I was asked what it means to pray and how we should pray by the students in our youth group. Here are some guidelines for prayer from the Bible:

Praise – Psalm 103:1 (By David): With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise His holy name! Psalm 103:2: With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind He has been.

Reverence & Respect – Hebrews 12:28: Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable  worship, with reverence and awe.

Adoration, Worship, Honor – Deuteronomy 30:10:  But you must decide once and for all to worship Him with all your heart and soul and to obey everything in the Book of God’s Law. Psalm 105:3:  Celebrate and worship His holy name with all your heart.

Yield (submit to Him and let Him work in your life) – Psalm 37:7: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

Enjoy your time spent with Him – Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 35:27: Let those who delight in My righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of His servant!”

Rejoice in the Lord – Psalm 40:16: But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation say continually, “Great is  the Lord!” Psa 31:7: I will be glad and rejoice because of Your constant love. You see my suffering; you know my trouble.

I hope this will help us all in our special time with God.

—submitted by Alan Jeal, Belize