Comments on: How Important is Prayer? http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/ Releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:31:10 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Kim Edge http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10299 Kim Edge Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:25:38 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10299 Caren, we face many dangers as Christians. The danger that was originally presented was the danger of not praying enough. In my use of prayer beads, I am quickly reminded to pray, and not repetitive phrases, but to say an "Our Father", which Jesus himself taught us, to think about what the phrases of that prayer mean, and pray for the Holy Spirit to be upon us all. I can hear my God and he never chides me or insults me. The beads help me remember my crucified Lord's love for me and how God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to die for us, that all who believe in him might be saved. I pray that God will give you his loving wisdom, Kim :D Caren, we face many dangers as Christians. The danger that was originally presented was the danger of not praying enough. In my use of prayer beads, I am quickly reminded to pray, and not repetitive phrases, but to say an “Our Father”, which Jesus himself taught us, to think about what the phrases of that prayer mean, and pray for the Holy Spirit to be upon us all. I can hear my God and he never chides me or insults me. The beads help me remember my crucified Lord’s love for me and how God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to die for us, that all who believe in him might be saved.

I pray that God will give you his loving wisdom,

Kim :D

]]> By: Caitlin http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10297 Caitlin Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:57:34 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10297 Interesting thoughts, Caren. It seems that you are blessed with an ability to focus without assistance. Just like there are learning types, there are prayer types however. Beads can be thought of as reminders for specific consistent prayer topics. They can be thought of as a "prayer list" that a visual learner might write down to organize and focus their prayers, but instead of being an all visual moment, like writing, beads, something that can be touched is good for someone who is a hands on learner. There is no black and white in many situations as these. I tend to be a hands on processor, myself, and while I don't usually use beads, I often wear simple bracelets of different colors to remind me to pray for something more often. For example, my Lilin's favorite color is pink, so I wear a pink bracelet to remind me to pray for her more often, and when I pray, I often finger the bracelet in order to focus my thoughts. One more point I feel the need to make, a majority of our "Christian" traditions do have Pagan origins. Early Christians often placed Christian holidays in the same time as Pagan holidays in attempt to replace them and gain more converts... However, Christmas(A holiday replacing a winter pagan holiday, which has links to the reason for the use of pine trees), in itself (not the commercialized one so much) really isn't considered to be a Pagan tradition. True, beads may be a distraction to some, but that is not their intended use. Labeling something that currently helps so many focus on God to be pagan, really doesn't seem right. Interesting thoughts, Caren. It seems that you are blessed with an ability to focus without assistance. Just like there are learning types, there are prayer types however. Beads can be thought of as reminders for specific consistent prayer topics. They can be thought of as a “prayer list” that a visual learner might write down to organize and focus their prayers, but instead of being an all visual moment, like writing, beads, something that can be touched is good for someone who is a hands on learner. There is no black and white in many situations as these. I tend to be a hands on processor, myself, and while I don’t usually use beads, I often wear simple bracelets of different colors to remind me to pray for something more often. For example, my Lilin’s favorite color is pink, so I wear a pink bracelet to remind me to pray for her more often, and when I pray, I often finger the bracelet in order to focus my thoughts.

One more point I feel the need to make, a majority of our “Christian” traditions do have Pagan origins. Early Christians often placed Christian holidays in the same time as Pagan holidays in attempt to replace them and gain more converts… However, Christmas(A holiday replacing a winter pagan holiday, which has links to the reason for the use of pine trees), in itself (not the commercialized one so much) really isn’t considered to be a Pagan tradition.

True, beads may be a distraction to some, but that is not their intended use. Labeling something that currently helps so many focus on God to be pagan, really doesn’t seem right.

]]> By: Caren http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10292 Caren Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:45:16 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10292 Prayer beads are a pagan device, a from of idolatry, which takes our focus off our relationship as our Father's children. The danger that we face with prayer beads is mindlessly going through a routine of praying, but paying no attention to what we are saying. Rather than engaging our minds and hearts, rather than thinking upon the Scripture as we pray, rather than consciously seeking the Father, we may fall prey to mumbling through a series of religious sounding words but do nothing more than the Hare Krishna. Prayer is dialogue with our Creator. It should never be ritual. In prayer we come to God in dependence upon the righteousness of Christ, casting ourselves upon His resources, and looking to Him as our Father that grants our hearing. He <em>“knows what you need before you ask Him”</em> — your prayer is a time to quiet your heart before Him, to pour out your needs, and to cling to Him in faithful dependence. I can hear Him now admonishing us.... <em>"put that toy away... come... sit here... look at me... ask me in faith and it will be given to you... I want to hear what you have to say..."</em> Prayer beads are a pagan device, a from of idolatry, which takes our focus off our relationship as our Father’s children.

The danger that we face with prayer beads is mindlessly going through a routine of praying, but paying no attention to what we are saying. Rather than engaging our minds and hearts, rather than thinking upon the Scripture as we pray, rather than consciously seeking the Father, we may fall prey to mumbling through a series of religious sounding words but do nothing more than the Hare Krishna.

Prayer is dialogue with our Creator. It should never be ritual. In prayer we come to God in dependence upon the righteousness of Christ, casting ourselves upon His resources, and looking to Him as our Father that grants our hearing.

He “knows what you need before you ask Him” — your prayer is a time to quiet your heart before Him, to pour out your needs, and to cling to Him in faithful dependence. I can hear Him now admonishing us…. “put that toy away… come… sit here… look at me… ask me in faith and it will be given to you… I want to hear what you have to say…”

]]> By: Kees Boer http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10288 Kees Boer Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:15:31 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10288 Hi, Prayer is very important. Whenever I talk to prospective sponsors, I always tell them that it takes three things to sponsor a child. 1. Prayer 2. Write them from time to time. 3. The $38/month Then I tell them that those are in the order of importance and also that they work like ingredients in a pie. In other words, if one is missing, the whole pie tastes bad. I pray for each of my children every day. The thing that becomes difficult sometimes is that I pray the same things over and over again. This is especially difficult with the ones, who aren't from a country where they write reciprocal letters, because it takes so long to find what new thing to pray for. Kees Hi,

Prayer is very important. Whenever I talk to prospective sponsors, I always tell them that it takes three things to sponsor a child.

1. Prayer
2. Write them from time to time.
3. The $38/month

Then I tell them that those are in the order of importance and also that they work like ingredients in a pie. In other words, if one is missing, the whole pie tastes bad.

I pray for each of my children every day. The thing that becomes difficult sometimes is that I pray the same things over and over again. This is especially difficult with the ones, who aren’t from a country where they write reciprocal letters, because it takes so long to find what new thing to pray for.

Kees

]]> By: Mike Stephens http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10283 Mike Stephens Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:03:02 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10283 Amber, I wanted to add something else. I greatly appreciate Compassion and ALL the workers that make the day to day things happen from my letters to the Sponsor Tours to working at the tables and getting trained as an Advocate!!!!!!! I bring a message from Cherrie V. Rose de Los Santos from Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines: "Your work and efforts are not in vain!!!!!!!" She shared her testimony during our dinner with the LDP students during the Sponsor Tour!!!!!!! I also wanted to add a question of my own...What is Compassion to me? So far as my short time as a sponsor Compassion is the special moment I got to share during a CSP home visit watching the staff help make finger puppets for the baby daughter of a young couple in the Philippines. Compassion is the tricycle driver who was missing an eye who poured hydrogen peroxide and put gaus and tape on my bleeding fingers after I dunked a basketball numerous times. Compassion is seeing God answer the prayers of my sponsor kids namely Reneboy Basinang who prayed I would visit and I did. Compassion is trusting God for my dreams as well as the dreams of my sponsored kids!!!!!!! Compassion is meeting my sponsored kids, their parents, and project staff face to face. Compassion is love and I Corinthians 13:8 "Love never fails!!!!!!!" Amber,

I wanted to add something else. I greatly appreciate Compassion and ALL the workers that make the day to day things happen from my letters to the Sponsor Tours to working at the tables and getting trained as an Advocate!!!!!!! I bring a message from Cherrie V. Rose de Los Santos from Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines: “Your work and efforts are not in vain!!!!!!!” She shared her testimony during our dinner with the LDP students during the Sponsor Tour!!!!!!! I also wanted to add a question of my own…What is Compassion to me? So far as my short time as a sponsor Compassion is the special moment I got to share during a CSP home visit watching the staff help make finger puppets for the baby daughter of a young couple in the Philippines. Compassion is the tricycle driver who was missing an eye who poured hydrogen peroxide and put gaus and tape on my bleeding fingers after I dunked a basketball numerous times. Compassion is seeing God answer the prayers of my sponsor kids namely Reneboy Basinang who prayed I would visit and I did. Compassion is trusting God for my dreams as well as the dreams of my sponsored kids!!!!!!! Compassion is meeting my sponsored kids, their parents, and project staff face to face. Compassion is love and I Corinthians 13:8 “Love never fails!!!!!!!”

]]> By: Stephanie G http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10282 Stephanie G Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:31:52 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10282 I was about to head to bed and pray for all of my children when I stumbled on this post. I, too,don't always pray as thoroughly as I'd like for each child but I'm including something here that taught me what can happen when I do. (an earlier comment from another post about one of my sponsored children) My child that I’ve sponsored longest,Frank, lives in Tanzania and has consistently asked me over the last two years to pray for him to learn to read and write, as he has struggled with this and he just turned 12. I have continued to do this for him over the last couple of years. All of his letters have been dictated to project staff and Frank has mentioned several times that he believed that if I prayed this for him, the prayer would be answered. While I’ve received frequent letters for the last two years from Frank,there have been none since early January. I have been very concerned for him and his family,as this was a “dry spell” compared to his previous correspondence . I have been praying for their safety and health, hoping all was okay and praying that a letter would arrive to reassure me. Today, that letter came, four months to the day after it was written. But it was written BY FRANK!! For the first time, it was written in the first person, saying “My family and I are fine and thank you for the gift you sent me.” I read the letter with tears in my eyes when I realized the whole thing was his words written in his own hand. And what’s more…his school progress report accompanied the letter and it showed his strongest subjects were now handwriting and reading! What a wonderful lesson on God’s faithfulness for me, for Frank and for my three young children (who read the letter with me)!!! I was about to head to bed and pray for all of my children when I stumbled on this post. I,
too,don’t always pray as thoroughly as I’d like for each child but I’m including something here that taught me what can happen when I do.

(an earlier comment from another post about one of my sponsored children)

My child that I’ve sponsored longest,Frank, lives in Tanzania and has consistently asked me over the last two years to pray for him to learn to read and write, as he has struggled with this and he just turned 12. I have continued to do this for him over the last couple of years. All of his letters have been dictated to project staff and Frank has mentioned several times that he believed that if I prayed this for him, the prayer would be answered.

While I’ve received frequent letters for the last two years from Frank,there have been none since early January. I have been very concerned for him and his family,as this was a “dry spell” compared to his previous correspondence . I have been praying for their safety and health, hoping all was okay and praying that a letter would arrive to reassure me.

Today, that letter came, four months to the day after it was written. But it was written BY FRANK!! For the first time, it was written in the first person, saying “My family and I are fine and thank you for the gift you sent me.” I read the letter with tears in my eyes when I realized the whole thing was his words written in his own hand. And what’s more…his school progress report accompanied the letter and it showed his strongest subjects were now handwriting and reading!

What a wonderful lesson on God’s faithfulness for me, for Frank and for my three young children (who read the letter
with me)!!!

]]> By: Twitted by timberlake5 http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10281 Twitted by timberlake5 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:52:38 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10281 [...] This post was Twitted by timberlake5 [...] [...] This post was Twitted by timberlake5 [...]

]]> By: Mike Stephens http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10279 Mike Stephens Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:36:47 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10279 Amber!!!!!!! Thanks for asking ;) So tell me — what do you do to be alert and stay alert as Ephesians 6 says? I think I am alert, but I am realizing I must look like I walk around sometimes with a huge bullseye on my forehead or stomach saying, "Hey Satan I'm over here amigo!" I think the best way I stay alert is by going over bible verses in my head. How do you keep on praying for all the saints? I often pray for my sponsor kids when I am swimming. What stories do you have of the power of God through prayer in your sponsored children’s lives, or your own life? one of my sponsored kids wrote in a letter that he prayed I would visit so he could meet me. He was the only one out of the 3 boys in the Philippines I sponsor that I did NOT tell I was going to visit. His letter was written around the time I got my job as a Taxi driver which is how I paid for the trip. I didn't realize this until months after b/c the letter took a while to get to me. I am not sure from there end about answered prayers I have prayed. Some are still yet to come!!!!!!! Amber!!!!!!!

Thanks for asking ;)

So tell me — what do you do to be alert and stay alert as Ephesians 6 says? I think I am alert, but I am realizing I must look like I walk around sometimes with a huge bullseye on my forehead or stomach saying, “Hey Satan I’m over here amigo!” I think the best way I stay alert is by going over bible verses in my head.

How do you keep on praying for all the saints? I often pray for my sponsor kids when I am swimming.

What stories do you have of the power of God through prayer in your sponsored children’s lives, or your own life? one of my sponsored kids wrote in a letter that he prayed I would visit so he could meet me. He was the only one out of the 3 boys in the Philippines I sponsor that I did NOT tell I was going to visit. His letter was written around the time I got my job as a Taxi driver which is how I paid for the trip. I didn’t realize this until months after b/c the letter took a while to get to me. I am not sure from there end about answered prayers I have prayed. Some are still yet to come!!!!!!!

]]> By: Dwight http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10277 Dwight Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:02:14 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10277 In February I heard a sermon from Pastor Billy Kim at Moody’s Founders week. He is a Korean pastor and he said that when people ask him why the church in Korea is so large he tells them its prayer. At his church they get up at 4am to pray. Thank God I am not Korean I doubt I could get up that early. He said that many pastors pray for hours each day. In America it’s easy to depend on our self and not to pray. I would assume younger people in Korea have this same struggle. I would assume that people living in poverty learn to trust in God and pray often. Because they depend on God for so much they see the power in prayer. I depend on my own abilities so I struggle with prayer. In February I heard a sermon from Pastor Billy Kim at Moody’s Founders week. He is a Korean pastor and he said that when people ask him why the church in Korea is so large he tells them its prayer. At his church they get up at 4am to pray. Thank God I am not Korean I doubt I could get up that early. He said that many pastors pray for hours each day.
In America it’s easy to depend on our self and not to pray. I would assume younger people in Korea have this same struggle. I would assume that people living in poverty learn to trust in God and pray often. Because they depend on God for so much they see the power in prayer. I depend on my own abilities so I struggle with prayer.

]]> By: Kim Edge http://blog.compassion.com/importance-of-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-10275 Kim Edge Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:06:54 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=6173#comment-10275 I use prayer beads as reminders to pray. I use the Jesus Prayer ("Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner") and follow it with "Help my child!". I also practice contemplative prayer and the beads are sometimes useful reminders to persist in prayer. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (which I am a member of) has a Lutheran rosary based on Luther's Small Catechism which they invented for Lenten prayer discipline, and there are examples of Anglican prayers on beads as well as many other Christian traditions. Knots are used in some traditions. My girl is in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a tradition of using knotted prayer ropes. Here are some links to interesting web sites, if you are interested: On this site you will find a link to a pdf file of the ELCA Lutheran rosary: http://www.whitestreetbeadcompany.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.shoppingStyle&styleID=LPB&gclid=CPuXrZPNo48CFSY7hgodS0ceKQ Some examples of Anglican prayers we could modify to be Lutheran: http://www.gigibeads.net/prayerbeads/prayers/prayers.html These gemstone beads are quite expensive but there are much cheaper online sites for beads and there is a lovely collection of sample prayers that are scripturally based: http://gigibeads.net/prayerbeads/bracelets.html My friends, we are to pray without ceasing and I urge you to remember that "in Him we live and move and have our being". God is present with us in every breath and we are all connected to our children at all times and in all places THROUGH GOD... God bless, Kim Edge I use prayer beads as reminders to pray. I use the Jesus Prayer (”Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner”) and follow it with “Help my child!”.

I also practice contemplative prayer and
the beads are sometimes useful reminders to persist in prayer. The
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (which I am a member of) has a Lutheran rosary based on Luther’s Small Catechism which
they invented for Lenten prayer discipline, and there are examples of
Anglican prayers on beads as well as many other Christian traditions. Knots are used in some traditions. My girl is in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a tradition of using knotted prayer ropes.

Here are some links to interesting web sites, if you are interested:

On this site you will find a link to a pdf file of the ELCA Lutheran rosary:
http://www.whitestreetbeadcompany.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.shoppingStyle&styleID=LPB&gclid=CPuXrZPNo48CFSY7hgodS0ceKQ

Some examples of Anglican prayers we could modify to be Lutheran:
http://www.gigibeads.net/prayerbeads/prayers/prayers.html

These gemstone beads are quite expensive but there are much cheaper
online sites for beads and there is a lovely collection of sample prayers that are scripturally based:
http://gigibeads.net/prayerbeads/bracelets.html

My friends, we are to pray without ceasing and I urge you to remember that “in Him we live and move and have our being”. God is present with us in every breath and we are all connected to our children at all times and in all places THROUGH GOD…

God bless,
Kim Edge

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