Pray As Christ

PRAY AS CHRIST

How did the Savior communicate with his Father in Heaven? Am I seeking heavenly help in the things that I do? What qualities did the Savior exhibit in His prayers? How can my prayers become a purer source of inspiration and communication?

Matthew 6:9-13	The Saviors prayer was humble and included components of one seeking to be better and to do God’s will
John 17	The Savior prayed as one that has a close relationship with God.
Luke 22:42-44	Deeply desiring to please God, the Savior prayed earnestly and submissively.
D&C 50:28-30	Be purified from sin and the Spirit will inspire your pleadings in prayer.
Matthew 6:7	Pray from the heart, don’t use vain repetitions
3 Nephi 19:24	The spirit will teach us what to pray for.
Psalms 55:17	Pray all day long and the Lord will hear you.
Hymns 145	Prayer is simple divine communication
Matthew 6:6	Pray privately, not seeking praise or glory of man.
Matthew 26:41	Prayer will protect you from temptation
Luke 2:37	Serve God with fasting and prayer combined
Romans 8:26	The spirit knows what we should pray for.
2 Nephi 4:35	God will answer the prayers of the righteous
2 Nephi 32:8	Prayer is essential, and the spirit teaches us we must do it.

PRAY AS CHRIST QUOTES

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES

James 1:5	What to pray for
1 Thess. 5:17 2 Nephi 32:9	When to pray
Alma 34:26	Where to pray
D&C 88:63-65	How prayers are answered
Moroni 10:3-5 Alma 37:37	Promises of prayer
James 5:16	The power of prayer from a righteous person
Bible Dictionary, “Prayer” p. 753

THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST

“The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to pray and covenants that answers will be forthcoming.”[1]

“It is most important to remember that our attitude and approach to prayer should be similar to that of the Savior… As we approach our Father in heaven with the spirit, “thy will be done,” and as we personally do all we can to have our prayers answered, the Lord will do the rest.”[2]

“Christ taught the Nephites that prayer is more than just a means to receive our Father in Heaven’s generosity; rather, prayer itself is an act of faith as well as an act of righteousness. Prayer is the defining act of the worshipper of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. This is because the act of prayer itself can change and purify us, both individually and as a group. As our  Bible Dictionary states, “The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.[3]”In other words, prayers bring our desires and the desires of our Father into harmony, thus bringing us both the blessing we are seeking and also the blessing of greater unity with the Father.”[4]

“Nothing is more simple than prayer. The Savior, while upon the earth, gave the example and commanded all to follow in His footsteps. If we have faith that our Heavenly Father lives and that we can commune with Him in a very direct way, then prayer becomes one of the most beautiful, lovely, simple acts that we can do.”[5]

“Jesus was careful to place the petition “Hallowed be thy name” at the very forefront of his prayer. Unless that reverent, prayerful, honorable attitude toward God is uppermost in our hearts, we are not fully prepared to pray. If our first thought is of ourselves and not of God, we are not praying as Jesus taught. It was his supreme hope that our Father’s name and station would be kept beautiful and holy. Living always with an eye single to the glory of God, he urged men everywhere to so speak, and act, and live, that others seeing their good works might glorify their Father in heaven.”[6]

SINCERITY AND PURPOSE

“He who would really pray – pray as nearly as possible as Christ prayed, … – will seek privacy, seclusion, isolation; if opportunity permits he will retire to his chamber, and will shut the door, that none may intrude; there he may pray indeed, if the spirit of prayer be in his heart; and this course was commended by the Lord… Prayer is made up of heart throbs and the righteous yearnings of the soul, of supplication based on the realization of need, of contrition and pure desire… Prayer is for the uplifting of the suppliant. God without our prayers would be God; but we without prayer cannot be admitted to the kingdom of God.”[7]

 “There must be a consciousness of real need for prayer, and real trust in God, to make prayer effective.”[8]

“May we recognize that prayer is the instrument of miracles.”[9]

“The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that we must ask for in order to obtain. We pray to the Father in Christ’s name[10]. We are truly able to pray in Christ’s name when our wishes are the wishes of Christ[11]. We then ask for things that are right and thus possible for God to grant[12]. Some prayers remain unanswered because they in no way represent Christ’s desire but spring instead out of the selfishness of man[13]. Indeed, if we ask God for unrighteous things, it will turn to our condemnation[14].”[15]

“If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis, then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies. We should remember the Most High day and night—always—not only at times when all other assistance has failed and we desperately need help. If there is any element in human life on which we have a record of miraculous success and inestimable worth to the human soul, it is prayerful, reverential, devout communication with our Heavenly Father.”[16]

“We often kneel to pray; we may stand or be seated.[17] Physical position is less important than is spiritual submission to God.”[18]

“Sincere prayers come from the heart. Indeed, sincerity requires that we draw from the earnest feelings of our hearts when we pray rather than using vain repetitions or pretentious affectations.”[19]

“Unless our whole heart is in what we are doing, we are not really praying.”[20]

THE LORDS PRAYER

“OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME”

“The Lord said, "Pray to our Father in heaven." And herein, … we need to be careful, because very often we open our prayer with the expression of praying to our Father in heaven, then during the prayer we use the term "Lord," and before we are through it is hard to tell whether we are addressing the Father or his Son, Jesus Christ. We should pray to our Father in heaven, for he is indeed the Father of all mankind on the earth, and because he is our Father, he wants us to come to him often with our joys and our sorrows and thank him for all that he has given us.”[21]

“By these words we acknowledge God as our Father, the Father of all mankind; and all men, whoever they are and wherever they may be, are invited to call upon him as their Father which art in heaven. What a glorious thing it is to realize and to know that we can go to our Heavenly Father without appointment, pour out our souls to him in all simplicity and faith, knowing that he is there and can and will hear and answer our prayers. We know that he is a living God who dwells in heaven, that we are his spirit children, and that his Son Jesus Christ has instructed us, regardless of who we are, to call upon God and to acknowledge him as our Father.”[22]

“Jesus addressed His Father in an attitude of worship, recognizing His greatness and giving Him praise and thanks. Surely this matter of reverencing God and giving heartfelt and specific thanks is one of the keys to effective prayer.”[23]

“‘Our Father,’ signifies a close relationship between God and His children. The phrase ‘hallowed by thy name’ reflects the respect and worshipful attitude we should feel as we pray.”[24]

 “In this we acknowledge the relation we bear to our Heavenly Father, and while reverencing His great and holy Name, we avail ourselves of the inestimable privilege of approaching Him… with the loving realization that He is Father, and that we are His children. This is the earliest Biblical scripture giving instruction, permission, or warrant, for addressing God directly as ‘Our Father’. Therein is expressed the reconciliation which the human family, estranged through sin, may attain by the means provided through the well beloved Son. This instruction is equally definite in demonstrating the brotherhood between Christ and humanity. As He prayed so pray we to the same Father.”[25]

“Probably no other words in the Lord’s Prayer have been so frequently slurred and overlooked as ‘Hallowed be thy name.’ They lie … ,” as one writer said, “in the valley between the great name of God and the glorious Kingdom for which we are looking and waiting. We slide over them as though they were only a parenthesis and hasten on to ask for bread and deliverance from our greatest foe.”[26]

 “The God of the universe is recognized, our Father who is in the heavens, the God and the Father of Jesus Christ…the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh. We recognize and reverence him as ‘Our Father which art in heaven,’ we bow before him and seek unto him for his guidance and direction. We hallow and reverence his name.”[27]

 “How important it is that God’s name should be hallowed in our daily conduct, and particularly in our worship. We can best hallow the name of God by sanctifying his name and helping others to sanctify it. We should sanctify his name by showing love and reverence and in calling upon him in worship, doing all these things that would redound to his glory.”[28]

 “THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.”

““Call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth.”[29]

“The kingdom of God is to be a kingdom of order, in which toleration and the recognition of individual rights shall prevail. One who really prays that this kingdom come will strive to hasten its coming by living according to the law of God. His effort will be to keep himself in harmony with the order of the kingdom, to subject the flesh to the spirit, selfishness to altruism [selflessness], and to learn to love the things that God loves. To make the will of God supreme on earth as it is in heaven is to be allied with God in the affairs of life.”[30]

“The kingdom of God means the government of God. That means power, authority, rule, dominion and a people to rule over; but that principle will not be fulfilled, cannot be entirely fulfilled, until… the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he will rule over them. And when unto him every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is Christ, to the glory of God, the Father.”[31]

“There is only one way by which this can be accomplished, and that is by our accepting him as our God and by living his commandments and helping to build his kingdom here upon the earth. His church and kingdom has been established here upon the earth today, and it can be built up only as we accept his teachings, live them, and teach them to the world.”[32]

“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.”

“Food is indispensable to life… Though the sun shines and the rain falls alike on the just and the unjust, the righteous man is grateful for these blessings; the ungodly man receives the benefits as a matter of course with a soul incapable of gratitude. The capacity to be grateful is a blessing, for the possession of which we should be further grateful. We are taught to pray day by day for the food we need, not for a great store to be laid by for the distant future… The man with much finds it easier to forget his dependence than he who must ask with each succeeding day of need.”[33]

“[Jesus] request for ‘daily bread’ includes a need for spiritual nourishment as well… as we partake of sacramental emblems worthily, we are further promised that we may always have his Spirit to be with us[34]. That is spiritual sustenance that cannot be obtained any other way.”[35]

“We ask for those things we want from the Lord. Honesty is essential in requesting things from God. It would not be fully honest, … to ask the Lord for help on a test in school if I have not paid attention in class, done the homework assigned, or studied for the test. Often as I pray, the Spirit nudges me to admit that there is more I should do to receive the help I am asking from the Lord. Then I must commit and do my part. It is contrary to the economy of heaven for the Lord to do for us that which we can do for ourselves.”[36]

“AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.” (Compare JST)

“He who can thus pray with full intent and unmixed purpose merits forgiveness. In this specification of personal supplication we are taught to expect only as we deserve… Forgiveness is too precious a pearl to be cast at the feet of the unforgiving; and without the sincerity that springs from a contrite heart, no man may justly claim mercy.”[37]

“An essential and sometimes forgotten part of personal prayer is repentance. For repentance to work, it must be specific, profound, and lasting.”[38]

“AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.” (Compare JST)

“The plan of mortality involved the certainty of temptation. The intent of the supplication appears to be that we be preserved from temptation beyond our weak powers to withstand; that we be not abandoned to temptation without the divine support that shall be as full a measure of protection as our exercise of choice will allow… Temptation will fall in our way without our seeking, and evil will present itself even when we desire most to do right; for deliverance from such we may pray with righteous expectation and assurance.”[39]

“In our prayers we may begin the protective process of putting on the whole armor of God[40] by looking forward to the day ahead and asking for help with the sometimes frightening things we may face. Please, … do not forget to ask the Lord to protect and be with you.”[41]

“FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOR EVER. AMEN”

“Herein we acknowledge the supremacy of the Being whom we addressed at the beginning as Father. He is the Almighty in whom and though whose provision we live and move and have our existence. To assert independence of God is both sacrilege and blasphemy, to acknowledge Him is a filial [devoted] duty and a just confession of His majesty and dominion.”[42]

“Remember, the kingdom of God, the power of God, the glory of God should be man’s most cherished and important blessings and goals in this life.”[43]

 “Our prayers also close with ‘Amen’… It means ‘truly’ or ‘verily’[44]. Adding amen solemnly affirms a sermon or a prayer.[45] Those who concur should each add an audible amen to signify ‘that is my solemn declaration too.’[46]”[47]

 “How instructive it is that Jesus concluded this prayer by praising God again and expressing His reverence for and submission to the Father. When we truly believe that God rules His kingdom and that He has all power and all glory, we are recognizing that He really is in charge, that He loves us with a perfect love, and that He wants us to be happy. I have found that one of the secrets to a joyful life is to recognize that doing things the Lord’s way will make me happier than doing things my way.”[48]

“When we use these sacred words, “in the name of Jesus Christ,” they are much more than a way to get out of a prayer or out of a testimony or out of a talk. We are on holy ground... We are using a name most sublime, most holy, and most wonderful—the very name of the Son of God. We are now able to come unto the Father through His Beloved Son. What power and reassurance and peace come when we really pray in His name. This conclusion to the prayer may, in many ways, be the most important part of the prayer. We can appeal to the Father through His victorious Son with confidence that our prayers will be heard. We can ask and receive, we can seek and find and subsequently find the open door.”[49]

FASTING AND PRAYER

“Fasting, prayer, and the contributing of the full amount of fast offering are the Lord's divine prescription for many of the blessings which everyone of us needs in one way or another or at one time or another. In order that this great Church may do its part in taking care of the poor, that both the giver and the receiver may be blessed as the Lord desires, we commend to you more serious consideration of the law of fasting, and then prayer as its companion, and then the payment of an honest fast offering in keeping with the value of the meals not consumed on that day.”[50]

“Fasting, when practiced in prudence, and genuine prayer and conducive to the development of faith with its accompanying power for good.”[51]

“The sweet power of prayer can be intensified by fasting, on occasion, when appropriate to a particular need.”[52]

“Fasting, with prayer, its companion, is designed to increase spirituality, to foster a spirit of devotion and a love of God, to increase faith in the hearts of men, thus assuring divine favor; to encourage humility and contrition of soul; to aid in the acquirement of righteousness; and to teach man his nothingness and dependence upon God; and to hasten along the path of salvation those who properly comply with this law of fasting.”[53]

“We observe that in the scriptures, fasting almost always is linked with prayer. Without prayer, fasting is not complete fasting; it’s simply going hungry. If we want our fasting to be more than just going without eating, we must lift our hearts, our minds, and our voices in communion with our Heavenly Father. Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful. It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit. It can strengthen us against times of temptation. Fasting and prayer can help develop within us courage and confidence. It can strengthen our character and build self-restraint and discipline. Often when we fast, our righteous prayers and petitions have greater power. Testimonies grow. We mature spiritually and emotionally and sanctify our souls. Each time we fast, we gain a little more control over our worldly appetites and passions.”[54]

 “By observing fasting and prayer in its true spirit, the Latter-day Saints cannot be overpowered by Satan tempting them to evil.”[55]

“The purpose of our fast may be a very personal one. Fasting can help us overcome personal flaws and sins. It can help us overcome our weaknesses—help them become strengths. Fasting can help us become more humble, less prideful, less selfish, and more concerned about the needs of others. It can help us see more clearly our own mistakes and weaknesses and help us be less prone to criticize others. … A family fast might help increase love and appreciation among family members and reduce the amount of contention in the family.”[56]

POWER IN PRAYER

“Prayer is a divine fellowship with God. Such spiritual companionship brings a matchless blessing.”[57]

“To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace. Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us. Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought through prayer.”[58]

“The most unused resource in the world today is prayer. The greatest undeveloped resource is faith and the greatest unused resource is prayer.”[59]

“Prayer is not only worship, but it is also the most powerful form of energy that one can generate. The influence of prayer on the human mind and body is as demonstrable as that of secreting glands. Its results can be measured in terms of increased physical buoyancy, greater intellectual vigor, moral stamina, and a deeper understanding of the realities underlying human relations… Prayer stamps with its indelible mark our actions and demeanor. A tranquility of bearing, a facial and bodily repose are observed in those whose inner lives are thus enriched. Within the depths of his consciousness a flame kindles, and man sees himself—his selfishness, his silly pride, his fear, his blunders. He develops a sense of moral obligation, intellectual humility. Thus begins a journey of the soul toward the realm of peace.”[60]

“Humble, trusting prayer brings direction and peace.”[61]

“Prayer, the basic exercise of the spirit, must be actively practiced in our lives. The neglected soul of man must be made strong enough to assert itself once more. For if the power of prayer is again released and used in the lives of common men and women, if the spirit declares its aims clearly and boldly, there is yet hope that our prayers for a better world may be answered.”[62]

“The prayer of faith is the secret of the strength of the Church.”[63]

FAMILY PRAYER

“This should be a part of our daily worship. It should express our appreciation to our Father in heaven for our many blessings as well as our love for him. Here we should ask for our daily needs, as the Savior did in the Lord’s Prayer. The holding of family prayer is a powerful influence for good in every home where it is a regular practice. Morning and evening prayers, as well as the blessing on our food, bring us a sense of unity in our family as well as a closeness to our Father in heaven. Family prayer is indeed a stabilizing influence in our lives.”[64]

PRAY AS CHRIST - ADDITIONAL NOTES

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[1] Elder L. Edward Brown, “Pray unto the Father in My Name”, Ensign, May 1997

[2] Franklin D Richards, The Importance of Prayer, Ensign, July 1972

[3] Bible Dictionary, 753

[4] David E. Sorensen, Prayer, Ensign, April 1993

[5] Alma Sonne, “Render Unto Caesar…”, April 1955 Annual General Conference

[6] Howard W. Hunter, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, Ensign, November 1977

[7] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 237-238

[8] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 435

[9] Marion G Romney as quoted by Devere Harris, Spiritual Power, Ensign, November 1984

[10] John 14:13–14; 16:23–24

[11] John 15:7; D&C 46:30

[12] 3 Ne. 18:20

[13] James 4:3; D&C 46:9

[14] D&C 88:65

[15] Guide to the Scriptures, ‘Prayer’

[16] Howard W. Hunter, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, Ensign, November 1977

[17] see Dallin H. Oaks, “The Language of Prayer,” Ensign, May 1993

[18] Russell M Nelson, Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers, Ensign, May 2009

[19] James E. Faust, The Lifeline of Prayer, Ensign, May 2002

[20] Eldred G. Smith, Seek Ye the Lord, 1950 October Semi-Annual General Conference

[21] Eldred G. Smith, Seek Ye the Lord, 1950 October Semi-Annual General Conference

[22] President N. Eldon Tanner, The Importance of Prayer, Ensign, May 1974

[23] J. Devn Cornish ,The Privilege of Prayer, Ensign, November 2011

[24] Russell M Nelson, Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers, Ensign, May 2009

[25] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 238-239

[26] Charles Edward Jefferson as quoted by Howard W. Hunter, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, Ensign, November 1977

[27] John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 21:61

[28] President N. Eldon Tanner, The Importance of Prayer, Ensign, May 1974

[29] Doctrine and Covenants 65:5

[30] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 239

[31] John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 21:61

[32] President N. Eldon Tanner, The Importance of Prayer, Ensign, May 1974

[33] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 239-240

[34] See Moroni 4:3; 5:2; D&C 20:77, 79

[35] Russell M Nelson, Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers, Ensign, May 2009

[36] J. Devn Cornish ,The Privilege of Prayer, Ensign, November 2011

[37] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 240

[38] J. Devn Cornish ,The Privilege of Prayer, Ensign, November 2011

[39] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 241

[40] see  Ephesians 6:11;  D&C 27:15

[41] J. Devn Cornish ,The Privilege of Prayer, Ensign, November 2011

[42] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 241

[43] Bernard P Brockbank, Prayer to Our Heavenly Father, Ensign, Nov 1979

[44] In the Hebrew and Greek languages, amen means “truly,” “surely,” “verily,” or “so be it.”

[45] See Revelation 1:18; 22:20-21. It is also used in confirming agreements (see 1 Kings 1:36)

[46] See Psalm 106:48; Revelations 5:13-14; 19:4; D&C 88:135

[47] Russell M Nelson, Lessons from the Lord’s Prayers, Ensign, May 2009

[48] J. Devn Cornish ,The Privilege of Prayer, Ensign, November 2011

[49] Elder L. Edward Brown, “Pray unto the Father in My Name”, Ensign, May 1997

[50] Thorpe B. Isaacson, The Blessing of Fasting, April 1962 Annual General Conference

[51] James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 1981, p. 395

[52] Russell M. Nelson, Sweet Power of Prayer, Ensign, May 2003

[53] Thorpe B. Isaacson, The Blessing of Fasting, April 1962 Annual General Conference

[54] Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Law of the Fast, Ensign, May 2001

[55] Delbert L. Stapley, Fasting and Prayer, October 1951 Semi-Annual General Conference

[56] Carl B. Pratt, The Blessings of a Proper Fast, Ensign, November 2004

[57] L. Tom Perry, “Our Father Which Art in Heaven”, Ensign, November 1983

[58] Thomas S Monson, Be Your Best Self,” Ensign, May 2009, 68

[59] Thomas E. McKay, There Is Power in Prayer, April 1949 Annual General Conference

[60] Thomas E. McKay, There Is Power in Prayer, April 1949 Annual General Conference

[61] Richard G. Scott, Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer, Ensign April 2007

[62] Thomas E. McKay, There Is Power in Prayer, April 1949 Annual General Conference

[63] Hyrum M. Smith as quoted by David E. Sorensen, Prayer, Ensign, April 1993

[64] Franklin D Richards, The Importance of Prayer, Ensign, July 1972