prayer

Post by **_Jim** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:30 am

I was just wondering how many people take time off and go someplace alone like Jesus did often and pray to the Father and Listen to Him? I have found it a most wonderful experience.

Jim

Post by **_Anonymous** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:45 am

Are you looking for yes/no answers? My answer is yes, I pray often.

Post by **_Roger** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:16 am

Great post Jim.........I personally would like to see much more of this kind of posting about peoples real experiences with the living God. We tend to zero in on doctrinal matters and miss out on this very vital issue.

God recently answered a huge prayer of mine that I have prayed over for four years and I am very thankful and delighted.

Jesus said "Ye search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and you will not come to me that you might have life".

Roger

Post by **_JD** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:25 am

Not very often. And I'd say that God has answered all my prayers. He usually says, "No".

JD

Post by **_Anonymous** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:41 am

So...how often is often? And why or why don't you pray daily?

Post by **_JD** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:33 pm

Oops, I should clarify. I was speaking of going away alone someplace to pray, as Jim asked, not prayer generally. I do not do this as much as others, but don't know that Jesus holds it against me.

I do pray daily, but these are more short, to the point, conversational prayers throughout the day than anything else. Maybe it's my personality.

Brother Lawrence wrote a book entitled The Practice of the Presence of God, which is more of what my prayer life is, I suppose. I do have journals of things I have prayed for, in addition to just communing with God, but I admit again, a look back at the these prayers reveals many a "no" from God.

I've been thankful for this, as I take "no" to be God leading as much as a "yes" answer. And I think the "wait" answer that many people seem to hear, is actually a "no" that they don't want receive.

Maybe I'm too cynical in the last regard, but I don't know what people fear from a a good solid "no", be it from the mountaintop, or the couch.

Regards,
JD

Post by **_Anonymous** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:55 pm

JD,
Thanks for your answer. I guess I do both; I try to "get away" to pray every day and I have short conversational prayers all the time.

I agree with you that the "no" answers are as great a blessing as yes answers. In fact I am very grateful that a lot of my prayers are not answered the way I think they should be. I never keep a prayer journal, however. I have read this listed as an important spiritual discipline, but I hate to write stuff down, so I don't.

Post by **_Derek** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:50 pm

I pray throughout the day and try to just be in communion all the time with the Lord, though this doesn't happen nearly as consistantly as I would like.

I do think it is very important though, to get alone with God everyday so I try to do so. I guess we aren't commanded to pray in just this manner, but if the Son of God needed to, I think I should follow suit. He is stronger than me you know.

Also, all my great heros have in common that they prayed daily, for long periods of time, alone with the Lord. Wesly, E.M. Bounds, Leonard Ravenhill, George Mueller, etc...

But at the same time, some of the most powerful prayers in the scriptures are not long prayers.

God bless,
Derek

Post by **_Steve** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:01 pm

Very good summary, Derek. I appreciate everyone's comments.