How I pray -August 25, 2014

The Lord impressed me this morning to write about prayer.  Here are some things that began to flow to my mind about my own prayer and how God has dealt with me.

1. What I don't pray about: 
1.  I rarely pray about material things.  God knows what I have need of and what is best for me and it is my belief that when I am in his perfect will, he will bless me.  At times I may be concerned about particular problems or needs and ask God for direction or answers in regards to those problems, but my prayer is not directed at asking for material things. 
2. I don't try to "convince" God or dictate to God, or rouse God or provoke him, or tell God.  God already knows and God has a will that He is perfectly capable of carrying out.  My efforts are not to direct God, like he is a powerful speeding bullet that I'm attempting to aim through prayer at an intended target!  No.  God is fully in control of HIS universe and my silly declarations and demands are foolish in His sight.  When I pray, I'm not to be in "dispute" with God.  But rather my endeavor in prayer is asking God to assist my understanding as he is working to mold my thinking, and conform my will to His will.  I do not hurl petitions at God's throne as if to demand anything.  I believe the right way to come before God is "asking", "seeking", and "knocking" with humility and thanksgiving, not "telling", "commanding", "whining", "begging", and "demanding".    If I may add this note here:  I am convinced that whining and complaining to God in prayer opens the door to evil spirits.  It's a very dangerous ground to tread upon.  I try to make sure that whatever I am praying about, that I am not in any sense whining or complaining. 
3. I also do not pray like I'm standing in a "good" place and praying for all those who are not faithful, who are not doing their job or living up to their potential (as if I am).  I do not pray "down" to others.  I do not pray condescendingly about others.  But rather, the standpoint of prayer ought to be that we are all in the same stinking human boat.  We all smell fishy.  We are all sinking.  We are all out in the middle of an ocean with no paddle.  We are all bound to die without God's intervention.  It is not "Oh God, help that unfaithful brother to be more faithful".  Which implies that I must think I am faithful or else I'd be praying for my own unfaithfulness first and foremost.  So it is "Oh God help all of us to be what you have called us to be: whether faithful or loving or patient or humble or wherever we are each lacking, for we are all indeed lacking in some area, but you have put a desire inside of each of us to live for you".  Some may be doing better or worse in various areas at different times, but none of us have reached a place of being "better" than anyone else.  And we all go through what Bro. Gunter termed our "6 o'clock".  Somewhere in the world, it's 6 o'clock.  It may not be 6 o'clock for me right now, but it will get here if I keep on living.  So my chastisement or humiliation may not be here right now, but I'd better not get haughty or high minded over someone else' chastisement or humiliation or correction or whatsoever, because mine is coming, as sure as 6 o'clock and it will be much harder for me to endure if I have been haughty towards my brother or sister.  So when I pray for others, I pray for all of us that are in the same boat. 
4. I also don't pray as a leader of a group.  If someone asks me to pray somewhere, I do so, not as a leader, but just as one of the crowd.  Based of what I've seen, I don't believe that praying "out loud" is a good idea for just everyone.  Jesus warned about the Sadducees prayers.  Praying out loud is primarily a ministerial function because it tends to be authoritative.  Also because the person praying is mindful of listeners, it tends to not be a genuine prayer to God.  The person praying can believe that they are praying for the will of God on the people, but God may see how caught up they are in their own agenda, and not having the mind of Christ.  Therefore it is not good for a woman to lead prayer.  If women are together, it's better if they all pray together, none trying to be louder than another nor draw any attention to themselves over another.  Their voice shouldn't be louder than the rest of the sisters.  Their manifestations shouldn't be efforts to draw attention to themselves. And their words ought not to be contrived eloquence to make others pay attention.  Women should pray as equal sisters in Christ and any sister who seeks to excel over another should refer to the rule of thumb that if you seek to be great, you should strive to be the least and servant to all.  Services are often called to order by the prayer of the Ministry, who speak as the mouth of God and this is their calling and position, so prayers that lead and call people to order ought to be done by the Ministry. 
2. What I do pray about: 
1. I pray for God to change my wicked ways; my thoughts; and my mindsets.  I recognize that in order for God to do this, He will use circumstances, my health, and people.  I pray for him to assist me in understanding what he is trying to show me through all the difficulties I encounter so that I can change and avoid further difficulties if possible.  I know that mindsets are embedded into my understanding, my opinions, and my character traits due to my experiences and many other factors.  I recognize that it takes God to dig deep and alter those mindsets as needed, and meanwhile I need God's grace to walk as He is directing me to walk, without rebelling or getting discouraged, until He accomplishes change in my thinking.
2. I also "listen".  When thoughts, circumstances, or people come to my mind, I talk to God about them and if the Spirit is present to cover that topic, I continue to pray about it, but if the prayer is "dry", then I move on to something else.  I don't try to force God to talk about what He is not interested in talking about with me.  I try to find the topic that He wants to talk to me about.  And I also often pray for God to bring to my mind what it is he wants me to pray about and to lead me in prayer. 
3. More than anything, I pray for God's will.  I pray for God's direction.  I pray that when I don't hear a clear word or see a clear vision, for God to just somehow let me stumble upon the perfect path- because He is clearly able to do that.  I pray for God to open my ears to hear his voice in the service, in the songs, in the minister's words.  I pray for God to let me spiritually see what He is doing, and not be blinded by my human reasoning.  I pray for God to veto the will of my flesh in favor of His will in my life and in everything I do and to correct me, to cleanse me, and to infuse his thinking into my corrupted thinking and renew me. 
4. I love God and I thank God for everything, for everything is working for my good because I belong to Him.  I let God know that I appreciate His calling on my life.  I tell Him often that He is my reason for living.  He is my everything.  He is my life.  There is nothing, no hope, no purpose, no reason, no life, no joy, no expectation- all is vanity without him.  Everything I am or ever hope to be, will be GOD.  I'm not capable, mentally or physically of doing anything good, or great, or worthy of any importance on my own.  I have no awesome words to speak.  I have no excellent wisdom to express.  All my "best" is filthy rags.  But God is able to use me, and even "I" am impressed!  I think about some of the words to the songs that just came to me, and I sang them, and I think "wow!  I would have never thought to come up with that".  But he just gave it to me.  I think of some of the things He's taught me, and how much higher the understanding is than that which I had, and I'm just filled with adoration for God.  Thinking this in prayer one day, I wrote the song "Lord I love the work that you're working in my life.  And I love all the ways that you've changed me! and I love this path that you've caused me to walk upon.  I love you, Lord, and I love what you're doing in my life!".  

Well that's part 1 of  My Prayer Life.  I'll add to it as the Lord leads me.