Some Thoughts on Prayer
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
INDEX:
INTRODUCTION:
The purpose of this page is to discuss various aspects of the practice of prayer and to give me a place to put some of my favorite prayers.
To quote a popular 12-step program:
"Step Eleven suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn't be shy on this matter of prayer. Better men than we are using it constantly. It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it. It would be easy to be vague about this matter. Yet, we believe we can make some definite and valuable suggestions.
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life? But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God's forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken.
On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use. Our thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives.
In thinking about our day we may face indecision. We may not be able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. we relax and take it easy. We don't struggle. We are often surprised how the right answers come after we have tried this for a while. What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.
We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems. We ask especially for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no request for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends. Many of us have wasted a lot of time doing that and it doesn't work. You can easily see why.
If circumstances warrant, we ask our wives or friends to join us in morning meditation. If we belong to a religious denomination which requires a definite morning devotion, we attend to that also. If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the principles we have been discussing. There are many helpful books also. Suggestions about these may be obtained from one's priest, minister, or rabbi. Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make use of what they offer.
As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done." We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.
It works -- it really does.
Getting our thoughts right before we pray:
It seems that frequently we pray to ask for support of our hopes, dreams, and plans. Seeking counsel from YHWH BEFORE we make a decision is not something commonly done.
In Joshua 9:14 the Hebrews were deceived into making a mistake because they did NOT seek YHWH's council BEFORE making their decision. The high priests were commanded to do something similar in Numbers 27:21. In Isaiah 30:2 YHWH agains expresses HIS displeaser that HIS people did not seek HIS council.
The book of Romans speaks of 'renewing your mind'. Perhaps this is what it is referring to.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
6And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Saul had been wicked and now YHWH would not talk to him, nor listen to his prayers.
9Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?(KJV)
10And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.(KJV)
11And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;(KJV)
12Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.(KJV)
13And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.(KJV)
14And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.(KJV)
Obviously, Solomon asked for the right thing.
28"Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:" (KJV)
"15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. " (KJV)
YHWH will not listen to people whose hands are full of blood.
2"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (KJV)
'16Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.' (KJV)
YHWH is specifically telling us not to pray for certain people and that if we do, HE will not hear us.
'11Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. ' (KJV)
Just because we pray does not mean that YHWH will hear us. HE can choose not to listen.
'14Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. ' (KJV)
YHWH is specifically telling us NOT to pray for these people. This doesn't seem to line up with the Christian dogma of praying for everyone.
11Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. (KJV)
YHWH is specifically telling Jeremiah NOT to pray for these people.
12When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. (KJV)
18Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!(KJV)
YHWH is specifically telling Jeremiah NOT to pray for Jehoiakim.
18Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.(KJV)
Just because we cry out loud does not mean that YHWH will hear us. HE can choose not to listen.
4Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.(KJV)
YHWH will not listen to people who have behaved badly.
12"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words." (KJV)
One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture. When YHWH hears us, the results are amazing.
As noted in previous Scripture references, YHWH does not hear us simply because we pray. The prayers of a righteous man are definitely heard but the prayers of the wicked, transgressor, or disobedient are not always heard.
13Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:(KJV)
12Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were." (KJV)
18If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" (KJV)
'28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:' (KJV)
Just because we pray does not mean that YHWH will hear us. HE can choose not to listen.
5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.(KJV)
39And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (KJV)
14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:(KJV)
We need to pray according to HIS will.
16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.(KJV)
What is a 'sin unto death'?
John says we are NOT to pray for that.
17"Pray without ceasing." (KJV)
3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.(KJV)
YHWH does not answer unrighteous prayer.
A Collection of Daily Prayers
A Prayer to Our Father
Our father who is in heaven,
May Your name be sanctified.
May Your kingdom come.
May Your will be done in heaven and on the earth.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us the debt of our sins as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us.
Do not bring us into the hands of a test,
and protect us from all evil.
Serenity Prayer
YHWH, please grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.
Trusting that YOU will make all things right if I surrender to YOUR Will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
Sh'ma Israel
adonai Eloheinu
adonai echad
baruch shem
kavod malchuto
laolam vaed
(Literal Translation)
YHWH GOD
YHWH one
blessed name
glorious kingdom
forever ever
Morning/Evening Devotional
Dear Father YHWH
I offer myself to YOU
To build with me and to do with me as YOU will
Please relieve me of the bondage of self
that I may better do YOUR will
Please take away my difficulties
that victory over them will bear witness to those I would help
of YOUR love, YOUR power, and YOUR way of life
May I do YOUR will always
Dear Father YHWH
I ask that YOU direct my thinking this day.
I ask that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.
I ask YOU to show me all through the day what my next step is to be,
and that I be granted whatever I need to handle each situation.
I ask especially for freedom from self-will.
Please help me to think, speak, and act as YOU would have me think, speak, and act.
THE SHEMA:
The Shema is repeated three times a day by people of the Jewish faith.
REFERENCES:
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:(KJV)
5"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."(KJV)
6"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:"(KJV)
7"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."(KJV)
8"And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes."(KJV)
9"And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."(KJV)
REFERENCE LINKS:
- Shema (WWW.JEWFAQ.ORG) (12/08/10)
A Prayer To Our Father
Hebrew Origins of the Lord's Prayer
Translation by Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson
The purpose of this page is to discuss the Hebraic history and content of what is known to the Christian world as "The Lord's Prayer".
Our father in heaven,
May your name be sanctified.
May your kingdom be blessed.
Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth.
Give us our bread continually/daily.
Forgive us the debt of our sins as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us.
Do not bring us into the hands of a test,
and protect us from all evil.
Amen
| Hebrew Matthew | King James Version |
| Matthew 6:9-13 | |
| Our father in heaven, | Our father which art in heaven, |
| May your name be sanctified. | Hallowed by thy name |
| May your kingdom be blessed. | Thy kingdom come. |
| Your will shall be done in heaven and on earth. | Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. |
| Give us our bread continually/daily. | Give us this day our daily bread. |
| Forgive us the debt of our sins as we forgive the debt of those who sin against us. | And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. |
| Do not bring us into the hands of a test, | And lead us not into temptation, |
| and protect us from all evil. | But deliver us from evil: |
| Amen | For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. |
| Amen |
REFERENCE LINKS:
- Who should we pray for? (WWW.CGG.ORG) (2012-0316)