What Are Your Hours of Prayer?

The Bible tells us that Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer which followed the afternoon sacrifice, the nineth hour (Act3:1). The time of prayer for Judaism, during Jesus’ ministry on earth, were three times a day; mid-morning (around the third hour after dawn, at 09:00 A.M.), the time of the evening sacrifice (about the ninth hour after dawn, at 3:00 P.M.), and at sunset.

The Muslim prayer ritual, which is over 1400 years old, is repeated five times a day by hundreds of millions of people all round the world. In the Catholic Church, the laity are encouraged to pray daily the canonical hours contained in the Liturgy of the Hours, which are done at seven fixed prayer times. Set in 480- c.547, the seven daytime canonical hours are:

  1. lauds (dawn),
  2. prime (sunrise),
  3. terce (mid-morning),
  4. sext (midday),
  5. none (mid-afternoon),
  6. vespers (sunset),
  7. compline (retiring).

 and the one nighttime canonical hour of night watch.

From the time of the early Christian Church, the practice of seven fixed prayer times have been taught. In Apostolic Tradition, Hippolytus instructed Christians to pray seven times a day “on rising, at the lighting of the evening lamp, at bedtime, at midnight” and “the third, sixth and ninth hours of the day.

When did Jesus Say We Should Pray?

Jesus taught us how to pray and why we should pray. But the only thing He said about other rules, such as when or how often we should pray, He said, to Paul,“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)

But long before either denomination, governed by men, the Apostle Paul taught, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Most Christians pray at afternoon and evening meals, at bedtime, and several times during Sunday services. Many feel they don’t have to pray every night, but many Christians do because they want to end their day thanking and praising God. Some Christians will also pray for rest and peace during their sleep and intercessory prayers for their loved ones.

Many pray less often.

How Often Do You Pray?

Ultimately, when, and how often you pray, just depends on your life and your relationship with God.

Praying regularly enables a person to get better at building their relationship with God.

If you are not certain that you pray as often as The Lord expects, then you should re-examine your relationship with God and not let your relationship with man-made churches interfere.

In conclusion, the Daily Bread email message sent on 9/21/2022 says,

Acts 3:1 – Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. (NASB)

Peter and John were going to the temple at the hour of prayer which followed the afternoon sacrifice (the nineth hour.)

The time of prayer for Judaism, during Jesus’ ministry on earth, were three times a day; mid-morning (around the third hour after dawn, at 09:00 A.M.), the time of the evening sacrifice (about the ninth hour after dawn, at 3:00 P.M.), and at sunset. Peter and John saw no problem in continuing their Jewish custom of prayer at certain hours of the day.  The Muslim prayer ritual, which is over 1400 years old, is repeated five times a day by hundreds of millions of people all round the world. In the Catholic Church, the laity are encouraged to pray daily the canonical hours contained in the Liturgy of the Hours, which are done at seven fixed prayer times. From the time of the early Christian Church, the practice of seven fixed prayer times has been taught.

Christians, I urge you to consider that Jesus told Paul to set the things that will be bound in heaven (Matthew 16:19) and Paul set the time of prayer to be always, without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

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