“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)
"God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be...." (E. M. Bounds).
Prayer, simply put, is a conversation with God. It involves both talking to him, and listening to him. And it's more than a sporadic event or habit. It should be woven into the fabric of our lives. Along with praying daily at set times, we can carry a continuous attitude of prayer throughout each day. Prayer is not about trying to get God to do things for us. It's about being with our heavenly father. It's an opportunity to interact with the creator and enjoy his presence. It's about participating in his redeptive work on the earth.
As you consider how to introduce, or strengthen, a practice of prayer try the following:
1. Schedule a daily time for prayer. It can be as little as 2 minutes for beginners, or much longer for those with more practice. The key is consistency.
2. Read, memorize and pray the Lord's Prayer - Jesus famous teaching on prayer. It's found in Matthew 6:9-13 (Read v. 5-15 for greater context).
3. Don't spend all your time doing the talking. Listen in silence, allowing God to speak. Sometimes he will help you figure out what you should be praying for.
4. If you have a hard time sitting still for long enough to pray, try doing a prayer walk. Walk through your neighbourhood, praying for your neighbours, or go on a hike and thank God for his creation.
Join one of APA's many prayer groups: Click HERE for info
Check out the additional resources below