There are many practical things to discuss on prayer, but we approach with fear. Prayer is innate and all Christians can pray. But, it is also most difficult in our sinful flesh. It starts that we pray to the one, true God and must do so from our heart! It is often cheapened in today's circles. Prayer MUST be to the One, True God who replenishes us and therefore is necessary for the Christian.

Why is it important? 1) It is the Christian's spiritual breath and we breathe in prayer! It is the heart and soul of a Christian and therefore inherent in a child of God! God requires thanksgiving and God is prayed and thanked when we bring our burdens to Him. 2) God will give His grace and Holy Spirit to only those who ask it of Him! The calling of a sanctified, holy life is a continual longing of the child of God to GLORIFY God! This is the chief end of man. Applying God's Word to our lives takes the Holy Spirit in our hearts to comfort and lead us in all the way of the truth to lead sanctified lives from day to day. In the flesh we cannot live very long without prayer in our lives to lead those sanctified and holy lives in the body of this flesh! It becomes practical as we bring our daily lives to God in prayer!

At bottom, when we pray, we MUST be aware that it is for Jesus' sake! This is the fundamental basis of prayer as we are aware that we are sinners, given the right of son ship through and by Jesus, and for His sake God gives us an audience and we can "bend His ear."

Prayer BEGINS in the heart. The origin of prayer is NOT in the mind or on the lips, BUT in the HEART! It is the fruit of the Spirit within us. To God who has revealed Himself in His Word! NOT the God we want. NOT the God who we are comfortable with! But the LIVING, TRUE GOD! We may not mess with His majesty and council of the living God in horizontal prayers and we may not put away God's own revelation and contradict those revelations of Himself in our prayers. It is not a wish list, but living and meaningful FELLOWSHIP with God from the HEART! The petitions of our prayer are to God as He has revealed to us in His Word and this is the prayer that God will hear. He already knows our circumstance, but we need to pray for the grace and joy in the way He leads us. God hears and answers His children, but remember He does NOT always purpose our carnal desires! The answer to prayer is the receiving of abundant grace, a receiving of the Holy Spirit, and a fellowship with the living God!

All things necessary for body and soul! Our prayer is that God takes care of or physical needs that we may live and lead spiritual lives. They are not carnal, but are necessary needs to live spiritually to His glory.