>
We are encouraged to pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5:17. Pray without ceasing.
Right manner of prayer
Matthew 6:5-7. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites,
that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the
streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have
received their reward. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy
chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and
thy father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when you are
praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in
their much speaking they may be heard.
The Lord's Prayer for us to pray
Matthew 6:9-13. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive
our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from
evil. Amen.
We should pray humbly
Luke 18:10-14. Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a
Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed
thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest
of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast
twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican,
standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards
heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a
sinner. I say to you, this man went down into his house justified
rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself shall
be humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
We should pray with confidence in God
Hebrews 4:16. Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of
grace: that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid.
Answer to prayer may not be exactly what we asked for
Deuteronomy 3:26-27. And the Lord was angry with me on your
account and heard me not, but said to me: It is enough: speak no
more to me of this matter. Go up to the top of Phasga, and cast thy
eyes round about to the west, and to the north, and to the south, and
to the east, and behold it, for thou shalt not pass this Jordan.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9. And lest the greatness of the revelations should
exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan,
to buffet me. For which thing, thrice I besought the Lord that it might
depart from me. And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee:
for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Pray for good things
3 Kings 3:5-13. And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by
night, saying: Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee. And
Solomon said: Thou hast shewed great mercy to thy servant David,
my father, even as he walked before thee in truth, and justice, and
an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept thy great mercy for
him, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of
David, my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to go out
and come in; And thy servant is in the midst of the people which
thou hast chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered
nor counted for multitude. Give therefore to thy servant an
understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good
and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people,
which is so numerous? And the word was pleasing to the Lord, that
Solomon had asked such a thing. And the Lord said to Solomon:
Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself
long life nor riches, nor the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for
thyself wisdom to discern jndgment; Behold I have done for thee
according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and
understanding heart, in so much that there hath been no one like
thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee. Yea, and the things also
which thou didst not ask, I have given thee; to wit, riches and glory:
so that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days
heretofore.
Pray with submission to God's will
Matthew 26:39. And going a little further, he fell upon his face,
praying and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass
from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt.
Petitions will be granted
Matthew 21:22. "And all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer
believing, you shall receive."
We should pray for each other
1 Timothy 2:1. "I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications,
prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men:"
The paryers of the just are powrful
James 5:16. "Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray
one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of
a just man availeth much."
1 Peter 3:12. "Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and
his ears unto their prayers but the countenance of the Lord upon them
that do evil things."
Psalms 33:16. "The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and his ears
unto their prayers."
Proverbs 15:29. "The Lord is far from the wicked: and he will hear
the prayers of the just."
Prayers of the wicked are an abomination
Proverbs 28:9. "He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his
prayer shall be an abomination."
We should prepare ourselves for prayer
Ecclesiasticus 18:23. "Before prayer prepare thy soul: and be not as
a man that tempteth God."