The Power of Prayer

Today, I would like to give you an idea of how I look at prayer and how it came to be that way. I don't want to give the impression that I think my way is the only way, it is just one of many ways.

Let me start in the beginning  From the age of 6 years, I went to a religious school. We had prayers we said in school, prayers at home, and a prayer book for church. Prayers for everything. Constant repetition was the method of praying. We were told to think about what ever we were praying. The rosary and mysteries as it was called, is an example. I tried very hard, but I could not do it. My mind wandered all over the place.

At about 9 or 10, I started to think that all of the written prayers and constant repetition meant very little. I was a talking robot. I prayed that way because I had to. Getting out of grade school freed me from continuing what I thought was a waste of time. The thought came to me how sincere could someone else's words be?

At that point in my life, I had no substitute, so I quit going to church, and stopped praying. When I met my wife and had a couple of kids, I tried again for their sake. After a couple of years. I gave up.

One day I picked up the Bible because a friend told me that the apostles asked Jesus to teach them to pray. In Luke chapter 11. It starts out with the Lord's prayer, or as some people call it the disciples prayer. Jesus intended it as a model of prayer. If you take it a verse at a time, and meditate on it, it is no longer boring, it is beautiful.

As I got into the Bible, read inspirational Christian books and, devotionals, I started to get the idea of how much God loves me. If you know someone loves you unconditionally. It is easy to talk to them. You can pour your heart out about anything, and know that he hears you. Believe me, when you start to know the love of Jesus, he becomes your best friend as well as your God. Just talk to the Lord as you would talk to your best friend, and you can't go wrong. It is quite simple. Just try it.

Prayer of salvation.

" Oh God, in heaven, I believe with all my heart that Jesus has been raised from the dead. I receive your Word, and I repent of sin. I renounce the past. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. I received my forgiveness, I receive the new birth, cleansed and washed in the Word and in the precious blood of Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit, in Jesus name. Amen."