About Prayer 2023
- charitykohler
- May 17, 2023
- 2 min read
What is prayer all about and how do we properly pray to God?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie gives 10 items that will guide us in perfecting our prayers.
1. What is Prayer?
“To pray is to speak with God, either vocally or by forming the thoughts involved in the mind. Prayers may properly include expressions of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration; they are the solemn occasions during which the children of God petition their Eternal Father for those things, both temporal and spiritual, which they feel are needed to sustain them in all the varied tests of this mortal probation. Prayers are occasions of confession—occasions when in humility and contrition, having broken hearts and contrite spirits, the saints confess their sins to Deity and implore him to grant his cleansing forgiveness.” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 581.)
2. Why Do We Pray?
“We are commanded to do so. We receive spiritual and temporal blessings after proper prayer. Prayer is essential to salvation.”
3. Who Do We Pray To?
“We are commanded to pray to the Father (Elohim) in the name of the Son (Jehovah).”
4. What Do We Ask For?
“We are entitled and expected to pray for all things properly needed whether temporal or spiritual. We do not have the right of unlimited petition; our requests must be based on righteousness.”
5. Who Do We Pray For?
“Our prayers are neither selfish nor self-centered. We seek the spiritual well-being of all men. Some of our prayers are for the benefit and blessing of the Saints alone, others are for the enlightenment and benefit of all our Father’s children.”
6. When and Where Do We Pray?
“Pray always.” So it is written—meaning: Pray regularly, consistently, day in and day out; and also, live with the spirit of prayer always in your heart, so that your thoughts, words, and acts are always such as will please Him who is Eternal.”
7. How Do We Pray?
“Always address the Father; give thanks for your blessings; petition him for just and proper needs; and do it in the name of Jesus Christ. Pray earnestly, sincerely, with real intent, and with all the energy and strength of your soul. Pray by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
8. Do We Pray For Everything?
“It is not, never has been, and never will be the design and purpose of the Lord—however much we seek him in prayer—to answer all our problems and concerns without struggle and effort on our part. This mortality is a probationary estate. In it we have our agency. We are being tested to see how we will respond in various situations; how we will decide issues; what course we will pursue while we are here walking, not by sight, but by faith. Hence, we are to solve our own problems and then to counsel with the Lord in prayer and receive a spiritual confirmation that our decisions are correct.”
9. What Are Prayer Formalities?
“We approach Deity in the spirit of awe, reverence, and worship.”
10. What Do We Do After We Pray?
“Having prayed, we act; our proper petitions have the effect of charting a righteous course of conduct for us.”
For a more detailed description of the above comments click on the link below.
Comments