Reference: Prayer
American
Is the offering of the emotions and desires of the soul to God, in the name and through the mediation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the communion of the heart with God through the aid of the Holy Spirit, and is to the Christian the very life of the soul. Without this filial spirit, no one can be a Christian, Job 21:15; Ps 10:4.
In all ages God has delighted in the prayers of his saints. From the promulgation of the law, the Hebrews did not intermit public worship daily in the tabernacle or the temple. It consisted in offering the evening and morning sacrifices, every day, accompanied with prayers by the priests and Levites in that holy edifice. Every day also the priests offered sacrifices, incense, offerings, and first fruits for individuals; they performed ceremonies for the redemption of the firstborn, or for purification from pollution; in a word, the people came thither from all parts to discharge their vows and to perform their devotions, not only on great and solemn days, but also on ordinary days; but nothing of this was performed without prayer, 1Ch 23:30; Ne 11:17; Lu 1:10. Compare also 1Ki 8:22, and the Psalms of David for temple worship.
Pious men were accustomed to pray thrice in the day, at fixed hours, Ps 55:7; Da 6:10. See HOURS. Social, family, and secret prayer were all habitual with Bible saints; as well as brief ejaculations in the midst of their ordinary business, Ne 2:4. No uniform posture in prayer is enjoined in the Bible; standing with the hands outspread, 1Ki 8.22, bowing the head, Ge 24:26, kneeling, Lu 22:41, and prostration on the ground, Mt 26:39, were all practiced. Prayer should be offered with submission to God's will, fervently, perseveringly, and with a confiding reliance on God in Christ; it should be accompanied by humble confession and hearty thanksgiving, and with supplications for all living men, as well as for our friends and those nearest to us. Habitual prayer to God is duty enjoined upon us by sound reason and by right affections; and he who lives without it thereby reveals the atheism of his heart. God requires all men thus to worship him, Eze 36:37; Mt 7:1-11; Php 4:6; 1Ti 2:1-3; Jas 1:5; and for neglecting this duty there can be no sufficient excuse. It is often said that prayer cannot alter the unchangeable purposes of God; but the great scheme of his providence embraces every prayer that shall be offered, as well as the answer it shall receive. It is objected that prayer cannot increase his knowledge of our wants, nor his readiness to supply them; and that in any case he will do what is for the best. But he deems it best to grant many blessings in answer to prayer, which otherwise he would withhold; "He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee." The words of David will be those of every truly praying man: "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles," Ps 34:6.
False and formed religion makes a merit of its prayers, as though "much speaking" and "vain repetitions" could atone for heartlessness. Hypocrites also are wont to pray chiefly that they may have praise of men. These sins Christ reproves in Mt 6:5-15, and gives to his disciples the form of the Lord's prayer as a beautiful model. In Eph 6:18; 1Th 5:17; 1Ti 2:8, Paul directs that believers should pray in all places and at all times, lifting up pure hands towards heaven, and blessing God for all things, whether in eating, drinking, or what ever they do; and that every thing be done to the glory of God, 1Co 10:31. In a word, our Savior has recommended to us to pray without ceasing, Lu 18:1; 21:36.
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Then Solomon took his place in front of the LORD's altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
They are to take their stand morning by morning, thanking and praising the LORD right through until the evening,
The king answered, "What do you want?"
and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who led the thanksgiving prayer, and Bakbukiah, second among his relatives, and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Where's the profit in talking to him?'
With haughty arrogance, the wicked thinks, "God will not seek justice." He always presumes "There is no God."
This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard and delivered him from all of his distress.
Look, I want to flee far away; I want to settle down in the wilderness. Interlude
"This is what the Lord GOD has to say: "I'm going to allow the house of Israel to ask anything they want from me, including this: I'm going to increase their population as a shepherd increases his flock.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
"And whenever you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward! But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you. read more. "When you are praying, don't say meaningless things like the unbelievers do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy. Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Therefore, this is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' Because if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive people their offenses, your Father will not forgive your offenses."
"Stop judging, so that you won't be judged, because the way that you judge others will be the way that you will be judged, and you will be evaluated by the standard with which you evaluate others. read more. "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother's eye." "Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you." "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you. Because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened. "There isn't a person among you who would give his son a stone if he asked for bread, is there? Or if he asks for a fish, he wouldn't give him a snake, would he? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him!
Going on a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want but what you want."
And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned.
Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up.
So be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."
Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and began to pray,
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints.
Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.
But as for you, teach what is consistent with healthy doctrine. Older men are to be sober, serious, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance. read more. Likewise, older women are to show their reverence for God by their behavior. They are not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of goodness.
Use wholesome speech that cannot be condemned. Then any opponent will be ashamed because he cannot say anything bad about us.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him.
Easton
is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1Sa 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2Ch 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph 3:14).
Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold intercourse with us, his personal control of all things and of all his creatures and all their actions.
Acceptable prayer must be sincere (Heb 10:22), offered with reverence and godly fear, with a humble sense of our own insignificance as creatures and of our own unworthiness as sinners, with earnest importunity, and with unhesitating submission to the divine will. Prayer must also be offered in the faith that God is, and is the hearer and answerer of prayer, and that he will fulfil his word, "Ask, and ye shall receive" (Mt 7:7-8; 21:22; Mr 11:24; Joh 14:13-14), and in the name of Christ (20/type/isv'>Mr 16:20,20; 15:16; Eph 2:18; 5:20; Col 3:17; 1Pe 2:5).
Prayer is of different kinds, secret (Mt 6:6); social, as family prayers, and in social worship; and public, in the service of the sanctuary.
Intercessory prayer is enjoined (Nu 6:23; Job 42:8; Isa 62:6; Ps 122:6; 1Ti 2:1; Jas 5:14), and there are many instances on record of answers having been given to such prayers, e.g., of Abraham (Ge 17:18,20; 18:23-32; 20:7,17-18), of Moses for Pharaoh (Ex 8:12-13,30-31; 9:33), for the Israelites (Ex 17:11,13; 32:11-14,31-34; Nu 21:7-8; De 9:18-19,25), for Miriam (Nu 12:13), for Aaron (De 9:20), of Samuel (1Sa 7:5-12), of Solomon (1Ki 8; 2Ch 6), Elijah (1Ki 17:20-23), Elisha (2Ki 4:33-36), Isaiah (2Ki 19), Jeremiah (Jer 42:2-10), Peter (Ac 9:40), the church (Ac 12:5-12), Paul (Ac 28:8).
No rules are anywhere in Scripture laid down for the manner of prayer or the attitude to be assumed by the suppliant. There is mention made of kneeling in prayer (1Ki 8:54; 2Ch 6:13; Ps 95:6; Isa 45:23; Lu 22:41; Ac 7:60; 9:40; Eph 3:14, etc.); of bowing and falling prostrate (Ge 24:26,52; Ex 4:31; 12:27; Mt 26:39; Mr 14:35, etc.); of spreading out the hands (1Ki 8:22,38,54; Ps 28:2; 63:4; 88:9; 1Ti 2:8, etc.); and of standing (1Sa 1:26; 1Ki 8:14,55; 2Ch 20:9; Mr 11:25; Lu 18:11,13).
If we except the "Lord's Prayer" (Mt 6:9-13), which is, however, rather a model or pattern of prayer than a set prayer to be offered up, we have no special form of prayer for general use given us in Scripture.
Prayer is frequently enjoined in Scripture (Ex 22:23,27; 1Ki 3:5; 2Ch 7:14; Ps 37:4; Isa 55:6; Joe 2:32; Eze 36:37, etc.), and we have very many testimonies that it has been answered (Ps 3:4; 4:1; 6:8; 18:6; 28:6; 30:2; 34:4; 118:5; Jas 5:16-18, etc.).
Abraham's servant prayed to God, and God directed him to the person who should be wife to his master's son and heir (Ge 24:10-20).
Jacob prayed to God, and God inclined the heart of his irritated brother, so that they met in peace and friendship (Ge 32:24-30; 33:1-4).
Samson prayed to God, and God showed him a well where he quenched his burning thirst, and so lived to judge Israel (Jg 15:18-20).
David prayed, and God defeated the counsel of Ahithophel (2Sa 15:31; 16:20-23; 17:14-23).
Daniel prayed, and God enabled him both to tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream and to give the interpretation of it (Da 2:16-23).
Nehemiah prayed, and God inclined the heart of the king of Persia to grant him leave of absence to visit and rebuild Jerusalem (Ne 1:11; 2:1-6).
Esther and Mordecai prayed, and God defeated the purpose of Haman, and saved the Jews from destruction (Es 4:15-17; 6:7-8).
The believers in Jerusalem prayed, and God opened the prison doors and set Peter at liberty, when Herod had resolved upon his death (Ac 12:1-12).
Paul prayed that the thorn in the flesh might be removed, and his prayer brought a large increase of spiritual strength, while the thorn perhaps remained (2Co 12:7-10).
Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when it never returned at all., Robinson's Job.
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So Abraham responded to God, "If only Ishmael would live in constant awareness that you're always with him!"
And as for Ishmael, I've heard you. I'll bless him, and he'll have many descendants. I will multiply him greatly, he'll father twelve tribal leaders, and I'll cause his descendants to become a great nation.
Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked? Perhaps there are 50 righteous ones within the city. Will you actually destroy it and not forgive the place for the sake of the 50 righteous that are found there? read more. Far be it from you to do such a thing to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! The Judge of all the earth will do what is right, won't he?" The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I'll forgive the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I've ventured to speak to my LORD. What if there are five less than 50 righteous ones? Will you bring destruction upon the city because of those five?" The LORD said, "I won't destroy it if I find 45 there." Abraham continued to speak to him, asking, "What if 40 are found there?" The LORD replied, "I won't do it for the sake of those 40." Abraham then asked, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak. What if 30 are found there?" The LORD answered, "I won't do it for the sake of those 30." "Look," Abraham said, "I've presumed to speak to my LORD" so what if 20 are found there?" "For the sake of those 20," the LORD responded, "I won't destroy it." Finally, Abraham inquired, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak only once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "For the sake of those ten I won't destroy it."
Now then, return the man's wife. As a matter of fact, he's a prophet and can intercede for you so you'll live. But if you don't return her, be aware that you and all who are yours will certainly die."
Then Abraham interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants so they could bear children, since the LORD had made all the women barren in Abimelech's household on account of Abraham's wife Sarah.
Then Abraham's servant took ten camels from his master's herd of camels and left on his journey with all kinds of gifts from his master's inventory. Eventually, he traveled as far as Aram-naharaim, Nahor's home town. As evening approached, he had the camels kneel outside the town at the water well, right about the time when women customarily went out to draw water. read more. That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham. I've stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water. May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, "Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,' responds, "Have a drink, and I'll water your camels as well.' May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I'll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master." Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared. She was a daughter of Milcah's son Bethuel. (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.) She approached the well, carrying a jug on her shoulder. The woman was very beautiful, young, and had not had sexual relations with a man. Going down to the spring, she filled her jug and turned for home. Then Abraham's servant ran to meet her and asked her, "Please, let me have a sip of water from your jug." "Drink, sir!" she replied as she quickly lowered her jug on her arm to offer him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she also said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they've had enough to drink." She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and ran to the well to draw again until she had drawn enough water for all ten of the servant's camels.
When Abraham's servant heard what they had said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
And so Jacob was left alone, and he struggled with a man until daybreak. When the man realized that he hadn't yet won the struggle, he injured the socket of Jacob's thigh, dislocating it as he wrestled with him, read more. and said, "Let me go, because the dawn has come." "I won't let you go," Jacob replied, "unless you bless me." Then the man asked him, "What's your name?" "Jacob," he responded "Your name won't be Jacob anymore," the man replied, "but Israel, because you exerted yourself against both God and men, and you've emerged victorious." "Please," Jacob inquired, "Tell me your name." But he asked, "Why are you asking about my name?" And he blessed Jacob there. Jacob would later call that place Peniel, because "I saw God face to face, but my life was spared."
When Jacob looked off in the distance, there was Esau coming toward him, accompanied by 400 men! So Jacob divided Leah's children, Rachel, and the children of the two servants into separate groups. Then he positioned the women servants and their children first, then Leah and her children next, and then Rachel and Joseph after them. read more. Then he went out to meet Esau, passing in front of all of them, and bowed low to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. Then he fell on his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
The people believed and understood that the LORD had paid attention to the Israelis and had seen their affliction. They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves in worship.
Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's presence, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs which he had sent on Pharaoh. The LORD did just as Moses asked, and the frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards, and in the fields.
Then Moses left Pharaoh's presence and prayed to the LORD. The LORD did what Moses asked, and the swarms of insects departed from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. Not one remained.
Then Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD. The thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured out on the land.
you are to say, "It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelis in Egypt when he struck down the Egyptians but spared our houses.'" Then the people bowed down and worshipped.
Whenever Moses raised his hand, the Israelis prevailed, but when his hand remained at his side, then the Amalekites prevailed.
If you do mistreat them, they'll certainly cry out to me, and I'll immediately hear their cry.
for it's his only covering; it's his outer garment, for what else can he sleep in? And when he cries out to me, I'll hear him, for I am gracious.
But Moses implored the LORD his God: "LORD, why are you angry with your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a show of force?
But Moses implored the LORD his God: "LORD, why are you angry with your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a show of force? Why should the Egyptians say, "He brought them out with an evil intention to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your anger and change your mind about the calamity against your people. read more. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants to whom you swore by yourself as you told them, "I'll increase the number of your descendants like the stars of the heavens, I'll give your descendants all of this land about which I have spoken, and they are to possess it forever.'" So the LORD changed his mind about the calamity he had said he would bring on his people.
Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Please, LORD, this people committed a great sin by making a god of gold for themselves. Now, if you will, forgive their sin but if not, blot me out of your book which you have written." read more. The LORD told Moses, "Whoever sins against me, I'll blot him out of my book. Now, go, and lead the people where I told you, and now my angel will go before you, but on the day when I do punish, I'll punish them for their sin."
So Moses prayed to the LORD: "O LORD, please heal her."
Then the people approached Moses and admitted, "We've sinned by speaking against the LORD and you. Pray to the LORD, that he'll remove the serpents from us." So Moses prayed in behalf of the people. Then the LORD instructed Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent out of brass and fasten it to a pole. Anyone who has been bitten and who looks at it will live."
I fell down in the LORD's presence, just as I had the first 40 days and nights. I did not eat food or drink water because of your sin. You had sinned by committing this evil in the sight of the LORD, thereby provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD against you, because he was irate enough to destroy you. But the LORD also listened to me at that time. read more. It was as had been the case with Aaron, the LORD was very angry and about to destroy him, but I prayed for Aaron at that time.
I fell down in the LORD's presence for 40 days and nights, because the LORD said he was ready to destroy you.
Aferward, he became thirsty, called out to the LORD, and told him, "So, you provided this great deliverance at the hands of your servant, but now I'm to die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?" So God split a hollow place that's in Lehi, and water sprang out of it. After he had taken a drink, his strength returned, and he revived. That's why it was named "En-hakkore," which is in Lehi to this day. read more. Samson governed Israel for twenty years during the Philistine domination.
"No, sir!" Hannah replied. "I'm a deeply troubled woman. I've drunk neither wine nor beer. I've been pouring out my soul in the LORD's presence.
Hannah said, "Sir, as surely as you are alive, I'm the woman who stood before you here praying to the LORD.
Samuel said, "Bring all Israel together at Mizpah, and I'll pray to the LORD on your behalf." So they came together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out in the LORD's presence. read more. On that day they fasted there and said, "We have sinned against the LORD." Then Samuel judged the Israelis at Mizpah. When the Philistines heard that the Israelis had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine lords came up against Israel. When the Israelis heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines. The Israelis told Samuel, "Don't stop crying out to the LORD our God for us that he may deliver us from the hand of the Philistines." Then Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him. While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But that day the LORD thundered against the Philistines and threw them into panic, and they were defeated before Israel. The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as a point below Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone, placed it between Mizpah and Shen and named it Ebenezer. He said, "The LORD has helped us this far."
Just then, someone told David, "Ahithophel is one of Absalom's conspirators!" So David prayed, "LORD, please turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness."
So Absalom asked Ahithophel, "What's your advice? What should we do?" Ahithophel responded, "Go inside and have sex with your father's mistresses, whom he left to keep the palace in order. Then everyone in Israel will hear how your father has come to hate you and everyone who has joined you will be emboldened to act." read more. So they erected a tent for Absalom on the palace roof and Absalom went in and had sex with his father's mistresses right in front of all Israel.
Absalom and all of the Israelis replied, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel's!" But the LORD had planned to circumvent the sound advice of Ahithophel so the LORD could bring Absalom to destruction. So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had suggested to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He also reported what he himself had proposed. Hushai said, read more. Now Ahithophel's advice that he provided at that time was being compared to one who inquired of God, so highly regarded was Ahithophel's counsel by both David and Absalom.
"Quick! Get word to David! Tell him not to spend the night at the crossings that lead to the desert. Instead, he must cross the Jordan River immediately. That way, if he crosses the river, the king and his entourage will survive." "Give me 12,000 men! I'll leave tonight and pursue David," Ahithophel advised Absalom.
Meanwhile, since they could not risk being seen entering the city, Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been waiting at En-rogel, where a young servant woman was to go to inform them and they would then go brief King David. But a young man observed Jonathan and Ahimaaz and informed Absalom, so they left in a hurry, arrived at the home of a man who lived at Bahurim, and hid inside a well that was in his courtyard. read more. The man's wife grabbed a sheet, covered the mouth of the well with it, and spread some dried grain over it. As a result, nobody could tell it was a hiding place. When Absalom's servants approached the woman of the house, they asked her, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" "They've already crossed the brook," the woman answered. So Absalom's servants went away in search of Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they couldn't find them, so they returned to Jerusalem. A little while later, the men crawled up out of the well and went off to talk to King David. They told David, "Get up! Cross the water quickly, because this is what Ahithophel advised about you"" So David got up and all of his entourage crossed the Jordan River. Everyone had crossed the Jordan River by dawn's first light. Meanwhile, when Ahithophel observed that his counsel was not being acted upon, he saddled his donkey, got up, and left for his hometown. Leaving behind a set of orders for his household, he hanged himself. After his death he was buried in his father's tomb.
Then Solomon took his place in front of the LORD's altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple,
When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the LORD, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the LORD's altar,
When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the LORD, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the LORD's altar,
Then he called out to the LORD and asked him, "LORD my God, have you also brought evil to this dear widow with whom I am living as her guest? Have you caused the death of her son?" Then he stretched himself three times and cried out to the LORD, "LORD my God, please cause the soul of this little boy to return to him." read more. The LORD listened to Elijah, and the soul of the little boy returned to him, and he revived. Then Elijah took the little boy downstairs from the upper chamber back into the main house and delivered him to his mother. "Look," Elijah told her, "your son is alive."
So he entered, shut the door behind them both, and prayed to the LORD. Then he approached the child and lay down with his mouth near the child's, with his eyes near those of the child, and taking the child's hands in his. As Elisha stretched himself on the child, the child's flesh began to grow warm. read more. Then he went downstairs, walked around back and forth inside the house once, went back up to his upper chamber, and stretched himself over the child again. The young man sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes. He called out to Gehazi, "Go get the Shunammite woman!" So he called her. When she came in to see Elisha, he told her, "Take back your son!"
Meanwhile, King Hezekiah and Amoz's son Isaiah the prophet were praying about this and crying out to heaven.
"And now, Lord, I ask you to listen to the prayer of your servant and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your Name. I ask you, please prosper your servant today by granting him to receive favor from this man." Now I was the king's senior security advisor.
It came about in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, during the month of Nissan, the king was about to drink some wine that I was preparing for him. Now I had never looked troubled in his presence. The king asked me, "Why do you look so troubled, since you're not ill? This cannot be anything else but troubles of the heart." read more. Then I was filled with fear. I replied to the king, "May the king live forever. Why shouldn't I be troubled, since the city where my ancestral sepulchers are located lies waste, with its gates burned by fire?" The king answered, "What do you want?" So I prayed to the God of heaven and I replied to the king, "If it seems good to you, and if your servant has found favor with you, would you send me to Judah, to the city where my ancestral sepulchers are located, so I can rebuild it?" With his queen seated beside him, the king asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you return?" The king thought it was a good idea to send me, so I presented him with a prepared plan.
Then Esther replied to Mordecai, "Go and gather all the Jewish people who are in Susa and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days, night or day. Both I and my young women will also fast in the same way, and then I'll go in to the king, even though it's against the law. And if I perish, I perish." read more. Then Mordecai left and did everything that Esther had ordered him.
Haman told himself, "Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?" Haman answered the king, "For a man whom the king desires to honor, let them bring royal robes that the king has worn and a horse on which the king has ridden, with a royal crown placed on its head.
So take seven bulls and seven rams and bring them to my servant Job. And bring a whole burnt offering for yourselves and my servant Job will pray for you. I'll encourage him by not responding as your disgraceful folly deserves, since you didn't speak about me correctly as did my servant Job."
I cry aloud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Interlude
When I call, answer me, my righteous God! When I was in distress, you set me free. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
Get away from me, all of you who practice evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
In my distress I cried to the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his Temple he heard my voice; my cry reached his ears.
Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the sound of my supplications.
LORD, my God! I cried out to you for help and you healed me.
I sought the LORD and he answered me; he delivered me from all of my fears.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.
As for me, how good for me it is that God is near! I have made the Lord GOD my refuge so I can tell about all your deeds. An instruction of Asaph
My eyes languish on account of my affliction; all day long I call out to you, LORD, I spread out my hands to you.
Come! Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel in the presence of the LORD, who made us.
I called on the LORD in my distress; the LORD answered me openly.
Pray for peace for Jerusalem: "May those who love you be at peace!
By myself I have sworn from my mouth has gone out integrity, a promise that won't be revoked: "To me every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear.'
"Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.
"Upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; all day and all night they won't remain silent. You who make mention of the LORD, take no rest,
They told Jeremiah the prophet, "Please listen to what we have to ask of you. Pray to the LORD your God for us and for all these survivors. Indeed, only a few of us remain out of many, as you can see. Pray that the LORD your God may inform us as to how we should live and what we should do." read more. Jeremiah the prophet told them, "I've heard, and I'm going to pray to the LORD your God just as you have requested. Whatever the LORD answers, I'll tell you. I won't withhold anything from you." Then they told Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we don't do everything that the LORD your God tells us through you. Whether it seems good or bad, we will obey the LORD our God to whom we send you, so it may go well for us. Indeed, we will obey the LORD our God." At the end of ten days a message from the LORD came to Jeremiah. So he called Kareah's son Jonathan, all the military leaders who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest. He told them, "This is what the LORD God of Israel says, to whom you sent me to take your request: "If you will just remain in this land, I'll build you up and not pull you down. I'll plant you and not uproot you, for I'm sorry about the disaster I've brought on you.
"This is what the Lord GOD has to say: "I'm going to allow the house of Israel to ask anything they want from me, including this: I'm going to increase their population as a shepherd increases his flock.
so Daniel went to ask Nebuchadnezzar for an appointment to see him, and it was granted him so that he could reveal the meaning to the king. Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the king's command. read more. Daniel was seeking mercy, in order to ask about this mystery in the presence of the God of heaven, so that Daniel and his friends might not be executed along with the rest of the advisors of Babylon. When the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision later that night, Daniel blessed the God of heaven and said, "May the name of God be blessed forever and ever; wisdom and power are his for evermore. It is God who alters the times and seasons, and he removes kings and promotes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals what is profoundly mysterious and knows what is in the darkness; with him dwells light. To you, God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise, because you have given me wisdom and power; you have now revealed to me what we asked of you by making known to us what the king commanded."
And everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be delivered. For as the LORD has said, "In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, the survivors whom the LORD is calling.'"
But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you.
Therefore, this is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. read more. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you. Because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened.
You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe."
Going on a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want but what you want."
That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. "Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.
Going on a little farther, he fell to the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the hour might pass from him.
The soldiers led Jesus into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters) and called out the whole guard.
Then his disciples went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the signs that accompanied it.
Then his disciples went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the signs that accompanied it.
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, "O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.
"But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, "O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!'
Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and began to pray,
I'll do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it."
Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died.
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
About that time, Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church and mistreated them. He even had James, the brother of John, killed with a sword. read more. When he saw how this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter, too. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. When he arrested Peter, Herod put him in prison and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning to bring him out to the people after Passover season. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly.
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly. That very night, before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, and guards in front of the door were watching the prisoners.
That very night, before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, and guards in front of the door were watching the prisoners. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on his side, woke him up, and said, "Get up quickly!" His chains fell from his wrists.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on his side, woke him up, and said, "Get up quickly!" His chains fell from his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Tuck in your shirt and put on your sandals!" He did this. Then the angel told him, "Put on your coat and follow me!"
Then the angel told him, "Tuck in your shirt and put on your sandals!" He did this. Then the angel told him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" So Peter went out and began to follow him, not realizing that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.
So Peter went out and began to follow him, not realizing that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. It opened by itself for them, and they went outside and proceeded one block when the angel suddenly left him.
They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. It opened by itself for them, and they went outside and proceeded one block when the angel suddenly left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I'm sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting!"
Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I'm sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting!" When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a large number of people had gathered and were praying.
When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a large number of people had gathered and were praying.
The father of Publius happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and healed him by placing his hands on him.
To keep me from becoming conceited because of the exceptional nature of these revelations, a thorn was given to me and placed in my body. It was Satan's messenger to keep on tormenting me so that I would not become conceited. I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me, read more. but he has told me, "My grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the Messiah's power may rest on me. That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the Messiah's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
For through him, both of us have access to the Father by one Spirit.
This is the reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,
This is the reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,
you will consistently give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah;
And whatever you do, whether by speech or action, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Use wholesome speech that cannot be condemned. Then any opponent will be ashamed because he cannot say anything bad about us.
let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a person just like us, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and rain never came to the land for three years and six months. read more. Then he prayed again, and the skies poured out rain, and the ground produced its crops.
Fausets
(1) Techinnah, from chandra "to be gracious"; hithpael, "to entreat grace"; Greek deesis.
(2) Tephillah, from hithpael of paalal, "to seek judgment"; Greek proseuchee. "Prayer," proseuchee, for obtaining blessings, implying devotion; "supplication," deesis, for averting evil. "Prayer" the general term; "supplication" with imploring earnestness (implying the suppliant's sense of need); enteuxis, intercession for others, coming near to God, seeking an audience in person, generally in another's behalf. Thanksgiving should always go with prayer (1Ti 2:1; Eph 6:18; Php 4:6). An instinct of every nation, even pagan (Isa 16:12; 44:17; 45:20; 1Ki 18:26). In Seth's days, when Enos (frailty) was born to him, "men began to call upon the name of Jehovah."
The name Enos embodies the Sethites' sense of human frailty urging them to prayer, in contrast to the Cainites' self sufficient "pride of countenance" which keeps sinners from seeking God (Ps 10:4). While the Cainites by building a city and inventing arts were founding the kingdom of this world, the Sethites by united calling upon Jehovah constituted the first church, and laid the foundation of the kingdom of God. The name of God is His whole self manifestation in relation to man. On this revealed divine character of grace and power believers fasten their prayers (Ps 119:49; Pr 18:10). The sceptic's objections to prayer are:
(1) The immutability of nature's general laws. But nature is only another name for the will of God; that will provides for answers to prayer in harmony with the general scheme of His government of the world. There are higher laws than those observed in the material world; the latter are subordinate to the former.
(2) God's predestinating power, wisdom and love make prayer useless and needless. But man is made a free moral agent; and God who predestines the blessing predestines prayer as the means to that end (Mt 24:20).
Prayer produces and strengthens in the mind conscious dependence on God, faith, and love, the state for receiving and appreciating God's blessing ordained in answer to prayer. Moreover prayer does not supersede work; praying and working are complementary of each other (Ne 4:9). Our weakness drives us to cast ourselves on God's fatherly love, providence, and power. Our "Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask Him"; "we know not what things we should pray for as we ought" (Mt 6:8; Ro 8:26). Yet "the Spirit helpeth our infirmities," and Jesus teaches us by the Lord's prayer how to pray (Luke 11). Nor is the blessing merely subjective; but we may pray for particular blessings, temporal and spiritual, in submission to God's will, for ourselves. "Thy will be done," (Mt 6:10) and "if we ask anything according to His will" (1Jo 5:14-15), is the limitation. Every truly believing prayer contains this limitation. God then grants either the petition or something better than it, so that no true prayer is lost (2Co 12:7-10; Lu 22:42; Heb 5:7).
Also "intercessions" for others (the effect of which cannot be merely subjective) are enjoined (1Ti 2:1). God promises blessings in answer to prayer, as the indispensable condition of the gift (Mt 7:7-8). Examples confirm the command to pray. None prayed so often as Jesus; early in the morning "a great while before day" (Mr 1:35), "all the night" (Lu 6:12), in Gethsemane with an "agony" that drew from Him "sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground" (Lu 22:44); "when He was being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened" (Lu 3:21); "as He prayed" He was transfigured (Lu 9:29); "as He was praying in a certain place" (Lu 11:1) one disciple struck by His prayer said, "Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples" (Lu 11:1) (an interesting fact here only recorded). Above all, the intercession in John 17, His beginning of advocacy with the Father for us; an example of the highest and holiest spiritual communion.
The Holy Spirit in believers "maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." "He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit," and so casts off all that is imperfect and mistaken in our prayers, and answer s the Spirit who speaks in them what we would express aright but cannot (Ro 8:26-27,34). Then our Intercessor at God's right hand presents out prayers, accepted on the ground of His merits and blood (Joh 14:13; 15:16; 16:23-27). Thus God incarnate in the God-man Christ reconciles God's universal laws, i.e. His will, with our individual freedom, and His predestination with our prayers. Prayer is presupposed as the adjunct of sacrifice, from the beginning (Ge 4:4). Jacob's wrestling with the divine Angel and prayer, in Genesis 32, is the first full description of prayer; compare the inspired continent on it, Ho 12:3-6. But Abraham's intercession for Sodom (Genesis 18), and Isaac's, preceded (Ge 24:63 margin).
Moses' law prescribes sacrifice, and takes for granted prayer (except the express direction for prayer, De 26:12-15) in connection with it and the sanctuary, as both help us to realize God's presence; but especially as prayer needs a propitiation or atonement to rest on, such as the blood of the sacrifices symbolizes. The temple is "the house of prayer" (Isa 56:7). He that hears player (Ps 65:2) three manifested Himself. Toward it the prayer of the nation, and of individuals, however distant, was directed (1Ki 8:30,35,38,46-49; Da 6:10; Ps 5:7; 28:2; 138:2). Men used to go to the temple at regular hours for private prayer (Lu 18:10; Ac 3:1). Prayer apparently accompanied all offerings, as did the incense its symbol (Ps 141:2; Re 8:3-4; Lu 1:10; De 26:12-15, where a form of prayer is prescribed).
The housetop and mountain were chosen places for prayer, raised above the world. The threefold Aaronic blessing (Nu 6:24-26), and Moses' prayer at the moving (expanded in Psalm 68) and resting of the ark (Nu 10:35-36), are other forms of prayer in the Mosaic legislation. The regular times of prayer were the third (morning sacrifice), sixth, and ninth hours (evening sacrifice); Ps 55:17; Da 6:10; 9:21; Ac 3:1; 10:3; 2:15. "Seven times a day" (Ps 119:164), i.e. continually, seven being the number for perfection; compare Ps 119:147-148, by night. Grace was said before meals (Mt 15:36; Ac 27:35).
Posture. Standing: 1Sa 1:26; Mt 6:5; Mr 11:25; Lu 18:11. Kneeling, in humiliation: 1Ki 8:54; 2Ch 6:13; Ezr 9:5; Ps 95:6; Da 6:10. Prostration: Jos 7:6; 1Ki 18:42; Ne 8:6. In the Christian church, kneeling only: (Ac 7:60) Stephen, (Ac 9:40) Peter, (Ac 20:36; 21:5) Paul imitating Christ in Gethsemane. In post apostolic times, standing on the Lord's day, and from Easter to Whitsunday, to commemorate His resurrection and ours with Him. The hands were lifted up, or spread out (Ex 9:33; Ps 28:2; 134:2).
The spiritual songs in the Pentateuch (Ex 15:1-19; Nu 21:17-18; Deuteronomy 32) and succeeding books (Judges 5; 2/1/type/isv'>1Sa 2:1-10,2 Samuel 22; 1Ki 8:23-53; Ne 9:5-38) abound in prayer accompanied with praise. The Psalms give inspired forms of prayer for public and private use. Hezekiah prayed in the spirit of the Psalms. The prophets contain many such prayers (Isaiah 12; 25; 26; Isa 37:14-20; 38:9-20; Da 9:3-23). The praise and the reading and expounding of the law constituted the service of the synagogue under the sheliach hatsibbur, "the apostle" or "legate of the church."
THE LORD'S PRAYER, (Mt 6:9-13) couched in the plural, "when ye pray, say, Our Father ... give us ... forgive us ... lead us" shows that forms suit public joint prayer. "Thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet ... shut thy door, pray to thy Father [which is] in secret" (Mt 6:6); in enjoining private prayer Christ gives no form. The Lord's prayer is our model. The invocation is the plea on which the prayer is grounded, God's revealed Fatherhood. Foremost stand the three petitions for hallowing God's name, God's kingdom coming, God's will being done below as above; then our four needs, for bread for body and soul, for forgiveness producing a forgiving spirit in ourselves, or not being led into temptation, and for deliverance from evil. The petitions are seven the sacred number (Mt 6:5-13).
Prayer was the breath of th
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while Abel brought the best parts of some of the firstborn from his flock. The LORD looked favorably upon Abel and his offering,
But Abram replied, "Lord GOD, what can you give me since I continue to be childless, and the heir of my household is Eliezer from Damascus? Look!" Abram said, "You haven't given me any offspring, so a servant born in my house is going to be my heir."
So Abraham responded to God, "If only Ishmael would live in constant awareness that you're always with him!"
Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked? Perhaps there are 50 righteous ones within the city. Will you actually destroy it and not forgive the place for the sake of the 50 righteous that are found there? read more. Far be it from you to do such a thing to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! The Judge of all the earth will do what is right, won't he?" The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I'll forgive the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I've ventured to speak to my LORD. What if there are five less than 50 righteous ones? Will you bring destruction upon the city because of those five?" The LORD said, "I won't destroy it if I find 45 there." Abraham continued to speak to him, asking, "What if 40 are found there?" The LORD replied, "I won't do it for the sake of those 40." Abraham then asked, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak. What if 30 are found there?" The LORD answered, "I won't do it for the sake of those 30." "Look," Abraham said, "I've presumed to speak to my LORD" so what if 20 are found there?" "For the sake of those 20," the LORD responded, "I won't destroy it." Finally, Abraham inquired, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak only once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "For the sake of those ten I won't destroy it."
Now then, return the man's wife. As a matter of fact, he's a prophet and can intercede for you so you'll live. But if you don't return her, be aware that you and all who are yours will certainly die."
Then Abraham interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants so they could bear children,
The two of them went on together and came to the place about which God had spoken. Abraham built an altar there, arranged the wood, tied up his son Isaac, and placed him on the altar on top of the wood.
That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham. I've stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water. read more. May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, "Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,' responds, "Have a drink, and I'll water your camels as well.' May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I'll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master."
Isaac went out walking in a field. He looked up, and all of a sudden there were some camels coming.
Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, since she was unable to conceive children, and the LORD responded to him his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's presence, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs which he had sent on Pharaoh. The LORD did just as Moses asked, and the frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards, and in the fields. read more. They gathered them up into large piles and the land smelled terrible. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted. Then the LORD told Moses, "Tell Aaron, "Stretch out your staff, strike the dust of the ground, and the dust will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt.'" They did this. Aaron stretched his hand out with his staff, struck the dust of the land, and gnats came on people and animals all the dust of the ground became gnats throughout the land of Egypt. The magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but they were unable to bring out the gnats. The gnats were on the people and the animals. The magicians told Pharaoh, "It is the finger of God!" But Pharaoh's heart was stubborn and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted. The LORD told Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he's going down to the water. You are to say to him, "This is what the LORD says: "Let my people go so they can serve me. But if you don't let my people go, I'll send swarms of insects upon you, your servants, your people, and your households. The houses of Egypt and even the ground on which they stand will be filled with swarms of insects. On that day I'll treat the land of Goshen where my people live differently so that swarms of insects won't be there. As a result, you will know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. I'll make a distinction between my people and your people, and this sign will occur tomorrow."'" The LORD did this, and dense swarms of insects came into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants. The land was ruined throughout Egypt because of the swarms of insects. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, offer sacrifices to your God in the land." "It wouldn't be right to sacrifice in this way," Moses replied, "because if we do, we will sacrifice to the LORD our God what is offensive to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are offensive to the Egyptians in front of them, they'll stone us, won't they? We must go a three-day journey into the desert, and we'll offer sacrifices to the LORD our God just as he has told us." Then Pharaoh said, "I'll let you go so you can offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert. But you must not go very far away. Pray for me." Moses said, "Right now I'm going to leave you, and I'll pray to the LORD that the swarms of insects may depart from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people tomorrow. But Pharaoh, don't continue lying by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD." Then Moses left Pharaoh's presence and prayed to the LORD.
Then Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD. The thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured out on the land.
Then Moses and the Israelis sang this song to the LORD: "I'll sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God and I'll praise him, the God of my father and I'll exalt him. read more. The LORD is a man of war, the LORD is his name! "Pharaoh's chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea; his best officers sank in the Reed Sea. The deep covered them, they went down into the depths like a rock. Your right hand, LORD, was majestic in strength, your right hand, LORD, shattered the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you broke down your enemies. You sent forth your anger, it consumed them like stubble. By the breath of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing waters stood up like a hill, the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. "The enemy said, "I'll pursue them, I'll overtake them, I'll divide the spoil. I'll satisfy my anger on them, I'll draw my sword, and my hand will bring them to ruin.' "You blew with your breath, and the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty water. "Who is like you among the gods, LORD? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, and working wonders? You stretched out your right hand, and the earth swallowed them. "You have led with your gracious love this people whom you redeemed. You have guided them with your strength to your holy dwelling. "The people heard and they quaked, anguish has seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified, the nobles of Moab trembled uncontrollably, and all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away. Dread and fear have fallen on them, because of the strength of your arm. They have become silent as a stone, until your people pass by, LORD, until this people you acquired pass by. "You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance. You have made a place where you will reside, LORD. Your own hands have established a sanctuary, LORD. The LORD will reign forever and ever." When the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen went into the sea, the LORD caused the waters of the sea to come back over them, but the Israelis walked through the middle of the sea on dry land.
Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree, which he threw into the water, and the water became sweet.
May the LORD bless you and guard you. May the LORD's face enlighten you and bestow favor on you. read more. May the LORD turn to face you, lavishing peace on you!
Whenever the ark was ready to travel, Moses would say: "Arise, LORD, to scatter your enemies, so that whoever hates you will flee from your presence." Whenever the ark was being readied to rest, he would say: "Return, LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel."
So Moses prayed to the LORD: "O LORD, please heal her."
Then the people approached Moses and admitted, "We've sinned by speaking against the LORD and you. Pray to the LORD, that he'll remove the serpents from us." So Moses prayed in behalf of the people.
That's also where Israel sang this song: Rise up, well! Sing to it! It's the well that the leaders dug, the one carved out by the nobles of the people with their scepters and staffs.
"When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities.
"When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities. Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God:
Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God: "I've removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven't violated or forgotten your commands. I haven't eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I've obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me.
"I've removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven't violated or forgotten your commands. I haven't eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I've obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me. Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors a land flowing with milk and honey.'"
Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors a land flowing with milk and honey.'"
At this, Joshua tore his clothes, fell down to the ground on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening he and the leaders of Israel and they covered their heads with dust.
Elkanah her husband told her, "Hannah, why are you crying and why don't you eat? Why are you upset? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
"No, sir!" Hannah replied. "I'm a deeply troubled woman. I've drunk neither wine nor beer. I've been pouring out my soul in the LORD's presence.
Hannah said, "Sir, as surely as you are alive, I'm the woman who stood before you here praying to the LORD.
Then Hannah prayed: "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is increased by the LORD. I will open my mouth to speak against my enemies, because I rejoice in your deliverance. Indeed, there is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God.
Indeed, there is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God. Don't continue to talk proudly, and don't speak arrogantly, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. read more. The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble are equipped with strength. Those who had an abundance of bread now hire themselves out, and those who were hungry hunger no more. While the barren woman gives birth to seven children, she who had many children languishes. The LORD kills and gives life, he brings people down to where the dead are and he raises them up. The LORD makes people poor and he makes people rich, he brings them low, and he also exalts them. He raises the poor up from the dust, he lifts up the needy from the trash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the LORD, and he has set the world on them. He guards the steps of his faithful ones, while the wicked are made silent in darkness. He grants the request of the one who prays. He blesses the year of the righteous. Indeed it's not by strength that a person prevails. The LORD will shatter his enemies those who contend against him. Who is holy? The one who will thunder against them in the heavens. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, and he will increase the strength of His anointed one."
Samuel said, "Bring all Israel together at Mizpah, and I'll pray to the LORD on your behalf."
Then all the people told Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we don't die, because we made all our sins worse by asking for a king for ourselves."
Now as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. I'll also instruct you in the way that is good and right.
"I regret that I made Saul king, because he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my commands." Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all night.
Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul, and the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Then King David went in to the presence of the LORD, sat down, and said:
So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord GOD, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever."
When David saw the angel who had been attacking the people, he told the LORD, "Look, I'm the one who has sinned! I did the evil. These are only sheep! What did they do? Please, let your hand fall on me and on my household!" That very day, Gad approached David and told him, "Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor that belongs to Araunah the Jebusite."
and said: "LORD God of Israel, there is no one like you, God in heaven above or on the earth below, who watches over his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence with all their hearts. It is you, LORD God, who have kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what you had promised today. read more. "Now therefore, LORD God of Israel, keep your promise that you made to my father, your servant David, when you said, "You will not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants will watch their lives, to live in my presence just as you have lived in my presence.' "Now therefore, God of Israel, may your promise that you made to your servant David my father be fulfilled" and yet, will God truly reside on earth? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built! Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, LORD my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today. Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said "My name will reside there.' Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction. Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive.
Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive. "If a man should sin against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, read more. then listen in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness. "If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you, pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to their ancestors. "When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them,
"When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance. read more. "If a famine comes to the land, or if plant diseases, mildew, locust, or grasshoppers appear, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple,
whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts for you alone know the hearts of all human beings read more. so they will fear you every day and live on the surface of the land that you have given to our ancestors. "Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your name (for people will hear of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power), when he comes and prays facing this Temple, then hear in heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name. "When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause. "When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away,
"When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away, if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land of their captivity confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,'
if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land of their captivity confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name,
if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause,
then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, forgiving your people who have sinned against you, along with their transgressions by which they have transgressed against you. read more. "Show your compassion in the presence of those who have taken them captive, so they may show compassion on them, since they are your people and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from an iron fire furnace. Do this so your eyes may remain open to the requests of your servant and to the requests of your people's prayers, to listen to them whenever they call out to you, because you have separated them to yourself as your heritage from all the people of the earth, as you spoke through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord GOD. When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the LORD, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the LORD's altar,
"Please!" the king begged the man of God, "Ask the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored for me!" So the man of God asked the LORD, and the king's hand was immediately and fully restored, just like it had been before.
Then he called out to the LORD and asked him, "LORD my God, have you also brought evil to this dear widow with whom I am living as her guest? Have you caused the death of her son?"
As the time for the evening offering arrived, Elijah the prophet approached and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I, your servant, have done all of this in obedience to your word. Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning back their hearts again."
Then Elisha prayed, asking the LORD, "Please make him able to really see!" And so when the LORD enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha! When the army approached him, Elisha spoke to the LORD, asking him, "LORD, I'm asking you please to afflict this group of people with blindness!" So he afflicted them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.
Then Hezekiah prayed in the presence of the LORD, "LORD God of Israel! You live between the cherubim! You alone are the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have fashioned the heavens and the earth. Turn your ear, LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, LORD, and observe! Listen to the message sent by Sennacherib to insult the living God! read more. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have devastated nations and their territories, throwing their gods into the fire, since they weren't gods but rather were the product of men's handiwork wood and stone. And so they destroyed them. Now, LORD our God, I'm praying that you will deliver us from his control, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God!"
So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD.
So Isaiah cried out to the LORD, who brought the shadow back ten steps after it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz.
Asa cried out to the LORD his God, telling him, "LORD, there is no one except for you to help between the powerful and the weak. So help us, LORD God, because we're depending on you and have come against this vast group in your name. LORD, you are our God. Let no mere mortal man defeat you!"
and said: "LORD God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven, are you not? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, don't you? In your own hands you grasp both strength and power, don't you? As a result, no one can oppose you, can they? You are our God, who expelled the former inhabitants of this land right in front of our people Israel, aren't you? Then you gave it to your friend Abraham's descendant forever, didn't you? read more. They lived in it and have built there a sanctuary for your name, where they said, "If evil comes upon us, such as war as punishment, disease, or famine and we stand in your presence in this Temple (because your Name is in this Temple) and cry out to you in our distress, then you will hear and deliver.' Now therefore look! The Ammonites, the Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir, whom you would not permit Israel to attack when they arrived from the land of Egypt since they turned away from them and did not eliminate them Look how they're rewarding us! They're coming to drive us from your property that you gave us to be our inheritance. Our God, you are going to punish them, aren't you? We have no strength to face this vast multitude that has come against us, nor do we know what to do, except that our eyes are on you."
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I arose from my discouragement. Still in my torn garment and robe, I fell to my knees with my hands outstretched to the LORD my God,
please turn your attention to observe carefully and listen to the prayer of your servant today that I am presenting to you day and night on behalf of your servants, the Israelis.
The king answered, "What do you want?"
But we prayed to our God. We also set up guards day and night because of them.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with uplifted hands, all the people responded, "Amen! Amen!" They bowed down and worshipped the LORD prostrate on the ground.
Then the descendants of Levi Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from eternity to eternity! Blessed be your glorious name! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise! "You are the LORD; you alone crafted the heavens, the highest heavens with all of their armies; the earth, and everything in it; the seas, and everything in them; you keep giving all of them life, and the army of heaven continuously worships you. read more. You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, whom you brought from Ur of the Chaldeans and to whom you gave the name Abraham. You found him faithful in your sight; you made a covenant with him and you gave the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites to his descendants. And you have kept your word, because you are righteous. "You took note of the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and listened to their cry at the Red Sea. You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all of his officials, and against all the people of his land, because you knew they acted arrogantly against your people. So you established your name with them, as it remains to this day. You divided the sea in front of them, and they traveled through the midst of the sea on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths, as one throws a stone into turbulent waters. You led them during the day by a pillar of cloud, and by a pillar of fire at night to provide light for them on the path they took. "You also came down to Mount Sinai, spoke with them from heaven, and gave them impartial regulations, true laws, statutes, and good commands. You revealed to them your holy Sabbath, and you mandated precepts, statutes, and laws through Moses your servant. You gave them food from heaven for their hunger and water from the rock for their thirst. You directed them to enter and possess the land that you had promised to give them. "But they our ancestors became arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to your commands. They would not listen, and did not remember the miracles you did among them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return them to their slavery. "But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in gracious love; therefore you did not abandon them. Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies. You, in your great compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud did not leave them in daylight, in order to provide light for them on the path they took. Nor did the pillar of fire abandon them at night, in order to provide light for them and lead them on the path they took. "You gave your good Spirit to instruct them, not withholding manna from them, and providing water to quench their thirst. You sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years. They lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. You gave them kingdoms and nations, apportioning them as frontier boundaries. They took possession of the land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan. "You multiplied their descendants like the stars in heaven and brought them to the land about which you told their ancestors to enter and possess. So their descendants entered and took possession of the land. Before their eyes you subdued those living in the land the Canaanites putting them under their control, along with their kings and the nations of the land, so they could do with them as they pleased. They conquered fortified cities and fertile ground, possessing houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, with vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were satiated, and were well nourished, delighting themselves in your great goodness. "Then they disobeyed, rebelled against you, and threw your Law behind their backs. They murdered your prophets who had admonished the people to return to you, committing terrible blasphemies. So you delivered them into the control of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed, they cried out to you, and you heard from heaven. In your great compassion you gave them deliverers who rescued them from the control of their enemies. "But after they had gained relief, they returned to doing evil before you. Therefore you abandoned them to the control of their enemies, who continued to oppress them. But when they came back and cried out to you, you listened from heaven and delivered them in your compassion on many occasions. You admonished them to return to your Law, but they acted arrogantly, and would not listen to your commands. They sinned against your regulations, which if anyone obeys, he will live by them. They turned away, being stubborn and stiff-necked, and they did not listen. You were patient with them for many years, warning them by your Spirit through your prophets. But they would not listen, so you turned them over to the control of people in other lands. Nevertheless, in your great compassion you did not completely destroy them or abandon them, because you are a God of grace and you are merciful. "Now therefore, our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and gracious love, don't let all of the difficulties seem trifling to you, all of hardships that have come upon us, upon our kings, upon our leaders, upon our priests, upon our prophets, upon our ancestors, and upon all of your people from the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. You are righteous in all that is happening to us, because you have acted faithfully while we have practiced evil. Furthermore, neither our kings, nor our leaders, nor our priests nor our ancestors have practiced your Law or paid attention to your commands and warnings by which you admonished them. But they in their kingdom in the midst of your great goodness that you gave them and in the large and fertile land that you provided them did not serve you or turn away from their evil deeds. "Look! Today we are your servants, along with the land that you gave to our ancestors, so they could enjoy its fruit and its value behold, in it we are your servants! But now its abundant produce belongs to the kings whom you placed over us because of our sin. They also have power over our bodies and our herds at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. "Because of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our descendants of Levi, and our priests hereby set their seals upon it."
Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not erase my faithful deeds that I have undertaken for the Temple of my God, and for its services.
Then I commanded the descendants of Levi to purify themselves and to come as gate keepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, my God, and show mercy to me according to the greatness of your gracious love. At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. read more. Furthermore, their children spoke half of the time in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah. Instead, they spoke in the languages of various nations. So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: "You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Didn't Solomon, king of Israel, sin by doing these things, even though among many nations there was no king like him who was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel? Even so, foreign women caused him to sin. Should we listen to you and do all of this terrible evil by transgressing against our God to marry foreign wives?" One of the sons of Eliashib the high priest's son Joiada was a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the descendants of Levi. I purified them from everything foreign, arranged duties for the priests and the descendants of Levi, each to his task, and I arranged at the appointed time for the supply of wood, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, with favor.
You'll entreat him and he'll listen to you as you fulfill your vows.
For where is the hope of the godless when he is eliminated; when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when distress overtakes him? read more. Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times?"
Let him pray to God and he will accept him; he will appear before him with joyful shouts!"
"They cry out there, but he doesn't answer because of the arrogance of those who practice evil. Theirs is a useless plea God won't listen; the Almighty won't pay any attention.
So take seven bulls and seven rams and bring them to my servant Job. And bring a whole burnt offering for yourselves and my servant Job will pray for you. I'll encourage him by not responding as your disgraceful folly deserves, since you didn't speak about me correctly as did my servant Job."
LORD, listen to my words, consider my groaning. Pay attention to my cry for help, my king and my God, for unto you will I pray. read more. LORD, in the morning you will hear my voice; in the morning I will pray to you, and I will watch for your answer.
But I, because of the abundance of your gracious love, may come into your house. In awe of you, I will worship in your holy Temple.
With haughty arrogance, the wicked thinks, "God will not seek justice." He always presumes "There is no God."
Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
Morning, noon, and night, I mulled over these things and cried out in my distress, and he heard my voice.
My soul rests quietly only when it looks to God; from him comes my deliverance.
People, in every situation put your trust in God; pour out your heart before him; for God is a refuge for us. Interlude
Since you hear prayer, everybody will come to you.
Were I to cherish iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not listen to me.
As for me, LORD, may my prayer to you come at a favorable time. God, in the abundance of your gracious love, answer me with your sure deliverance.
Come! Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel in the presence of the LORD, who made us.
I am delighted with your statutes; I will not forget your word. Gimmel
Remember what you said to your servant, by which you caused me to hope.
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place and bless the LORD.
I will bow down in worship toward your holy Temple and give thanks to your name for your gracious love and truth, for you have done great things to carry out your word consistent with your name.
Let my prayer be like incense offered before you, and my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice.
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
The LORD is far away from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
The LORD is far away from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; a righteous person rushes to it and is lifted up above the danger.
If someone quits listening to the Law even his prayer is detestable.
Watch your step whenever you visit God's house, and come more ready to listen than to offer a fool's sacrifice, since fools never think they're doing evil.
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I'll hide my eyes from you. Even though you pray repeatedly, I won't listen. Your hands are full of blood, your fingers drenched with iniquity."
When Moab appears, when he arrives upon the high place and comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail."
I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them," declares the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies.
LORD, they came to you in distress; they poured out their secret prayer when your chastenings were afflicting them.
Hezekiah received the letters from the messengers, and read them. Then he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread the letters in front of the LORD. Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: read more. "O LORD of the Heavenly Armies, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you alone are the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made heaven and earth. Extend your ear, LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, LORD, and look! Listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God. It is true, LORD, that Assyrian kings have devastated all these countries, and have thrown their gods into the fire but they are not gods, but rather the products of human hands, mere wood and stone. So the Assyrians destroyed them. So now, LORD our God, save us from his oppressive hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
A composition by King Hezekiah of Judah, following his illness and recovery: I said, "Must I leave in the prime of my life? Must I be consigned to the control of Sheol? Bitter are my years!" read more. I said, "I won't see the LORD in the land of the living; and I'll no longer observe human beings among the denizens of the grave. My house has been plucked up and vanishes from me like a shepherd's tent; like a weaver, I've taken account of my life, and he cuts me off from the loom day and night you make an end of me. I've been swept bare until morning; just like a lion, he breaks all my bones day and night you make an end of me. Like a swallow or a crane I chirp, I moan like a dove. My eyes look weakly upward. O Lord, I am oppressed, so stand up for me! What can I say, so I tell myself, since he has done this to me? I will walk slowly all my years because of my soul's anguish. "My Lord is against them, yet they live, and among all of them who live is his spirit. Now you have restored me to health, so let me live! Yes, it was for my own good that I suffered extreme anguish. But in love you have held back my life from the Pit in which it has been confined; you have tossed all my sins behind your back. For Sheol cannot thank you, death cannot sing your praise; and those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. The living yes the living they thank you, just as I am doing today; fathers will tell their children about your faithfulness. The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on strings all the days of our lives in the LORD's Temple.
And the rest of it he makes into a god. To blocks of wood he bows down, worships, prays, and says, "Save me, since you are my god."
"Gather together and come; draw near and enter, your fugitives from the nations. Those who carry around their wooden idols know nothing, nor do those who keep praying to a god that cannot save.
"This what the LORD says: "I'll answer you in a time of favor, and on a day of salvation I'll help you. I have watched over you, and given you as a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to reassign the inheritances that have been devastated;
these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will rise up to be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for everyone."
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.
King Zedekiah sent Shelemiah's son Jehucal and Maaseiah's son Zephaniah the priest to Jeremiah the prophet, asking him, "Please pray to the LORD our God for us."
Jeremiah the prophet told them, "I've heard, and I'm going to pray to the LORD your God just as you have requested. Whatever the LORD answers, I'll tell you. I won't withhold anything from you."
Get up and cry aloud in the night, at the beginning of every hour. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord! Lift up your hands toward him for the lives of your children, who are fainting away at every street corner.
"Son of Man, these men have taken idols into their hearts. They've placed the stumbling block that is their own iniquity right in front of their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all?
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
"So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
"So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God, confessing and saying: read more. "Lord! Great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and gracious love for those who love him and obey his commandments, we've sinned, we've practiced evil, we've acted wickedly, and we've rebelled, turning away from your commands and from your regulations. Furthermore, we haven't listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, to our officials, to our ancestors, and to all of the people of the land. "To you, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open humiliation even to this day, to the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, both those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the lands to which you drove them because of their unfaithful acts that they committed against you. "Open humiliation belongs to us, LORD, to our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we've sinned against you. But to the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we've rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws that he gave us through his servants the prophets. And all Israel flouted your Law, turning aside from it and not obeying your voice. Because we've sinned against him, the curse has been poured upon us, along with the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God. "He has confirmed his accusation that he spoke against us and against our rulers who governed us by bringing upon us great calamity, because nowhere in the universe has anything been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. As it's written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has befallen us, but we still haven't sought the LORD our God by turning from our lawlessness to pay attention to your truth. So the LORD watched for the right time to bring the calamity upon us, because the LORD our God is righteous regarding everything he does, but we have not obeyed his voice. "And now, Lord our God, who brought your people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made a name for yourself that remains to this day we've sinned. We've acted wickedly. Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, please turn your anger and wrath away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. Because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an embarrassment to all of those around us. "So now, O God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his requests, and look with favor on your desolate sanctuary, for the sake of the Lord. Turn your ear and listen, O God. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and at the city that is called by your name. We're not presenting our requests before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great compassion. "Lord, listen! "Lord, forgive! "Lord, take note and take action! "For your own sake, don't delay, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.'" "While I was still speaking in prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and placing my request in the presence of the LORD my God on behalf of the holy mountain of God
"While I was still speaking in prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and placing my request in the presence of the LORD my God on behalf of the holy mountain of God while I was still speaking, Gabriel, the man of God whom I had seen in the previous vision, appeared to me about the time of the evening offering.
while I was still speaking, Gabriel, the man of God whom I had seen in the previous vision, appeared to me about the time of the evening offering.
while I was still speaking, Gabriel, the man of God whom I had seen in the previous vision, appeared to me about the time of the evening offering. He gave instructions, and this is what he spoke to me: read more. "Daniel, I've now come to give you insight and understanding. Because you're highly regarded, the answer was issued when you began your prayer, and I've come to tell you. Pay attention to my message and you'll understand the vision.
He circumvented his brother in the womb, and as an adult he fought with God. He even fought the angel and won; he cried and prayed to him. Then at Bethel he found him, and there he spoke with us read more. the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies the LORD is his name. So you, return to your God; guard grace and justice, and look to your God always.
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God who will deliver me. My God will hear me.
"I will stand at my guard post and station myself on a tower. I will wait and see what the LORD will say about me and what I will answer when he reprimands me."
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
"And whenever you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward!
"And whenever you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward! But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you.
But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you.
But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you. "When you are praying, don't say meaningless things like the unbelievers do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy. read more. Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Therefore, this is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Therefore, this is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread,
Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you. Because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened.
When he had gone into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They told him, "Yes, Lord!"
he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe."
Pray that it may not be in winter or on a Sabbath when you flee,
In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there.
That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. "Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.
"Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.
And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned.
When all the people had been baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized. While he was praying, heaven opened,
Now it was in those days that Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.
While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes turned dazzling white.
Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
Then he told them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don't have anything to serve him.' read more. Suppose he answers from inside, "Stop bothering me! The door is already locked, and my children are here with us in the bedroom. I can't get up and give you anything!' I tell you, even though that man doesn't want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you, because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of the fish? Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!"
Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up.
"Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, "O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.
I tell you, this man, rather than the other one, went down to his home justified, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted."
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done."
In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like large drops of blood falling on the ground.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into these boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus.
We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he does listen to anyone who worships him and does his will.
I'll do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
"You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
On that day, you won't ask me for anything. Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, whatever you ask the Father for in my name, he will give it to you. So far you haven't asked for anything in my name. Keep asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." read more. "I have said these things to you in figurative language. The time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly about the Father. At that time, you will make your requests in my name, so that I will have no need to ask the Father on your behalf, because the Father himself loves you, and because you have loved me and believed that I came from God.
With one mind, all of them kept devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women (including Mary the mother of Jesus) and his brothers.
Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two men you have chosen to serve in this office of apostle, from which Judas left to go to his own place."
When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated, all of them were together in one place.
"Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning.
The believers continued to devote themselves to what the apostles were teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer.
United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other's homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts.
One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o'clock prayer time.
One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o'clock prayer time.
When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, "Master, you made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, "Master, you made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, "Master, you made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. You said by the Holy Spirit through the voice of our ancestor, your servant David, "Why do the unbelievers rage, and the people devise useless plots?
You said by the Holy Spirit through the voice of our ancestor, your servant David, "Why do the unbelievers rage, and the people devise useless plots? The kings of the earth take their stand, and rulers meet together against the Lord and against his Messiah.'
The kings of the earth take their stand, and rulers meet together against the Lord and against his Messiah.' For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,
For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to carry out everything that your hand and will had predetermined to take place.
to carry out everything that your hand and will had predetermined to take place. Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow your servants to speak your word boldly
Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow your servants to speak your word boldly as you stretch out your hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
as you stretch out your hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon's Colonnade.
Then we'll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died.
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
One day, about three in the afternoon, he had a vision and clearly saw an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, "Cornelius!" He stared at the angel in terror and asked, "What is it, Lord?"
and said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard. God has remembered your gifts to the poor,
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly.
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set Barnabas and Saul apart for me to do the work for which I called them." Then they fasted and prayed, laid their hands on them, and let them go.
Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.
When Paul had said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.
but when our time there came to an end, we left and proceeded on our journey. All of them accompanied us with their wives and children out of the city. We knelt on the beach, prayed,
but when our time there came to an end, we left and proceeded on our journey. All of them accompanied us with their wives and children out of the city. We knelt on the beach, prayed,
After he said this, he took some bread, thanked God in front of everyone, broke it, and began to eat.
For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel about his Son, is my witness how constantly I mention you in my prayers at all times, asking that somehow by God's will I may at last succeed in coming to you.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, since we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words,
In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, since we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words, and the one who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God's will.
Who is the one to condemn? It is the Messiah Jesus who is interceding on our behalf. He died, and more importantly, has been raised and is seated at the right hand of God.
Now to the one who is able to strengthen you with my gospel and the message that I preach about Jesus, the Messiah, by revealing the secret that was kept hidden from long ago but now has been made known through the prophets to all the gentiles, in keeping with the decree of the eternal God to bring them to the obedience that springs from faith read more. to the only wise God, through Jesus the Messiah, be glory forever! Amen.
For he says, "At the right time I heard you, and on a day of salvation I helped you." Listen, now is really the "right time"! Now is the "day of salvation"!
To keep me from becoming conceited because of the exceptional nature of these revelations, a thorn was given to me and placed in my body. It was Satan's messenger to keep on tormenting me so that I would not become conceited. I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me, read more. but he has told me, "My grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the Messiah's power may rest on me. That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the Messiah's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Then we will no longer be little children, tossed like waves and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, or by clever strategies that would lead us astray. Instead, by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely and become one with the head, that is, one with the Messiah, read more. in whom the whole body is united and held together by every ligament with which it is supplied. As each individual part does its job, the body builds itself up in love. Therefore, I tell you and insist on in the Lord not to live any longer like the gentiles live, thinking worthless thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. Since they have lost all sense of shame, they have abandoned themselves to sensuality and practice every kind of sexual perversion without restraint. However, that is not the way you came to know the Messiah. Surely you have listened to him and have been taught by him, since truth is in Jesus.
Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints.
I thank my God every time I remember you, always praying joyfully in every one of my prayers for all of you read more. because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am convinced of this, that the one who began a good action among you will bring it to completion by the Day of the Messiah Jesus. For it is only right for me to think this way about all of you, because you're constantly on my mind. Both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, all of you are partners with me in this privilege. For God is my witness how much I long for all of you with the compassion that the Messiah Jesus provides. And this is my prayer, that your love will keep on growing more and more with full knowledge and insight, so that you may be able to choose what is best and be pure and blameless until the day when the Messiah returns, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus the Messiah so that God will be glorified and praised.
Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.
For this reason, since the day we heard about this, we have not stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the full knowledge of God's will with respect to all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God. read more. You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy and might thank the Father, who has enabled us to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves, through whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
First of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people,
First of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people,
Older men are to be sober, serious, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.
Use wholesome speech that cannot be condemned. Then any opponent will be ashamed because he cannot say anything bad about us.
As a mortal man, he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.
Now may the God of peace, who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good to do his will, accomplishing in us what pleases him through Jesus, the Messiah. To him be glory forever and ever! Amen.
But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
You ask for something but do not get it because you ask for it for the wrong reason for your own pleasure.
Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. read more. Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Whatever we request we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us.
And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us. And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.
And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.
Another angel came with a gold censer and stood at the altar. He was given a large quantity of incense to offer on the gold altar before the throne, along with the prayers of all the saints. The smoke from the incense and the prayers of the saints went up from the angel's hand to God.
Hastings
Prayer in the Bible is the uplifting of the heart to God with whatever motive. It includes supplication, whether in view of material or of spiritual needs; intercession, for individuals or communities; confession of sin
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Seth also fathered a son, whom he named Enosh. At that time, profaning the name of the LORD began.
Abram traveled through the land to the place called Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
But Abram answered the king of Sodom, "I have made an oath to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
Some time later, a message came from the LORD to Abram in a vision. "Stop being afraid, Abram," he said. "I myself your shield am your very great reward." But Abram replied, "Lord GOD, what can you give me since I continue to be childless, and the heir of my household is Eliezer from Damascus?
But Abram replied, "Lord GOD, what can you give me since I continue to be childless, and the heir of my household is Eliezer from Damascus?
The LORD spoke to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land as an inheritance." But he replied, "Lord GOD, how will I know that I will inherit it?"
God told Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are not to call her Sarai any longer, because her name is to be Sarah. I will bless her. Furthermore, I will give you a son from her. I will bless her, so that nations, kings, and people will come from her."
I will bless her. Furthermore, I will give you a son from her. I will bless her, so that nations, kings, and people will come from her."
Then two of the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the LORD. Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked?
Now then, return the man's wife. As a matter of fact, he's a prophet and can intercede for you so you'll live. But if you don't return her, be aware that you and all who are yours will certainly die."
That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham. I've stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water.
Then he made this solemn vow: "If God remains with me, watches over me throughout this journey that I'm taking, gives me food to eat and clothes to wear,
Deliver me from my brother Esau's control, because I'm terrified of him, and I'm afraid that he's coming to attack me, the mothers, and their children.
And so Jacob was left alone, and he struggled with a man until daybreak.
and may God Almighty cause the man to show compassion toward you. May he send all of you back, including your other brother and Benjamin. Now as for me, if I lose my children, I lose them."
So Moses returned to the LORD and asked him, "LORD, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why have you sent me here?
Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's presence, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs which he had sent on Pharaoh.
Whoever feared the message from the LORD among Pharaoh's officials made his servants and livestock flee into shelters.
But Moses implored the LORD his God: "LORD, why are you angry with your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a show of force?
But Moses implored the LORD his God: "LORD, why are you angry with your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a show of force? Why should the Egyptians say, "He brought them out with an evil intention to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your anger and change your mind about the calamity against your people. read more. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants to whom you swore by yourself as you told them, "I'll increase the number of your descendants like the stars of the heavens, I'll give your descendants all of this land about which I have spoken, and they are to possess it forever.'"
Now, if you will, forgive their sin but if not, blot me out of your book which you have written."
The LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and filled with gracious love and truth.
so he asked the LORD, "Why did you bring all this trouble to your servant? Why haven't I found favor in your eyes? After all, you're putting the burden of this entire people on me!
"I pleaded with the LORD at that time, "LORD God, you've begun to show your greatness and your strong power to your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can equal your works and mighty deeds? read more. Let me cross over that I may see the good land on the other side of the Jordan River the good hill country as well as Lebanon.'
and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime.
and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime. Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for.
Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for.
Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the LORD your God:
Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the LORD your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members, yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. But the Egyptians oppressed us, afflicted us, and assigned us to hard labor.
"A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members, yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. But the Egyptians oppressed us, afflicted us, and assigned us to hard labor. So we cried out to the LORD God of our ancestors, and he heard our cries and observed our affliction, trouble, and oppression.
So we cried out to the LORD God of our ancestors, and he heard our cries and observed our affliction, trouble, and oppression. The LORD brought us out of Egypt with his awesome power, with great terror, signs, and wonders.
The LORD brought us out of Egypt with his awesome power, with great terror, signs, and wonders. And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey.
And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey. Now, look I brought the first produce of the land that you, LORD, have given me.'
Now, look I brought the first produce of the land that you, LORD, have given me.' Then set it in the presence of the LORD your God and worship him. Rejoice with the descendants of Levi and the foreigner among you at all the good things that the LORD your God has given you and your family."
Then set it in the presence of the LORD your God and worship him. Rejoice with the descendants of Levi and the foreigner among you at all the good things that the LORD your God has given you and your family." "When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities. read more. Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God:
Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God: "I've removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven't violated or forgotten your commands. I haven't eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I've obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me.
"I've removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven't violated or forgotten your commands. I haven't eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I've obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me. Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors a land flowing with milk and honey.'" read more. "The LORD your God is commanding you this very day to observe these statutes and judgments. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and soul.
"May Reuben live and not die, though his numbers are few." He declared this about Judah: "Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah and return him to his people. With his own strength he fights for himself, and you will be of assistance against his enemies." read more. About Levi he said: "Let your Thummim and Urim be with the man to whom you showed gracious love, whom you tested at Massah and with whom you struggled at the waters of Meribah, the one who told his mother and father, "I don't know them,' and who would neither acknowledge his brothers nor know his own children. For they kept your word and guarded your covenant. They will teach your ordinances to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They will offer incense as a pleasant aroma to you and a whole burnt offering upon your altar. LORD, bless his substance and approve the work that he undertakes. Shatter the legs of those who oppose against him; may those who hate him stand no more."
"My servant Moses is dead. Now get ready to cross the Jordan River you and all the people to the land that I'm giving the Israelis.
"Neither," he answered. "I have come as commander of the LORD's Army." Joshua immediately fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, saying to him, "Lord, what do you have for your servant by way of command?" The commander of the LORD's Army replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you're standing is holy." So Joshua did so.
"Lord GOD," Joshua asked, "Why have you brought this people across the Jordan River? To hand us over to the Amorites so we'll be destroyed? Wouldn't it have been better for us to be content to settle on the other side of the Jordan? Lord, what am I to say, now that Israel has run away from its enemies? read more. The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of this, will surround us, and eliminate us from the earth! Then what will you do about your great reputation?"
There has never been a day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD was fighting on behalf of Israel.
When the Israelis cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up Othniel son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, to deliver them, and he did.
When the Israelis cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up Othniel son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, to deliver them, and he did.
But when the Israelis cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up Gera's son Ehud, a left-handed descendant of Benjamin, as a deliverer for them. The Israelis paid tribute through him to king Eglon of Moab.
Because Israel was deeply impoverished due to the Midianites, they cried out to the LORD.
After this, the angel of the LORD arrived and sat down in the shade of the oak tree in Ophrah that belonged to Joash, a descendant of Abiezer, while his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press in order to safeguard it from the Midianites. The angel of the LORD appeared to him and told him, "The LORD is with you, you valiant warrior!" read more. But Gideon replied, "Right" Sir, if the LORD is with us, then why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his miraculous works that our ancestors recounted to us when they said, "The LORD brought us up from Egypt, didn't he?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us over to Midian!" The LORD looked straight at him and replied, "Go with this determination of yours and deliver Israel from Midian's domination. I've directed you, haven't I?" "Right"," Gideon responded. "Sir, how will I deliver Israel? Look my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I'm the youngest in my father's household." The LORD told him, "Because I'll be with you, and you'll defeat Midian every single one of them!" So Gideon asked him, "Please, if I have received favor from you, then do a miracle for me that shows that you're making this promise to me. And please don't leave here until I've come back to you, brought my offering, and set it down in front of you." The LORD replied, "I'll stay until you return." Then Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and poured the broth into a pot, and brought them to the angel right under the oak tree. Then he made his offering. The angel, who was God, replied, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this boulder. Then pour out the broth." So he did that. The angel of the LORD extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and unleavened bread. Fire broke out from inside the boulder, consuming the meat and unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished in front of him. When Gideon realized that he had seen the angel of the LORD himself, he cried out, "Oh no! Lord GOD! I've been looking right at the angel of the LORD and face-to-face at that!" "Calm down! Don't be afraid." the LORD replied. "You're not going to die!" So Gideon built an altar right there to the LORD and called it "The LORD is peace." (To this very day it still stands in Ophrah, which belongs to the descendants of Abiezer.)
Hannah got up after she had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the chair by the doorpost of the tent of the LORD. Deeply distressed, she prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
Later, the LORD came and stood there, calling out, "Samuel! Samuel!" as he had before. Samuel said, "Speak, because your servant is listening." "Look," the LORD told Samuel. "I'm about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears it tingle.
The men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the Ark of the LORD. They brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated his son Eleazar to care for the Ark of the LORD.
Samuel said, "Bring all Israel together at Mizpah, and I'll pray to the LORD on your behalf."
Samuel said, "Bring all Israel together at Mizpah, and I'll pray to the LORD on your behalf." So they came together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out in the LORD's presence.
Then Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD.
Samuel reported everything the LORD told him to the people who were asking him for a king.
So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the LORD.
When you come into town you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people don't eat until he arrives, because he must bless the sacrifice and then after that those who are invited will eat. So go up right now because you can find him now."
Now as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. I'll also instruct you in the way that is good and right.
"I regret that I made Saul king, because he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my commands." Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all night.
The LORD told Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I've rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse from Bethlehem because I've chosen for myself one of his sons as king." Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about this and kill me!" read more. The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, "I've come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.' You are to invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I'll show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I tell you."
David inquired of the LORD: "Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD told David, "Go strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah."
May the LORD judge between me and you, and may he take vengeance on you for me, but I won't be attacking you. Just like the ancient proverb says, "From wicked people comes wickedness,' but I'm not against you. read more. After whom is the king of Israel going out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog or a single flea? May the LORD act as judge, and may he decide between me and you. May he see, may he plead my case, and may he vindicate me in this dispute against you."
May the LORD do this to the enemies of David and more also if by the morning I've left alive a single male of all those who belong to him."
David inquired of the LORD: "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?"
Then King David went in to the presence of the LORD, sat down, and said:
Then King David went in to the presence of the LORD, sat down, and said: "Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this? And this is still a small thing to you, Lord GOD you also have spoken about the future of your servant's house, and this is the charter for mankind, O Lord GOD! read more. "What more can David say to you, and you surely know your servant, Lord GOD. For the sake of your word and consistent with your desire, you have done all of these great things, informing your servant. And therefore you are great, Lord GOD, there is no one like you, there is no God except for you, just as we've heard with our own ears. "And who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to carry out for them great and awe-inspiring accomplishments, driving out nations and their gods in front of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt? You have prepared your people Israel to be your very own people for ever, and you, LORD, have become their God! "And now, LORD God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done and let it be done just as you've promised. May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you. For you, LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, "I will build a dynasty for you,' so that your servant has found fortitude to pray this prayer to you. "Now therefore, Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken to your servant these good things. So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord GOD, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever."
A week later, the child died, and David's staff was afraid to tell him that the child had died. They were telling themselves, "Look, when the child was still alive, we talked to him but he wouldn't listen to what we said. Now what kind of trouble will he bring on himself if we tell him that the child has died?"
When David saw the angel who had been attacking the people, he told the LORD, "Look, I'm the one who has sinned! I did the evil. These are only sheep! What did they do? Please, let your hand fall on me and on my household!"
The king used to go to Gibeon to sacrifice, since there was a famous high place there, where Solomon once offered 1,000 burnt offerings on that altar.
So Solomon said:
Then Solomon took his place in front of the LORD's altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, and said: read more. "LORD God of Israel, there is no one like you, God in heaven above or on the earth below, who watches over his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence with all their hearts. It is you, LORD God, who have kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what you had promised today. "Now therefore, LORD God of Israel, keep your promise that you made to my father, your servant David, when you said, "You will not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants will watch their lives, to live in my presence just as you have lived in my presence.' "Now therefore, God of Israel, may your promise that you made to your servant David my father be fulfilled" and yet, will God truly reside on earth? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built! Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, LORD my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today. Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said "My name will reside there.' Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction.
Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said "My name will reside there.' Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction. Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive.
Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive. "If a man should sin against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, read more. then listen in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness. "If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you, pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to their ancestors. "When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance. "If a famine comes to the land, or if plant diseases, mildew, locust, or grasshoppers appear, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts for you alone know the hearts of all human beings so they will fear you every day and live on the surface of the land that you have given to our ancestors. "Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your name (for people will hear of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power), when he comes and prays facing this Temple, then hear in heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name. "When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause. "When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away, if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land of their captivity confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, forgiving your people who have sinned against you, along with their transgressions by which they have transgressed against you. "Show your compassion in the presence of those who have taken them captive, so they may show compassion on them, since they are your people and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from an iron fire furnace. Do this so your eyes may remain open to the requests of your servant and to the requests of your people's prayers, to listen to them whenever they call out to you, because you have separated them to yourself as your heritage from all the people of the earth, as you spoke through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord GOD.
Solomon offered peace offerings to the LORD consisting of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelis dedicated the LORD's Temple.
Then he called out to the LORD and asked him, "LORD my God, have you also brought evil to this dear widow with whom I am living as her guest? Have you caused the death of her son?" Then he stretched himself three times and cried out to the LORD, "LORD my God, please cause the soul of this little boy to return to him."
So the prophets of Baal cried even louder and slashed themselves with swords and lances until their blood gushed out all over them, as was their custom.
As the time for the evening offering arrived, Elijah the prophet approached and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I, your servant, have done all of this in obedience to your word. Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning back their hearts again."
So Ahab got up to get something to eat and drink while Elijah went back up to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bowed low to the ground and placed his face between his knees.
Elijah arrived at a cave and stayed there. All of a sudden this message came from the LORD: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" "I've been very zealous for the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies," he replied. "The Israelis have abandoned your covenant, demolished your altars, executed your prophets with swords, and I that's right, just me! am the only one left. Now they're seeking my life, to get rid of me!" read more. "Go out," he responded, "and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD." And there was the LORD, passing by! A tremendous, mighty windstorm was tearing at the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces in the presence of the LORD, but the LORD was not in the windstorm. After the wind there came an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
Then Elisha prayed, asking the LORD, "Please make him able to really see!" And so when the LORD enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha!
Then Hezekiah prayed in the presence of the LORD, "LORD God of Israel! You live between the cherubim! You alone are the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have fashioned the heavens and the earth.
"Remember me, LORD," he said, "how I have walked in your presence with integrity, with an undivided heart, and I have accomplished what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept deeply.
so they may approach the God of Heaven with fragrant sacrifices and pray for the life of this king and his sons.
so they may approach the God of Heaven with fragrant sacrifices and pray for the life of this king and his sons.
Then I called for a fast there at the Ahava River so we could humble ourselves before our God and seek from him an appropriate way for us and our little ones to live, and how we should guard our personal wealth, because I was ashamed to ask the king for a contingent of soldiers and cavalry to protect us from enemies we might encounter on the way. After all, we had told the king, "The hand of our God seeks the good of all who seek him, but his power and anger are against everyone who forsakes him." read more. So we fasted and asked our God about this, and he listened to us.
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I arose from my discouragement. Still in my torn garment and robe, I fell to my knees with my hands outstretched to the LORD my God,
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I arose from my discouragement. Still in my torn garment and robe, I fell to my knees with my hands outstretched to the LORD my God, and said,
and said, "My God, I am too ashamed and hurt to turn to you, because we're in our iniquities over our heads. Furthermore, my God, our sins have grown as high as the heavens. We have lived in great sin from the days of our ancestors even until today, and because of those iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered over to foreign kings, for execution, for captivity, for plunder, and for humiliation, as is the case today. read more. Though now, for a moment, grace has been shown from the LORD our God, leaving a few survivors to escape, and providing us a secure hold in his Holy Place, so that our God might enlighten us and give us relief from our servitude. Even though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. Instead, he has extended gracious love to us in the presence of the kings of Persia, to grant us revival, to set up the Temple of our God, to repair its damage, and to give us a protective wall for Judah and Jerusalem. Now, our God, what can we say besides this? Because we have abandoned your commandments that you gave in the writings of your servants, the prophets: "The land you are entering to possess is a morally unclean land due to the moral uncleanness of the nations of the lands along with their abominations that has filled it from one end to the other with their impurities. So, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor marry their daughters to your sons, and under no circumstances are you to seek their well-being or their wealth, so that you may remain strong, enjoying the best things the land has to give, and so that you may establish an inheritance for your children forever.' "After all that has happened to us because of our evil behavior, and because of our great sin considering that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have given us this deliverance should we violate your commandments by intermarrying with the nations who practice these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you had consumed us, with not even a remnant surviving to escape? LORD God of Israel, you are just: As a result, we remain here today delivered. Look at us! Because of our sin, we cannot stand in your presence as a result of everything that has happened."
When I heard this, I sat down and cried, mourning for a number of days while I fasted and prayed in the presence of the God of Heaven.
When I heard this, I sat down and cried, mourning for a number of days while I fasted and prayed in the presence of the God of Heaven. I said, "Please, LORD, God of Heaven, the great and fearsome God who keeps the covenant, showing gracious love to those who love you and keep your commands, read more. please turn your attention to observe carefully and listen to the prayer of your servant today that I am presenting to you day and night on behalf of your servants, the Israelis. "I confess the sins that we Israelis have committed against you. Both I and my father's house have sinned. We have abandoned you by not keeping your commands, your ceremonies, and your judgments that you proscribed to your servant Moses. Please remember what you spoke in commanding your servant Moses. You said, "If you rebel, I will scatter you among the nations but if you return to me, keeping my commands and doing them, even if your exiled people are in the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to establish my Name.' These are your servants as well as your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. "And now, Lord, I ask you to listen to the prayer of your servant and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your Name. I ask you, please prosper your servant today by granting him to receive favor from this man." Now I was the king's senior security advisor.
The king answered, "What do you want?"
"Listen, our God, because we are being mocked. Let their insults fall back on them, and let them be dragged away as captives into exile.
So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with uplifted hands, all the people responded, "Amen! Amen!" They bowed down and worshipped the LORD prostrate on the ground.
Then the descendants of Levi Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from eternity to eternity! Blessed be your glorious name! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!
Then the descendants of Levi Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from eternity to eternity! Blessed be your glorious name! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise! "You are the LORD; you alone crafted the heavens, the highest heavens with all of their armies; the earth, and everything in it; the seas, and everything in them; you keep giving all of them life, and the army of heaven continuously worships you. read more. You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, whom you brought from Ur of the Chaldeans and to whom you gave the name Abraham. You found him faithful in your sight; you made a covenant with him and you gave the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites to his descendants. And you have kept your word, because you are righteous. "You took note of the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and listened to their cry at the Red Sea. You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all of his officials, and against all the people of his land, because you knew they acted arrogantly against your people. So you established your name with them, as it remains to this day. You divided the sea in front of them, and they traveled through the midst of the sea on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths, as one throws a stone into turbulent waters. You led them during the day by a pillar of cloud, and by a pillar of fire at night to provide light for them on the path they took. "You also came down to Mount Sinai, spoke with them from heaven, and gave them impartial regulations, true laws, statutes, and good commands. You revealed to them your holy Sabbath, and you mandated precepts, statutes, and laws through Moses your servant. You gave them food from heaven for their hunger and water from the rock for their thirst. You directed them to enter and possess the land that you had promised to give them. "But they our ancestors became arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to your commands. They would not listen, and did not remember the miracles you did among them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return them to their slavery. "But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in gracious love; therefore you did not abandon them. Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies. You, in your great compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud did not leave them in daylight, in order to provide light for them on the path they took. Nor did the pillar of fire abandon them at night, in order to provide light for them and lead them on the path they took. "You gave your good Spirit to instruct them, not withholding manna from them, and providing water to quench their thirst. You sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years. They lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. You gave them kingdoms and nations, apportioning them as frontier boundaries. They took possession of the land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan. "You multiplied their descendants like the stars in heaven and brought them to the land about which you told their ancestors to enter and possess. So their descendants entered and took possession of the land. Before their eyes you subdued those living in the land the Canaanites putting them under their control, along with their kings and the nations of the land, so they could do with them as they pleased. They conquered fortified cities and fertile ground, possessing houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, with vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were satiated, and were well nourished, delighting themselves in your great goodness. "Then they disobeyed, rebelled against you, and threw your Law behind their backs. They murdered your prophets who had admonished the people to return to you, committing terrible blasphemies. So you delivered them into the control of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed, they cried out to you, and you heard from heaven. In your great compassion you gave them deliverers who rescued them from the control of their enemies. "But after they had gained relief, they returned to doing evil before you. Therefore you abandoned them to the control of their enemies, who continued to oppress them. But when they came back and cried out to you, you listened from heaven and delivered them in your compassion on many occasions. You admonished them to return to your Law, but they acted arrogantly, and would not listen to your commands. They sinned against your regulations, which if anyone obeys, he will live by them. They turned away, being stubborn and stiff-necked, and they did not listen. You were patient with them for many years, warning them by your Spirit through your prophets. But they would not listen, so you turned them over to the control of people in other lands. Nevertheless, in your great compassion you did not completely destroy them or abandon them, because you are a God of grace and you are merciful. "Now therefore, our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and gracious love, don't let all of the difficulties seem trifling to you, all of hardships that have come upon us, upon our kings, upon our leaders, upon our priests, upon our prophets, upon our ancestors, and upon all of your people from the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. You are righteous in all that is happening to us, because you have acted faithfully while we have practiced evil. Furthermore, neither our kings, nor our leaders, nor our priests nor our ancestors have practiced your Law or paid attention to your commands and warnings by which you admonished them. But they in their kingdom in the midst of your great goodness that you gave them and in the large and fertile land that you provided them did not serve you or turn away from their evil deeds. "Look! Today we are your servants, along with the land that you gave to our ancestors, so they could enjoy its fruit and its value behold, in it we are your servants! But now its abundant produce belongs to the kings whom you placed over us because of our sin. They also have power over our bodies and our herds at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. "Because of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our descendants of Levi, and our priests hereby set their seals upon it."
Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not erase my faithful deeds that I have undertaken for the Temple of my God, and for its services.
Then I commanded the descendants of Levi to purify themselves and to come as gate keepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, my God, and show mercy to me according to the greatness of your gracious love.
Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do anything and nothing that you plan is impossible. read more. You asked, "Who is this that darkens counsel without knowledge?' Well now, I have talked about what I don't understand awesome things beyond me that I don't know. Listen now, and I will speak for myself; I'll interrogate you and then inform me. I've heard you with my ears; and now I've seen you with my eyes. As a result, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
My eyesight has faded because of grief, it has dimmed because of all my enemies. Get away from me, all of you who practice evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. read more. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD receives my prayer. As for all my enemies, they will be put to shame; they will be greatly frightened and suddenly turn away ashamed. A Davidic psalm, which he sang to the LORD, because of the words of Cush the descendant of Benjamin.
LORD, hear my just plea! Pay attention to my cry! Listen to my prayer, since it does not come from lying lips.
Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth, humbled myself with fasting, and prayed from my heart repeatedly for them.
But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth, humbled myself with fasting, and prayed from my heart repeatedly for them.
My God, my soul feels depressed within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan, from the heights of Hermon, even from the foothills.
Morning, noon, and night, I mulled over these things and cried out in my distress, and he heard my voice.
From the end of the earth I will cry to you whenever my heart is overwhelmed. Place me on the rock that's too high for me.
People, in every situation put your trust in God; pour out your heart before him; for God is a refuge for us. Interlude
So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.
Insults broke my heart. I despaired and looked for sympathy; but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.
May you punish them for their crimes; may they receive no verdict of innocence from you.
Let me praise the name of God with a song that I may magnify him with thanksgiving.
For he will deliver the needy when they cry out for help, and the poor when there is no deliverer.
When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; my hands were raised at night and they did not grow weary. I refused to be comforted.
Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? Interlude So I say: "It causes me pain that the right hand of the Most High has changed." read more. I will remember the LORD'S deeds; indeed, I will remember your awesome deeds from long ago.
Come! Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel in the presence of the LORD, who made us.
I am fading away like a shadow late in the day; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees give way from fasting, and my skin is lean, deprived of oil. read more. I have become an object of derision to them they shake their heads whenever they see me. Help me, LORD my God! Deliver me in accord with your gracious love! Then they will realize that your hand is in this that you, LORD, have accomplished it. They will curse, but you will bless. When they attack, they will be humiliated, while your servant rejoices. May my accusers be clothed with shame and wrapped in their humiliation as with a robe. I will give many thanks to the LORD with my mouth, praising him publicly,
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place and bless the LORD.
Let my prayer be like incense offered before you, and my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice.
The LORD remains near to all who call out to him, to everyone who calls out to him sincerely. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him, hearing their cry and saving them.
The righteous house is itself a great treasure, but within the revenue of the wicked calamity is at work.
The LORD is far away from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
The dice is cast into someone's lap, but the outcome is from the LORD.
If someone quits listening to the Law even his prayer is detestable.
God, I have asked you for two things don't refuse me before I die Keep deception and lies far away from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Feed me with food that I need for today, read more. so that I don't become overfed and deny you by saying, "Who is the LORD?" or so that I don't become poor and steal, and then misuse the name of my God.
"Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean; remove your evil behavior from my presence; stop practicing what is evil.
LORD, they came to you in distress; they poured out their secret prayer when your chastenings were afflicting them.
Hezekiah received the letters from the messengers, and read them. Then he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread the letters in front of the LORD.
By myself I have sworn from my mouth has gone out integrity, a promise that won't be revoked: "To me every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear.'
these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will rise up to be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for everyone."
I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD, the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, according to all the LORD has done for us yes, the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his gracious love.
In all their distress he wasn't distressed, but the angel of his presence saved them; in his acts of love and in his acts of pity he redeemed them; he carried them and lifted them up all the days of old. Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; so he changed and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them. read more. Then they remembered the days of old, of Moses his servant. Where is the one who brought up out of the sea the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit among them, and who made his glorious arm march at Moses' right hand, who divided the waters in front of them to win an everlasting name, who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the open desert, they did not stumble; like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. For you led your people, to win for yourself a glorious name. Look down from heaven, and see from your holy and glorious dwelling. Where are your zeal and your might? Where are the yearning of your heart and your compassion? They are held back from me. But you are our Father, even Abraham does not know us and Israel has not acknowledged us; you are he, O LORD, our Father, from long ago, "Our Redeemer' is your name. Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts, so that we do not fear you? Turn back for the sake of your servants, for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage.
LORD, after all this, can you hold yourself back? Can you keep silent and punish us so severely?
"As for you, don't pray on behalf of this people, don't cry or offer a petition for them, and don't plead with me, for I won't listen to you.
The towns of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they'll be no help at all to them in the time of their disaster.
Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the false prophets who prophesy in my name, "There will be no sword and famine in this land' (though I haven't sent them): "By the sword and by famine these prophets will be finished off!
Then the LORD told me, "Even if Moses and Samuel were standing before me, I wouldn't be favorably disposed toward this people. Send them out of my presence! Let them go!
You deceived me, LORD, and I've been deceived. You overpowered me, and you prevailed. I've become a laughing stock all day long, and everyone mocks me. Indeed, as often as I speak, I cry out, and shout, "Violence and destruction!" For this message from the LORD has caused me constant reproach and derision. read more. When I say, "I won't remember the LORD, nor will I speak in his name anymore, then there is this burning fire in my heart. It is bound up in my bones, I grow weary of trying to hold it in, and I cannot do it! Indeed, I hear many people whispering, "Terror on every side. Denounce him, let's denounce him!" All my close friends watch my steps and say, "Perhaps he will be deceived, and we can prevail against him and take vengeance on him." Butthe LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, those who pursue me will stumble and won't prevail. They'll be put to great shame, when they don't succeed. Their everlasting disgrace won't be forgotten. LORD of the Heavenly Armies, who tests the righteous, who sees the inner motives and the heart, let me see you take vengeance on them, for I've committed my case to you. Sing to the LORD, give praise to the LORD! For he saves the life of the poor from the hand of the wicked.
Seek the welfare of the city to which I've exiled you and pray to the LORD for it, for your welfare depends on its welfare.'
Jeremiah the prophet told them, "I've heard, and I'm going to pray to the LORD your God just as you have requested. Whatever the LORD answers, I'll tell you. I won't withhold anything from you."
Get up and cry aloud in the night, at the beginning of every hour. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord! Lift up your hands toward him for the lives of your children, who are fainting away at every street corner.
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 regional authorities over the kingdom throughout the realm,
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
"So I turned my attention to the Lord God, seeking him in prayer and supplication, accompanied with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God, confessing and saying: read more. "Lord! Great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and gracious love for those who love him and obey his commandments, we've sinned, we've practiced evil, we've acted wickedly, and we've rebelled, turning away from your commands and from your regulations. Furthermore, we haven't listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, to our officials, to our ancestors, and to all of the people of the land. "To you, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open humiliation even to this day, to the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, both those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the lands to which you drove them because of their unfaithful acts that they committed against you. "Open humiliation belongs to us, LORD, to our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we've sinned against you. But to the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we've rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws that he gave us through his servants the prophets. And all Israel flouted your Law, turning aside from it and not obeying your voice. Because we've sinned against him, the curse has been poured upon us, along with the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God. "He has confirmed his accusation that he spoke against us and against our rulers who governed us by bringing upon us great calamity, because nowhere in the universe has anything been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. As it's written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has befallen us, but we still haven't sought the LORD our God by turning from our lawlessness to pay attention to your truth. So the LORD watched for the right time to bring the calamity upon us, because the LORD our God is righteous regarding everything he does, but we have not obeyed his voice. "And now, Lord our God, who brought your people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made a name for yourself that remains to this day we've sinned. We've acted wickedly. Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, please turn your anger and wrath away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. Because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an embarrassment to all of those around us. "So now, O God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his requests, and look with favor on your desolate sanctuary, for the sake of the Lord. Turn your ear and listen, O God. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and at the city that is called by your name. We're not presenting our requests before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great compassion. "Lord, listen! "Lord, forgive! "Lord, take note and take action! "For your own sake, don't delay, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.'"
"I will leave and go back to my place until they admit their offense and seek my face. When affliction comes to them, they will eagerly seek me."
As they serve between the porch and the altar, let the priests and ministers of the LORD weep and pray: "Spare your people, LORD, and do not make your heritage a disgrace so that nations ridicule them. Why should they say among the people, "Where is their God?"'"
And so it came about that when the swarm had finished eating the grass of the land, I was saying, "Lord GOD, forgive please! How will Jacob stand, since he is small?" So the LORD relented from this. "This will not happen," said the LORD.
So I kept on saying, "Lord GOD, forgive please! How will Jacob stand, since he is so small?" So the LORD relented from this. "This will not happen, either," said the Lord GOD.
Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the sea creature.
"I will stand at my guard post and station myself on a tower. I will wait and see what the LORD will say about me and what I will answer when he reprimands me."
A prayer by the prophet Habakkuk, set to music.
And the angel of the LORD replied, "LORD of the Heavenly Armies, how long will it be until you show mercy to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, with whom you have been angry for these past seventy years?"
Even so, from where the sun rises to where it sets my name will be great among the Gentiles. Incense will be brought to me everywhere, along with pure offerings, because my name will be great among the Gentiles," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.
"Watch out! I'm sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly, the LORD you are looking for will come to his Temple. He is the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Watch out! He is coming!" says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.
"And whenever you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward!
"When you are praying, don't say meaningless things like the unbelievers do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy.
"When you are praying, don't say meaningless things like the unbelievers do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy. Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Because if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But first be concerned about God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well.
"Go," Jesus told the centurion, "and it will be done for you, just as you have believed." And his servant was healed that very hour.
"No one patches an old garment with a piece of unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.
When he had gone into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They told him, "Yes, Lord!"
You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.
But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting."
and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me."
Furthermore, I tell all of you with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them."
because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them." Then Peter came up and asked him, "Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?" read more. Jesus told him, "I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times!
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. He asked her, "What do you want?" She told him, "Promise that in your kingdom these two sons of mine will sit on your right and on your left." read more. Jesus replied, "You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink from the cup that I'm going to drink from?" They told him, "We can." He told them, "You will indeed drink from my cup. But it's not up to me to grant you a seat at my right hand or at my left. These positions have already been prepared for others by my Father."
Pray that it may not be in winter or on a Sabbath when you flee,
and from then on he began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Going on a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want but what you want."
After leaving them again, he went away and prayed again for the third time, saying the same thing.
About three o'clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eli, eli, lema sabachthani?", which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader's home and said, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?"
They also kept driving out many demons and anointing with oil many who were sick, and healing them.
But he kept telling her, "First let the children be filled. It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the puppies."
Then he looked up to heaven, sighed, and told him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened!"
Jesus told him, ""If you are able?' Everything is possible for the person who believes!"
He told them, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting."
He told them, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting."
I tell all of you with certainty, if anyone says to this mountain, "Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' if he doesn't doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
"Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.
They devour widows' houses and say long prayers to cover it up. They will receive greater condemnation!"
Going on a little farther, he fell to the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the hour might pass from him.
And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned.
and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer.
When all the people had been baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized. While he was praying, heaven opened,
Now it was in those days that Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.
Now it was in those days that Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.
Now it was in those days that Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When daylight came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also called apostles:
Then he told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and kept giving them to the disciples to pass on to the crowd.
While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes turned dazzling white.
Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
Then he told them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don't have anything to serve him.' read more. Suppose he answers from inside, "Stop bothering me! The door is already locked, and my children are here with us in the bedroom. I can't get up and give you anything!' I tell you, even though that man doesn't want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you, because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of the fish? Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!"
That's the way it is with you. When you have done everything you were ordered to do, say, "We are worthless servants. We have done only what we ought to have done.'"
Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up. He said, "In a city there was a judge who didn't fear God or respect people. read more. In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to him and saying, "Grant me justice against my adversary.' For a while the judge refused. But later, he told himself, "I don't fear God or respect people, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice. Otherwise, she will keep coming and wear me out.'" Then the Lord added, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. Won't God grant his chosen people justice when they cry out to him day and night? Is he slow to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Jesus also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves, thinking they were righteous, but who looked down on everyone else: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, "O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, "O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of my entire income.' read more. "But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, "O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, "O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!' I tell you, this man, rather than the other one, went down to his home justified, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted."
but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail. When you have come back, you must strengthen your brothers."
Then he left and went to the Mount of Olives, as usual. The disciples went with him. When he arrived, he told them, "Keep on praying that you may not be tempted." read more. Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and began to pray,
Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and began to pray, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done." read more. Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like large drops of blood falling on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he went to the disciples and found them asleep from sorrow. He asked them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep on praying that you may not be tempted."
Jesus kept saying, "Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing." Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.
Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit." After he said this, he breathed his last.
Jesus told her, "Believe me, dear lady, the hour is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You don't know what you're worshiping. We Jews know what we're worshiping, because salvation comes from the Jews. read more. Yet the time is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Indeed, the Father is looking for people like that to worship him.
Other small boats from Tiberias arrived near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
The man answered them, "This is an amazing thing! You don't know where he comes from, yet he healed my eyes. We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he does listen to anyone who worships him and does his will. read more. Ever since creation it has never been heard that anyone healed the eyes of a man who was born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn't do anything like that."
So they removed the stone. Then Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me."
I'll do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
"Abide in me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
"You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
On that day, you won't ask me for anything. Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, whatever you ask the Father for in my name, he will give it to you. So far you haven't asked for anything in my name. Keep asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." read more. "I have said these things to you in figurative language. The time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
"I am asking on their behalf. I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those you gave me, because they are yours.
When they came into the city, these men went to the upstairs room where they had been staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. With one mind, all of them kept devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women (including Mary the mother of Jesus) and his brothers.
Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two men you have chosen
So they drew lots for them, and when the lot fell on Matthias, he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.
"Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning.
One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o'clock prayer time.
One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o'clock prayer time.
However, Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but I'll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus the Messiah from Nazareth, walk!"
they knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
they knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
After they were released, Peter and John went to their fellow believers and told them everything the high priests and the elders had said.
When they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak messages from God boldly.
They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
As they continued to stone Stephen, he kept praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died.
Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. They went down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. read more. Before this, he had not come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart's intent may be forgiven you.
The eunuch asked Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet talking about? Himself? Or someone else?"
But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard many people tell how much evil this man has done to your saints in Jerusalem. He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on your name."
He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on your name."
He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on your name." But the Lord told him, "Go, because he's my chosen instrument to carry my name to unbelievers, to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel. read more. since I'm going to show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake." So Ananias left and went to that house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
He stared at the angel in terror and asked, "What is it, Lord?"
Around noon the next day, while they were on their way and coming close to the town, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
Around noon the next day, while they were on their way and coming close to the town, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my home. All at once a man in radiant clothes stood in front of me
Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my home. All at once a man in radiant clothes stood in front of me
Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my home. All at once a man in radiant clothes stood in front of me
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly.
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was being offered by the assembly.
When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a large number of people had gathered and were praying.
When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a large number of people had gathered and were praying.
Then they fasted and prayed, laid their hands on them, and let them go.
Then they fasted and prayed, laid their hands on them, and let them go.
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
On the Sabbath day, we went out the city gate and walked along the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and began talking to the women who had gathered there.
Once, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of fortune-telling and who had brought her owners a great deal of money by predicting the future.
Having received these orders, he put them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in leg irons. Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As usual, Paul entered there and on three Sabbaths discussed the Scriptures with them.
After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, since he was under a vow.
When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages and to prophesy.
In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
but when our time there came to an end, we left and proceeded on our journey. All of them accompanied us with their wives and children out of the city. We knelt on the beach, prayed, and said goodbye to each other. Then we reboarded the ship, and they went back home.
"Then I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord saying to me, "Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem at once, because the people won't accept your testimony about me.' read more. "I said, "Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I kept imprisoning and beating those who believe in you. Even when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there, approving it and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.' "Then he told me, "Go, because I'll send you far away to the gentiles.'"
After he said this, he took some bread, thanked God in front of everyone, broke it, and began to eat.
The father of Publius happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and healed him by placing his hands on him.
The father of Publius happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and healed him by placing his hands on him.
regarding his Son. He was a descendant of David with respect to his humanity
in my prayers at all times, asking that somehow by God's will I may at last succeed in coming to you.
For all who are led by God's Spirit are God's children. For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba! Father!" read more. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, since we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words, and the one who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God's will.
Who is the one to condemn? It is the Messiah Jesus who is interceding on our behalf. He died, and more importantly, has been raised and is seated at the right hand of God.
for I could wish that I myself were condemned and cut off from the Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my own people,
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God about the Jews is that they would be saved.
Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer.
Now may God, the source of endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other as you follow the Messiah Jesus,
Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and by the love that the Spirit produces, to join me in my struggle, earnestly praying to God for me
Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and by the love that the Spirit produces, to join me in my struggle, earnestly praying to God for me
Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and by the love that the Spirit produces, to join me in my struggle, earnestly praying to God for me
To: God's church in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified by the Messiah Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah their Lord and ours.
For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive.
Otherwise, if you say a blessing with your spirit, how can an otherwise uneducated person say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you're saying?
Otherwise, what will those people do who are being baptized because of those who have died? If the dead are not raised at all, why are they being baptized because of them?
I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me,
We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong not to show that we have not failed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed.
But when the appropriate time had come, God sent his Son, born by a woman, born under the Law, in order to redeem those who were under the Law, and thus to adopt them as his children. read more. Now because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to cry out, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir because of what God did.
Therefore, because I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
For through him, both of us have access to the Father by one Spirit.
in whom we have boldness and confident access through his faithfulness.
This is the reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,
This is the reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,
This is the reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,
Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints.
I thank my God every time I remember you, always praying joyfully in every one of my prayers for all of you
And this is my prayer, that your love will keep on growing more and more with full knowledge and insight,
Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.
We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, praying always for you, because we have heard about your faith in the Messiah Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints,
For this reason, since the day we heard about this, we have not stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the full knowledge of God's will with respect to all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy
For I want you to know how much I struggle for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have never seen me face to face.
For I want you to know how much I struggle for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have never seen me face to face.
having erased the charges that were brought against us, along with their obligations that were hostile to us. He took those charges away when he nailed them to the cross.
Devote yourselves to prayer. Be alert and thankful when you pray. At the same time also pray for us that God would open before us a door for the word so that we may tell the secret about the Messiah, for which I have been imprisoned.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of the Messiah Jesus, sends you his greetings. He is always wrestling in his prayers for you, so that you may stand mature, completely convinced of the entire will of God.
Give my greetings to the brothers in Laodicea, especially to Nympha and the church that is in her house.
First of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people,
Therefore, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without being angry or argumentative.
But the self-indulgent widow is just as good as dead.
May the Lord grant that he finds mercy on the day he comes again. You know very well how much he assisted me in Ephesus.
At the right time he revealed his message through the proclamation that was entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
One of their very own prophets said, "Liars ever, men of Crete, savage brutes that live to eat."
Older men are to be sober, serious, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance. Likewise, older women are to show their reverence for God by their behavior. They are not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of goodness.
Use wholesome speech that cannot be condemned. Then any opponent will be ashamed because he cannot say anything bad about us.
I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers,
22Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me, too, for I am hoping through your prayers to be returned to you.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet he never sinned. So let us keep on coming boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
As a mortal man, he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.
Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him.
Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), read more. and since we have a great high priest over the household of God, let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. read more. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes.
You ask for something but do not get it because you ask for it for the wrong reason for your own pleasure.
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying. Is anyone cheerful? He should keep reciting psalms. Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a person just like us, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and rain never came to the land for three years and six months. read more. Then he prayed again, and the skies poured out rain, and the ground produced its crops.
Whatever we request we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
But you, dear friends, must continue to build your most holy faith for your own benefit. Furthermore, continue to pray in the Holy Spirit.
But you, dear friends, must continue to build your most holy faith for your own benefit. Furthermore, continue to pray in the Holy Spirit.
When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of the saints.
When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of the saints.
When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. They cried out in a loud voice, "Holy and true Sovereign, how long will it be before you judge and take revenge on those living on the earth who shed our blood?"
Another angel came with a gold censer and stood at the altar. He was given a large quantity of incense to offer on the gold altar before the throne, along with the prayers of all the saints. The smoke from the incense and the prayers of the saints went up from the angel's hand to God.
The smoke from the incense and the prayers of the saints went up from the angel's hand to God.
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Let everyone who hears this say, "Come!" Let everyone who is thirsty come! Let anyone who wants the water of life take it as a gift!
The one who is testifying to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Morish
This has been described as 'the intercourse of a dependent one with God.' It may take the form of communion in one brought nigh, or it may be the making requests for oneself or for others. There are twelve different words used for prayer in the O.T., and eight in the N.T., with various shades of meaning, as there are in English: 'asking, begging, beseeching,' etc. In the synoptic Gospels the word used in connection with Christ is that most commonly employed for "praying," but in John's gospel the word is that generally rendered, 'ask' or, 'demand.' The change is explained by the different aspect in which the Lord is presented in John.
God hears and encourages prayer. A cry to God is the mark of a soul truly turning to Him: "Behold, he prayeth," was said of Saul of Tarsus. Ac 9:11. To the saints it is said, "Pray without ceasing;" "ask and ye shall receive." "If we ask anything according to his will he heareth us, and . . . . we know that we have the petitions." "All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive." "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." The disciples as left here, representative of Christ and charged with His interests, were to ask in His name; and the same is true in principle as regards believers now. Mr 11:24; Joh 14:13; 15:16; 16:23,26; Jas 1:5-7; 1Jo 5:14-15. Christians are exhorted to make known all their petitions, or requests, to God, and having done so, the peace of God shall keep their hearts and minds. Php 4:6-7. This is their wondrous privilege: they have addressed God, and in peace they leave it with Him to grant their petitions or not.
The above passages demonstrate that to receive what is prayed for, requests must be in faith, they must be according to the light of God's will, and hence made in the name of the Lord Jesus. While prayer is always to God, it is suggested that requests would naturally be made to the Father in respect of all that tends to the promotion of Christ in believers, as well as in things referring to their discipline in the pathway here. On the other hand prayer would be made to the Lord in relation to that over which He is set as administrator, such as the service of the gospel, the saints, the house of God, etc.
The attitudes in prayer which are recorded are: 'standing,' 1Sa 1:26; '/Mark/11/25/type/isv'>Mr 11:25; 'kneeling,' Da 6:10; Lu 22:41; and 'falling down,' De 9:25; Jos 7:6.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
I fell down in the LORD's presence for 40 days and nights, because the LORD said he was ready to destroy you.
"Neither," he answered. "I have come as commander of the LORD's Army." Joshua immediately fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, saying to him, "Lord, what do you have for your servant by way of command?" The commander of the LORD's Army replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you're standing is holy." So Joshua did so.
At this, Joshua tore his clothes, fell down to the ground on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening he and the leaders of Israel and they covered their heads with dust.
Hannah said, "Sir, as surely as you are alive, I'm the woman who stood before you here praying to the LORD.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. "Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.
Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and began to pray,
I'll do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
"You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
On that day, you won't ask me for anything. Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, whatever you ask the Father for in my name, he will give it to you.
At that time, you will make your requests in my name, so that I will have no need to ask the Father on your behalf,
The Lord told him, "Get up, go to the street called Straight, and in the home of Judas look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. At this very moment he's praying.
Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving. Then God's peace, which goes far beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your hearts and minds in union with the Messiah Jesus.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. read more. Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Smith
Prayer.
The object of this article will be to touch briefly on --
1. The doctrine of Scripture as to the nature and efficacy of prayer;
2. Its directions as to time, place and manner of prayer;
3. Its types and examples of prayer.
1. Scripture does not give any theoretical explanation of the mystery which attaches to prayer. The difficulty of understanding real efficacy arises chiefly from two sources: from the belief that man lives under general laws, which in all cases must be fulfilled unalterably; and the opposing belief that he is master of his own destiny, and need pray for no external blessing. Now, Scripture, while, by the doctrine of spiritual influence it entirely disposes of the latter difficulty, does not so entirely solve that part of the mystery which depends on the nature of God. It places it clearly before us, and emphasizes most strongly those doctrines on which the difficulty turns. Yet while this is so, on the other hand the instinct of prayer is solemnly sanctioned and enforced on every page. Not only is its subjective effect asserted, but its real objective efficacy, as a means appointed by God for obtaining blessing, is both implied and expressed in the plainest terms. Thus, as usual in the case of such mysteries, the two apparently opposite truths are emphasized, because they are needful: to man's conception of his relation to God; their reconcilement is not, perhaps cannot be, fully revealed. For, in fact, it is involved in that inscrutable mystery which attends on the conception of any free action of man as necessary for the working out of the general laws of God's unchangeable will. At the same time it is clearly implied that such a reconcilement exists, and that all the apparently isolated and independent exertions of man's spirit in prayer are in some way perfectly subordinated to the one supreme will of God, so as to form a part of his scheme of providence. It is also implied that the key to the mystery lies in the fact of man's spiritual unity with God in Christ, and of the consequent gift of the Holy Spirit. So also is it said of the spiritual influence of the Holy Ghost on each individual mind that while "we know not what to pray for, "the indwelling" Spirit makes intercession for the saints, according to the will of God."
Here, as probably in still other cases, the action of the Holy Spirit on the soul is to free agents what the laws of nature are to things inanimate, and is the power which harmonizes free individual action with the universal will of God.
2. There are no directions as to prayer given in the Mosaic law: the duty is rather taken for granted, as an adjunct to sacrifice, than enforced or elaborated. It is hardly conceivable that, even from the beginning public prayer did not follow every public sacrifice. Such a practice is alluded to in
Lu 1:10
as common; and in one instance, at the offering of the first-fruits, it was ordained in a striking form.
De 26:12-15
In later times it certainly grew into a regular service both in the temple and in the synagogue. But, besides this public prayer, it was the custom of all at Jerusalem to go up to the temple, at regular hours if possible, for private prayer, see
Lu 18:10; Ac 3:1
and those who were absent were wont to "open their windows toward Jerusalem," and pray "toward" the place of God's presence.
1Ki 8:46-49; Ps 5:7; 28:2; 138:2; Da 6:10
The regular hours of prayer seem to have been three (see)
the evening, that is the ninth hour
the hour of the evening sacrifice,
the "morning," that is, the third hour
that of the morning sacrifice; and the sixth hour, or "noonday." Grace before meat would seem to have been a common practice. See
The posture of prayer among the Jews seems to have been most often standing,
1Sa 1:26; Mt 6:5; Mr 11:25; Lu 18:11
unless the prayer were offered with especial solemnity and humiliation, which was naturally expressed by kneeling,
comp. 2Chr 6:13; Ezra 9:5; Psal 95:8; Dani 6:10 or prostration.
3. The only form of prayer given for perpetual use in the Old Testament is the one in
De 26:5-15
connected with the offering of tithes and first-fruits, and containing in simple form the important elements of prayer, acknowledgment of God's mercy, self-dedication and prayer for future blessing. To this may perhaps be added the threefold blessing of
couched as it is in a precatory form, and the short prayer of Moses,
at the moving and resting of the cloud the former of which was the germ of the 68th Psalm. But of the prayers recorded in the Old Testament the two most remarkable are those of Solomon at the dedication of the temple,
and of Joshua the high priest, and his colleagues, after the captivity.
It appears from the question of the disciples in
Lu 11:1
and from Jewish tradition, that the chief teachers of the day gave special forms of prayer to their disciples as the badge of their discipleship and the best fruits of their learning. All Christian prayer is, of course, based on the Lord's Prayer; but its spirit is also guided by that of his prayer in Gethsemane and of the prayer recorded by St. John,
Joh 17:1
... the beginning of Christ's great work of intercession. The influence of these prayers is more distinctly traced in the prayers contained in the epistles, see
Ro 16:25-27; Eph 3:14-21; Phm 1:3-11; Col 1:9-15; Heb 13:20-21; 1Pe 5:10-11
etc., than in those recorded in the Acts. The public prayer probably in the first instance took much of its form and style from the prayers of the synagogues. In the record on prayer accepted and granted by God, we observe, as always, a special adaptation to the period of his dispensation to which they belong. In the patriarchal period, they have the simple and childlike tone of domestic application for the ordinary and apparently trivial incidents of domestic life. In the Mosaic period they assume a more solemn tone and a national bearing, chiefly that of direct intercession for the chosen people. More rarely are they for individuals. A special class are those which precede and refer to the exercise of miraculous power. In the New Testament they have a more directly spiritual hearing. It would seem the intention of Holy Scripture to encourage all prayer more especially intercession, in all relations and for all righteous objects.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Whenever the ark was ready to travel, Moses would say: "Arise, LORD, to scatter your enemies, so that whoever hates you will flee from your presence." Whenever the ark was being readied to rest, he would say: "Return, LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel."
Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the LORD your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members, yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. But the Egyptians oppressed us, afflicted us, and assigned us to hard labor. read more. So we cried out to the LORD God of our ancestors, and he heard our cries and observed our affliction, trouble, and oppression. The LORD brought us out of Egypt with his awesome power, with great terror, signs, and wonders. And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey. Now, look I brought the first produce of the land that you, LORD, have given me.' Then set it in the presence of the LORD your God and worship him. Rejoice with the descendants of Levi and the foreigner among you at all the good things that the LORD your God has given you and your family." "When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities.
"When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities. Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God:
Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God: "I've removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven't violated or forgotten your commands. I haven't eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I've obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me.
"I've removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven't violated or forgotten your commands. I haven't eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I've obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me. Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors a land flowing with milk and honey.'"
Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors a land flowing with milk and honey.'"
At this, Joshua tore his clothes, fell down to the ground on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening he and the leaders of Israel and they covered their heads with dust.
Hannah said, "Sir, as surely as you are alive, I'm the woman who stood before you here praying to the LORD.
and said: "LORD God of Israel, there is no one like you, God in heaven above or on the earth below, who watches over his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence with all their hearts. It is you, LORD God, who have kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what you had promised today. read more. "Now therefore, LORD God of Israel, keep your promise that you made to my father, your servant David, when you said, "You will not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants will watch their lives, to live in my presence just as you have lived in my presence.' "Now therefore, God of Israel, may your promise that you made to your servant David my father be fulfilled" and yet, will God truly reside on earth? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built! Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, LORD my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today. Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said "My name will reside there.' Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction. Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive. "If a man should sin against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, then listen in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness. "If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you, pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to their ancestors. "When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance. "If a famine comes to the land, or if plant diseases, mildew, locust, or grasshoppers appear, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts for you alone know the hearts of all human beings so they will fear you every day and live on the surface of the land that you have given to our ancestors. "Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your name (for people will hear of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power), when he comes and prays facing this Temple, then hear in heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name. "When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause. "When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away,
"When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away, if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land of their captivity confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,'
if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land of their captivity confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name,
if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause,
then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, forgiving your people who have sinned against you, along with their transgressions by which they have transgressed against you. read more. "Show your compassion in the presence of those who have taken them captive, so they may show compassion on them, since they are your people and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from an iron fire furnace. Do this so your eyes may remain open to the requests of your servant and to the requests of your people's prayers, to listen to them whenever they call out to you, because you have separated them to yourself as your heritage from all the people of the earth, as you spoke through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord GOD. When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the LORD, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the LORD's altar,
When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the LORD, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the LORD's altar, stood up, and blessed all of the assembly of Israel in a loud voice. He said: read more. "Blessed is the LORD, who has given security to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one of his promises has failed to come about that he gave through his servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us, just as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us, so that he may turn our hearts toward him, so that we may live life his way, keeping his commands, statutes, and ordinances that he gave to our ancestors.
Solomon had a bronze platform constructed five cubits square and three cubits high. He had it erected in the middle of the courtyard, and stood on it. Then he knelt down on his knees in front of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
Then the descendants of Levi Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from eternity to eternity! Blessed be your glorious name! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise! "You are the LORD; you alone crafted the heavens, the highest heavens with all of their armies; the earth, and everything in it; the seas, and everything in them; you keep giving all of them life, and the army of heaven continuously worships you. read more. You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, whom you brought from Ur of the Chaldeans and to whom you gave the name Abraham. You found him faithful in your sight; you made a covenant with him and you gave the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites to his descendants. And you have kept your word, because you are righteous. "You took note of the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and listened to their cry at the Red Sea. You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all of his officials, and against all the people of his land, because you knew they acted arrogantly against your people. So you established your name with them, as it remains to this day. You divided the sea in front of them, and they traveled through the midst of the sea on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths, as one throws a stone into turbulent waters. You led them during the day by a pillar of cloud, and by a pillar of fire at night to provide light for them on the path they took. "You also came down to Mount Sinai, spoke with them from heaven, and gave them impartial regulations, true laws, statutes, and good commands. You revealed to them your holy Sabbath, and you mandated precepts, statutes, and laws through Moses your servant. You gave them food from heaven for their hunger and water from the rock for their thirst. You directed them to enter and possess the land that you had promised to give them. "But they our ancestors became arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to your commands. They would not listen, and did not remember the miracles you did among them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return them to their slavery. "But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in gracious love; therefore you did not abandon them. Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies. You, in your great compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud did not leave them in daylight, in order to provide light for them on the path they took. Nor did the pillar of fire abandon them at night, in order to provide light for them and lead them on the path they took. "You gave your good Spirit to instruct them, not withholding manna from them, and providing water to quench their thirst. You sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years. They lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. You gave them kingdoms and nations, apportioning them as frontier boundaries. They took possession of the land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan. "You multiplied their descendants like the stars in heaven and brought them to the land about which you told their ancestors to enter and possess. So their descendants entered and took possession of the land. Before their eyes you subdued those living in the land the Canaanites putting them under their control, along with their kings and the nations of the land, so they could do with them as they pleased. They conquered fortified cities and fertile ground, possessing houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, with vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were satiated, and were well nourished, delighting themselves in your great goodness. "Then they disobeyed, rebelled against you, and threw your Law behind their backs. They murdered your prophets who had admonished the people to return to you, committing terrible blasphemies. So you delivered them into the control of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed, they cried out to you, and you heard from heaven. In your great compassion you gave them deliverers who rescued them from the control of their enemies. "But after they had gained relief, they returned to doing evil before you. Therefore you abandoned them to the control of their enemies, who continued to oppress them. But when they came back and cried out to you, you listened from heaven and delivered them in your compassion on many occasions. You admonished them to return to your Law, but they acted arrogantly, and would not listen to your commands. They sinned against your regulations, which if anyone obeys, he will live by them. They turned away, being stubborn and stiff-necked, and they did not listen. You were patient with them for many years, warning them by your Spirit through your prophets. But they would not listen, so you turned them over to the control of people in other lands. Nevertheless, in your great compassion you did not completely destroy them or abandon them, because you are a God of grace and you are merciful. "Now therefore, our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and gracious love, don't let all of the difficulties seem trifling to you, all of hardships that have come upon us, upon our kings, upon our leaders, upon our priests, upon our prophets, upon our ancestors, and upon all of your people from the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. You are righteous in all that is happening to us, because you have acted faithfully while we have practiced evil. Furthermore, neither our kings, nor our leaders, nor our priests nor our ancestors have practiced your Law or paid attention to your commands and warnings by which you admonished them. But they in their kingdom in the midst of your great goodness that you gave them and in the large and fertile land that you provided them did not serve you or turn away from their evil deeds. "Look! Today we are your servants, along with the land that you gave to our ancestors, so they could enjoy its fruit and its value behold, in it we are your servants! But now its abundant produce belongs to the kings whom you placed over us because of our sin. They also have power over our bodies and our herds at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. "Because of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our descendants of Levi, and our priests hereby set their seals upon it."
But I, because of the abundance of your gracious love, may come into your house. In awe of you, I will worship in your holy Temple.
Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
Morning, noon, and night, I mulled over these things and cried out in my distress, and he heard my voice.
I will bow down in worship toward your holy Temple and give thanks to your name for your gracious love and truth, for you have done great things to carry out your word consistent with your name.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
while I was still speaking, Gabriel, the man of God whom I had seen in the previous vision, appeared to me about the time of the evening offering.
"And whenever you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward!
he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
"Whenever you stand up to pray, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.
And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned.
Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, "O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.
After Jesus had said this, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son may glorify you.
One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o'clock prayer time.
After he said this, he took some bread, thanked God in front of everyone, broke it, and began to eat.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, since we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words, and the one who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God's will.
This is the reason I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its name. read more. I pray that he would give you, according to his glorious riches, strength in your inner being and power through his Spirit, and that the Messiah would make his home in your hearts through faith. Then, having been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to understand, along with all the saints, what is wide, long, high, and deep that is, you will know the love of the Messiah which transcends knowledge, and will be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us to him be glory in the church and in the Messiah Jesus to all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
For this reason, since the day we heard about this, we have not stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the full knowledge of God's will with respect to all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God. read more. You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy and might thank the Father, who has enabled us to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves, through whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be yours! I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, read more. because I keep hearing about your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every blessing that is ours in the Messiah. For I have received considerable joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed, brother, through you. For this reason, although in the Messiah I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper, I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus, appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me.
Now may the God of peace, who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good to do his will, accomplishing in us what pleases him through Jesus, the Messiah. To him be glory forever and ever! Amen.
Watsons
PRAYER has been well defined, the offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name or through the mediation of Jesus Christ, by the help of the Holy Spirit, with a confession of our sins, and a thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.
1. Prayer is in itself a becoming acknowledgment of the all-sufficiency of God, and of our dependence upon him. It is his appointed means for the obtaining of both temporal and spiritual blessings. He could bless his creatures in another way: but he will be inquired of, to do for them those things of which they stand in need, Eze 36:37. It is the act of an indigent creature, seeking relief from the fountain of mercy. A sense of want excites desire, and desire is the very essence of prayer. "One thing have I desired of the Lord," says David; "that will I seek after." Prayer without desire is like an altar without a sacrifice, or without the fire from heaven to consume it. When all our wants are supplied, prayer will be converted into praise; till then Christians must live by prayer, and dwell at the mercy seat. God alone is able to hear and to supply their every want. The revelation which he has given of his goodness lays a foundation for our asking with confidence the blessings we need, and his ability encourages us to hope for their bestowment. "O thou that hearest prayer; unto thee shall all flesh come," Ps 65:2.
2. Prayer is a spiritual exercise, and can only be performed acceptably by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, Ro 8:26. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight." The Holy Spirit is the great agent in the world of grace, and without his special influence there is no acceptable prayer. Hence he is called the Spirit of grace and of supplication: for he it is that enables us to draw nigh unto God, filling our mouth with arguments, and teaching us to order our cause before him, Zec 12:10.
3. All acceptable prayer must be offered in faith, or a believing frame of mind. "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering
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Since you hear prayer, everybody will come to you.
"This is what the Lord GOD has to say: "I'm going to allow the house of Israel to ask anything they want from me, including this: I'm going to increase their population as a shepherd increases his flock.
I will pour out on the house of David and on the residents of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and of supplications, and they will look to me the one whom they pierced.'"
In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, since we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words,
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. read more. Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us. And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.