The Question:
How are you supposed to Pray? ...Like who do you pray to God or Jesus?
...Are you supposed to say a certain phrase before or after Prayer?
My Response:
Many is the time that I have simply said, "Thank You, Lord."
It didn't take a glorious opening or a closing statement. Paul took his eyes off of
Jesus and started to sink when he found himself walking on the water of the Sea of
Galilee. He simply said, "Lord, save me." Again it didn't take a grandiose greeting
or a special closing.
It still doesn't. We are to pray to God from the heart
with our full concentration. Just like you are talking face to face to God. We talk
and ask, then we listen with the same concept of hearing him speak directly to us.
When we pray to God it is with the full knowledge that He
is and that He has given us the privilege to come to Him directly because of the shed
blood of Jesus. Nothing is so simple as to talk to our Lord and our God. Rest assured
that He is listening and wants only the best for each one who trusts Him.
Many would have you follow strict rules to pray to God.
Those are legalists. That is fine for them. They feel comfortable in that surrounding.
God loves you just as you are and receives you just as you are. If you have received
Jesus as your Saviour, then rest in the comfort of this thought. He carried the lamb that
had strayed, Just as He carries you. Remember, God to each of us should be Abba
Father. Loose translation is Papa or Daddy. Have you ever had to address your own
earthly father with special phrases or closed the conversation with specially chosen
words? Don't treat God any differently.
The Question:
I have been "living" with a man for the past 16 years. (I know that I was living in sin).
In September 1998, I prayed to God for a husband. Immediately something came up
in my spirit that said I must "clean" my house. I knew what this meant. This past
month I finally had enough faith and strength to ask this man to leave. This man now
claims that he is the man God intended to be my husband -- and God is changing him
for this. I just don't feel this in my spirit. How do I know what is truth?
My Response:
Cleaning one's house has so many directions that this is a near cliche in expressions.
One thought on that is recognizing what the sin in your life is and how you go about
cleansing that sin. Sin can only be cured by the precious gift that Jesus shed on the
cross for you. First and foremost do you know Jesus as your personal Saviour? Then,
secondly, the sin that is forgiven must be rejected. Understand, I am not saying that
you must get rid of the man, Just quit living in an unnatural state with him. Who you
choose for your husband is your choice, but asking the Lord for the answer to your
delimma means you must be prepared to respond to His reply. How you go about
knowing the truth from the falsehoods is where faith comes forth in full array.
I Jn 4:1-2
"1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is of God:"
This is the promise of God that The Spirit of Truth is and will ever be your true guide in
matters of truth. And, know this, the longer you walk in the Spirit the greater will be
the connection that brings recognition of the Spirit telling your spirit that, "This is right or
that is wrong".
You can also rest in the fact that the Spirit will always be right with you to help you.
Consider the following verses:
Romans 8:26, 27, 28,
"26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we
should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because
he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose."
All verses used are from the King James Version. (KJV)