Why We Pray

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Why We Pray

• Promptings 101

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Little boys

• When Joey was little, his mother asked
  what he had learned in Primary.
• Well, Mom, he replied, our teacher
  told us how God sent Moses behind enemy
  lines on a rescue mission to lead the
  Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the
  Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon
  bridge, and all the people walked across safely.
• He used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters
  and call in an air strike. They sent in bombers
  to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were
  saved.
• "Now, Joey, is that REALLY what your teacher
  taught you?" his mother asked.
• "Well, no, Mom, but if I told it the way the
  teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

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C.S Lewis

• Christianity thinks it is in a civil
  war, a rebellion, and that we are living in
  a part of the universe occupied by the rebel
• Christianity is the story of how the rightful
  king has landed, you might say in disguise, and
  is calling us all to take part in a great
  campaign
• When you go to church or pray you are really
  listening in on the secret wireless from our
  allies that is why the enemy is so anxious to
  prevent us from going. (Mere Christianity, p.
  46)

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And yet, right in the middle of the battle.
We have a son on a mission, Why would we lose our
job now?
My daughter is 15 and suicidal. What should I do?
Bishop, I think my husband has A pornography
problem
Should we have mom do Chemo? Shes 85!
Should we take that job in Texas? We dont know
anyone there---and its hot!
12 year olds? I dont know anything About
teaching 12 Year olds!
Crickets? First Mobs, then Mud Now Crickets? Why
Now!?
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And Yet.

• We harbor questions about prayer itself
• For instance
• 1) Why arent answers coming?
• 2) Can I really trust Him?
• Will I really be happier doing it His way?
• 3) Can I really trust me?
  Am Am I worthy to receive
  answers?
• 4) Can I trust God too much?
• Can I lose my free agency?

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For instance

• If the answers arent coming, do I need to
  weary Him with repeat requests? Maybe I havent
  asked enough

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Luke 18
When we revert to the nagging prayer
approach, we risk believing either A) He
didnt want us to have the requested blessing in
the first place but so got tired of hearing us
complain so he was pestered into giving
in. Or B) He wanted us to have the
blessing, but decided to tease us for a while
before giving it to us.

• There was in a city a judge, which feared not
  God, neither
  regarded man
• And there was a widow in that city and she
  came unto him, saying, Avenge
  me of mine adversary.
• And he would not for a while but afterward
  he said within himself,
  Though I fear not
  God, nor regard man
• Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will
  avenge her, lest by her continual coming she
  weary me.
• The Saviors interpretation
• Hear what the unjust judge saith.
• And shall not God who is Just avenge his own
  elect Israel which cry day and night unto him,
  though he bear long with them.

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Three questions to ask when there are no answers

• First Question
• How much of your prayers are consumed with what
  you want (regardless of how righteous a request)
  and how much is spent trying to find out what the
  Lord wants for you?

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Elder BednarOctober 2008 Conference

• Prayer becomes meaningful as we remember
  our relationship to Deity and heed the
  admonition to
• Cry unto God for all thy support yea,
  let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and
  whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord
• Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he
  will direct thee for good

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Getting Answers

• And at that day, when I shall come in my glory,
  shall the parable be fulfilled which I spoke
  concerning the ten virgins.
• For they that are wise and have received the
  truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their
  guide, and have not been deceivedverily I say
  unto you, theyshall abide the day. (DC 45
  56-57)

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Natural Man Tendency

• I live my life the best way I know how. I have to
  make a lot of decisions. When I come to a
  decision I cant solve, I choose the best option
  I know and then take THAT one to the Lord for
  confirmation.
• I shouldnt have to be commanded in all things.

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Elder Busche

• None of us has enough wisdom, enough
  intelligence, enough knowledge, enough skills, or
  enough courage, by ourselves, to master our lives
  and even succeed in life
• unless we learn what it means to surrender
  ourselves into the arms of the Lord and be filled
  with the Spirit.
• Unleashing the Dormant Spirit May 1996

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Struggling Parents
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What about fasting and prayer?

• DC 59
• And on this day thou shalt do none other thing,
  only let thy food be prepared with singleness of
  heart that thy fasting may be perfect,
• or, in other words, that thy joy
  may be full.
• Verily, this is fasting and prayer,
• or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

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Second Question

• When revelation finally comes, do I immediately
  act on it,
• or do I tend to hesitate, waiting for something
  more to my liking?

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Caution
Guilt Ahead
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William James

• If I doubt you are worthy of my confidence, I
  keep you uniformed of all my secrets just as if
  you were unworthy of the same. If I doubt the
  need of insuring my house, I leave it uninsured
  as much as if I believed there were no need
• There areinevitable occasions in life
  when inactionmust count as action

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Therefore

• When an answer comes and we know it was from God,
  and we fail to act (or do something else)
• A) We are really saying Heavenly Father
  doesnt understand that His way will not be
  as good as our narrow view of things. Or
• B) We are saying that He doesnt really
  know our true needs, capabilities or
  circumstances.
• In either case, if were honest, we are
  saying we dont trust Him.

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DC Section 9Oliver Cowdrey

• And, behold, it is because that you did not
  continue as you commenced, when you began to
  translate, that I have taken away this
  privilege from you.
• Behold, it was expedient when you commenced but
  you feared, and the time is past and not
  expedient now
• For, do you not behold that I have given unto my
  servant Joseph sufficient strength, whereby it is
  made up? And neither of you have I condemned.
• Do this thing which I have commanded you,
  and you shall prosper. 

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President Eyring

• You must listen to the spirit with the
  intent of doing what you are told. If you
  do, then after you have been obedient you
  will be told more.
• Joseph Smith described it this way "Happiness is
  the object and design of our existence and will
  be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that
  leads to it and this path is virtue,
  uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping
  all the commandments of God.
• But we cannot keep all the commandments without
  first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know
  all, or more than we now know unless we comply
  with or keep those we have already received."
• To Draw Closer to God A Collection of
  Discourses ( 1997)

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Finally, Third Question

• Do I trust my ability to distinguish the voice of
  the spirit from my own wishes and emotions?
• Can I tell the difference between actual
  promptings and when its just me?

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Elder F. Enzio Busche

• Occasionally we may even feel a certain
  reluctance to deal with matters of the a
  spiritual nature because of our insecurity in
  discerning the difference between the
  influence from the Spirit of God and promptings
  that may come from the liar and deceiver.
• BYU Devotional, 14 May, 1996