"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Mark 11:24

Jesus expects us to be a praying people. The fact is, most of us aren't very good at it. Most of us mouth our petitions and seek blessings, but too few of us prevail in prayer.

And even though we know the Bible teaches that we should "pray without ceasing," (1 Thessalonians 5:17), most of us don't pray often enough. That's where a "new way to pray" comes in.

Rather than getting lost in morning and evening prayers, or rather than trying to emulate Muslims by praying a certain number of times per day, we need to be constantly in prayer. But it should not be abstract, but a part of our daily routine.

For example, when you have breakfast in the morning, walk around the table and pray for each member of the family. If you see a Highway Patrolman as you drive to work, ask God to bless him and keep him safe. If a co-workers shares a family problem, silently pray for that matter on the spot. Writing a letter or email to someone? Pray for the recipient as you sign or send it. Pray for people you read about in newspapers or see on the television news.

Start "glancing prayers." Take a quick look at the discouraged man on the street and pray for him. Glance at the young mother with the crying baby in the supermarket and pray for her and her child. Glance at the face of the person who pumps your gas and pray for him. Glance at the tired waitress and ask Jesus to sustain and bless her. We are constantly glancing a wide range of people for many reasons, and it should become a trigger to bring them before the Lord.

This is a new way to "pray without ceasing." As we pray in this way, we must believe as Jesus taught us. When we believe, we know that our many prayers will not ricochet off the ceiling, but arrive at the Throne of God, where he hears and answers and moves in the lives of the people for whom we pray.