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| What It Means To Pray Without Ceasing | | What does it mean to pray without ceasing?
Colossians 3:2 Code: QA157
by John MacArthur
What does it mean to pray without ceasing?
Unceasing, incessant prayer is essential to the vitality of your relationship to the Lord and your ability to function in the world. But exactly what does it mean to pray without ceasing?
The first time someone hears about the concept of praying without ceasing it may conjure up the image of Christians walking around with their hands folded, heads bowed, and eyes closed, bumping into things. While certain postures and specific times set aside for prayer have an important bearing on our communication with God, to "pray at all times" obviously does not mean we are to pray in formal or noticeable ways every waking moment. And it does not mean you're supposed to devote yourself to reciting ritualistic patterns and forms of prayer.
To "pray without ceasing" refers recurring prayer, not nonstop talking. Prayer is to be a way of life--you're to be continually in an attitude of prayer. It is living in continual God-consciousness, where everything you see and experience becomes a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to Him. It should be instant and intimate communication-not unlike that which we enjoy with our best friend.
To "pray without ceasing" means when you are tempted, you hold the temptation before God and ask for His help. When you experience something good and beautiful, you immediately thank the Lord for it. When you see evil around you, you ask God to make it right and to use you toward that end, if that is His will. When you meet someone who does not know Christ, you pray for God to draw that person to Himself and to use you to be a faithful witness. When you encounter trouble, you turn to God as your Deliverer.
Thus life becomes a continually ascending prayer: all life's thoughts, deeds, and circumstances become an opportunity to commune with your Heavenly Father. In that way you constantly set your mind "on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2).
Adapted from John MacArthur's Alone With God , pp. 15-17.
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| 2011/6/1 3:32 | | White_Stone Member
Joined: 2008/10/25 Posts: 1196 North Central Florida
| Re: What It Means To Pray Without Ceasing | | Quote:
Thus life becomes a continually ascending prayer: all life's thoughts, deeds, and circumstances become an opportunity to commune with your Heavenly Father. In that way you constantly set your mind "on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2).
What a worthwhile post. I loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Be assured I prayed as I posted this, :)
Praise Jesus
white stone _________________ Janice
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| 2011/6/1 10:09 | Profile | gazzer Member
Joined: 2011/4/30 Posts: 99
| Re: | | yea i agree with john ,,it doesnt mean go sit in a cave pray the jesus pray repetativly
ithink it means
planed prayer wich is persistent and regulare
evey single day ,in the morning during th day and at the end of the day or at night
to not plan to pray is to plan not to pray
forcfull focaced pland and persistent
suplacation,,,begging pertisions ,,asking thanksgiving ,, intersesion
daily ,with weekly fasting god willing
seeking his face in daytime ,and in the night when it is still dark consistantly, persistanly, forcfully ,focaced ,pland
in eveything give thanks, in prayer and suplication
eveything we do do for the glory of god
let the spirt convict us if we are not praying enough for god sake dont justafie lake of prayer of fasting
and pray for one another ,that we will pray without cesing
some people have wrote letters to god this wud also be agood way to pray
being thankfull is also praying in the spirit
pray that good makes us all more thankfull and we will pray more |
| 2011/6/2 4:20 | Profile | White_Stone Member
Joined: 2008/10/25 Posts: 1196 North Central Florida
| Re: | | Hello gazzer,
Thank you for your post.
Quote:
to not plan to pray is to plan not to pray
I guess, conversely, to plan to pray IS praying - not in the sense that one might say, "Oh, I will get around to praying," that is not planning to pray. But, making the outline of your prayer, determining the contents and the introductory praise and the closing thankfulness.
For myself, I have a hard time ending my prayers, I do not like to leave off speaking with my God. I prefer to leave the Microphone open.
Regards, white stone _________________ Janice
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| 2011/6/2 10:20 | Profile | ManofGod0000 Member
Joined: 2010/6/8 Posts: 191
| Re: | | I can curently concur with Mr MacArthur on this subject, especially as we go through troubling times and issues in our lives.
Praying without ceasing or Id just like to put it, just to talk to God in simplicity of whatever we r faced with. This type of prayer should be like breathing and doesnt require speech all the time, just a quietness and confidence toward our friend Jesus. |
| 2011/6/2 11:17 | Profile |
| Re: | | Quote:
What a worthwhile post. I loved it. Thank you for sharing.
I am very glad you were blessed and edified by it, as I was. That was my purpose in posting it, that someone would find it helpful and insightful. John MacArthur has a gift for teaching things in a way that makes them easy to understand, and takes things verse by verse. |
| 2011/6/2 21:20 | | gazzer Member
Joined: 2011/4/30 Posts: 99
| Re: | | your welcome white stone
and upon the stone a new name writtern , which nobody noes |
| 2011/6/6 4:12 | Profile | carters Member
Joined: 2011/5/24 Posts: 138 Australia
| Re: | | Hi Cyan,
We are really thankful for Ps John Macarthur's teachings too. This one was a really good word,
Thank you "Let my actions always be a constant praise to my King." _________________ Mrs Carter
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| 2011/6/13 2:24 | Profile | gazzer Member
Joined: 2011/4/30 Posts: 99
| Re: | | i saw a great sermon of johns,at the havest church ,of greg lauri
iwas suprised to see him teach in a carasmatic him being one who does not believe in the sign gifts
great sermon
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| 2011/6/22 5:49 | Profile | passerby Member
Joined: 2008/8/13 Posts: 742
| Re: | | Luk 18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Luk 18:2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'
Luk 18:4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
Luk 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
Luk 18:7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
Prayer is the utterance of our dependence, faith, hope, and devotion, let's keep on praying, persevere in praying and not lose heart.
Jam 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Jam 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. Jam 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
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| 2011/6/22 10:25 | Profile |
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