Rules for prayers?

[Turbulento]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers. I assume it's ok to take a huge step away from the standard prayers and just go? How come we have standard prayers? Is it a must to say them?

And how about if I make a song my prayer? Sometimes I put on something from "The Bard' or "Harpa Dei" and just let my mind spontaneously wander off in all kinds of directions in my conversation with Him.

I am fairly new to Christianity and just started my journey, but my impression is that "anything is good when talking to the Lord'?

Is it wrong to completely leave standards behind? I have huge cognitive issues in my mental illness, so memorizing longer pieces is hard.

 

[Angelina]

Hey brother, to me prayer is just a conversation with the lord. Sometimes people write them down if they have trouble starting but it becomes a bit ritualistic if we keep following a specific method so I just stick to speaking directly to God and he loves the chats and conversations...worship is also another form of prayer indeed. Welcome to CyB. Glad to have you aboard!

 

[Turbulento]

Thanks Angelina, appreciate it. So, I'm on the right track then. To be honest, I sort of got a subtle hint from Him as it didn't feel wrong. Suppose religious experience more easily can interpret these subtle signs though.

 

[Windmill Charge]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers. I assume it's ok to take a huge step away from the standard prayers and just go? How come we have standard prayers? Is it a must to say them?

And how about if I make a song my prayer? Sometimes I put on something from "The Bard' or "Harpa Dei" and just let my mind spontaneously wander off in all kinds of directions in my conversation with Him.

I am fairly new to Christianity and just started my journey, but my impression is that "anything is good when talking to the Lord'?

Is it wrong to completely leave standards behind? I have huge cognitive issues in my mental illness, so memorizing longer pieces is hard.

May I make a few suggestions.
Prayer is a discipline.
We usually form habits for when we pray and often follow, or try to follow, a pattern in our prayers.
I try to use :-
A = Adoration.
C= Confession.
T=Thanks.
S= Supplication.

As a guide I find it limits my long shopping list of thi gs I'm concerned about and makes me actually c Worship God.

If you find writing prayers out, do so, or singing them do so.

As prayer is between you and God, you don't have to use or memorise other people's written prayers.

May I suggest that you think why are you praying?
I pray because of gratitude.
I pray because something worries me.
I pray because I'm concerned about people.
I pray because I want to worship.

They are a few reasons and they don't all have to be part of a prayer.

The important thing is to pray to our amazing God.

 

[Debp]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers. I assume it's ok to take a huge step away from the standard prayers and just go? How come we have standard prayers? Is it a must to say them?

And how about if I make a song my prayer? Sometimes I put on something from "The Bard' or "Harpa Dei" and just let my mind spontaneously wander off in all kinds of directions in my conversation with Him.

I am fairly new to Christianity and just started my journey, but my impression is that "anything is good when talking to the Lord'?

Is it wrong to completely leave standards behind? I have huge cognitive issues in my mental illness, so memorizing longer pieces is hard.

Yes, prayer is having a conversation with the Lord. Just pray from your heart, that is what the Lord hears.

Sometimes a beautiful prayer that is said in churches is good, too. As long as the words are something you truly mean. The Lord's Prayer, if prayed sincerely, is a wonderful prayer, too.

Since you are new to the Christian faith, have you believed on the Lord as your personal Savior? He is the foundation of our faith.

 

[Debp]

You might enjoy this devotional on prayer by Charles Spurgeon, known as the prince of preachers.

 

[Pearl]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers. I assume it's ok to take a huge step away from the standard prayers and just go? How come we have standard prayers? Is it a must to say them?

And how about if I make a song my prayer? Sometimes I put on something from "The Bard' or "Harpa Dei" and just let my mind spontaneously wander off in all kinds of directions in my conversation with Him.

I am fairly new to Christianity and just started my journey, but my impression is that "anything is good when talking to the Lord'?

Is it wrong to completely leave standards behind? I have huge cognitive issues in my mental illness, so memorizing longer pieces is hard.

Just talking to God is good - any time, any where. we don't have to assume a particular position or be in a special place, or choose a particular time to do it. It should be just part of our everyday lives. It should be all day every day, as a when we are moved or motivated. The bible tells us to pray continually which just means being aware of his presence and thanking him or seeking guidance or encouragement or inspiration. There is no wrong or right way to pray 0 just talk to him. I found that being 'taught' how to pray inhibited me as I tried to follow the 'rules' or 'points' that were supposed to be the 'right' way. So just be yourslef and be natural when you talk to him.

 

[Lambano]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers.

I like this approach myself because it makes me more aware that God is ... there.

I remember a teacher saying that prayer is the one time we can be completely transparent. With other people, there's always something we need to hide. With God, He already knows what we're trying hide, so we might as well be open and honest.

 

[Lambano]

A = Adoration.
C= Confession.
T=Thanks.
S= Supplication.

I like that!

Rabbi Marc Gellman wrote in his syndicated column (yes, I still read newspapers; I'm old-school) that the four types of prayers are:

• Gimme! (requests)
• Oops! (confession)
• Thanks! (thanks)
• Wow! (praise)

Something about the child-likeness of that list touches my heart.

 

[Nancy]

Welcome to Christianityboard @Turbulento
You have many good replies here. I pray your walk with God will grow in leaps and bounds!

​

 

[Raccoon1010]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers. I assume it's ok to take a huge step away from the standard prayers and just go? How come we have standard prayers? Is it a must to say them?

And how about if I make a song my prayer? Sometimes I put on something from "The Bard' or "Harpa Dei" and just let my mind spontaneously wander off in all kinds of directions in my conversation with Him.

I am fairly new to Christianity and just started my journey, but my impression is that "anything is good when talking to the Lord'?

Is it wrong to completely leave standards behind? I have huge cognitive issues in my mental illness, so memorizing longer pieces is hard.

Welcome to the forums. I know there are various defined statement prayers from denominations like the Catholic one.

I find a good hearted humble, little child, approach is good. Kneeling in prayer and bowing my head to heaven is wonderful and shows the majesty of God the Father. God knows is, they are one and we know them as the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I pray for various things that I feel I am in need of as a child of God each day. Protection from those who do evil, natural disasters, illness, injury and all things we need. I also like to ask him to better my soul and provide good works for me to do each day. There are many wonderful things we can add to our prayers.

The Father is King of Heaven and Earth and all things are governed by him. He is the ultimate judge over the people, places and things in those areas as well. He is loving and kind, and generous and merciful. And we know all that from the bible. I like the NKJV (New King James Version).

Jesus is Lord of all things and the beloved Son of God the Father.

The Holy Ghost is directs us thru the spirit of God, God is life, light and love, to name a few of his many good characteristics. I also like the address given to Paul:

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 

[Bob Estey]

Hello. I find it more pleasing to have a more personal conversation with God through prayers. I assume it's ok to take a huge step away from the standard prayers and just go? How come we have standard prayers? Is it a must to say them?

And how about if I make a song my prayer? Sometimes I put on something from "The Bard' or "Harpa Dei" and just let my mind spontaneously wander off in all kinds of directions in my conversation with Him.

I am fairly new to Christianity and just started my journey, but my impression is that "anything is good when talking to the Lord'?

Is it wrong to completely leave standards behind? I have huge cognitive issues in my mental illness, so memorizing longer pieces is hard.

Paul told us to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), so I think prayer is a matter of conversing with the Lord all day, every day. I don't think standard prayers do any harm as long as everyone understands it is best to be praying all the time.

 

[Turbulento]

Appreciate answers. Tnx. Seems I am on the right track.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Hi Turbulento, prayer is another word for communication....here is a definition on the web...
Prayer is a form of communication with a higher power, such as God or a deity, through spoken or mental words. It can be a personal or communal act, and can take many forms and techniques. Prayer is found in all religions and can include praising, confessing, thanking, or asking for needs.
So prayer is simply communicating with God. However, there are scriptures that teach how to pray for certain things. Jesus told us to pray in this manner.
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come..Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and give us this day..our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. For thine is the Kingdom, the Glory, and the Power forever, Amen.
Also, pray in the Holy Spirit, when you don't know what to pray, He will give you utterance and you will pray with utterance and groaning that cannot be understood in the natural language but He will bring the knowledge of it to you.

My personal way of intercessory prayer is to begin with Praise and Worship then Lord's prayer then pray in the spirit, then pray in English specifically for whatever or whoever God has put on my heart to pray for. Then I end with meditating on everything I just prayed for. This is when I see visions and when He speaks to me.

 

[Rita]

Remember that The Lord knows everything about you and there are so many ways to communicate- find what suits you and feels right. When I write things out it comes from my heart, so I use to communicate through writing my prayer out - my journal became a meeting place. ( still does at times )
I never knew if it was right or not when I was a younger Christian, but became more comfortable about it over the years that followed. I found that I could be more open and honest when I wrote things down.
x

 

[Turbulento]

Thank you all. It has given me good insights.