Prayer Life

[Ryan&Amber2013]

I've been thinking about my prayer life recently, and I would appreciate it if anyone would like to be open and honest about their own prayer life. I guess I'm really just trying to see how and how much people pray on a regular basis, to help feel out how normal my prayer life is compared to others.

I find that in this season of life, my prayers are often at informal times, more of like conversing with God in my mind throughout my daily life. I have specific things that I do pray for during my devotional time and family worship time, but I don't often get down on my knees anymore and just pray for a half hour at a time. It's more of just talking with God throughout the day about things going on in life. It's basically very organic instead of formal. And then often before I go to sleep, I will talk to God silently in my head. I just don't know if I should be convicted about this, or this is just as healthy as going into a quiet room, and just being alone and completely focused on only God and praying openly vocally.

Any thoughts or experiences? Thanks!

 

[Stephen L Smith]

Brother I have similar challenges too. I desire to be more godly and this means working on my prayer life. The best advice I have received from reading the Puritans is learn to meditate more on scripture. Meditating on scripture provides spiritual insight and power for ones own prayer life.
See Thomas Watson's 'A Christian on the Mount'

The Saint’s Spiritual Delight, and a Christian on the Mount – by Thomas Watson (1620-1686) – Puritan Publications

www.puritanpublications.com

or Nathaniel Ranew's 'Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation'.

Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation (Ranew)

Puritan and Reformed books at discounted prices.

www.heritagebooks.org

 

[Blood-Bought Pilgrim]

I appreciate the openness brother. I too long to grow deeper in prayer. My primary challenge is that I catch myself getting extremely repetitious in my prayers, even when they are “informal” throughout the day. In addition to repeating the same things day to day I find myself repeating myself during particular prayers, almost as if to try to make it “stick”.

I’ve also found that the depth of my prayer life varies in different seasons, often for reasons indiscernible to me.

 

[Ed Walsh]

I've been thinking about my prayer life recently, and I would appreciate it if anyone would like to be open and honest about their own prayer life. I guess I'm really just trying to see how and how much people pray on a regular basis, to help feel out how normal my prayer life is compared to others.

My proofreading program is not working properly now, so please be kind to what follows. I am not the best writer.
~~~~~~~

My prayer life is absolutely phenomenal. You see I no longer pray a list of things that I think I'd like God to do or not do. Or a person who He would save or not save. But now, I never pray without the aid of the Spirit.

Please realize that I had to wait 45 years for this to happen.

This is important:
About a year ago on a Lord's Day, I was wondering about what the Puritans thought of our prayer lives. The Lord must have led me to this, because in less than 2 hours I read some or even all of three treatises by three Johns. John Flavel, John Bunyan, and John Owen. All three were in agreement that God is not at all interested in our prayer lists. Now the Lord still loves all of his people. Even the ones who doubt him and fear their future and have trouble believing in his love for us. All three Johns agreed that we are to pray prayers that are God's prayer requests communicated to us by his Spirit and Word. Then we can pray in the will of God and see our prayers more and more answered.

Let me add one other thing that I never do anymore. Jesus is not the gardener or our servent who is interested in fixing up whatever we think needs to be fixed up. We don't even know what to pray for, or how to pray on our own. One example I think of is Elijah. He had a guarantee from God that it would not rain for 3 years. What did he do? Did he just wait for it to happen? No! He prayed that it would rain and sent his servant to watch over the ocean for signs of its fulfillment. He knew he had the request he asked for because he already knew God's will for that. That's the secret. We need God's desires and then pray them back to him. I won't take the time but there's a number of other examples of that in the Bible. But the bottom line is we just don't know how to pray on our own and we shouldn't keep wasting his time and ours. The three Johns agreed that if we don't know what to pray for because we don't have the Spirits aid, about the only thing we should pray about is that we don't know what to pray for. That's the starting point.

‭1 John 4:4-6 KJV‬​

[4] Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. [5] They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. [6] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.​

 

[Boreal]

I read some or even all of three treatises by three Johns. John Flavel, John Bunyan, and John Owen.

Do you remember the title of the one by Flavel?

 

[Ed Walsh]

Do you remember the title of the one by Flavel?

I'll get back to you. I rode my Hayabusa to the Appalachian trailhead which I'm now hiking on.

Flavel is perhaps the most pastoral of all the Puritans that I know.

Right now I'm having a real treat by going through Stephen Charnock on Providence, and Thomas Watson on the Beatitudes, both for the 3rd time in a row.

These two works have been the two most influential books in my life these past few months. I highly recommend both of them and for different reasons each.

Get a load of this. This one of many wonderful sections of chapter 22 of Charnock:

God Has a Peculiar Love for the Church God has a peculiar love for his relationship with the church. He speaks of it with delight, as if he loves to hear the sound of it on his own lips: “My vineyard, my very own, is before me” (Song 8:12). He always watches over the church with deep affection, and he is pleased to be the proprietor of the church. God never calls the world “my world,” though he created it. He does say, “The earth is mine,” but he does so either to correct presumptuous people who ascribe to themselves that which is due to him alone or to encourage his people to expect deliverance because all things in the earth are at his beckoning call. He says the earth belongs to him to show that he is sufficient without the service of anyone, as when he says the earth is his “and the fullness thereof ” (Ps. 24:1). This phrase is never used to portray any pleasure in the relationship between him and the earth. But consider how very often God says my vineyard, my people, my children, my jewels, my sanctuary, because he esteems his propriety in them.

 

[Boreal]

I'll get back to you. I rode my Hayabusa to the Appalachian trailhead which I'm now hiking on.

Flavel is perhaps the most pastoral of all the Puritans that I know.

Right now I'm having a real treat by going through Stephen Charnock on Providence, and Thomas Watson on the Beatitudes, both for the 3rd time in a row.

These two works have been the two most influential books in my life these past few months. I highly recommend both of them and for different reasons each.

Get a load of this. This one of many wonderful sections of chapter 22 of Charnock:

God Has a Peculiar Love for the Church God has a peculiar love for his relationship with the church. He speaks of it with delight, as if he loves to hear the sound of it on his own lips: “My vineyard, my very own, is before me” (Song 8:12). He always watches over the church with deep affection, and he is pleased to be the proprietor of the church. God never calls the world “my world,” though he created it. He does say, “The earth is mine,” but he does so either to correct presumptuous people who ascribe to themselves that which is due to him alone or to encourage his people to expect deliverance because all things in the earth are at his beckoning call. He says the earth belongs to him to show that he is sufficient without the service of anyone, as when he says the earth is his “and the fullness thereof ” (Ps. 24:1). This phrase is never used to portray any pleasure in the relationship between him and the earth. But consider how very often God says my vineyard, my people, my children, my jewels, my sanctuary, because he esteems his propriety in them.

Thank you!

 

[jwithnell]

At one point, I assumed greater maturity in the faith would lead to fewer spiritually dull times and a more robust prayer life. Only recently has it dawned on me that spiritual muscle is developed by having to praying yet again: "Enlarge my heart toward you, O God, breath life into me, help me to seek your face more earnestly ..." such prayers build our faith causing us to trust that God will never abandon us despite our sense of inadequacy in seeking him. Trust, and pray again. It will not come easily.

 

[alexanderjames]

I've been thinking about my prayer life recently, and I would appreciate it if anyone would like to be open and honest about their own prayer life. I guess I'm really just trying to see how and how much people pray on a regular basis, to help feel out how normal my prayer life is compared to others.

I find that in this season of life, my prayers are often at informal times, more of like conversing with God in my mind throughout my daily life. I have specific things that I do pray for during my devotional time and family worship time, but I don't often get down on my knees anymore and just pray for a half hour at a time. It's more of just talking with God throughout the day about things going on in life. It's basically very organic instead of formal. And then often before I go to sleep, I will talk to God silently in my head. I just don't know if I should be convicted about this, or this is just as healthy as going into a quiet room, and just being alone and completely focused on only God and praying openly vocally.

Any thoughts or experiences? Thanks!

What you are describing sounds like a more organic type of praying without ceasing which is highly commendable. I would like to be more consistent with my prayers like this, all throughout the day.

I would encourage to also set aside the quiet time where you are alone with God, for Jesus Himself has taught this both in His doctrine and example. It does generally take great discipline, but there are times when it will come far more easily than others. And I find that raw honesty of our weakness in humility guards against formalism and hypocrisy.

Mark 1:35

Matthew 6:6

 

[chicagophil]

Lots of good advice already - keep a set time, meditate on Scripture, ask God to help you pray.

I will share one more observation about Flavel and prayer. I'm reading his _Fountain of Life_ (42 sermons on Christ) as material for learning to meditate on Christ better. (I find meditation much more difficult than prayer, For what it's worth). Flavel talks about prayer and the experience of prayer so much, and in so many different ways, it makes one realize not only how robust his prayer life was, but how indispensable he found it to be in his own ministry, and how indispensable he viewed it to be for the life of the people he preached to. It is very encouraging.

 

[Boreal]

Lots of good advice already - keep a set time, meditate on Scripture, ask God to help you pray.

I will share one more observation about Flavel and prayer. I'm reading his _Fountain of Life_ (42 sermons on Christ) as material for learning to meditate on Christ better. (I find meditation much more difficult than prayer, For what it's worth). Flavel talks about prayer and the experience of prayer so much, and in so many different ways, it makes one realize not only how robust his prayer life was, but how indispensable he found it to be in his own ministry, and how indispensable he viewed it to be for the life of the people he preached to. It is very encouraging.

Could you point me to a place in his Fountain of Life where I could read an example of what you are talking about?

 

[Ed Walsh]

My prayer life is absolutely phenomenal.

I need to add something to what I said above.

I spent way more time weeping over my remaining corruption and many actual sins. "Blessed are those who mourn [now,} for they shall be comforted."
So important is mourning that Watson listed 9 impediments to mourning.

 

[chicagophil]

Could you point me to a place in his Fountain of Life where I could read an example of what you are talking about?

Sermon 9 Inference 3 is the first place I made a note of....

 

[Boreal]

Sermon 9 Inference 3 is the first place I made a note of....

I’ll take a look. Much appreciated.

 

[Boreal]

I'll get back to you. I rode my Hayabusa to the Appalachian trailhead which I'm now hiking on.

Flavel is perhaps the most pastoral of all the Puritans that I know.

From my limited exposure, I have to agree with you about John Flavel.

 

[lynnie]

One thing that has helped me greatly lately is a comment someone made to me about what they were seeing in scripture. It was all the repetitious times the psalms or prophets said "God, look, see what the wicked are doing", and then detailing to God what they were seeing. The injustice, the wickedness, the suffering of innocents. Those prayers did not always ask God for anything specific at all, but they just kept telling God what was going on.

I have found that this has been greatly helpful when I don't even know where to start and what to ask for. I just bring to God's attention what I see in the government, the church, lives around me, the public schools, the courts, the society, the economy, the southern border, nuclear threats, many threats. Its sort of like- experientially- God is suddenly right there. I mean, its not like He didn't know about it, or wasn't right there already, but He wants me bringing my full attention to Him with it.

Start noticing all the times in the OT where they start telling God what is going on and just bringing things to His attention. Its very interesting and I think it can help with prayer- it has for me. I don't know why exactly, but it seems to have greatly encouraged my faith when I do get specific with requests.

By the way, you don't have to be on your knees! I ripped my meniscus badly last fall and now 90% is gone after surgery. I actually could get on my knees a bit if I had to now, but I'd rather not. I'm probably closer to the Lord than before it happened.

 

[TylerRay]

I've been thinking about my prayer life recently, and I would appreciate it if anyone would like to be open and honest about their own prayer life. I guess I'm really just trying to see how and how much people pray on a regular basis, to help feel out how normal my prayer life is compared to others.

I find that in this season of life, my prayers are often at informal times, more of like conversing with God in my mind throughout my daily life. I have specific things that I do pray for during my devotional time and family worship time, but I don't often get down on my knees anymore and just pray for a half hour at a time. It's more of just talking with God throughout the day about things going on in life. It's basically very organic instead of formal. And then often before I go to sleep, I will talk to God silently in my head. I just don't know if I should be convicted about this, or this is just as healthy as going into a quiet room, and just being alone and completely focused on only God and praying openly vocally.

Any thoughts or experiences? Thanks!

The two most important things in my prayer life:
1. Keeping Christ before me. Not just in times of prayer, but all through the day. I need my soul watered with the gospel and with communion with Christ, otherwise I will flag spiritually. Not just prayer, but meditation and fruit bearing suffer. "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

2. Observing regular, concentrated times of prayer two or three times a day. I can't emphesise this enough. When you look at prayer from a Biblical perspective, you see how important these times are in the lives of the Daniel, David, and even our Lord. Anna gave as much time to this as she possibly could. Just as I can't do this without #1, I can't maintain the communion mentioned in #1 without these concentrated times of prayer. They feed each other.

This sermon was extremely helpful to me in this area. https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=8231916307509