PRAYER GUIDE IN THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION

Choose a Time:

• Make it a definite time dedicated only to prayer. Try to make it the best time for prayer you can find. The best time for me is in the evening when the house quietens down. For others it is in the early morning.

Choose a Place:

• It should be free from distractions.

Enter into Prayer:

• Examine your conscience and repent of your sins.

"Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave you gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift."(Matthew 5: 23-24)

"If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." (Matthew 6: 14-15)

"Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offence.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight" --
That you may be justified in your sentence,
vindicated when you condemn.
Indeed, in guilt was I born, and in sin my mother conceived me;" (Psalm 51: 1-7)

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
Lord hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication.

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.

I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord,
For with the Lord there is kindness and with him is plentious redemption;
And he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities." (Psalm 130)

Lay Aside Anxieties, Problems, Struggles:

• Do not allow your troubles to dominate your time with God; he is Lord of all.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12: 1-2)

Open Your Hearts to the Truths of the Gospel:

• God created you out of love and loves you always.

"God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the face of the earth." God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be you food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the round, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed -- the sixth day." (Genesis 1: 27-31)

"In this is love; not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another." (1 John 4: 10-11)

• God sent Jesus to give us life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." (John 3: 16)

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,.." (Ephesians 2: 4-5)

• Jesus died and rose, conquering sin and death.

"Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned - for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by that one person's transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many. And the gift is not like the result of the one persons's sinning. For after one sin there was the judgement that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions brought acquittal. For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justiication come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all." (Romans 5: 12-18)

"For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for "he subjected everything under his feet." But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him." (1 Corinthians 15: 22-26)

• Jesus promised to be with us and to send the Holy Spirit.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,..." (John 14:16)

"The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name -- he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (John 14:26)

"But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you." (John 16:7)

"When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there ppeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim." (Acts 2: 1-4)

• Jesus intercedes for us in heaven.

"Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us." (Romans 8:34)

"Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)

"My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one." (1 John 2:1)

• Jesus is coming again.

"For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct." (Matthew 16:27)

"Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25:34)