Friday, January 8, 2016

WHAT IS PRAYER?

Dear Grandkids,
Some people don't pray because they don't know how or they simply don't believe there is a God. But we know better than that and we have the privilege to talk to our God anytime we want to or need to. God hears us because His Spirit lives in us, He is the spark that causes our heart to beat and our brains to think. So, it doesn't really matter if we pray out loud or silently to ourselves He can hear us. Really, He knows what we need before we even ask but He likes it when we talk to Him because that's one way we can glorify Him and praise Him and express our love towards Him.
It would be very good for you to memorize the model prayer in the bible found in the book of Matthew Chapter 6:9-13 it goes like this: "Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day and our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of debts and have given up resentment against) our debtors.
And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
Matthew 6:9-13   (Amplified Bible)

Now different translations of the bible may word this differently but the prayer is the same. I used this version because I wanted you to know what  these words mean. Like the word "hallowed", that word means 'kept holy' and the word "holy" mean to "set apart" "special" "highly exalted" if you want to you can look that word up in a dictionary for better understanding. The main thing is that you acknowledge your heavenly Father and talk to Him at least every day. I usually pray first thing in the morning, then before every meal and again at night before bedtime, and even through the day if there is something special I want or need or if I want to pray for someone else. I always start out with "Thank You" that seems to work best for me because God seems to answer most of my prayers. I find that amazing because I know I'm not even worthy of His hearing me because I am a sinner. But when Jesus came, He changed everything. That's why we should always end our prayers by praying in the "name of Jesus". Jesus is our mediator and no one can come to the Father without first going through Jesus.
There's is much more to be said about prayer but the best way to understand prayer is to just do it. Sometimes it may not seem that God hears us but He really does, it just takes Him a while sometimes to make things happen for us but the key to this is patients and "faith". We'll learn about what faith is in another letter. What really matters now is that you 'practice praying' every day, kinda like practicing a game or a musical instrument and be consistent, don't stop praying just because you don't see things happen right away. Make prayer a habit, it's a way we can renew our minds too.
Love Grandpap

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen.  Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their  many words. Do not be like them , for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him"  
Matthew 6:5-8  (N. I. V.)

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, we thank You for the privilege we have to talk to You and express our love for You. We thank you for all our blessings great and small and especially for Jesus, You Son who came to save us from our sins and lead us on a path to Your Kingdom. Thank You for all of our answered prayers and for giving us the things that are best for us, things that bring us peace, joy, and happiness. Thank You Lord God in the name of Jesus we pray, make it so, Amen      

  

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