Are You Comfortable with Prayer? - Spiritual Nugget 65

Throughout history, controversy has raged about communicating with a spiritual being.
 
There are those who say they believe only in themselves and completely deny the existence of any god. God of the Bible is viewed as a spiritually dead entity created in the imagination of mankind. This is the world of the “atheist.”
 
Others dispute that the reality of God, existent or non-existent, is “unknowable.” Therefore, they neither commit to support nor deny disbelief in God. This view is labeled “agnostic.”
 
Finally, there are those who believe in a god, but there are no limits on what or who it can be. Men or women, idols or statues, animals, stars, sun or moon, mythical entities (twelve Greek Olympians), trees, etc. Any one of these, given specific circumstances, are believed to be worthy of prayer.
 
Within this country, and all over the world, there are persons who identify and have a relationship with a “living” God. They believe they are made in the image of God after His “likeness” with the spiritual qualities that connect them to their creator. Prayer is the spiritual cord that binds them to Him.
 
Prayer not only invites them to talk to God but also to listen for His responses. He has given all of us who are in that group a spiritual document filled with His promises that He will always answer prayer.
 
I have often wondered why so many people are reluctant to pray. Guilt and shame can act like thieves in unrenewed minds. They steal our hope and plant the belief that our prayers will not be answered. Prayer is connecting with the Spirit of God. It will make our minds take a back seat. There is no condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
 
You might also believe you have to go to church to pray. This is misguided information. If you drive the freeways in California, prayer should occupy the passenger seat of your car. You decide when and where you will pray.
 
When you pray, visualize entering a room filled with eternal love, grace, and mercy. There is no competition, no need to pretend or lie, no need to keep saying the same words repetitiously. It is the real you and God. It is very personal.
 
There are a few tips to help you feel more confident when you pray:

• Petition: Express your need for yourself or others (intercession).
• Trust: Express your trust in Him to answer your prayer.
• Submission: Express to Him your belief in His sovereign and divine will.
• Patience: Express patience to wait for Him to answer your prayer in His way and according to His timetable. (James 1:4)
• Thankfulness: Express your gratefulness for the answer to your prayer even when you can’t see It. Acknowledge Him as a holy and righteous God. (Revelation 4:8)
• Belief: Express your faith in His promise that He rewards those who often and consistently seek Him. But please! DO NOT confuse him with an ATM. (Hebrews 11:6)
• Honesty: Be truthful. It’s tough to try and lie to someone who knows every hair on your head. (Matthew 10:30)
• Listen: It’s a good thing to spend a few minutes of quiet time listening. You may be surprised at what you hear.

 
It is within man’s spiritual nature to exercise his gift of prayer and to be in unity with the Spirit of God. Not merely a god conjured from human minds, but the Omnipotent Holy God. He truly is the God of answered prayer and our eternal mediator for all our needs.

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