WHAT IS PRAYER?

About Praying:

Q. What is prayer?

A. Prayer is when you are talking to God. You can pray to God alone, or with other people. You can pray at home, in the car, while walking, in church, at school, wherever and whenever you like.

Q. How do I pray? 
A. Praying is pretty simple. There really is no set way to do it. You can get on your hands and knees if you want, you can pray standing up, sitting down, laying down, driving, or walking, you can close your eyes, you can keep your eyes open, you can clasp your hands together, or you can pray with your hands at your side. You can pray by yourself, or with other people. The easiest way I've found to pray is to talk to God like you're talking to your best friend. He already knows everything about you, including your every thought and action, so there are no secrets with Him. Praying to God is having a conversation with him. Don't expect a direct answer or reply from him, and don't expect him to be your personal genie. Remember, God does things in his own time, and he doesn't always give you what you want, but he will give you what you need. God may not give you what you need exactly the way you think you need it either. Also remember that you can pray for anything, but sometimes God answers no.

Q. Are there any tips for praying? 
A. Prayer shouldn't be a burden to us because hearing our prayers is not a burden to God. God wants to hear from us. A good tip would be that you don't always just pray when you are sad or unhappy or want something from God. It's good to pray to God when you are happy too to thank him for all the good things he's given you in life, and to tell him what a great and awesome God he is. While I sometimes pray to myself around other people, I often find it distracting to do so because other people will ask you something and you have to pause in your prayer to answer them so as not to seem rude. I find it helpful to do most of my praying while I'm alone.

Q. What kind of prayers are there? 
A.

• Prayers for the salvation of others (Sometimes it helps to ask God to go into the heart of somebody who is not saved and just show them that he is there. I think it also helps when you go to talk to somebody about God to save them to ask God to give you the right Words to say).
• Prayers for your own salvation
• Prayers for things people need
• Prayers for something you need
• Prayers praising God
• Prayers asking for God's help with anything

Q. Can I pray someone out of hell? 
A. No. Some religions teach that if you pay your pastor or church father money every week he will be able to pray your family and friends out of hell. The Bible does not say anything about praying your friends and family out of hell, but does say if you don't go to heaven, you go to hell, and the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Q. What does the Bible say about prayer? 
A. If we pray God will listen, and if we ask for help, He will be there for us:
Psalm 6:9
The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. (God will always receive our prayers).

Psalm 4:1
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.("thous hast enlarged me when I was in distress," to me this says it all. God is always there for us in our time of need even if nobody else is. God will always be there to help. We need to pray to him to ask for that help though. Prayer shows that we are serious about the things we want and need, and if we are dedicated enough to take that time to talk to God and ask for his help, then he will listen).

Psalm 102:17
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. (God doesn't see our prayers to him as a burden, so why should we see praying as a burden?)

Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.