P is for Prayer : Prayer Draws You Closer to God

 

Prayer is universal in all religions. The Buddhist calls it meditation and uses mantras as they pray. The Hindu prays to numerous Gods at their altars. The Muslims must pray five times a day to Allah,

The Christian is instructed to pray without ceasing to Jesus whom we believe as the one way to Enlightenment or Heaven.   1 Thessalonians 5:17

What is the purpose of Christian prayer? Many of them pray like a child just for God’s basic blessings in their lives.  When little, my daughter prayed at night, “God, bless daddy, bless mommy and all my family. Keep them well. Thank you for feeding us and keeping us safe. Amen.” Later, she added lines about forgiving her for her sins.

Baby Christians tend to stay on this plane of prayer.  They pray daily for our blessings and forgiveness. More mature Christians develop an even deeper prayer life as they study the Bible.

First, they discover Jesus’s own directions about prayer:

Matthew 6:9-13  (King James) Version (AKJV)

⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

As we dug deeper into the Epistles, we discovered even more important prayers. My favorite verses on prayers are in James 5:

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

The thought that hit home with me in this scripture passage is that, “the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous woman avails much.”

Prayer draws me closer to Jesus. When we pray, we enter the throne room of God.

Hebrews 4:15-16 ¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayer can bring joy and thanksgiving into our lives.

Psalm 100:4Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

Prayer can be a tool to help us forget our worries.

Philippians 4:6 (AKJV)

⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@Maryandering” url=”https://www.maryanderingcreatively.com/prayer-draws-you-closer-god/”]Prayer changes me, draws me closer to God, and then I can seek to help others change in Christ. [/tweetthis]We can change our families, communities and the world through prayer.

Now your turn. Do you pray? How do you pray? Share your testimonies about how prayer impacts your life.

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This post is for letter  P in the 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge. Learn more about it here.

I will also join several of the hops listed on my Link-up Parties page.