Changes

== A guideline of how one should Pray ==

== A guideline of how one should Pray ==

In Christianity, Jesus gives a guideline of how one should pray to God with The Lord's Prayer:<blockquote>"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, [[Amen]]."<ref>Matt 6:9-13 </ref><ref>[http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/sermons/mount/lordsprayer.asp Instructions for praying] </ref></blockquote>

In Christianity, Jesus gives a guideline of how one should pray to God with The Lord's Prayer:<blockquote>"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, [[Amen]]."<ref>Matt 6:9-13</ref><ref>[http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/sermons/mount/lordsprayer.asp Instructions for praying]</ref></blockquote>

God is the only heavenly object of prayer in the Bible

God is the only heavenly object of prayer in the Bible

* Jesus prayed in public, such as in {{Bible ref|Matthew|19|13-15}} when Jesus prayed for the children brought to him.

* Jesus prayed in public, such as in {{Bible ref|Matthew|19|13-15}} when Jesus prayed for the children brought to him.

Other religions, and even different traditions within Christianity have developed their own practices related to prayer.<ref>"The Modes of Prayer," from the Nazerine Way of Essenic Study [http://www.thenazareneway.com/modes_of_prayer.htm]</ref>

Other religions, and even different traditions within Christianity have developed their own practices related to prayer.<ref>[http://www.thenazareneway.com/modes_of_prayer.htm "The Modes of Prayer," from the Nazerine Way of Essenic Study]</ref>

Modern societies often oppose and discourage public prayer. For example, in the United States, government [[school]]s forbid [[classroom prayer]].

Modern societies often oppose and discourage public prayer. For example, in the United States, government [[school]]s forbid [[classroom prayer]].

*The goal of prayer is the ear of God, a goal that can only be reached by patient and continued and continuous waiting upon Him, pouring out our heart to Him and permitting Him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know Him, and as we come to know Him better we shall spend more time in His presence and find that presence a constant and ever-increasing delight.

*The goal of prayer is the ear of God, a goal that can only be reached by patient and continued and continuous waiting upon Him, pouring out our heart to Him and permitting Him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know Him, and as we come to know Him better we shall spend more time in His presence and find that presence a constant and ever-increasing delight.

*Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to count the times, but to gain the prayer. We cannot quit praying because heart and soul are in it. We pray "with all perseverance." We hang to our prayers because by them we live. We press our pleas because we must have them, or die. <ref>[http://www.famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/prayer_quotes.html Famous Quotes and Authors.com Prayer Quotes and Quotations]</ref>

*Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to count the times, but to gain the prayer. We cannot quit praying because heart and soul are in it. We pray "with all perseverance." We hang to our prayers because by them we live. We press our pleas because we must have them, or die.<ref>[http://www.famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/prayer_quotes.html Famous Quotes and Authors.com Prayer Quotes and Quotations]</ref>

==Effectual prayer==

==Effectual prayer==

All faithful Christians attest to answered prayer, as well as countless people who have prayed in times of crisis. An [[evangelical Christian]], [[George Mueller]] (1805-1898), probably best known as the "Father of Orphans", prayerfully met the needs of thousands of children.  Mueller and his wife decided to depend on God alone to supply their needs - never again to approach people about them - and 68 years later Mueller had prayed in over seven and a half million dollars, and logged in his journal 50,000 specific answers to prayer - 5,000 were answered on the very day of their asking. <ref>http://www.eaec.org/faithhallfame/georgemuller.htm</ref>

All faithful Christians attest to answered prayer, as well as countless people who have prayed in times of crisis. An [[evangelical Christian]], [[George Mueller]] (1805-1898), probably best known as the "Father of Orphans", prayerfully met the needs of thousands of children.  Mueller and his wife decided to depend on God alone to supply their needs - never again to approach people about them - and 68 years later Mueller had prayed in over seven and a half million dollars, and logged in his journal 50,000 specific answers to prayer - 5,000 were answered on the very day of their asking.<ref>http://www.eaec.org/faithhallfame/georgemuller.htm</ref>

==Prayer in government==

==Prayer in government==

Three days before George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States, Congress passed the following resolution:

Three days before George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States, Congress passed the following resolution:

Resolved, That after the oath shall have been administered to the President, he, attended by the Vice President and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, shall proceed to St. Paul’s Chapel, to hear divine service. (Annals of Congress, Vol. 1, p. 25, April 27, 1789)  

Resolved, That after the oath shall have been administered to the President, he, attended by the Vice President and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, shall proceed to St. Paul’s Chapel, to hear divine service. (Annals of Congress, Vol. 1, p.&nbsp;25, April 27, 1789)  

Samuel Provoost (1742–1815), the newly appointed chaplain of the United States Senate and first Episcopal bishop of New York, performed “divine service” at St. Paul’s Chapel on April 30, 1789, immediately following Washington’s inauguration.

Samuel Provoost (1742–1815), the newly appointed chaplain of the United States Senate and first Episcopal bishop of New York, performed “divine service” at St. Paul’s Chapel on April 30, 1789, immediately following Washington’s inauguration.

In the aftermath of the Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Rev. John G. Butler, pastor of Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C., and chaplain of both the U. S. House of Representatives (1865–1875) and the Senate (1886–1893), organized interfaith inaugural prayer meetings in the nation’s capital commencing in 1869. These services continued well into the twentieth century.<ref>http://www.nationalcathedral.org/about/presidentialInaugurals.shtml</ref>

In the aftermath of the Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Rev. John G. Butler, pastor of Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C., and chaplain of both the U. S. House of Representatives (1865–1875) and the Senate (1886–1893), organized interfaith inaugural prayer meetings in the nation’s capital commencing in 1869. These services continued well into the twentieth century.<ref>http://www.nationalcathedral.org/about/presidentialInaugurals.shtml</ref>

In America, prayer and worship services have regularly been part of Inauguration Day activities. <ref>http://inaugural.senate.gov/history/daysevents/morningworshipservice.cfm</ref>  

In America, prayer and worship services have regularly been part of Inauguration Day activities.<ref>http://inaugural.senate.gov/history/daysevents/morningworshipservice.cfm</ref>  

===Prayers by American Presidents===

===Prayers by American Presidents===

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

<ref>The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789 </ref><ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=40032</ref> <ref>[http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/firsts/thanksgiving/original.html Thanksgiving Proclamation - The Original]</ref>

<ref>The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789</ref><ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=40032</ref><ref>[http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/firsts/thanksgiving/original.html Thanksgiving Proclamation - The Original]</ref>

</blockquote>  

</blockquote>  

For we are given power not to advance our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people. Help us to remember it, Lord.

For we are given power not to advance our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people. Help us to remember it, Lord.

The Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us; so that He may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways... that all peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. <ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Faith-Tools/Meditation/2005/01/Prayers-Of-The-Presidents.aspx?p=2</ref>

The Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us; so that He may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways... that all peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.<ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Faith-Tools/Meditation/2005/01/Prayers-Of-The-Presidents.aspx?p=2</ref>

</blockquote>

</blockquote>

[[Category: Religion]]

[[Category:Religion]]

[[Category: Christianity]]

[[Category:Christianity]]