Without Ceasing part#2

When should I pray? Well if you look at 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 It says we should pray without ceasing. My advice to you is to pray whenever you can, whenever you remember someone/a particular situation pray!! I pray when I'm in the shower (or I sing hymns), I pray when I'm doing dishes/chores, I pray in the car when I'm left to think, I pray whenever I remember a specific prayer request, I pray before my meals (obviously) but sometimes I extend it during my meals. Pray on your way to work, pray coming home from work, pray before you lay your head to the pillow, pray when you wake in the morning. Psalm 5:3 says, "O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch." Psalm 88:13 "But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you." Psalm 119:147 "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words." Psalm 88:1-2 "O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry." Mark 1:35 "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." (Talking about Jesus) SO, it seems that God wants us to "Rise and shine, and give Him the glory, glory" (A hymn) So when you first wake, you do your devotions or whatever, put some prayer in there. And before you sleep pray to God. It's silent in your bed, so you may whisper or pray in your head. I love praying before bed because I have the whole day and I know I have things I need to confess that maybe I forgot to you know? So when should you pray? Answer: All the time! But, start the day off with prayer and believe me when I say you'll see a big difference in your attitude and your heart in throughout the day!!

What should I pray for? If you read above you can check out the guide ACTS. Some things I pray for is wisdom. I pray for a humble heart. I pray that my ultimate desire would be to serve my God cheerfully, and obediently. I pray "Create in me, a clean heart O God; and renew a right spirit within me." I Pray for genuine love. The kind of love in 1 Cor. 13: 1-13. I pray for a soft heart. I pray that God would each day make me more like Him. I pray that He'd grow my walk w/Him. I pray that I'd be modest in speech, attire, attitude, body language (which is another form of "attitude"), and thought. I pray that I'd never make my brothers in Christ or any man stumble. I pray for my sisters in Christ for the same. I pray for my friends, and my family. I pray for specific things that people ask me to. Don't know what to pray for? Start with your sin weaknesses. Ask God to strengthen you in those areas you need strengthening. Pray for others. Read the whole chapter of Romans 12. It talks about how we are to be living sacrifices (and other things) it's how we as Christians should be acting, where are hearts should be in a nutshell. If you really don't know what to pray about start with Romans 12.

Who's prayers does God hear? Psalm 66:18 "If I had cherished iniquety in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." What David means by these words, is that those who have sin in their heart, God will not listen to their prayers. The way how my Dad interprets this is God doesn't hear the prayers of the wicked. Like the non-believing. Some people will say "Well, what if a non-believer is praying to God asking Him to save them!?" What I would say to that is this, "Obviously God is working in their hearts (if they are being genuine) and calling them into repentence. Then, yes he's hearing that prayer. For, they are being called by God Himself." Daniel 10: 12 "Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words." This was Gabriel the angel. God sent Gabriel (His messenger angel.) because He had heard Daniel's prayer! Mattew 18: 10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face who is in heaven." Is there a specific verse that says God hears the prayers of Children? The question is, is there a verse that says he doesnt? If you are Christian parents, encourage your children to pray to their Father in heaven no matter how young they are.

When does God answer our prayers? 2 Peter 3:8 "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Peter was talking about when Christ would come back because the Jews were getting impatient, but I was trying to make a point to you that God is God. He will answer your prayer in His own timing. OR, He won't answer your prayer accordingly to your specific timing/will of whatever it is you prayed for. It may not be HIS will that you get the $1,000 you asked for. God will answer your prayer if HE WILLS, and in HIS OWN TIMING IF HE DOES WILL.

So pray without ceasing beloved, and see what wonders God does in your life! See the changes of the attitude, and the softness of the heart!

~Lissie Darcy