Page 52 - The Importance of Prayer Student Textbook

from Daniel 6:10 that he had a similar practice of praying three times a day. Daniel 6:10 But as soon as
Daniel knew that the decree had been signed, he went to his house, which had the windows of his roof
chamber open toward Jerusalem. And three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed and
offered praise before his God, as he had regularly done prior to this. Are these the only times we find
people praying in the scriptures? A careful study of the scriptures we will find people praying literally at
all hours of the day. I have already argued from I Thessalonians 5:17 and Proverbs 3:5-6 that there
should be a continuous dependence upon God in prayer for all things. I love what Brother Lawrence
wrote in The Practice of the Presence of God. He said, “it is a great delusion to think that times of prayer
ought to differ from other times... He goes on to say that when appointed times of prayer were past, he
found no difference, because he still continued with God, praising and blessing Him with all his might”.
This sounds to me like he had mastered the admonitions found in Thessalonians and Proverbs.
Therefore, my best answer to when we should pray is always.

Is there any specific instructions on where we are to pray? Since I have already stated that there should
be a continuous dependence upon God the obvious answer is that we can pray anywhere assuming any
posture. However, we can see that our Lord seemed to have a favorite place to pray which was the
garden of gethsemane. (Matthew 26”36-46, Luke 22:39-46, Mark 14:32-42) I have a favorite place to
pray at Ambassador International University which is at the top of the mountain on this campus. Many
writers on prayer speak about places of prayer which mean a great deal to them. Our Lord seemed to
favor praying early in the morning. Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got
up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. There are twelve verses in all that
point to this practice.

There is no specific posture of prayer that is commanded in the scriptures. In I Timothy 2:8 we see this
posture being used. I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God. In Nehemiah 8:6 this posture
was used. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed
their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. In I Kings 18:39 and thirty-three
other verses we find this; When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, The LORD--he is
God! The LORD--he is God! Therefore, to make a case saying this way, or that way, is the best posture to
pray in, cannot be made. The same can be said for the best place to pray at.

This should go without saying but I also want to ask whom should we pray to? I am addressing this issue
because abbot Vital Lehodey writes in his book on The Way of Mental Prayer the following. Prayer is an
elevation of the soul to God which ascends to God unless our prayers are directed to Angles or Saints. I
have a deep theological problem with addressing our prayers to anything other than God because of I
Timothy 2:5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
Catholics will say yes but if you look at this passage in its context you will find an individual interceding
for people and it is ok to pray to saints and angles to intercede in heaven as they interceded upon the
earth. The translators of the NLT identify whom our intercession is to be directed to. I Timothy 2:1 I urge
you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for
them. (NLT took translation liberties other translations do not take) To try and bolster their claim that it
is ok to pray to saints they quote Revelation 5:8. The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each
one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s
people. Catholics ask, If it is wrong to pray to the saints and angles then why do the saints in this verse
have the prayers of the saints? They will also go to Revelation 8:3 to prove it is ok to pray to angles.
Revelation 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much
incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. If we
look at Psalm 141:1-2 some clarity may come. Psalm 141:1-2 LORD, I cry out to You; Make haste to me!

51