KingdomGospel


If that works for you, great! But me personally, I let the Lord decide who He wants to intercede with my prayer...I pray anywhere, any place, any time someone is placed on my heart...and praise, praise, praise throughout the day! Prayer is from the heart. :nod We can learn the hierarchy that's already in place when we are there ruling and reigning with Christ, since I don't know of any hierarchy that we are to learn from in the Bible. (except Father, Son, Holy Spirit) I don't know anywhere in the Bible where Saint Christopher is even mentioned, so I simply don't go there! Correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks!

[blitzkreig]

When I was young I used to worry about my format of prayer. Since I’m old now I don’t worry about it .. I guess I just gave up on it having “stylish prayers”. ;):

From when I was a kid I spoke to God as though He was right here with me ... as my “invisible friend”.
A psychiatrist might have a field day with me :lol

I conduct a kind of “pick up conversation” with God through out the day ... starting just where I had left off minutes or sometimes hours before ...

This "pick up” prayer happens sometimes 20 or more times a day. Often it lasts no more than a few thoughts at a time … sometimes not much more than a word of thanks or something.

At one time I had worried I might be asked to lead some kind of formal "corporate prayer" ... and I might just accidentally pickup the last conversation I was last having ... and take it from there. :doh

I find Church too distracting a place for personal type of prayers.

.


.

[Werner]

SilverLHS,

I thoroughly enjoyed your response to my little teaching on protocol prayer, especially the part where you said, "If I had to remember everything you just wrote, I'd never do any praying."

The simplified version of protocol prayer would go something like this:

In the name of Jesus, I invoke Saint Christopher's intercession and intervention for today's travels!

Now, that's short and sweet while still giving appropriate respect to the hierarchy that's already in place, ruling & reigning with Christ.

KingdomGospel
This is totally unbiblical... If you want to debate whether you are correct or not, keep it to Apologetics. You will not be permitted though to teach this on our board...

This is the last warning. I've replied several times to your posts on this.

[nooneuno]

I invoke Saint Christopher's intercession and intervention for today's travels!

:nerd St Christopher????? :doh Uh..Mr. Christopher is a sinner saved by Jesus' grace. (if he did accept Jesus as his personal savior)
Mr. Christopher is no different than those who have died in Christ already, waiting the day of the rapture when their translated bodies are reunited with their spirits!

He can NOT intercede not no where, not no how!



1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

No intervener but Jesus! :thumb

[Gray Fox]

When we pray, we are talking to the God who created all things and it must be done as He commands in humbleness and true repentance. If He truly lives in us, if we are truly in Him and if we pray as He has told us to pray, then God will hear us. When He hears us, the heavens will begin to shake and the demons will tremble and flee. Whatever we ask in His name, He will do it (John 14:14). God will move mountains for us if we just ask and believe (Mark 11:22,23). He has promised the floodgates of Heaven will be opened up with blessings so abundant we won’t be able to contain them (Mal. 3:10). He’ll give us vineyards we didn’t plant, houses we didn’t build and wells we didn’t dig (Deut. 6:11). We will be like a tree planted beside the River of Living Water (Jere. 17:7,8; Rev. 22:1,2). God is patiently waiting for us to talk to Him – just do it! What an awesome God we serve!

However, having just said that, I admit many of my prayers simply consist of short prayers like: 'Thank you Lord Jesus; or Keep watch over us during this storm; or Praise You; or Come quickly Jesus'; or something similiar.

I believe He will hear all of them.

[audi72]

HDoggie -

I could have written the OP. Thank you for this post. The only time I don't close my eyes is when I'm driving (of course) but that seems to be when I pray a lot. I seem to forget to pray when I eat take-out. (?) Don't know why - we pray at a restaurant ... could it be I'm not as thankful for McDonald's????

NAHHHHHH!

YSIC,
Audra