Numerous times throughout the day...sometimes silently, sometimes aloud. Then there is a "good-night", special words prayer for me when I lay down to rest.
I am Are you talking about what the Bible says about praying and how it Should Not be done loudly in the streets, etc?
prayer is how my soul breathes..i try and do it as often as i can daily. when i forget to or im "mad at god"- my sleep doesnt feel as peaceful.
I remember something about the Nazarene telling his followers how to pray and gave the example of "our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." he talked about anointing oneself with oil, meditations, chants, and incense. Didn't it say somewhere too that the children of god were not supposed to eat pork and a whole list of other things?
Three different interpretations on the Our Father. 1) It is instruction on how to pray, i.e. first glorify the Father, then ... yadda yadda yadda. 2) it is an instruction about what to pray. 3) it is Both. I belong to the latter camp. I do not recall anywhere in the canonical Gospels of Jesus instructing prayer in that manner (incense et cetera). Also, the dietary laws are for members of the Hebrew ethnic group. Most Christians are gentiles, and are therefore only subject to the Noahide Laws. Lastly, I do pray. Different types of prayers. I pray the Our Father, the Apostles Creed, The Hail Mary, The Jesus Prayer (O Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner). I also pray spontaneous prayers. I think this is a very telling observation on prayer: "Who do you expect to answer these prayers?" That suspension must be in place in order for prayer to be authentic. If I knew or were simply expecting an answer, that would be the end of prayer. That would be an order -- just as though I were ordering a pizza. [Laughter] No, I expect nothing like that. I assume that I must give up any expectation, any certainty, as the one, or the more than one, to whom I adress my prayer, if this is still a prayer. --Jacques Derrida
There was a time in my life I regularly attended a couple of Methodist churches (in another part of the state from me now), and the "credo" - I think you call it- that was recited at the beginning said something about blessing the "Holy Catholic Church". I loved the Methodists, and found this denomination to be wonderfully non-judgemental with a lot of reverence and nice prayers in the service. (just thought I'd throw that in) There are Many examples throughout the Bible showing what a powerful tool prayer is (for the faithful believer).
Well in this sense the "Holy Catholic church" as you have it written probably should read the "holy catholic Church", simply meaning the universal church of all believers, raher than the Catholic Church denomination. Just though I'd throw that in.
I pray as often as I can. I talk to God when I am on the bus or walking down the road or when I am in my room alone. I pray at night before I sleep to thank him for the day and to reflect on what has happened and how He has helped me through the day. I feel much better knowing that I have spoken to God and feel much more peaceful within myself.
Oh. Okay....makes sense through I'd never thought of it as that. When I asked my mother-in-law what it meant, I think she explained that even tho' the protestants were "separate" from the catholics, she thought that Catholocism was where the prostestants "sprang from", and this was the Methodist's way of acknowledging this...many years ago she told me that. And re: the OP - what does anybody think about petitioning the Lord in prayer? In very difficult situations, I have "petitioned" the Lord - going to Him over and over about a specific thing and seen (what to me seem) miraculous results. (The specific things were never selfish, I'mgonnatestyou,Lord kinds of situations.)
Jesus did say: “Keep on asking, and it will be given You; keep on seeking, and You will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to You. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened.
Christianity will teach you to pray. It will not teach you that to become as Jesus was, prayer becomes a moot point. If you become as one with God as Jesus did, who is there left to pray to? Christianity cannot answer without illustrating it's own worthlessness. x
