WHEN YOU PRAY, DO YOU LISTEN?

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p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,066
6,459
113
#1
When you pray, do you listen?
Psalms 46:10) Be still,and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exaltedin the earth.

Brother William Oldham, in his bookReformation Theology, had these thoughts about prayer:

Prayer is our most effective tool asa Christian, for it strengthens our relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, too many Christians shirk this area, or at best give it a quick run through before going out into the world.

It is through Bible Study, Prayer and spending quality time alone with God that we are able to open our heart to God, and God, in return, can open His heart to us. Prayer is similar to one using the telephone, in that one might say it’s our own private line to God. If we’ve ever called someone on the phone and find that they won’t say anything back to us, we tend to get annoyed with them. Likewise if we get a call from someone who talks constantly and never lets us respond to what they are saying, then we also do a slow burn on our end. The same is true of God, for when we pray and then not let God get a word in edgewise before we say “Amen”, then we’ve just told God that we’re really too busy to wait long enough to find out if He wants to talk with us too or not. In fact all we’re really doing with that quickie kind of prayer is, what some use to call in the military, just showing up for morning roll call, or, we’re just letting God know we’re still here, and then get on with our daily duties……..

I had to think about this, but I realized that I am sometimes guilty of this…..got things to do, places to go, oh yeah, better read my Scripture for the day and have a wee short prayer……..and it’s off I go…….

Sadly, I have found myself doing this more than once or twice………and while I struggle to “be still………..and know that He is God……..” I get caught up in myself instead of being filled up with Him.

But I’m praying, and I’m working on it, and with His strength and guidance, I’ll get there……….there being that state of “quality time” that I truly desire to have with Him.
 

Shilo

Senior Member
Aug 31, 2011
1,974
102
63
#2
When you pray, do you listen?
Psalms 46:10) Be still,and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exaltedin the earth.

Brother William Oldham, in his bookReformation Theology, had these thoughts about prayer:

Prayer is our most effective tool asa Christian, for it strengthens our relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, too many Christians shirk this area, or at best give it a quick run through before going out into the world.

It is through Bible Study, Prayer and spending quality time alone with God that we are able to open our heart to God, and God, in return, can open His heart to us. Prayer is similar to one using the telephone, in that one might say it’s our own private line to God. If we’ve ever called someone on the phone and find that they won’t say anything back to us, we tend to get annoyed with them. Likewise if we get a call from someone who talks constantly and never lets us respond to what they are saying, then we also do a slow burn on our end. The same is true of God, for when we pray and then not let God get a word in edgewise before we say “Amen”, then we’ve just told God that we’re really too busy to wait long enough to find out if He wants to talk with us too or not. In fact all we’re really doing with that quickie kind of prayer is, what some use to call in the military, just showing up for morning roll call, or, we’re just letting God know we’re still here, and then get on with our daily duties……..

I had to think about this, but I realized that I am sometimes guilty of this…..got things to do, places to go, oh yeah, better read my Scripture for the day and have a wee short prayer……..and it’s off I go…….

Sadly, I have found myself doing this more than once or twice………and while I struggle to “be still………..and know that He is God……..” I get caught up in myself instead of being filled up with Him.

But I’m praying, and I’m working on it, and with His strength and guidance, I’ll get there……….there being that state of “quality time” that I truly desire to have with Him.
hard to read when you post so small
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,066
6,459
113
#3
Tried to adjust the font, but I am having a problem with posting writings from my files to the Forums here. The original post was in a font size of 16, but it converted to the smaller size when I posted it here.......don't know for sure what I am doing wrong, will try and figure it out.............sorry for the eye strain......
 
Oct 31, 2011
8,200
182
0
#4
I have thought of this often. We ask for favors from God, when God is such a part of us He knows without our asking. Sometimes we ask over and over as if God didn't hear the first time. Sometimes we tell him our troubles over and over, like Lord I have a food addition, Lord I have a food---------. We are reinforcing the food addition instead of accepting the solution.

Sometimes we say Lord, change this other person. We know that God gives everyone free choice. Sometimes we ask for things without wondering if it is within God's plans for us. At the same time, God says that we do not receive because we do not ask, believing.

I found that my most fruitful prayers are when I go to the Lord after I have actually physically bathed at least my hands as a way to understand being cleansed by Christ. Then I sit in a straight backed chair asking God to fill me with His light that is so complete.
 
Oct 31, 2011
8,200
182
0
#5
Tried to adjust the font, but I am having a problem with posting writings from my files to the Forums here. The original post was in a font size of 16, but it converted to the smaller size when I posted it here.......don't know for sure what I am doing wrong, will try and figure it out.............sorry for the eye strain......
It is best to strike "go advanced" before you type. Once you are done you can preview post to see how it will look. Then you can highlight all the post you typed and change the font, size, color etc. Then submit.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
#6
It's true we ought to think about our words rather than spout them off rote.
Another point we sometimes forget is to come on the merits and blood of Christ and not just 'barge' into the Kings presence singing ''God's rad He's my dad''.
...A restored sense of awe would be helpful.
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
0
#7
Great thread.

listening is definitly a neglected act, the way I look at it the child of Yahweh has 2 choices:

we are either going to do it His way

or

we are going to do it His way

the real question is are we going to do it the comfortable way He has planned for us, or the hard way He has it planned for us.

Too many times I have chose the "hard" path, but none the less it has been fruitful, as I am learing to listen a bit faster.

Hebrews 12:3-11, "For consider Him Who endured such opposition against Himself from sinners, so that you would not become weary, and faint in your minds. You yourselves have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as unto sons: My son, do not despise the chastening of Yahweh, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom Yahweh loves, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, Yahweh deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fleshly fathers who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; should we not even more be subject to Father Yahweh, and live? For they truly chastened us for a few days as they thought best; but He, for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful at the present time, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness, that is, for those who have been trained by it."
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,066
6,459
113
#8
It is best to strike "go advanced" before you type. Once you are done you can preview post to see how it will look. Then you can highlight all the post you typed and change the font, size, color etc. Then submit.
Thanks RT..........I am working on that.........but one time it STILL changed the font size and squished the words together when I clicked on POST.........grrrr
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,066
6,459
113
#9
QUOTE............ "Too many times I have chose the "hard" path, but none the less it has been fruitful, as I am learning to listen a bit faster..........." END QUOTE.......

...........talk about nail on the head...........yup, me too...........but I'm working on it..........a work in progress.........
 
N

Nancyer

Guest
#10
Prayer is the part I struggle with most. In that I rarely feel like I'm spending time with God when I pray. Or read or study. I don't feel like I'm "getting my reading done for the day..." but more like "I should do this first, or the day will not go well". Perhaps those are 1 in the same.

I find my mind wanders a great deal when I do try to spend quiet, alone time with God. When I stop everything else for just that purpose. I stop and start and start and stop a lot. It's very discouraging sometimes. I have been spending my first hour or so in the morning with my Bible, sometimes a teaching as well, and really feel like the days I do this just go better, smoother, I feel calmer.

Anyway, great post, thank you.

God Bless, bless, bless