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How To Pray

Discussion in '2006 Archive' started by Seeker Of Truth, Apr 7, 2006.

  1. Seeker Of Truth

    Seeker Of Truth New Member

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    What Is The Best Christian Book On How To Pray?

    1.Sense and Nonsense about Prayer by Lehman Strauss

    2. How to Pray by R. A. Torrey

    3. Asking and Receiving by John R. Rice

    Let me know if you read these books and how do you rate them.
     
  2. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    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. [​IMG]
     
  3. samarelda

    samarelda New Member

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    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.
     
  4. Seeker Of Truth

    Seeker Of Truth New Member

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    I had a copy of # 3 years ago but no longer have it. Does it teach you what to say when praying?

    A popular Bible teacher told me that # 1 is in his opinion the best book on prayer.
     
  5. 4His_glory

    4His_glory New Member

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  6. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    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".
     
  7. SeekingTruth

    SeekingTruth Member

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    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.
     
  8. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    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
     
  9. Clean1

    Clean1 New Member

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    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.
     
  10. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    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
     
  11. Pipedude

    Pipedude Active Member

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    Reckon a hymn now and then is okay with God? I mean, if somebody else wrote it?
     
  12. Clean1

    Clean1 New Member

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

    Pipedude Active Member

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    With a hymn we speak to God in the pre-written words of somebody else. You're against that, aren't you?
     
  14. Clean1

    Clean1 New Member

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

    Pipedude Active Member

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    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.
     
  16. Clean1

    Clean1 New Member

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    Do you sing it or pray it?
     
  17. Pipedude

    Pipedude Active Member

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

    bapmom New Member

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    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.
     
  19. Clean1

    Clean1 New Member

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

    Pipedude Active Member

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    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.
     
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