7. REASONS TO BELIEVE IN PRAYER

This is the seventh of a series of blog posts with my sister Betty Haynie about what we believe. Our thoughts may be helpful to those who don’t believe in God. Betty wrote down her beliefs in detail several years ago. I’ll post her thoughts monthly and add my thoughts and beliefs to each one. Our thoughts are intentionally brief on subjects that could fill volumes

WHY I BELIEVE IN PRAYER

By Betty Haynie

I believe that if God truly wants a relationship with us He must have provided a way to communicate since we cannot physically see Him. HE DID! It’s called “prayer.” I believe this is one of the most important ways in which we communicate with God regardless of our level of spiritual development. Just talk to Him as you would to any friend, for that is what He wants to be!!

It goes without saying that reading His word is a good way to learn about Him and find out what He wants for His people in general and for your self in particular. But equally or maybe even more important is prayer. 

The Bible tells us, to “Pray without ceasing.”  1 Thessalonians 5:17 I used to wonder how on earth I could do that. Well, as I have studied the Word and tried to “walk the walk” I realize that having God in my every thought, talking with Him and calling on Him to help me is praying without ceasing.

Prayer is not just asking God for our wish list of things, although there certainly is an element of that in prayer. Praising Him is prayer too!! Thanking Him for all He has already done for you is prayer. Asking Him what He wants you to do is prayer. Prayers don’t have to be said out loud. I “think” many of my prayers.

I talk to Him before I get up in the morning, praising Him for the new day He has given me and asking Him to help me with whatever He wants me to do for Him on any given day. I ask Him to help me do His will and to show me what that will is. I also pray for my loved ones and for those I know who are going through rough times -illness or sadness or whatever.

The difference I see between prayer and meditation is that prayer is a two-way conversation and meditation is just me alone, thinking on things. They might be spiritual things and that’s always a good thing to think on, but there doesn’t seem to be a real connection to God during meditation. I get the impression that the Buddhists, and others who meditate, do not expect an answer.

The “Lord’s Prayer” as people call it, is a format of one way people can pray. It certainly is not the only way. I don’t believe God cares so much what we say to Him as He cares that we talk to Him as much as possible.

Reading prayers that other people have written is another way to pray but has the potential to become more rhetoric than prayer from the heart. It is certainly better than nothing. I believe God wants our talking to Him to be truly from our hearts – and I believe He can tell the difference.

When we are finished talking with God we ask that all of what was just prayed be in Jesus’ name. Did you even wonder why we do that? Well, I believe it is because Jesus has told us that no one can get to the Father except through Him.

 “Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.” John 14:6 (MKJV)

That sounds rather arrogant but when you know the whole story of why Jesus came and what He came to do for us it makes sense. In order to get to, talk to, reach, communicate, or visit God.....you MUST go through Jesus the Christ!!

I believe that if the god you are trying to reach is NOT the God of the Trinity, then you are wasting your time. No other God but God the creator, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost can answer prayer. Mohammad can’t, Buddha can’t, Mary Baker Eddy can’t, neither can St. Paul, St. Patrick, St. Jude, St. Nick or any of the other many Saints!! Not even Jesus’ disciples could answer prayer. Not Mary the Mother of Christ, or a Priest or Minister can answer prayer. God and God alone THROUGH the intercession of Jesus the Christ can and will hear our prayers.

This is not my OPINION - this is what the Bible says and I believe the Bible is the Word of God and God does not lie.

I’ve seen prayer work in the lives of many, many people - including my own - over and over and over!! Praise God!!

Blessings, Betty

WHY I BELIEVE IN PRAYER

By Dottie Parish

Prayer is essential to my life as a Christian. Prayer changes me, softens me, humbles me, and transforms me. It fills me with a sense of God’s presence. Prayer lifts my spirits and connects me with the God of the universe. How awesome is that! Jesus prayed at length and often very early in the morning. He also taught his disciples to pray.

Someone has suggested that the types of prayers can be summed up as “Help” “Thanks” and “Wow.” We can ask for anything in prayer = “Help.” We thank God for our blessings = Thanks! And we praise him for his amazing love and grace = “Wow!  I would add “Melt me, Mold me, Fill me, Use me.” And “Forgive me.”

Silent prayer is also special. My church at one point opened the sanctuary for silent prayer for an hour at noon on Fridays. Anyone could come in off the street to pray. I decided to attend weekly and it deepened my prayer life. I found that after about twenty minutes of silent prayer God revealed things I needed to change or let go of or ask forgiveness for. It took twenty minutes to get through to me! And what a freeing time! We need to take more time to quiet our busy lives and enter the presence of God.

I pray daily and often while still in bed. I attempt to pray without ceasing as Betty mentioned. See my blog about this. My husband and I also pray at each meal and at bed time together. Prayer between husband and wife is true intimacy and will benefit any marriage.

Prayer in our weekly worship service touches my heart and soul and helps me surrender to God and repent of failures or sins. It also provides uplifting times of praise to our God. Weekly prayer meetings in which we intercede as a group for the needs of missionaries, and others has ministered to me in deep ways. Here’s what Jesus says:

“If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven. For when two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:19-20

What a promise! This doesn’t mean we get what we want. God can answer with “No.” The Lord’s Prayer, as Betty mentioned, offers a format for prayer that is helpful. Throughout the bible there are many beautiful prayers that can teach us how to pray.

Writing this today makes me realize I need to spend more time in prayer. How about you? This Thanksgiving day let’s lift our hearts with thanks to God for all our blessings.

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Blessings, Dottie

THANKSGIVING IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE

Q. We traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving Day dinner with every family member expressing their gratitude about the year. This year, however, we have had many problems - job losses, deaths in the family, and accidents. How can we be thankful in the midst of all these troubles? 

          

A.  Giving thanks in the midst of troubles or tragedy is a challenge. Many would consider it impossible or even irrational. Grieving is normal and essential to work through disappointments and losses. Tears and some depression are normal at these times. However, we can focus on grief and depression too much. We do this when we forget to count our blessings. 

                                                                                               

The apostle Paul, who suffered beatings, shipwrecks, and even imprisonment wrote,  “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11). He didn’t say he was content about his circumstances but in his circumstances.

         

Joni Eareckson Tada was paralyzed as the result of a diving accident in her teens. She used the Bible verse “Give thanks in all circumstances” (I Thessalonians 5:18) as her anchor. She says, “I gritted my teeth, pushed aside feelings of despair, and willfully gave thanks for everything from the hospital breakfast of cold cornmeal mush to the grueling hours of daily physical therapy.” 

When she began this she didn’t feel thankful. She notes the difference between feeling thankful and giving thanks. Feeling thankful involves our emotions. Giving thanks is an act of the will. The Bible verse doesn’t expect us to give thanks for the difficult times. We only need to give thanks in them. Joni Eareckson Tada says that months later a miracle occurred. She began to feel thankful. Her despair lifted and her attitude brightened.

         

While attending a niece’s wedding years ago I took a serious fall which pushed two teeth up in my mouth and caused five stitches worth of damage to my upper lip. Though this was minor in comparison to the experiences of Joni Eareckson Tada or the writer of today’s letter, I found myself giving thanks that I was not knocked out, broke no bones, and was able to attend the wedding later the same day. I was very upset about what had happened to me but still thankful in many ways. 

Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book Simple Abundance recommends keeping a Gratitude Journal in which we write down five things we’re grateful for each day. Doing this on a daily basis for several months will change us. A gratitude journal helps us notice the small caring gestures of friends and family members. And we then thank them more. Thanking others for being in our life and for the things they do for us enhances our marriage and our family life as well as changing us, and making us contented. 

A gratitude journal will help you see that even in the midst of trouble or pain, there is this, this and this going well in your life. It will also help you recognize what the difficulty or tragedy has taught you. 

David, who wrote most of the Psalms in the Bible, wrote about his despairing inner struggles yet he also was grateful for every blessing. He very humanly describes his struggles, even wondering if God has abandoned him, yet he continues to practice gratitude.

 

When things go well we take our blessings for granted. Difficulties force us to recognize what’s important in life; that we need God and that we need each other. Gratitude helps us grow spiritually. It connects us with God, the source of our life and our hope. 

Give thanks on Thanksgiving Day in spite of your troubles. A gratitude journal will help you learn to be contented in any situation and Thanksgiving Day is a perfect time to begin one. Have a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving!

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”          1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB

Blessings, Dottie