Prayer

    (WHEN and WHERE)Prayer is the simple act of communing with our Heavenly Father but it is also, to some extent, a sacred way of living. For praying is not just something that we should do for a daily checklist - a morning, noon, night, and meal time effort. It's a holy act, meant to be in our hearts ALWAYS: on holy and unholy days accompanied by sacraments in houses of prayer, when its legal and when it's illegal, when we are overcome with fear or bitterness of hell(needing repentance), when we are merry or recognizing the joy of sacred events(needing to praise and give thanks), when we're in trouble, and before every endeavor - before we perform anything so it can be consecrated for the welfare of our souls. ALWAYS and EVERYWHERE. We need to give ourselves continually to prayer(and ministering of word), constantly without ceasing by rejoicing in hope and being patient in tribulation.We need to pray in private and public, in a grove, at an altar, in the temple, on the holy mountain, in a house of prayer, the wilderness, the fields, your house, your closet - build it, find it, organize it - wherever you are, pray. Our hearts and minds need to be living in a way so that every thought and action and breathe - no matter where or when - is a direct effort to communicate and serve with our Heavenly Father - until everything we are doing is being done in the name of the Lord.

    (WHAT)Aside from praying in the general sense for everything we do, the Lord has counseled us to specifically pray for a number of things. We must pray for physical and spiritual needs as well as physical and spiritual deliverance. We must pray for our descendants and our current relationships and our enemies. We must pray for others' faith to not fail them and for others to be blameless before Christ. We must pray for guidance and safety and wisdom. We must pray for Satan to depart and the ability to resist temptation. We must pray to not have to take flight in winter or on the Sabbath. We must pray to watch for signs of the second coming. We must pray for the sick, for one another to be healed, for strength. We must pray to give thanks, to give praise, and to proclaim we will only worship God.

    (HOW)Prayer is labor, so we must treat pray as if it is the work that will provide for our daily needs - for yourself and your family. While it is labor, we should also think of it as a counseling with the Lord - way for us to both consecrate our doings but also be guided in our choices for where and how we use our time. Prayer is also a song of the heart, so sing, sing, sing! Prayer is asking, seeking, and knock. When you ask, you receive. When you seek, you find. And when you knock, things are opened. Thus, asking brings blessings. Seeking brings knowledge, wisdom, and identity. And knocking brings opportunities. We should follow the Lord's example of prayer by 1)acknowledging Heavenly Father 2)in humility(not my will, but thine) 3)ask for physical needs 4)ask for spiritual needs/relationship needs 5)ask for guidance/safety/deliverance to glory *6)In Jesus' name. We must also keep in mind these steps: 1) Harden not your hearts 2)Ask in faith 3)Believe you'll receive through the Holy Ghost and 4)Keep the commandments diligently(for diligently keeping the commandments brings answers to prayers). We must study our choices and desires out first, then pray if they are right. If they are you will feel a burning of your bosom, if not you will feel a stupor of thought. We must CRY unto Him  with faith - nothing waivering(for nothing can be done without it) and you must truly believe you'll receive a personal, divine manifestation. Whether we are praying out loud or in our hearts(when you can't raise your voice, pour out your heart), we must pray humbly, soberly, with sincerity, with all energy of our hearts, with spirit and understanding, with supplication and thanksgiving, with obedience and a contrite spirit, with real intent(or it profits you nothing), with patience, with all the desire of our soul, without procrastination. We must not do it for show - to be heard of men or praised for wisdom, or with vain repetition. We must not ask for things we shouldn't - if you have the Spirit while you pray you'll know what to ask for and if you ask in the Spirit, it will be done. There is added power to prayer when you pray with others. If you give honor to your spouse, prayers will not be hindered. If you are abiding in Christ and His words(charity and scripture) - whatever you ask will be done. And even if you do not do any of these things, if you find yourself at a loss of how or what to pray for - the Spirit will make intercession for you.

    (WHY) There are so many reasons why we should pray. It is first and foremost an act of faith - and everything begins with faith. Through prayer you will find God - for He is with those that pray - and be blessed and ultimately saved for that is how God hears and forgives sins(salvation is coming to Christ, offering soul, fasting and praying, and enduring). Prayer is the beginning and sanctification of repentance. And when sins are forgiven miracles pour forth - following those who are praying and fasting: lands are healed, questions are answered, doors are opened, the lost are found, wonderful works are done, devils are cast out, sick are healed, eyes of blind are opened, deaf hear, dumb speak, poison has no effect, and you receive visions of things you wish to see. It is a commandment(and like all commandments, you will be chastened if you do not do it). Prayer(and fasting)is an act of service to God and it blesses others and makes it so that whatever is done in prayer glorifies Heavenly Father through Christ's name. When you consecrate your endeavors to the Lord then your performance will be for the welfare of thy soul. When you do it often it changes your countenance and you become stronger and stronger in humility, firmer and firmer in faith, and your soul is filled with joy and consolation as well as becoming worthy to escape bad things to come(prayer and thanksgiving are a protection against evils) and stand before the Lord, and the Spirit will be poured on you and so great will be your blessings even more than obtaining treasures of earth. The many, many blessings of prayer include: spirit of prophecy, teaching with power and authority, resisting temptation, led by the Spirit who will fill you with hope and perfect love, guidance and directing for thy good, humility, meekness, submissiveness, patience, full of love and all long suffering, mercy, even vengeance(if you can wear Heavenly Father down with your prayers He will avenge you), purifying and sanctifying of hearts, mighty power in faith, works and miracles, soul will be filled with love, you become a child of God - becoming like Him, purified as He is pure, lowliness of heart, receive knowledge and know truth and mysteries of God(which in turn will help you bring others to truth), you will come off conqueror/conquer Satan, and ultimately God gives liberally all things if you ask. Why should I pray? Because my soul hungers. It hungers for all the things that come through the power of prayer.

    (MISC)THE LORD HEARS PRAYERS. Over and over and over again in the scriptures are examples and testimonies that the Lord hears your prayers. Your prayers are recorded in the sacred book of names. You must observe to follow the answers to your prayers or you will receive a chastening. People who fast and pray do not boast of themselves. While Jesus was on the earth, the children wanted to pray with Him. We must teach our children to pray. If you don't get what you prayed for, you asked amiss. It is a sin for prophets to not pray for you, and they are blessed when they do. Blessings are a type of prayer - they help you rejoice in hope and be patient in tribulations. Sometimes before your prayers are answered, you are first smitten. Evil spirits teach you not to pray, the Spirit will always teach you to pray.

*Gen 4:26 - Pray after birth of a child
*Gen 21:33 - Abraham planted a grove and used it to pray
*Rom 10:13 - Call on the Lord = saved
*Moses 6:4 - Call on the Lord = blessed

*Moses 4:11 - Call on the Lord daily, humbly

*Ether 2:14 - Lord chastens brother of Jared for 3 hours because he didn't remember to call on  Him

*Gen 12:8 - Build an altar to pray

*Gen 20:7 - You are blessed when prophets pray for you, Num 21:7. It's a sin for prophets when they don't pray for you (1 Sam 12:23)

*Gen 25:22 - Rebekah prayed about children in her womb

*1 Sam 16:22 - Pray=Inquire, to have hidden things revealed, for understanding (1 Ne 16:24), for direction (Alma 27:7)

*2 Kings 19:4 - Pray for descendants

*2 Kings 19:20 - Lord hears prayers

*2 Kings 20:12 - Pray in private

*2 Chron 7:14 - Pray in humility, God will hear, forgive sins, and heal land (American needs this)

*2 Chron 15:4 - Turn to God when you're in trouble, seek Him with all your heart and you'll find Him. (Jer 29:13)

*Psalm 55:17 - Pray morning, noon and night and He will hear you (Dan 6:10)

*Prov 15:29 - He hears prayers of righteous

*Isa 56:7 - Holy mountain, house of prayer, altar, temple, for all people -Matt 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46

*Dan 6:10 - Daniel prayed, even when it was illegal

*Joel 2:32 - Prayer=Deliverance

*Jonah 2 - Jonah pray=deliverance from the whale

*Matt 5:44 - Pray for your enemies (Luke 6:28, 3 Ne 12:44)

*Matt 6:5-15 - Pray in secret, don't use vain repetition(Luke 18:10-14, Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47, Woe to those who pray for show - Matt 23:14), Lord's prayer teaches us how to pray: 1. Acknowledge Heavenly Father 2. Thy will be done (humility) 3. Give us bread (physical) 4. Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors (spiritual) Mark 11:25 5. Lead/deliver us (glory).

*Matt 7:7 - Ask, seek, knock and you'll be given, you'll find, and doors will be opened (3 Ne 14:7, D&C 4:7, 6:5, 66:9, Matt 21:22, Mark 11:24, D&C 29:6, 3 Ne 13:5, 9, Luke 11:2, 3 Ne 18:20, Moro 7:26) ASK = Blessings, SEEK = Identity, KNOCK = Opportunities

*Matt 14:23 - Go to the mountain top to pray, Mark 6:46

*Matt 17:21 - The faithful who go out with prayer and fasting move mountains

*D&C 84:65-73 - Signs that follow those who believe (praying and fasting): wonderful works, cast out devils, heal sick, open eyes of blind, deaf hear, dumb speak, immune to poison, don't boast of themselves - Mark 9:29, cannot happen without prayer and fasting

*Matt 18:19-20 - Power in praying together

*Matt 19:13 - Children wanted to pray with Jesus

*Matt 21:13 - Temple is house of prayer

*Matt 24:20 - Pray that you don't have to take flight in winter or on Sabbath, Mark 13:18

*Matt 26:39 - Christ praying to have cup pass from Him, not my will but thine (like how he taught in Lord's prayer)

*Matt 26:41 - Watch and pray(always - D&C 31:12) that you can resist temptation, Mark 14:38, Luke 22:40,46, Eph 6:18

*Mark 13:33 - Watch and pray because you don't know the time of the Second Coming

*Luke 2:37 - Serve God by praying and fasting - Luke 5:33 -& blessing others Acts 13:3

*Luke 9:29 - Prayer changes your countenance

*Luke 18:1 - Parable about praying always: if you bug Him enough, you'll wear Him down and be avenged, D&C 88:120, 101:81

*Luke 21:36 - Pray always = worthy to escape bad things to come/able to stand before Lord

*Luke 22:32 - Pray for other's faith to fail them not

*John 14:13 - Whatever you ask will be done so Father can be glorified in Christ's name.

*John 15:7 - Whatever you ask will be done if you abide in Me and my words abide in you (be filled with charity and scripture)

*John 17 - Study the Intercessory Prayer

*Acts 6:4 - Give yourselves continually to prayer and to ministering the word

*Acts 6:6 - Blessings are a type of prayer

*Rom 8:26 - Even when you don't know how to or what to pray for, the Spirit will make intercession for you.

*Rom 12:12 - Constant prayer means you rejoice in hope and have patience in tribulation

*1 Cor 14:15 - Pray with the Spirit and understanding

*Phil 4:6 - Prayer is supplication with thanksgiving in Jesus' name, Col 3:17

*Col 4:12 - Prayer is labor

*1 Thess 5:17 - Pray without ceasing 1)Cry unto Him 2)Let your heart be full, drawn out in prayer, Alma 34:27

*1 Thess 5:23 - Pray for others to be blameless before Christ

*1 Tim 2:8 - Pray everywhere

*James 1:6 - Ask in faith, nothing waivering

*D&C 42:68 - If you lack wisdom, ask, God will give it to you liberally

*D&C 46:7 - Ask God in all things, He'll give liberally, do all things with prayer AND thanksgiving (protection against evils)

*James 4:3 - If you ask and don't receive, ye asked amiss

*James 5:14 - Let elders of Church pray for the sick

*James 5:16 - Pray for one another to be healed

*1 Pet 3:7 - Give honor to your spouses so your prayers won't be hindered

*1 Pet 3:12 - Lord is with those that pray, know that He hears you and has your petitions-1 John 5:15

*1 Pet 4:7 - End of all things is at hand, be sober and watch with prayer

*1 John 3:22 - Receive answers to prayers when you keep the commandments

*Rev 5:8 - 4 Beasts and 24 Elders carried prayers of saints to the Lord

*1 Ne 15:11 - 1)Harden not your hearts -Alma 22:16(humble yourselves/repent-Alma 34:19) 2)Ask in faith 3)Believe you'll receive through the Holy Ghost 4) Keep the commandments diligently

*2 Ne 4:35 - God gives liberally to those who ask, ask not amiss

*2 Ne 26:15 - After smitten by Gentiles, prayers of the righteous will be heard and those who've dwindled in unbelief will not be forgotten.

*2 Ne 32:8 - Evil spirits teach you not to pray, Spirit teaches you to pray

*2 Ne 32:9 - Pray before every endeavor, consecrate it to the Lord, performance will be for the welfare of thy soul.

*Enos 1:4 - My soul hungered - prayer and supplication all day and night

*Omni 1:26 - Salvation = 1)Come unto Christ 2)Offer your soul 3) Fast and pray 4) Endure to the end

*Alma 17:3 - Fasting and praying brings spirit of prophecy, let's you teach with power and authority, Alma 5:46

*Mos 24:12 - When you cannot raise your voice, pour out your heart.

*Mos 27:14 - Prayers of servants of Lord are answered, others blessed by it, Alma 10:23

*Alma 13:28 - Blessings of prayer: resist temptation, led by Spirit, humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long suffering.

*Alma 31:22 - Don't do vain, repetitious prayers - Alma 38:13, or praying to be heard of men, praised for wisdom

*Alma 34:17 - Use prayer to repent, brings mercy

*Alma 37:37 - Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings - he will direct thee for good

*Hel 3:35 - When you fast and pray oft, you wax stronger and stronger in humility, firmer and firmer in faith, souls filled with joy and consolation to the purifying and sanctifying of hearts. *D&C 88:76

*Hel 10:5 - When God knows you won't ask amiss, you have mighty power in faith and works and miracles

*3 Ne 17:15 - Even Jesus prays, 3 Ne 18:16 - Pray as He prays, 3 Ne 19:24 - When filled with desire, can't stop praying.

*Moro 7:6 - If you're not praying with real intent it profits you nothing

*Moro 7:48 - Purpose of prayer is to pray with all energy of heart that your soul will be filled with love, to become children of God, to become like Him, purified as He is pure.

*Moro 8:26 - Repentance, lowliness of heart, meekness - bring Holy Ghost filling you with hope and perfect love - all of which can only endure by diligence of prayer.

*Moro 10:3-5 - Prayer brings truth, knowledge

*D&C 5:24- God grants you visions of the things you wish to see when you humble yourself in might prayer and faith with sincerity of heart.

*D&C 6:11- Ask and thou shalt know mysteries, exercise thy gift to find mysteries and bring many to truth

*D&C 8:10- Remember you can do nothing without faith, so ask in faith, but don't trifle, don't ask for things you know you shouldn't ask for.

*D&C 9:8-Study it out in your mind, then pray about it-if it's right you'll have a burning in your bosom

*D&C 10:5- Pray always that you may come off conqueror; yea that you may conquer Satan

*2 Ne 32:9 - Pray always, faint not, don't perform anything unto the Lord save in the first place you've prayed so that He can consecrate thy performance for the welfare of thy soul.

*D&C 19:28- Pray out loud and in your heart, pray in public and in private

*D&C 19:38- Pray always, spirit will be poured upon you, so great will be your blessing even more than if you obtained treasures of earth.

*D&C 25:12 - Song of the heart/of the righteous is prayer unto me, answered blessings on your head

*D&C 42:14 - Spirit is given with the prayer of faith, if you don't have Spirit - don't teach.

*D&C 46:30 - If you ask in the Spirit, you ask according to the will of God, so it will be done.

*D&C 50:30 - If you have the Spirit, you'll know what to ask in prayer

*D&C 52:15 - Prayer requires obedience and a contrite spirit

*D&C 59:9 - Go to the house of prayer, offer sacraments on holy day(to be unspotted from the world)

*D&C 68:8-Teach your children to pray.

*D&C68:33-If you don't "observe" your prayers in the season, there will be a chastening

*D&C 88:2(98:2)-Prayers are heard by the Lord and recorded in sacred book of names

*D&C 88:119(109:8)-Organize and establish a house of prayer

*D&C 112:10- Be humble and the Lord will answer your prayers

*D&C 136:28- When you are merry, say a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

*Moses 1:20 - When you are overcome with fear or bitterness of hell, pray and ask for strength and command Satan to depart and proclaim you will only worship God of glory.

*Moses 5:8-Do everything you do in the name of the Lord - repent always

*JSH 1:14 - Joseph's first attempt to pray vocally about his problem led to First Vision

*JSH 1:29-Joseph went to pray to repent and had faith that he would have a personal divine manifestation.

*D&C 54:10- Be patient, those who sought God early will find rest for their souls.

*Isaiah 29:8-9 - Desire with soul to remember and seek God early