Jesus' disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1-4). Jesus gave them a simple model: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation."What strikes me about that prayer? It's SIMPLE. No flowery words. No "thee" and "thou." Just straightforward, everyday words, everyday needs. And it's SHORT—about 15 seconds.Prayer is simply a conversation with God, just like you'd talk to a friend.

WHY DID JESUS PRAY?

FIVE REASONS:
TO BUILD RELATIONSHIP - Luke 3: At Jesus' baptism, as He prayed, the Father said "You are my dearly loved Son." Do you just present a list of wants? Or build relationship?

FOR GUIDANCE - Four times Jesus spent ALL NIGHT in prayer before major decisions (choosing the 12, starting public ministry, Gethsemane). Are your big decisions informed by prayer?

TO GIVE THANKS - Luke 10: Jesus stopped mid-day to thank the Father. When you become aware of God's presence, do you stop and thank Him?

FOR PERSONAL STRENGTH - Gethsemane: Jesus was in such agony His sweat fell like drops of blood. An angel came and strengthened Him. When you need strength, do you pray?

FOR OTHERS—INCLUDING ENEMIES - Luke 6: "Pray for those who hurt you." Pray for everyone you contact. If they're not friendly, you DEFINITELY have something to pray for.

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?
The Lord's Prayer is 15 seconds. It's just a conversation. In John's Gospel, it doesn't say Jesus "prayed" it says He "looked to heaven and said." That's prayer: talking to your friend.Jesus prayed FREQUENTLY but not always in scheduled blocks. The urge to talk to His Father came on Him, and He did it, sometimes in front of crowds, sometimes alone.

TRUE CONFESSION:
I struggle with extended prayer times. My mind wanders. But it hit me: Prayer is a CONVERSATION. I don't schedule times to talk to my wife. I see her and talk. The conversation lasts 3-4 minutes. An hour later, we do it again.That's what I do with God all day long. Driving, someone comes to mind, I pray. It's not a separate 15-minute block—it's CONSTANT.BUT WAIT—
Does that mean we shouldn't have 15-minute prayer times? Of course not! Jesus spent ALL NIGHT in prayer. We need BOTH: extended times AND constant conversation throughout the day. Be bold enough to stop and say, "May I pray for you right now?"FOUR QUESTIONS:
When and how do I pray to build my relationship with God? If you don't, start.

When and how do I pray for guidance and strength? I was taught I can do anything if I try hard enough. I can't. Neither can you. We ALL need strength.

When and how do I thank God? Keep a Thanksgiving journal. Write down what you thank God for. When you get depressed, open it up.

When and how do I pray for others? Friends, enemies—doesn't matter. Pray for those you can influence.

BOTTOM LINE: PRAY.Lord, teach us to pray like You prayed. We need You. We need that relationship. We need Your guidance, Your strength, Your empowerment to bless others.