why do you pray?

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

- Matthew 6:5

Why do you pray?

Do you only pray when you are in need or in pain? Do you pray when you are happy? Do you pray to thank God for what you have been given?

Think of prayer as a conversation with God, to communicate with Him, to tell Him what you are thinking, what you would like Him to do, to praise, honor, and worship Him.

There is no need for fancy words, you don’t need to try to impress Him, just pray from your heart.

I have a pattern that I use for my daily prayer journal, it has helped me in my verbal prayers as well:

1. Adoration – praising Him as the King
2. Thanksgiving – thanking Him for every. little. thing.
3. Confession – you have to confess your sins to be forgiven
4. Petition – things that you need or want for yourself
5. Intercession – things that others need or want
6. Dedication – give it to God, and pray that His will be done.

There are so many ways to pray, alone, with others, on your knees, or driving down the road (keep your eyes open if you are driving!)

Martin Luther King, Jr. said "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."

Are you getting your prayer on?

Have a blessed day.