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How to pray. An essential for every Christian or nonbeliever. You must pray to make it today.
Jesus affirmed the importance of prayer, stressing the prayer life of the individual. He recognized charitable giving, material offerings, and voluntary
fasting as forms of prayer, teaching that the most vital aspects of prayer are a clean heart and one's private communication with God. (Matt. 6:1-18; Lk. 11:1-13).
He preached against hypocrisy and paying only "lip service" to God. He said, "Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man" (Matt.
15:7-11; Mk. 7:6-23). Having a clean heart involves confession of sins and repentance. God forgives the repenting sinner, but his forgiveness is dependent on one's forgiveness of others. Getting misunderstandings
with others straightened out is more important than making an offering (Matt. 4:24; Matt. 6:14-15; Lk. 11:4)
Effective prayer is not a matter of repeating words without meaning; it is sincere, confident, and private conversation with God, for he knows one's needs before he or she asks (Matt. 6:6-8; 22:22). Prayer need not
be in any particular form. Jesus frequently used the word "ask" in referring to prayer. He said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: For
everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matt. 7:7-8). Whatever is asked in Jesus' name shall be granted by the Father (John 15:16; 16:23-24)
and by the Son (John 14:13-14).
Jesus provided a model prayer called the "Lord's Prayer," which indicates that prayer is to God as the eternal Father. Intercession by the Son may be invoked by asking in Jesus' name (Matt. 6:9-13; Lk.
11:2-4; John 14:13-14). God hears prayer and wants to give good things to those who ask him (Matt. 7:11), even before they ask (Matt. 6:8). God receives prayer as ascending to him with incense (Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4).
Jesus gave the example, for he was constantly in prayer himself (Lk. 3:21-22; 9:28; 21:37; Luke 22:39-41). At the Last Supper he prayed for the spiritual unity of believers with each other and the Father and the Son
(called Jesus' "high priestly" prayer; John 17). In the garden of Gethsemane, just before his being seized by authorities, he prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Then to his disciples he said, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:..................
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