Power of prayer

What does prayer mean to you?

"Because we know that we are the children of God, one of the most important things we must make up our minds to do on our way to success and happiness is to pray regularly and fervently to him for guidance and strength."  - Marion G. Romney

We pray because we know, or want to know the relationship we have with the Father. 
"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God... then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part.  Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship.  Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other.  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.  Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them.  Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."  -Bible Dictionary

I know that was really long but it teaches us that we are God's child, that we pray for things that God is already willing to grant us, but He is waiting for us to ask for them.  We receive blessings when we put forth work, and PRAYER is a form of WORK!

How do we pray?

1. We address our Heavenly Father  ex. "dear Heavenly Father"

2. Say things that we are grateful for

3. Ask for help, questions, blessings

4. close by saying "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

We also can receive help with praying when we seek the Spirit to help us to pray. 

Ephesians 6:18

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT..."

The Spirit can help us to pray.  Some times we can feel like we don't want to pray, or not good at praying.  But when we pray with the help of the Spirit, we can have comfort and help with our prayers. 

So what uses does prayer have in our lives?

1. We can pray to receive answers

2. We can pray to repent and change and become better

3. We can to thank Heavenly Father for our blessings and ask him for things we need

4. Then the ultimate challenge is to discern the things that the Holy Ghost is telling us when we pray. 

The next couple of blogs will be going over these points.

Praying to know knowledge

There are 3 examples from the scriptures that I want to talk about that prayed to know knowledge.

Lehi

Nephi

Joseph Smith

These 3 men knew the source of all truth.  Lehi, was a prophet who desired to know the will of God.  He was instructed to leave Jerusalem and go to the "promise land."  He was very close to the Lord and asked in prayer which way to lead his family.  What to do when they got to the Americas.  His prayers and obedience allowed him to see a vision called the "tree of life" vision.  This vision he saw different people in life, some trying to be obedient and others not so much.  But it gives us great knowledge to learn from.  Lehi seeing this vision led Nephi, his son, to pray and to ask God to see the vision and the interpretation of the vision.  He had 3 qualities that allowed him to receive an answer to his prayer. 

1 Nephi 11:1

"For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the spirit of the Lord..."

When we have desire to know specific knowledge, faith that God will give it to us, and ponder it out in our minds, GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS.  The answer most likely won't be a vision, but will come in the form of peace, joy or happiness with the decision.  Your mind can become enlightened on a subject you are struggling to understand.  If the answer is not necessary for you right now, he grants peace and patience until the time is right. 

Joseph Smith is another example of this.  He had desire.  He wanted to know what church to join.  He wanted to be obedient and follow God with exactness.  He had Faith. He knew that after he read James 1:5 that "if any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God."  Joseph Smith knew if he followed this scripture, that God would answer him.  Then he pondered it.  I use to think that Joseph Smith woke up one morning, debated which church to go to.  Read the scriptures and BAM- James 1:5 was read.  And the rest was history.  That is far from the truth.  Joseph Smith debated this out in his mind.  He records in the Joseph Smith History 1:8 "I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit."  1:13 "At LENGTH I came to the conclusion..."  This was not an overnight decision.  Joseph allowed it to stew in his mind.  he pondered it and wanted to learn truth and asked in faith, knowing that God would answer his prayer.

Sometimes our questions are answered the day of.  Sometimes we are allowed more time to ponder and pray about a question so that when we are prepared most, we will receive the answer.  Some times answers take time and effort to show God our faith, patience, and dedication to know the answer.  Think of how much more you appreciate anything you get if you worked for it versus when you just receive it.  Our appreciation grows.  We cherish the answer or gift we receive. 

I know that God will answer our prayers.  If he doesn't answer with the answer we want, he has something better in store for us!

I KNOW

So, I don't have a great analogy today with anything that I have seen, but I was sitting in this chair and was trying to decide what I wanted to blog about.  The only thing that kept coming into my mind was to testify.  Write out your testimony.   So here you go.

I know that God exists. I know that He loves each and everyone one of us.  I know that He is my Father.  I know that He is happy when we obey, and sad when we disobey.  I know that He wanted us to come to this earth, and that He wants ALL of us to return to His presence through baptism and keeping the commandments.

I know that His Son Jesus Christ lives.  I know He loves us.  I know that He performed the atonement for me because He loves me.  I know that the Atonement is there to allow us to be forgiven, to be cleansed, to right any wrongs that happen to us in this life, and to allow us each to return to live with our Father in Heaven.

I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.  That he had the faith it took to go in to that grove of trees and kneel down and ask God himself which church was true.  And that God the Father came down and His Son, Jesus Christ, and told Joseph Smith that none of the sects were true and that he, Joseph Smith, was to be a prophet.  A prophet that is called by God himself to lead and direct His children back to Him.  To bring back those ordinances and covenants we need to do to enter God's presence.  Joseph Smith did translate the plates that contained the Book of Mormon through the power of God.  

I know that the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints has been restored to the earth and that it is the same church that Jesus Christ established when he was on the earth.  I know this because I have asked God, my Eternal Father, and He has told me it's true in my heart and in my mind.




I know this clip is a little long, but it is SO amazing!  These are the testimonies of Apostles of Christ.  Apostles are to represent Christ and testify of Christ.  In the Bible dictionary it states:
"The calling of an apostle is to be a special witness of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world, particularly of his divinity and of his bodily resurrection from the dead."

So, grab a cup of hot chocolate, or a little bag of popcorn, or some of that Christmas candy you got and take the time to be uplifted as you listen to apostles of the Lord testify of Jesus the Christ.