PRAYING EFFECTIVELY - praying in God's will - introduction

In this next Bible-read-through, the topic will be "praying effectively".

Before I actually start reading through the Bible (start to finish), and posting the definitive points of prayer as I come across them, I am going to do a quick introduction to explain the purpose of what I'm going to highlight.

First of all, I do not want to hinder anyone from talking to God about everything and anything, because we ARE to do that, whether we pray "correctly" (effectively) or not...

(Philippians 4:6-7)  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Even when we do pray "correctly" - there are certain kinds of requests that we will bring before God which WILL be heard, but perhaps God will not answer them in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like.  So the question becomes, how can I pray more effectively?

And many people might ask these sorts of questions (I was once one of them):
- Why doesn't God answer my prayers?
- Does God even hear all of my prayers?
- How should I be praying so that God will hear and answer my prayers?

(1 John 5:13-15)  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Today's takeaway:  when we have faith in Jesus, and pray according to God's will - our prayers will be answered!

NOW another big question becomes - WHAT IS GOD'S WILL?

That is going to be part of the focus on this topic as I read through the Bible.  I will be posting everything I see on the topic of prayer, as well as everything that is definitively God's will.

Today's prayer:  may I be open to hearing and understanding the Lord's will in my life and in my prayers!