How To Pray

I have not read #1, but anything I've read by Strauss has been good. I've read #2 and #3, and think they are both great. However, #3 is much more detailed and deals with much more Scripture. When I was younger I read it about 5 times and received great profit from this prophet.

 

I have only read # 3 and have read it many times. I am reading it with my kids right now. I have learned much from it.

 

Its been a while, but I have read E.M. Bounds' works regarding prayer. I don't really remember much though to give a fair assememnt.

Read the prayers of other godly men as well. I recommend the Valley of Vision.
See this thread:
http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/15/651.html#000001

 

Seeker,

why do you ask if it teaches you what to SAY when praying? I do not believe there are any formulas, as in what words we ought to use. It is a conversation with God, and I think God expects us to talk with Him, not use specific "wordings" as if they have more power or influence with God than other "wordings" would.

The only exception to this for me is praying "in Jesus' name".

 

Good advice bapmom. There are many times when I attempt to pray, but am unable to verbalize my thoughts. I am comforted however by knowing the Holy Spirit continually intercedes for me with Him and communicates in a manner we cannot understand.

Like you, I do not believe there is a formula for prayer. The "Lord's Prayer", while not a prayer per se, serves as the only model or pattern we need. It covers all aspects of prayer. It recognizes God as our Father, places Him in Heaven, then praises His name. It then shows us we must first pray for God's Kingdom to be fulfilled and that His commandments be followed. Then and only then do we ask for our needs to be filled, and for our sins to be forgiven. We should then close with a doxology to Him. There is no other formula or format for me.

God does want us to communicate with Him. But, other than following the model given by His Son, He wants us to use our words and thoughts. Don't worry if your prayers do not sound like the soaring words we read in the Psalms, and throught the Bible; or the beautiful prayers we may have heard or read by other men and woment of God. He knows what you want to say. IMO He wants us to show our faith by using this powerful tool.

 

One of the best treatises I've ever read on prayer is by John Bunyan.

http://acacia.pair.com/Acacia.John.Bunyan/Sermons.Allegories/Discourse.Touching.Prayer/index.html

Believe it or not, one of the reasons that John Bunyan went to prison is because he refused to use the written prayers of the Common Prayer Book which was required by the Laws of Uniformity.

From his arrest warrent: Yett one John Bunnyon of
youre said Towne Tynker hath divers times
within one month last past in contempt of
his Majtie's good Lawes preached or
teached at a Conventicle Meeting or
Assembly under color or ptence of
exercise of Religion in other manner than
according to the Liturgie or practiss of
the Church of England .... These are
therefore in his Majties name to comand
you forthwith to apprehend and bring the
Body of the said John Bunnion before us
or any of us or other his Majties Justice of
Peace within the said County to answer
the premisses and further to doo and
receave as to Lawe and Justice shall
appertaine and hereof you are not to faile.
Given under our handles and seales this
ffourth day of March in the seven and
twentieth yeare of the Raigne of our most
gracious Soveraigne Lord King Charles
the Second ... A . que D-ni juxta &c 1674

 

If God wanted specific words for praying He would have made a book. God doesn't want people to quote or repeat words from a "book of prayer". In Matthew 6:7 it says,"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." God doesn't want you to use the same words every time you pray. Why? Because the words loose its value; its not as important anymore. When your husband/wife tells you "I love you" everymorning, everyday of the week, before he/she leaves for work or wherever their going do you wonder if they really mean it or is it just a habit of repetition? Sure they love you, but the words are less emphasized because your used to saying them. Do you see my point? God just wants what YOU have to say; not what some book tells you WHAT to say. He wants to know if what you are saying is really meant from the heart and not just repetition.

 

IMO, the best guide/help for prayer is The Book of Psalms.

Psalm 42:8
Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime,
and in the night his song shall be with me,
and my prayer unto the God of my life.

HankD

 

Reckon a hymn now and then is okay with God? I mean, if somebody else wrote it?

 

I don't understand what your trying to say Pipedue. Please explain?

 

With a hymn we speak to God in the pre-written words of somebody else. You're against that, aren't you?

 

There is a difference between a standardized prayer and singing a hymn. Your praising God when singing, not praying to him.

 

Come, Thou Almighty King
Help us Thy name to sing
Help us to praise
Father all glorious
O'er all victorious
Come and reign over us
Ancient of days

That's a prayer.

 

Do you sing it or pray it?

 

Your question seems to imply that if one is singing his words, he cannot be praying those words. Am I understanding you correctly?

 

Come on Pipedude,

you're taking what she said and running way too far with it.

We are talking here about prayers that are memorized and said over and over so many times they lose all meaning to the reciter. This would also apply to the times when we just follow our own personal prayer "list" without thinking, and without really entering into it as prayer. "bless so and so, bless so and so, bless so and so".....and on and on, when it really has no meaning to us. That's vain repetition as well.

I don't believe anyone is trying to say that singing a song written by someone else is wrong.

 

thanks bapmom for saying what I have been trying to get across all along.

 

You'll be hard put to distinguish between prewritten prayers and prewritten prayers that rhyme. If you cannot condemn the latter, you'd best measure your criticism of the former.