Prayer
People pray for many reasons: they have a need and they want God to meet that need, they want to know God, they want to thank him for his blessings and praise him for his goodness and strength. Or they may pray because they would feel guilty if they didn’t, or they may think they can twist God’s arm by praying long enough to impress him. Obviously, some of these reasons are good ones, and some aren’t so swift!
A good pattern for prayer is to include thanksgiving and praise, prayers for yourself, and prayers for others. Jesus gave us an incredible promise in John 15:16. He said he would answer any prayer if we pray “in his name.” That means we pray: as his child, in his will, and for his glory. If your prayers fit that criteria, he has promised he will answer!
