Prayer Sermon Outline: Christian Vs. Prayer Of The Christian

through the protection of God, that all gifts are presented from God, and that a Godly man is

Prayer is an essential to any kind of religious faith. Over the years and years of believing in a higher power,

9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

In (Matthew 6:6 NIV), Jesus explains the merits of praying to the lord God and the reward of inner peace, “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret: and your father who sees in secret will reward you.” It is through this conversation with God that Christians pursue peace in their lives. Prayer can either be private or communal, spontaneous prayer is one way that charismatic communities can come closer to God. The act of prayer allows believers to have a personal conversation with God; it alleviates stress attributed to the monotony of everyday life. Besides prayer, meditation is another way of attaining inner peace, it is an ancient practice within the Christian tradition, which has undertaken a recent revival, a global group that reaffirms the concept of praying and meditating for inner peace is Taizé. Not as popular as prayer and meditation, Lectio Divina, generally known as bible studies is a way for Christians to feel connected to God and to finally attain inner peace. The studying of the sacred scriptures on a day to day basis and reflecting on prayers also maintain a continual connection with God. It is vital to maintain equilibrium between prayer and service, whereby an individual fathoms the notion ‘ora et labora’, in order to equally partake in both prayer, and the concept of action whereby ora develops inner peace, which is mirrored through the

As Christians we partake in rituals that consist of prayer, baptism, and the eucharist. Prayer is used on several occasions and for conveying distinct concepts. Prayer can be used as a way

The authors present a chapter that proposes ways to pray for nonbelievers. This chapter is especially focused on praying for those individuals the witness may know to be searching but not ready to commit their lives to Jesus(p. 113).

From introductions to soulmates, communication is essential at all stages of a human relationship. In the same way, it is communication with God is a required part of our walk with him. It is easy to look at this aspect of the Christian life and view it as a chore. However, we should not view prayer as an obligation we need to fulfill, but as a blessing we are able to enjoy. While there is no correct way to pray, there are guidelines that can be followed to make your prayer life richer than it would be otherwise. These strategies can be found in Paul’s writings to the church at Ephesus and through the prayer method represented by the acronym ACTS.

When we use the name of Jesus with the Father in prayer, we bring the love and power of Christ to the Father as our plea for what we ask. When we use his name though, it should be only in his best interest. When men use another man's name, it is to be for the good of the name, not the person using it. When we pray in the name of Jesus, it doesno good if we are not praying and acting in the nature of Jesus. We are praying for something because we know it is dear to his heart.

(Soren Kierkegaard) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known of God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV) And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that 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. Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom comes you will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven

When I played football in high school at West Scranton, we would recite the Our Father prayer before every game. I memorized the words of the passage in the bible, but never thought of it as a prayer. I didn’t think the Our Father prayer as prayer, because Pentecostals believe that God knows all and is a personal God. Which is why God doesn’t need us to recite prayers and allow us to talk with God freely. I learned in class the importance of the Our Father prayer. In class I learned that Jesus said we should pray like him and with him, which makes it impossible to pray alone. When reciting the Our Father prayer there is a belief that Jesus is praying along side of us. The Our Father prayer reviles a lot about the manner in which to pray, because Jesus said the prayer. I found that the meaning behind the prayer was astonishing. It had all the key aspect of a Pentecostal prayer, which are praising God and asking for substance, forgiveness, and to be freed from

Greg then launches into the topic of prayer, he says, "The Pharisees were caught up in repeating ritualized prayers over and over again. They seemed to believe that the longer the prayer, the more spiritual and pleasing to God. But God isn't interested in eloquence. Not at all. Prayer should come from the heart. He isn't interested in how perfectly our prayers sound, or whether they rhyme, or whether we throw in any King James English, or how long they are. He is concerned with how genuine they are. One of the most eloquent prayers in Scripture comes from a man who said,'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (Luke 18:13). Now that is an effective prayer. That is a man who was honest with God. He said what he was thinking and simply laid it out before the Lord. And guess what? Jesus Himself said that man's prayer was heard." Greg then goes on to use the Lord's prayer as a guide to show us how to pray.

•“When you pray, you should say: Father, your name be revered. Your empire be established. Provide us with the bread we need day by day. Forgive our sins, since we too forgive everyone in debt to us. And don’t make us face the test.” (Luke 11:2-4)

In Matthew 6 of the Bible, Jesus explains how he wants his followers to pray and fast, and he gives an example of what kinds of prayers should be said to God. Many times, Jesus advises against “verbose prayer, flamboyant fasting, and devotions designed merely to get attention” (Matthew 6: l-8). In the modern Christian religion, many churches’ practices seem to negate what Jesus advised to do in this text. Members of churches often display their faith to others, praying loudly, publicly, and oftentimes, repetitively. It is thus difficult to decide what the “correct” ways are to pray and act in modern Christianity if the practices of churches either reject or ignore this notable passage in the Bible.

There is no substitute for prayer in the life of a minister. It is something that has to be an intentional part of every day, but this is not always an easy task. Even Jesus had to work to incorporate prayer into his daily routine rising early and going away from the others to spend time with God (Mark 1:35-37). If a minister is not careful, finding time to pray can feel like a burden, yet, it is one of the most precious privileges that was bought for mankind through the blood of Jesus Christ. Prayer for a minister goes beyond the developing of a vibrant relationship with God. A Pastor is called to pray the prayers of the people, he is to pray with the sick and poor and he is to teach his people the importance of prayer and how to incorporate it into their daily lives.