We have several examples of Jesus going aside to pray. That alone should be enough for us to be motivated to pray. Sadly, for the vast majority of believers this isn't the case. While we are called to be all things to all people; we can't even get ourselves to be silent before God and hear what he wants us to pray for and about. We pray our hearts and not his. Sad. Very sad that we teach others to do the same. We even put up less of an example by our lives. When was the last time you prayed regardless of where you were or what you were doing? How many of us even listen to God before we pray for a meal at home or out in public? The ditty that we prayed with our kids when they were young is not even sufficient to touch the heart of God. It sounds good and rhymes but has little that can support our belief. Fatalistic is more the message. Why? Because the Christian is never going to die! We go from life to life. Have you ever heard the Holy Spirit speak to you? Have you ever heard the voice of God speaking to you? Have you ever waited until God spoke? Have you come to the throne with no motive other than to listen to Him as he ministers to you and others? Well, do you? Praying isn't for the weak of heart. Praying is for the warrior that's consumed with the fight for souls of mankind and their salvation.
We live in a world that has lost it's morals long ago and instead has taken to legalizing sin so that they can live any kind of life they want. Sorry but God hasn't changed. He won't, hasn't and will have the first and the last word of your life. Yet, the choice is yours whether you spend eternity in heaven or hell. There are no alternative choices. Just as there are no other choices; the Christian should take that approach when they follow Jesus. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. The Bible says that the words we pray are already being answered before they pass over our lips. The truth be told, we only expect God to answer as we see fit and not for his will to be done. Selfishness is not love of any sort. James extolls us to be honest. He says that we ask and receive not because we ask with wrong motive to consume whatever for ourselves. This ought not be! However, if we don't pray, won't pray and teach our children to not pray, it remains true. Whenever you defend yourself and your thoughts and actions, there at it's center is sin. Justification and rationalization will get you nothing. NOTHING.
There's an acronym for praying that is patterned after Jesus' example. That is ACTS. Adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Notice the word order. If we don't come into the presence of God, then why do we pray? If we don't confess and come to him with a clean heart, they why do we pray? If we don't spend time thanking God for his blessings, they why do we pray? And if we don't come to him asking for our needs (not wants), why do we pray? There are no time constraints on prayer. When we come into his presence with praise we enjoy the peace of God that is beyond understand. When we confess our sins and are humbled before him we acknowledge that it was for our sin that Jesus came, lived and died before his resurrection to save us from the sin. When we express our thankfulness for all that he brings to our minds during prayer and elsewhere, our focus is taken off of us and focused on Him. When we have been taken through the first three by the Holy Spirit spending time as needed for each, THEN we can ask for his answer to our prayers. When we are there we most likely not be asking for much for ourselves. Why? Because prayer is supposed to be about Jesus and not you or I.
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