> General Discussions
christian prayer
Kat:
Here is an email on the subject. I think the key to this is in the last comment that Ray made... so I think prayer should not be just as a habit for a public display, it should always be directed to our God (as Ray said "not to those listening") and seeking to praise Him.
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2025.0.html ---------
In the past year I have been giving thought to the whole idea of “Public Prayers.” Several years ago I was accused by someone who said to me: “Do you not believe in corporate prayer, Ray?”
I usually open Bible Studies and Conferences with prayer, but not always. I always dismiss our Conferences with prayer, however. I pray for hours, days, weeks before a Bible Conference, so why is it necessary that I spend a couple of minutes asking God once more for inspiration just prior to my lectures, aloud, and in public? Well, quite frankly, it is an expected ritual; a tradition of men. I don’t believe that most pay any special attention to what is said anyway, as they are eager to hear the “lecture” or “study” about to begin.
Our last Mobile Conference was held in a Public Library meeting room. They approved our use of the room as long as it was not for a "religious worship service." I assured them it was to be a series of Lectures on the Old and New Testament Scriptures. For this reason I did not open with a public prayer, as the library personnel were in the area. I did however, pray a couple of other times at the Conference and closed with prayer. They could hardly kick us out after we were finished. As it turned out the Library Security man present on our Sunday meeting was most cordial.
Christians do the same thing with saying grace in public restaurants. They will often bow their heads and hold hands in a circle, all the while people are passing by or sitting next to them while they pray over the food before they eat it. I would speculate that there are few Believers who are more appreciative of food that I am, or thank God more often for it than I do. I do not take food for granted. I know to a small extent the suffering of millions of people who have starved or gone hungry most of their lives. I have gone days without food and water and I know the pain of hunger on just a relatively mild level. I do not feel the need for a ritualistic saying of “grace’ in public buildings and restaurants. God knows my heart and God hears my silent prayers just as loud and clearly as He does my audible prayers.
It was “as they WERE EATING [not before]” that Jesus took bread and blessed it—the bread (Matt. 26:26) and “gave thanks” (Luke 22:19). I just don’t see where Jesus prayed “corporate” prayers before corporate events. Look at one of the most important sections of Scripture in the entire Bible—the Sermon on the Mount. What do we read? “And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit….” Etc., etc.
Were was the “corporate” prayer before this most important teaching of His ministry?
I do not shrink from praying for people or with people or in front of people, but neither do I feel obligated to pray just because of custom.
Here is how Jesus taught us to pray: “But YOU, when YOU pray, enter into your closet [inner room], and when you have SHUT YOUR DOOR, pray to your Father which is in secret….” (Matt. 6:6). How did our Lord pray:
“And He withdrew Himself into the WILDERNESS and prayed” (Luke 5:16).
“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into A MOUNTAIN to pray….” (Luke 6:12).
“And it came to pass, as He was ALONE praying….” (Luke 9:18).
“Then comes Jesus with them unto a placed called Gethsemane, and said unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray YONDER” (Matt. 26:36).
“And in the morning rising up a great while before day, He wnet out, and departed into a SOLITARY PLACE and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).
But here’s an example of where Jesus did pray aloud in front of a group. It was the occasion of raising Lazarus from the dead. After removing the stone from the tomb, Jesus lifted up His eyes and said: “Father I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You hear Me always…” Jesus knew that His silent prayer to His Father had already been heard before He prayed aloud. Then why did He pray aloud? Let’s read it: “….but because of THE PEOPLE WHICH STAND BY I said it, that THEY may believe that You have sent Me” (John 11:40-41). Proof that Jesus did NOT normally pray aloud in public. Jesus Himself acknowledged that there was a special reason why He praid aloud on this one particular occasion.
Nonetheless, when I do pray in public, I pray to GOD and not to those listening. And I never feel RUSHED to get it over with.
God be with you,
Ray
dave:
--- Quote from: Dave in Tenn on August 26, 2015, 04:44:53 PM ---Deji, the last time I was asked to lead the 'prayer', it was at christmas-time several years back. I thanked God for sending His Son to be the Savior of the world. Seemed a fitting 'thanksgiving'. I didn't say a long prayer, and I didn't 'preach' while I was supposed to be praying. Other than thanks for the food and for the fellowship, that's all I said.
They haven't asked me to pray again since then. Problem solved? I don't know. For me, maybe.
--- End quote ---
"Seemed a fitting 'thanksgiving'. I didn't say a long prayer, and I didn't 'preach' while I was supposed to be praying."
I really appreciated that. Thanks
DEJI:
thanks for bringing that E-mail to my attention Kat, I pretty much pray several times a day like Ray said. sometimes while driving or when I just feel inspired to pray. it's just the specific case of being co-opted into praying by "Christians" that got me worried. like someone said on this forum recently, I don't want to unnecessarily "create " persecution for myself by spurning them and I don't want to be a part of their ignorance either.
Rhys 🕊:
You can pray together with others.
Act 1:13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
Act 1:14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Act 12:12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
The public prayers done in churches these days never felt right to me and never found any comfort in them. Some even shout out there prayers like God is deaf. As I move on in the truth as Ray discussed I find I only want to pray alone or that alone place if others are around. Public prayer to me seems like freewill - if we get a good number together and pray up a storm we can change God's mind on things. The reasoning behind these prayer meetings is false.
Rhys
DEJI:
Thanks Rhys.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version