lets talk about prayer

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M

morefaithrequired

Guest
#21
For all financial, famliy and legal obsticles to be clared so I can go to Canada to be with the woman I love and either get involved with or start a new ministry. To the homeless, alcoholics/addicts and mentally ill, that are on the streets and dying every day..
sounds exciting calibob. life is changing for you soon.
 
M

morefaithrequired

Guest
#22
Well Im praying my wifes cancer is cured. But this is the 4th recurrence. Not sure they can operate this time. Risks involved. She has lived 6 years since the original diagnosis.
 
Aug 10, 2019
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#23
Wonderful topic for conversation morefaithrequired.

I need to work at my prayer life. Routine and ritual has its place in my opinion, having specific times/places for things can help greatly so long as the meaning isn't lost and it becomes simply putting a tick in a box, as in: "there....that's taken care of".

My challenge is with my schedule, perhaps others face difficulties similar to my own. I work 12 hour shifts that rotate between days and nights. 5 shifts of 7:30 PM to 7:30 AM followed by 5 days off, then 5 shifts of 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM followed by another 5 days off...rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. I've been on this schedule for over 4 years now and it wears me out at times.

For a while I would kneel at my bedside and pray....counting my blessings, asking for help for myself and others. Lately though, its hard. Sometimes I'm so dog tired I simply fall into bed and its lights out, knowing that I have another 12 hour shift coming up. I do read the Bible pretty much every day, and I have Christian music on in the car and home.....but to me, that's different from actual prayer. I'm often thinking about God and Biblical teaching....but again, that's not the same as getting on my knees and humbling myself before my Lord and Saviour.

Happy Sunday in any case. I have been greatly blessed this year....I love going to worship, and so far in 2019 whenever I have been on shift on a Sunday I've been excused to go to church...there's only been one time where the staffing level didn't allow for it. I'm on nights now and getting off work at 7:30 am, but I almost always make it to the 10 am service.....
 
M

morefaithrequired

Guest
#24
Wonderful topic for conversation morefaithrequired.

I need to work at my prayer life. Routine and ritual has its place in my opinion, having specific times/places for things can help greatly so long as the meaning isn't lost and it becomes simply putting a tick in a box, as in: "there....that's taken care of".

My challenge is with my schedule, perhaps others face difficulties similar to my own. I work 12 hour shifts that rotate between days and nights. 5 shifts of 7:30 PM to 7:30 AM followed by 5 days off, then 5 shifts of 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM followed by another 5 days off...rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. I've been on this schedule for over 4 years now and it wears me out at times.

For a while I would kneel at my bedside and pray....counting my blessings, asking for help for myself and others. Lately though, its hard. Sometimes I'm so dog tired I simply fall into bed and its lights out, knowing that I have another 12 hour shift coming up. I do read the Bible pretty much every day, and I have Christian music on in the car and home.....but to me, that's different from actual prayer. I'm often thinking about God and Biblical teaching....but again, that's not the same as getting on my knees and humbling myself before my Lord and Saviour.

Happy Sunday in any case. I have been greatly blessed this year....I love going to worship, and so far in 2019 whenever I have been on shift on a Sunday I've been excused to go to church...there's only been one time where the staffing level didn't allow for it. I'm on nights now and getting off work at 7:30 am, but I almost always make it to the 10 am service.....
If anyone has an excuse not to pray, you have. 12 hour shifts? yuk
 
Aug 10, 2019
552
437
63
Canada
#25
If anyone has an excuse not to pray, you have. 12 hour shifts? yuk
You just made me think of something....i can pray at work :) I already have a reputation of being Mr. Religious around here, but its not the setting I like....still, when life hands you lemons etc.
 
Sep 29, 2019
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#26
Those of you who read the Bible everyday, do you consider that prayer?
By the way, I for one will not be judging anyone for not having a consistent daily prayer life. I'm hoping we can encourage each others to at least try more often.
A priest once told us this story. When he was in the seminary he encountered a difficult person. He prayed to God to remove him from his life. God answered his prayer and the difficult person quit the seminary. But then another difficult person arrived. So he prayed again. But this time the guy stayed. So finally he decided to ask God for the ability to handle difficult people. And that prayer was answered too but not immediately.
I find that story very encouraging. And try to use the wisdom learnt in it for my own life. Not always successfully of course.
I like to sit in silence quite often. With a desire to drop ALL opinions, thoughts and words about God....and just let God be what he is, as he is. I find that if I approach God with a wall of words that doesn't do it for me; silence first and then words may come by themselves. Or quite often healing of all the tension of the day.
 
G

Godsgirl83

Guest
#29
I love that God already knows our hearts... He knows what we're going to pray about even before we do so.
I love that prayer can be as simple as simply saying " I love You Lord!"
I love that prayer is simply talking with Him, just as you would a friend in the room, or on the phone......

1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.


Merriam/Websters defines "cease"

to cause to come to an end especially gradually : no longer continue

A. to come to an end
B. to bring an activity or action to an end


So, to pray without ceasing means that we are to always be in prayer (as much as /whenever possible.) We're never really suppose to stop praying. We can have our "formal prayers" and say "AMEN" but it doesn't have to (and shouldn't) end there.

As a mom, who always has someone around, it's nice to be able to call out to the Lord at ANYTIME and know that He hears and answers.
One thing that I didn't fully understand until being a parent is what the 3 main answers to any question usually are:
Yes
No
Wait/Maybe

YES! It's my joy and pleasure to do this for you/ give you this.

NO. It's not that I don't love you, but because I love you that I am not letting you have /do this right now. It's not what is best for you at this time.

WAIT/MAYBE I can see down the road here, something better is going to happen than you are asking OR I know you and know that you will change your mind about this.

and now this song is going through my head:
 
M

morefaithrequired

Guest
#30
Sometimes I really feel inspired to pray. Ideal body condition. Often after a workout , garden related or otherwise. Or getting up early after a short sleep. Fasting does make sense. Preparing body and therefore mind and soul.
When we feel clarity. When we are overfed or washed out from too much passivity or entertainment, we are not ready for prayer. In fact we are more ready for sin. Ive always needed more discipline. Im so lazy. I can be such a sloppy diva!😁
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
41,243
16,252
113
69
Tennessee
#31
For all financial, famliy and legal obsticles to be cleared so I can go to Canada to be with the woman I love .....
I have prayed for this for you and Magenta. Love will find a way. At least that's been my experience and will be yours as well.
 
M

morefaithrequired

Guest
#32
perseverance in prayer....hang in there...easier said than done I know...this helped me....
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#33
Well Im praying my wifes cancer is cured. But this is the 4th recurrence. Not sure they can operate this time. Risks involved. She has lived 6 years since the original diagnosis.
I could not sleep in part for thinking about this, and want to tell you how sorry I am that you and your beloved wife are going through such an ordeal. I pray that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And also:

 
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morefaithrequired

Guest
#34
such a sensitive soul magenta
beautiful
thanks
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#36

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me


I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive


I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me
I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee
I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery
I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me


Sing a little louder
In the presence of my enemies
Sing a little louder
Louder than the unbelief


Sing a little louder
My weapon is a melody
Sing a little louder
Heaven comes to fight for me
 
M

morefaithrequired

Guest
#37
i usually dont like those kinds of hymns magenta.
but the experience this time was very positive.
thanks.
 

Ruby123

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2019
11,904
8,230
113
#38
I have prayed for this for you and Magenta. Love will find a way. At least that's been my experience and will be yours as well.
Wow, this is good news. I don't really know these people although I have seen them around the forums but I wish them both a blessed future together.😁😁
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#39
i usually dont like those kinds of hymns magenta.
but the experience this time was very positive.
thanks.
Good morning, morefaithrequired :) I love modern praise and worship music! I find it extremely uplifting, and being musically oriented I find myself singing the songs to myself often, even to the point where I wake up praising God with a song on my mind and heart. I did grow up in the RCC also, and a few of the older hymns still speak to me... I am glad you liked the ones I posted, any ways :D The Miracles song is a current fave :):D:) I sing it to myself a lot, and have been thinking about your situation as I sing it, asking God for a miracle for your wife... actually, thanking Him for the miracle He will perform in healing her.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#40
I have prayed for this for you and Magenta. Love will find a way. At least that's been my experience and will be yours as well.
Thank you Jerry :) That is very kind of you :):):)
Wow, this is good news. I don't really know these people although I have seen them around the forums but I wish them both a blessed future together.😁😁
Thank you Ruby that is very kind of you :):):)