New hope (Part 2) – Day 5

I had several readers asking the same questions regarding prayer and quiet time with God. Below, are some of the most common questions:

QUESTION 1: Why is quiet time with God important? What is the best way to do it?
In James 4:8 we read: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Quiet time with God is an opportunity to get to know him intimately. It is an opportunity for us to talk to him, but also for us to listen as he speaks to us through his Holy Spirit.
Just as there is no right or wrong way to build a friendship, there is no right or wrong way to spend time with God, as each of us is unique. Therefore, we must strive to build a unique relationship with God.
It is, however, good to allocate a specific time to spend with God daily, as it helps us to plan our day around it, instead of becoming so busy that we do not keep our appointment with him. Other aids to quiet time include your Bible, a Bible reading plan, a journal and something like Verse-a-Day. After you have read the daily electronic piece, you can meditate upon it, read further in the Bible and write down your questions or things that stood out for you. When you start to spend regular quiet time with God, you may be surprised at how often he answers your questions and reveals himself to you.

QUESTION 2: How do I know if I pray in the right way? Do I need to address God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
We pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Remember, however, that God does not just listen to our words when we pray, but rather looks at the attitude of our hearts. It is no use trying to impress him by using big flashy words (Matthew 6:7). Just be yourself.
In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus gives his disciples guidelines to prayer: In this manner, therefore, pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

So, when you go to God, speak to him with a honest heart because you trust him with the challenges in your lives. That is a true relationship.

QUESTION 3: How can I know that God really hears my prayers?
The enemy wants to prevent us from spending time with God, so he will keep us busy with unimportant things in our lives. If he does not succeed in doing it, he will make us believe our prayers are powerless. The truth, however, is that God hears every prayer on earth and answers in his time. In Revelation 5:8, we read the angels gather all the prayers of believers on earth and it ascends like incense before God’s throne. In Isaiah 59:1 we also read: The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. And James 5:16 confirms that our prayers have power: The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Let us make prayer and time with God a priority this year. It remains our lifeblood that strengthens us in difficult times and inspires us to put our faith for the impossible in an unlimited God. Nothing is impossible for him! God bless.