What is Prayer?

Prayer is a reverent petition made to God. It is an act of communion with God in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving.

The Bible says to "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) This means that we are to have a continious, open conversation with God.

James 5: 13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Pray:
1. When you are in trouble.
2. When you are happy.
3. When you are sick.
4. To confess your sins.
5. To turn a sinner from the error of his way.
6. For others.
7. To bring praises God.
8. To bring glory to God.

The Bible says in Matthew 18:19-20 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

When people say "Amen" they are saying that they are in agreement with what has been prayed. The word "Amen" means: to sanction fully, to approve warmly; to concur heartily or emphatically; to ratify. An equivalent phrase would be "So be it." To say Amen is to say something in agreement, in truth and in faith. Amen is used at the end of a prayer or a statement to express assent or approval.

When we pray we are to pray in one accord, pray together as one. Amen is verbalizing our agreement with what has been said in prayer.

Jesus tells us how to pray in Matthew 6:5-13. He says And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Jesus said: After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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.

Pray to God now!