The way in which believers communicate to God
32
votes
5answers
568 views
Praying to people outside the Trinity
I understand that the Roman Catholic church direct some prayers to Mary, the mother of Jesus. For me it would be strange to address my prayers to anyone outside the Holy Trinity. Do Catholics pray to ...
24
votes
6answers
370 views
Is the “sinner's prayer” important for salvation and why?
In evangelical churches the sinner's prayer is a very much emphasized aspect for someone to become or convert to being a Christian. In fact, most church services I attended growing up ended with the ...
18
votes
4answers
613 views
What is the purpose of Prayer?
We are having a lovely discussion in chat about the purpose and efficacy of prayer.
I am of the opinion that God has a plan and the future is completely set. However I also believe that you should ...
16
votes
7answers
312 views
How should Christians meditate?
In the recent years the word Meditation is used widely by everyone, and the word is used widely in non-religious context too.
Should we, Christians meditate? If yes, what should we do while ...
16
votes
3answers
426 views
Is it ok to pray in public?
Matthew 6:6 (NIV) says:
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Does this ...
15
votes
4answers
434 views
What exactly is a “Hail Mary”?
The practice of a saying a "Hail Mary" is often referred to in colloquial speech, sometimes as a way to caricaturize Catholics. References to the practice instantly conjure up images of Catholicism, ...
15
votes
5answers
487 views
To whom should we pray? To the Father or the son Jesus or the Holy spirit?
While praying how should we pray? Should we praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to whom should we ask? To the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit?
John 14:14 (ESV) says
If you ...
15
votes
4answers
193 views
Scripted Prayers
Matthew 6:7 (KJV)
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
My understanding of this scripture it is ...
14
votes
4answers
1k views
Are silent prayers heard?
Growing up in the church, silent prayers are pretty much part of how I pray. However, challenging assumptions, I'm curious to know how biblical this is.
Every prayer I read about in the Bible is ...
14
votes
6answers
1k views
Can we pray from any position?
I enjoy praying lying in bed just before I sleep ... until I fall asleep. In church I usually pray with my hands simply by my side or even with my hands in my pockets. I just let them stay wherever ...
14
votes
5answers
751 views
Praying for someone's salvation. Is there a point?
According to I Timothy 2:4 (NIV), God "...wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth".
But since we have free will, God cannot make us choose to accept the salvation that is ...
14
votes
7answers
2k views
Why isn't God mentioned in Esther?
As you may know, God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, either by name (Yahweh), title (Adonai), or being (El). Neither is prayer.
Why not? I realize this is rather open ended, so I'll try to ...
13
votes
2answers
5k views
What is the origin of praying hands folded?
I was taught in Sunday school to pray hands folded. On the other hand, there's no biblical mention of the practice (as far as I know). It actually doesn't seem to matter which position we pray in.
...
13
votes
5answers
189 views
Is prayer effectively second-guessing God?
If one were to accept that God has a plan and that His will is to be honored, isn't hoping to sway God's plan for the future disrespectful?
-- Update --
A lot of these answers are across the board, ...
12
votes
3answers
345 views
“I will lift Your Name”
Lots of Christian Rock songs have a curious metaphor about "Lifting Your Name". Is this a direct reference to the words of St. Paul, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend (Phil 2:10)?
...
12
votes
3answers
266 views
What should be a Christian's attitude when his prayers are not answered?
Not all prayers are answered by God. When one is facing some heavy burden God does not move away, what should our attitude be? The Bible often talks about waiting for God patient. How do we apply ...
12
votes
3answers
334 views
Effectiveness of prayers of intercession
I understand that there are many different reasons to pray: confessing your sins, thanking God for daily provisions.
However, many people pray for intercession and believe in the possibility that ...
10
votes
3answers
305 views
What is the Biblical or traditional precedent or command regarding praying before meals?
A very common Christian practice is to "say grace" or to "give thanks" before each meal. What is the Biblical precedent or command for this? In other words, why do we give thanks then and not before ...
10
votes
2answers
67 views
Is there any record of a visual method of prayer in the Bible?
Some context: I am deaf, though I can hear because of cochlear implants. As I have been able to hear since I was about 6.5 years old, I have an internal voice like pretty much every single ...
10
votes
2answers
186 views
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours in private; out loud
For the laity, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours in private, is it more in keeping with tradition to you pray out loud or silently or does it matter?
Also, do you change the way you repeat ...
10
votes
1answer
156 views
What is the basis for the solicitation of prayers from dead saints?
How did the practice of soliciting the prayers of dead saints originate? Is it in the bible? The apocrypha? A papal decree?
On a side note, which groups practice this type of prayer?
I am ...
10
votes
1answer
116 views
Do any Protestant denominations practice meditative or contemplative prayer?
Having read David's answer to How much are psalms and other prayers from Bible understood as actual prayer in Protestantism?, I wonder whether any Protestants practice meditative or contemplative ...
10
votes
1answer
842 views
What is “intercession” and what kinds of “intercessory prayer” are there?
Different traditions seem to have different ideas about intercession.
What are the major different types of "intercessory prayer" and which traditions employ them?
If applicable to the definition, ...
9
votes
1answer
133 views
Is veneration worship?
I answered this question calling adoration and veneration honor given to God and the saints accordingly.
If you look at the edits for my answer, I think I had some confusion as to the terminology ...
8
votes
3answers
213 views
Are there any mandatory prayers in Christianity?
Does Bible impose any type of mandatory prayer that you have to offer at particular time or particular day? If so, what are some important prayers? Is a prayer at Church more worthy than a prayer at ...
8
votes
3answers
235 views
What is the Rule of Prayer?
I often hear people thank God about how their prayer being answered such as in competition. But what I'm thinking is, the winner is not absolutely the only one that prayed. I believe everybody in the ...
8
votes
1answer
124 views
What is “Spiritual Warfare”?
What is spiritual warfare? And how is it different from malefic ("black") magic?
One Evangelical Christian sums it up with, Prayer should not be spellcasting. God is not your djinni.
8
votes
2answers
229 views
What substitutes for prayers for the Pope's intentions during sede vacante?
One of the requirments one must meet to obtain an indulgence is to pray for the [edit]intentions of the[/edit] pope. When there's no pope, what's the substitute? I guess it's the conclave and the next ...
8
votes
3answers
259 views
Is it OK to question God about doubts?
Are there any biblical references that indicate that it's ok (or not ok) to bring any doubts to God in prayer?
7
votes
1answer
727 views
What does it mean to pray in Jesus' Name?
A few times in the book of John, Jesus instructs us to pray "in His Name". What does this mean? How do we know if we are praying in His name? How would we not be praying in His name?
I don't ...
7
votes
1answer
56 views
How much time did medieval Christians devote to prayer?
I was critiqued on this answer concerning it taking less time out of the day for someone to be a Muslim than a Christian, and that may be untrue for a majority of Christians today.
But how much ...
7
votes
2answers
130 views
How are doxologies formed for common prayers?
I'm not sure of the exact definition, but a doxology seems to be a prayer tagged at the end which consists of some sort of invocation of the Blessed Trinity.
I'm just wondering if the actual words ...
6
votes
3answers
825 views
Debtors vs. Trespassers
I converted to the Presbyterian faith from a Catholic upbringing a while back and have always wondered - but never had anyone to ask - why Catholics use "Trespassers" in the Lord's prayer (Please ...
6
votes
2answers
253 views
How can I teach someone to pray?
So, the best question any pastor can be asked is "How can I learn to pray?" I know how I do it, but what resources (preferably in Scripture, although classic works are acceptable) would be useful for ...
6
votes
3answers
864 views
Preventing nightmares through prayer?
We all have nightmares sometimes. I don't have them often, but when I do they're pretty bad.
We Armenians usually recite a specific prayer before we go to bed. Translated, it looks something like ...
6
votes
2answers
287 views
Why did God come down so hard on Job?
There is a video/workbook series on prayer by Phillip Yancey (which I highly recommend) (and based on one of his books) that talks about how we should pray openly about all things.
It even says that ...
6
votes
1answer
45 views
How are the persons of the Trinity distinctively active in a Christian's prayer?
Another way of asking this question is by saying, "When God interacts with praying Christians, how do the persons of the Trinity interact in ways that neither of the other two persons do?" I'm asking ...
6
votes
1answer
124 views
What isn't spiritual communion?
Spiritual communion is a prayer one can pray if they can't receive communion at Mass and it's a good prayer to pray if you're making a visit to a tabernacle outside of Mass. Sacramental communion can ...
6
votes
2answers
65 views
What is prayer?
My question arose while pondering the answers to Praying to people outside the Trinity?
Is prayer any form of communication with God? Is it called prayer solely because its communication with God? Or ...
6
votes
1answer
160 views
Is there a difference between prayer and petition?
Philippians 4:6 uses two words, possibly implying a difference between prayer and petition. Can someone explain what this difference is?
Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about ...
6
votes
1answer
253 views
Why won't God heal amputees? [closed]
This appears to be a popular question amongst skeptics, and at face value it seems to have some merit. If God really does answer prayer - particularly prayer for healing - you might expect that there ...
5
votes
6answers
950 views
Which God do Muslims pray to according to Catholic, Orthodox and main-stream Protestant tradition?
Which God do Muslims pray to according to Catholic, Orthodox and main-stream Protestant tradition?
They believe that God cannot be One and Three at the same time. They believe that God can only be ...
5
votes
3answers
204 views
What biblical reasons are there for using the Lord's Prayer as a pattern for prayer rather than a prayer to repeat verbatim?
In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus gave the disciples what we refer to as "The Lord's Prayer", (though Jesus Himself would never have prayed this, having no sin to confess).
Some traditions use this prayer as ...
5
votes
2answers
130 views
How are devout Christians viewed by other believers, when they are not delivered from “evil”?
If a devout Christian is not "delivered" in this life, how are they viewed by other Christians?
For example, a black Christian pastor in segregated America, who truly loves the Lord, is killed by ...
5
votes
2answers
181 views
How does God speak today? [closed]
I've heard people say, "God has spoken to me." In the OT there were prophets proclaiming what God said. Sometimes in the Bible God speaks audibly (e.g. to Samuel).
But today: in what way does God ...
5
votes
4answers
131 views
What is the “path” of a prayer?
When we pray, does Jesus hear us? Is there a direct point of contact or is it received by all three persons of the trinity simultaneously?
5
votes
2answers
89 views
To which Saints may a Catholic pray, and when can this begin?
The Catholic Church teaches, as I understand it, that a person may pray to a Saint, and this Saint will then intercede along with that person to God concerning the request (or something like that). ...
5
votes
2answers
391 views
Do angels pray for us? [closed]
I was reading about henotheism and it hinted at the fact that some Christians believe that angels are intercessors.
Quite simply, do angels pray for us? Can we ask angels for intercession?
5
votes
1answer
187 views
What's the evangelical take on “Tebowing” and genuflection
Reading this blog post from a Catholic blogger who shed some light on the ancient history and purpose of genuflection.
While striking his pose, Tebow is praying, and I don’t believe any person ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
Why does the Litany of Saint Joseph call him “terror of demons”?
A litany for Joseph, the husband of Mary, was approved by Pope St Pius X in 1909 (*). Most of the invocations are straightforward to understand, referring to his life (eg. "husband of the Mother of ...
