Prayer Patterns

Joshua · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2005, 09:56 PM

Do any of you have a certain format you follow in prayer? If so, would you mind sharing? Just curious...

Robin · #2 (**permalink**) 11-02-2005, 10:12 PM

As Jesus teaches...

Matthew 6:5--13

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
"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.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'

Robin

VirginiaHuguenot · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2005, 10:24 PM

the perfect model.

Also see the Directory for Family Worship:

Quote:

IX. So many as can conceive prayer, ought to make use of that gift of God; albeit those who are rude and weaker may begin at a set form of prayer, but so as they be not sluggish in stirring up in themselves (according to their daily necessities) the spirit of prayer, which is given to all the children of God in some measure: to which effect, they ought to be more fervent and frequent in secret prayer to God, for enabling of their hearts to conceive, and their tongues to express, convenient desires to God for their family. And, in the meantime, for their greater encouragement, let these materials of prayer be meditated upon, and made use of, as followeth.

"Let them confess to God how unworthy they are to come in his presence, and how unfit to worship his Majesty; and therefore earnestly ask of God the spirit of prayer.

"They are to confess their sins, and the sins of the family; accusing, judging, and condemning themselves for them, till they bring their souls to some measure of true humiliation.

"They are to pour out their souls to God, in the name of Christ, by the Spirit, for forgiveness of sins; for grace to repent, to believe, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly; and that they may serve God with joy and delight, walking before him.

"They are to give thanks to God for his many mercies to his people, and to themselves, and especially for his love in Christ, and for the light of the gospel.

"They are to pray for such particular benefits, spiritual and temporal, as they stand in need of for the time, (whether it be morning or evening,) as anent health or sickness, prosperity or adversity.

"They ought to pray for the kirk of Christ in general, for all the reformed kirks, and for this kirk in particular, and for all that suffer for the name of Christ; for all our superiors, the king's majesty, the queen, and their children; for the magistrates, ministers, and whole body of the congregation whereof they are members, as well for their neighbours absent in their lawful affairs, as for those that are at home.

"The prayer may be closed with an earnest desire that God may be glorified in the coming of the kingdom of his Son, and in doing of his will, and with assurance that themselves are accepted, and what they have asked according to his will shall be done."

I try to make it a point in family worship to pray for personal santification; family needs; my pastor and congregation; the church at large (particularly the suffering church); work matters; reformation in America and around the world; our soldiers; the spread of the gospel to dark places like China, North Korea, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Haiti, France, etc; those that are sick, poor, homeless, seeking jobs and spouses, discouraged and with other needs; women contemplating abortion; civil magistrates; friends on the PB; and others; remembering and acknowledging God's mercies and seeking grace and forgiveness for my sins. Lots to pray about. I don't pray nearly enough.

[Edited on 11-3-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]

piningforChrist · #4 (**permalink**) 11-02-2005, 10:33 PM

<P>A. W. Pink has some excellent material on the Lord's Prayer:</P>
<P><A href="http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Lords_Prayer/lords_prayer.htm">THE LORD'S PRAYER</A></P>

Joshua · #5 (**permalink**) 11-03-2005, 08:45 PM

Thanks, Andrew. I don't pray nearly enough, either. I'm painfully conscious of it more and more each new day.

[Edited on 11-4-2005 by joshua]

Laura · #6 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 03:57 PM

I feel a little out of place offering (more than!) my two cents, since I don't hang around here as much as I'd like, but, ehm, for whatever it's worth:

Call upon God, adore, confess,
Petition, plead, and then declare
You are the Lord's; give thanks, and bless
And let Amen confirm the prayer.

Isaac Watts came up with this ditty, drawn from his illuminating Guide to Living Prayer. I'm about 1/4 of the way through it, and I recommend it with the caveat that it is extremely convicting...

One surprising thing I've found in Watts's book is his suggestion for mental preparation for prayer. My assumption had been that it would be dumb to premeditate on what I am about to pray, since God knows my thoughts! But when I pray, I am implicitly and explicitly declaring that I have something to say or something to ask of Almighty God, and how much worse is it to speak an idle word in prayer? There is a reason we are taught to do it systematically (that is, with definable forms and categories). Besides, it is very rare that I wake up with a ready array of spiritual thoughts and words to organize into anything worth listening to, by human or divine standards, so it didn't take much for me to be convinced that spending a few minutes in the Psalms or in a solid devotional book would help. And so far I have found it to help.

So I would also submit that prayer is distinguished from merely worshipful thought, and though it is a nice idea, it simply does not suffice to direct all of our thoughts in one continuous prayer throughout the day, as I once also thought.
(Let's see...Watts - 2; Laura - 0.)

I realize this may sound like Watts is "teaching as doctrines the commandments of men," especially since prayer is seen as an area that allows a good deal of liberty, but I don't know that it should be such an individually shaped practice at all. There are definite principles to be inferred from Scripture, not to mention from common reason (e.g. you don't, out of fear of formalism, cut back on something excellent; you simply practice it as much as possible, and guard your heart against dullness to the routine!).

[Edited on 11-21-2005 by Laura]