Ask God for wisdom and strength to tackle obstacles with courage and determination. [1] Prayer is the best technique to contact God, independent of intellectual understanding or cultural status. [2]
Prayer, the breath of the soul, leads to persistence in seeking the Father's will, for through importunity even mortal man will respond, how much more so will the Father in heaven provide the bread of life through persistent spirit prayer. [3] Worship is selfless, while prayer embodies self-interest. [4]
The meaning of prayer to various individuals varies greatly, ranging from established custom to sincere and trusting communication with the spirit of the Creator. [5]
Prayer taps into the most efficient approach to access reserve powers in the unconscious mind, serving as a sound psychologic practice regardless of religious or spiritual beliefs. [6] Prayer is a profound connection between man and both his subconscious and the spiritual realms. [7] Prayer is not about getting our way but taking God's way, aligning our will with His for true fulfillment. [8] Prayer recharges the soul's spiritual batteries, while worship tunes the soul to catch the broadcasts of the infinite spirit. [9] Prayer is the personal expression of the soul's attitude toward the spirit, leading to cooperative spiritual progress and intelligent worship. [10] Genuine prayer is a transformative, satisfaction-inducing, and spiritually enriching expression of God-consciousness. [11] True prayer is sincere, trusting communication of spiritual nature with Creator. [12] Prayer reveals the spiritual status and purpose of any religion. [13]
All sincere prayers are answered, even if the response is delayed for a greater purpose. [14] Prayer, ancestor of much peace of mind, can bring great and lasting changes to the one who prays in faith and confident expectation. [15] Prayer may be delayed, modified, or postponed for the child's spiritual ascension. [16] Prayer as taught by the Master is the antidote for harmful introspection, benefiting the soul through praying for others in great crises. [17] True prayer attains degree of Adjuster contact in the domain of the superconscious mind. [18] Prayer changes attitude toward life, revealing the slow and sure emergence of providence in the cosmic panorama of universes. [19] Prayer serves to conserve and augment essential, moral, and spiritual values, aiding religion in its mission to safeguard higher values. [20] Prayer cures numerous mental and emotional ailments, contributing to abundant health and inspiring patience in the face of illness. [21]
Daily prayer is the quickest way to overcome criticizing, by establishing the habit of praying for the person and ensuring they know they are being prayed for. [22] The delay in answer to sincere prayers signifies a better answer from the spiritual world, even if greatly delayed for good reason. [23]
Prayer, when sincerely expressed and uttered in faith, expands the soul's capacity for spiritual receptivity and digs out deeper channels for divine bestowals. [24]
Prayer doesn't change God; it changes the one who prays in faith and confident expectation, leading to peace, cheerfulness, calmness, courage, self-mastery, and fair-mindedness. [25]
The efficacy of prayer does not depend on the worshipper's intelligence, allowing every man to communicate with his Maker regardless of other mortal accomplishments. [26] Prayer enhances character and unifies personality by cultivating divine ideals, elevating man from mere human to supernal and divine levels. [27]
Prayer is the process of exchanging human will for divine will in the sincere and longing look of a child to its spirit Father, as part of the divine plan for transformation. [28] Man's prayer is a subjective reach for superhuman values, which God answers by increasing revelation of truth. [29]
Prayer elevates the ego, seeking material aid from the subconscious and inspiration from the superconscious, leading to better living and higher attainment. [30] Prayer institutionalizes religion through secondary agencies like priests, holy books, and rituals. [31]
Beware of the dangers of distorting prayer with ignorance, superstition, and fanaticism, which may lead to a harmful brooding over unworthiness and guilt. [32] Prayer is a powerful catalyst for spiritual growth, connecting man to higher truths, beauty, and goodness. [33]
Prayer without alignment with spiritual forces and material supervisors does not directly impact one's physical environment, yet faith remains unrestricted by these limitations. [34] Prayer, the cry of the righteous, opens Father's storehouse of goodness, truth, and mercy awaiting the son's approach and personal appropriation. [35] True prayer involves reception by spiritual forces beyond the subconscious and intellect, elevating the ego for better living and higher attainment. [36] Prayer prevents isolation of personality and nurtures religious sentiment in the evolving human mind. [37] Prayer contributes to abundant health, cures ailments, promotes happiness, self-control, social harmony, moral progress, and spiritual attainment. [38] The province of prayer extends beyond petitions and into the realm of personal faith and spiritual forces. [39] Prayer reinforces the self for higher attainment by accessing both material aid and spiritual guidance. [40] Prayer is self-reminding and spiritually sustaining, while worship is divinely creative and the inspiration for service to many. [41] The sincerity of our prayers determines whether they will be heard, reflecting the universe's fairness and the Father's will. [42]
Group praying for moral enhancement and spiritual uplift has highly socializing repercussions, benefiting individuals, cities, nations, and whole races. [43] Prayer unifies faith urges to foster spiritual self-restraint and increase personality freedom in the universe's progress. [44] The sincerity and wisdom of a prayer determines when and how it will be answered, reflecting the universal principle of mercy and fairness. [45]
What the true son desires and the infinite Father wills IS: to align our volition with the divine will, bringing forth abundant fruit through prayer in full accordance with God's plan. [46]
Hap taught the Father's prayer to the inhabitants of Dalamatia, honoring the Son and seeking favor from the Father of all. [47] Jews had some 25 set prayers, including the plea to forgive us every one our debts. [48] John the Baptist's simple prayer taught for teaching, not for personal expression. [49] Lord’s prayer. Onagar’s prayer asks for sustenance, protection from dangers, and a peaceful passing into the afterlife. [50] Prayers from other planets were brought to the apostles by Jesus during his time on earth, but he did not reveal this fact to them. [51]
Through group prayer for moral enhancement and spiritual uplift, individuals, cities, nations, and whole races can be all made better from participation. [52] Do good deeds in secret, pray most when by myself, and always seek God's will above all else in prayer. [53] Group praying in community devotions prevents the danger of overmuch private praying leading to isolation and mysticism. [54] Where two or three are gathered together, their petition shall be done if not inconsistent with the will of the Father in heaven. [55]
When two apostles were near by, they observed Jesus' features undergo rapid changes, without any visible celestial communication. [56]
Jesus brought the greatest offering to God by consecrating and dedicating his own will to doing the divine will, interpreting religion in terms of the Father's will, living a life of prayerful consecration, and ending triumphantly with a prayer. [57] Prayer is a selfless antidote for harmful introspection, as exemplified by the Master's emphasis on praying for others rather than for himself. [58] Spent entire nights at prayer, believing in forgiveness of debts according to faith. [59]
Prayer was originally seen as a form of bargaining with the gods, a way to petition for health, wealth, and life through pleading and persuasion, displaying the influence of commerce and barter on worship practices throughout history. [60] The dangers attendant upon perversion of prayer include ignorance, superstition, crystallization, devitalization, materialism, and fanaticism. [61] Materialistic praying is destined to bring disappointment and disillusionment, while nonselfish prayer is strengthening and comforting. [62] Prayer in Jesus' name is not a means of obtaining wishes, but a way to align your will with God's and bear the fruits of the spirit. [63]
Prayer inconsistent with God's laws is an abomination to the Paradise Deities, rejecting the wisdom of the prophets and closing off communication with the divine. [64] In prayer, be fair and avoid egoistic requests for material favors, seeking instead wisdom and forgiveness for enhanced self-control. [65] Prayer, whether selfish or selfless, leads to efforts that contribute to its fulfillment. [66]
Early men's simple-minded reasoning led them to pray for material goods, although material things were not the province of prayer, ultimately leading to a perversion of prayer that paradoxically elevated their economic, social, and ethical mores. [67]
Prayer is not a cure for organic diseases, but it can greatly improve mental and emotional health and even enhance the effectiveness of medical treatments. [68]
Prayer and magic originated from man's adaptive responses to environment, but prayer involves positive action while magic is often a way to avoid effort in problem solving. [69]
Intervening spirit beings translate distorted prayers to ensure undesirable answers remain unrecognizable. [70] Only spirit-indited prayers can find lodgment in the eternal Son's spirit circuit. [71] The sacrifice idea in religion detracts from the offering of consecrated wills in true prayer. [72] Seraphim work independently, fulfilling orders regardless of human prayers. [73] Transmitted instantaneously by spirit-gravity circuit to all.
True spiritual value in genuine prayers is seized by the spirit-gravity circuit and immediately passed to all divine personalities concerned, each attending to their personal province. [74] The urge to pray is often a result of seraphic influence, enhancing cosmic insight and spiritual cooperation in God-conscious mortals. [75] Real praying elevates man by utilizing ascending spiritual currents of the universe. [76]
Believers should pray sincerely for more laborers for the extension of the kingdom of heaven, as Jesus taught the importance of prayer and the tongue's power to transform. [77] Prayer for others is a powerful antidote against harmful introspection. [78] Pray for those who curse and persecute us, in addition to our families, friends, and fellows, letting the spirit guide our petitions. [79] Prayer is a stimulus for growth in conflict, encouraging values over things and growth over gratification. [80]
Adam encouraged individualized prayer over set prayers during the worship practices of the Edenites in the Garden of Eden. [81] After praying, Jesus taught his followers to remain in silent receptivity for the indwelling spirit to speak to the listening soul. [82]
Prayer evolves from monologuous to dialogue to group worship as the human mind recognizes the reality of beneficent powers and beings, reaching true potency when the agency of religious ministry is visualized as personal. [83] Ethical prayer rejects seeking selfish advantage over others, instead prompting unselfish striving for idealistic goals. [84] Celestial beings do not assist those who refuse to act upon their light of truth. [85]
For effective prayer, you must sincerely face universe reality, exhaust human capacity, surrender to spiritual growth, choose divine will, direct prayers for divine wisdom, and have living faith. [86]
Prayers are transmitted through the spirit-gravity circuit to all divine personalities, making it immaterial whether one visualizes a local or universal deity. [87] In prayer, be fair and do not expect God to favor you over others; true worship focuses on selflessness and seeking wisdom for self-control. [88]
Exercise caution in discouraging immature minds from materialistic, selfish prayers, as they may still lead to efforts and exertions contributing to achieving answers. [89] God knows our needs before we ask, for He is the Universal Father who beholds all the inhabitants of the earth and understands our thoughts afar off. [90]
It is futile to plead with God to change his decrees and avoid the consequences of natural laws and spiritual mandates, for justice will be served in due time. [91] God is always open to our petitions, ready to share our hardships and assist us, showing companionship and loyalty like a loving father. [92] Guard against becoming self-centered in prayers; instead, focus on spiritual progress and abundance of gifts for others. [93] In doubt, ask in Jesus' name for your real needs and desires, in accordance with his Father's will. [94]
Jesus did not fully approve of formal prayer but taught his apostles “The Lord's Prayer” as a simple petition for the common people, evolving from individual expressions of praise to a suggestive form of prayer. [95] Learn to pray as children while also seeking truth and expanding your soul, for forms are valueless when lessons are learned. [96] Motivation validates the spiritual content of prayer; words are valueless, only serving as a channel for the flow of supplication to reach God. [97] Prayer must be born of spirit and nurtured by faith to receive answers from those you pray to. [98]
Effective prayer must be honest, unselfish, fair, intelligent, trustful, and without doubting, enhancing and spiritualizing society when done in the light of scientific facts, philosophic wisdom, intellectual sincerity, and spiritual faith. [99] All true prayers must consist in spiritual realities, addressed to spirit beings, and answered in spiritual terms. [100] Prayer must never be a substitute for action, as it is a stimulus to action and a guide for striving towards idealistic goals. [101]
Through the evolution of conversation with alter egos to communion with the Divine, prayer serves as a vital agency of religion for moral and spiritual growth. [102] Prayer in faith and confidence brings lasting changes within the one who prays. [103]
Prayers should be directed to the Eternal Son, Creator Son, as part of true worship, while supplications belong to the realm of the Eternal Son and the Son’s spiritual organization. [104]
Man should not be afraid to talk to God in a purely personal way, without trying to persuade or change Him, as exemplified by Jesus during his prayers. [105]
Jesus taught his followers to pray without vain repetitions or meaningless phrases, emphasizing the importance of sincere and heartfelt communication with God. [106] The belief in prayer as more efficacious through a solemn style echoes ancient practices of invoking spirits and demigods. [107] Modern religions have wrongly emphasized prayer over the more essential communion of worship, neglecting the reflective powers of the mind. [108]
Being mindful to speak to the Father as a son, even in times of peace, and always praying “your will be done” is the appropriate form of prayer for all God's children. [109]
Prayer and magic are independent practices: prayer adjusts the personality to the will of Deity, while magic attempts to adjust Deity to conditions. [110]
The earliest luck petitions were not addressed to Deity but resembled requests for support from friends or family before important tasks, reflecting primitive man's belief in the power of luck in all aspects of life. [111]
The evolution of prayer has led to the emergence of genuine communication with higher powers, promoting social evolution, moral progress, and spiritual attainment. [112] The evolution of prayer from verbalized wishes to achieving spirit cooperation to conserving worthwhile values reflects its purposeful journey. [113] Tibetans fasten prayers to wheels in their elaborate, ritualistic ceremonies encompassing various religious practices and beliefs. [114]
See also: UB 143:7; UB 144:2; UB 168:4.