Here is a questions I received, regarding how to pray.
From Reader:
your will be done,
When we pray this, we learn to think about the fact that we are all sinners. None of us deserve the glory of God (Rom.3:23; 1John1:8-10).
ADDITION:
Pearl,
In light of Stephen praying to Jesus, at Acts 7:59; is it proper to pray to Jesus?
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My Reply:
From Reader:
Pearl, my biggest interest is in prayer and angels. I talk to YHWH and talk to him like a best friend or Dad (which I never had.) I feel at times lost for words. What is the best way to pray?
My Reply:
I do not think that I am smarter than Jesus, God, or the Bible... so I will give you an answer, from the Bible. We can be thankful, that Jesus told us, how to pray, at Matthew, chapter 6....
5 ‘And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 ‘This, then, is how you should pray:
‘“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
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I will go over the words of Jesus, to help you to get more out of them.
Jesus said;
"5 ‘And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full."
There we see that we should never use prayer, to feel better than others, or to make us look holy in front of people.
"6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
This tells us to have faith that God listens to our prayers to Him, even though we do not see Him (Ps.65:2).
He can see the heart inside of us, and what we are thinking about, what we are struggling with, our weaknesses and strengths, our desires, and what we really need. He blesses us accordingly. It seems that you are already doing this, when you say that you talk to Him from the heart, as if He were your father.
"7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
It seems that you are already doing this too, because when we speak from the heart, we are not repeating a prayer someone else made up. We don't need to pray someone else's prayer, because God sees and desires us, as individuals. Each person needs to develop their own relationship with God. The best way to do that, is through our own prayers.
9 ‘This, then, is how you should pray:
‘“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name"
hallowed be your name"
When we think about what Jesus meant here, we see that we should care about how God is regarded by ourselves and others. We should long for the day when His name and what it means, is finally respected by everyone. It helps us to think about what life will be like, when everyone loves, respects, praises, and understands, the meaning of God's great name. That name means that He has the desire, power, and love, to fix every injustice, dry every tear, and heal every painful wound. We know that one day, God is going to make all that, come true. We show our faith in that, when we pray for God's name to finally be respected. Respected, is what "hallowed", means.
10
your kingdom come,your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven."
When we pray for God's kingdom to come, we are learning to have hope in God. We are learning to let go of the world, and to live in a way that keeps God in mind. We want to be in that kingdom, and we are learning to do what pleases God so that we can be welcomed into that kingdom.
This part of Jesus's prayer also shows us, that we want the will of God to take over the earth. This helps us to learn that God's will is perfect, and when it is being done, everything will become perfect.
A deeper aspect of this, is how the Bible symbolically uses the terms translated as "heaven" and "earth". The spiritual heaven is where God rules, and He rules inside the hearts of those who listen to the God of truth (Isa.66:1; Heb.3:6; 1Cor.3:16; 1Pet.2:5; Eph.2:20-22; John18:37; Luke17:21; Rom.6:17). The physical "earth", are those who belong to God's homeland, who are being cultivated, tested, and refined, with the goal of belonging to the spiritual "heaven" (Deut.11:12; 1Cor.3:9; John14:23; 8:23; 1Cor.15:49)
When we pray for God's will to be done on earth, as that will is being done in heaven; we are hoping for the refinement and sealing of God's administration in the heavens (John3:5-6; Gal.5:17; Rom.8:9; Col.1:13; Eph.2:4-7,10; 1:7-12,13-14; Rev.21:2-5).
When that administration is complete and sealed, and God's will is taking place in the hearts of it's constituents, that kingdom will come (Dan.7:27,22).
"11 Give us today our daily bread."
When we pray and think about those words, it teaches us that we need God to feed us. Jesus was not talking about regular bread (John6:33-35; 4:31-34).
He is teaching us that we need to ask God for spiritual food, and the sustenance from Him, to do His will in our own lives. That also requires, that we search out those whom Jesus has put in charge to spiritually feed his disciples (Luke12:42; Matt.7:20) (https://pearl-faithfulslave.blogspot.com/)
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
Jesus told us to "Stop sinning." (John5:14; 8:11; 1Cor.15:34; Matt.5:48; Rom.8:13-14; Gal.5:16-17,25), so we can be helped to live according to the spirit, rather than the flesh.
This part of the prayer, teaches us humility and love. Holding a grudge against others for their sins against us, mostly hurts, us. If we can remember that we need forgiveness, it helps us to forgive. It can soften the sting of what others have done to us.
Of course, there are some wrongs that are severe or wicked, that some may do for wicked reasons. We are not being asked to accept such evil. In that case, it still helps to pray for those who do such things. Even Jesus prayed for those who were killing him (Matt.5:44; Luke23:34; 12:47-48; Rom.12:19-21; 2Cor.5:10). Each person faces God for what they have done.
13 And lead us not into temptation (trials,tests),
but deliver us from the evil one.”
but deliver us from the evil one.”
Many misunderstand this verse. They think that we are asking God, not to pull us into a temptation or trial. But that cannot be what the original words in Greek, mean (James 1:13; 1Cor.10:13).
Jesus says that God does not carry us into our trials. He is able to rescue us from them.
God does allow us to face trials (1Pet.4:12-13,19; Zech.13:9; Isa.48:10; Phil.3:10; Rom.6:5; Phil.1:29) at the hand of the Devil (Luke 22:31-32; Job 1:6-9,10-12; 1Cor.5:5; Matt.18:34-35). That is especially true when we need the discipline and training (1Pet.5:10; Phil.1:6; James 1:12-14; Isa.40:29; Ps.55:22; 1Pet.2:21; 3:18; Rom.8:9). This gives us the opportunity to be refined, and prove what we are (Isa.28:16; 1Cor.3:12-15,18; Mark 10:15; Matt.19:14).
Jesus says that God does not carry us into our trials. He is able to rescue us from them.
God does allow us to face trials (1Pet.4:12-13,19; Zech.13:9; Isa.48:10; Phil.3:10; Rom.6:5; Phil.1:29) at the hand of the Devil (Luke 22:31-32; Job 1:6-9,10-12; 1Cor.5:5; Matt.18:34-35). That is especially true when we need the discipline and training (1Pet.5:10; Phil.1:6; James 1:12-14; Isa.40:29; Ps.55:22; 1Pet.2:21; 3:18; Rom.8:9). This gives us the opportunity to be refined, and prove what we are (Isa.28:16; 1Cor.3:12-15,18; Mark 10:15; Matt.19:14).
When it was first translated into older English, it said "Let us not into temptation". As our language got more modern, it was believed that "Let" was the same as "Lead". Not true (James 1:13).
"Let" meant, to leave, or to abandon. (lǣtan ‘leave behind, leave out’)
In verse13, we are really asking God, not to abandon us to the tests and trials of the Devil (1Cor.10:13; Matt.19:25-26). That fact is supported when we read the next part, "But deliver us from the evil one" (Matt.6:13).
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I hope my response and the scriptures it contains, satisfies your need,
Pearl
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ADDITION:
Pearl,
In light of Stephen praying to Jesus, at Acts 7:59; is it proper to pray to Jesus?
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My Reply:
Imagine that Jesus is our father (Isa.9:6) and Yhvh is our grandfather.
[There is no distinction between fathers and grandfathers, in the bible (John8:39), so all ancestors, were called "Father".
So when Jesus taught us to pray, he called his Father, our Father (Matt.6:9] even though in a sense, he is our grandfather, because Jesus is the direct father (Isa.9:6; John1:4).
We have a relationship with both fathers. We also have a relationship with our spiritual mother (Gal.4:26; 1Thess.2:7; Gal.4:19).
When we have a loving relationship with those who are responsible for our care, do we not speak openly to each one of them?
There are times when we need to speak to our father...
other times when we want to speak directly to our grandfather (through the name of Jesus)...
and times when we need to talk with our mother.
It was the mindset of JWs, that gave us the rigid idea that we should be cut off from speaking to our mother and father... but only speak to our grandfather, by name ("Je-hovah" (which name belongs to the Destroyer).
https://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2016/11/who-is-destroyer.html
https://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2016/11/who-is-destroyer.html
How interesting! How well would a child do... who could not speak to it's parents... but only to an outside impostor who sought to mislead and destroy them?
My point, is that whoever it is that you need to speak with, that is the one you should pray to.
Love in Christ,
Pearl
MORE ADDITIONS:
Question: "Dear Sister Pearl, can you explain this to me? Would Mother earth and spiritual Mother be the same?"
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My Response:
I will be better able to answer your question, if you can explain what you mean by "mother earth".
If you read the scriptures above that you cited; you may see that the spiritual mother in heaven, included the care that Paul was giving the disciples, because as an apostle, he was chosen to provide that feeding (1Cor.4:1; 3:2; Phil.3:17) as a bride member of that mother.
If by "mother earth", you mean the physical planet we are on...
No, that planet is not the same as the Bride of Christ and spiritual mother that is charged with the care of God's household.
If by "mother earth" you mean God's own spiritual territory, homeland, His field, the "inhabited earth" as it is translated in the English Bible... then, Yes. God's territory "oikumen" (Greek), could be called, a mother earth.
If you read the scriptures above that you cited; you may see that the spiritual mother in heaven, included the care that Paul was giving the disciples, because as an apostle, he was chosen to provide that feeding (1Cor.4:1; 3:2; Phil.3:17) as a bride member of that mother.
If by "mother earth", you mean the physical planet we are on...
No, that planet is not the same as the Bride of Christ and spiritual mother that is charged with the care of God's household.
If by "mother earth" you mean God's own spiritual territory, homeland, His field, the "inhabited earth" as it is translated in the English Bible... then, Yes. God's territory "oikumen" (Greek), could be called, a mother earth.
But I caution that the original scripture I quoted (Gal.4:26) (also Rev.12:1 and 21:2), tells us that the spiritual mother, is in heaven.
That is because the anointed still belonging to His "inhabited earth" (oikumen), are still under cultivation (1Cor.3:9) by God's sealed 'workers'.
Those workers are of heaven (Eph.2:6; Heb.12:22-23).
That "land/ground" is the heart of those not yet sealed, and the seed being grown, is the Word of God (Luke8:11-15).
Only when that seed becomes mature, is it harvested, and thereby killed (John12:24; Matt.3:12; Rom.6:5)...
...is it then designated as a son of the kingdom, and is no longer of earth, but is of heaven... a member of Christ's heavenly bride, and mother to those not yet mature.
That is because the anointed still belonging to His "inhabited earth" (oikumen), are still under cultivation (1Cor.3:9) by God's sealed 'workers'.
Those workers are of heaven (Eph.2:6; Heb.12:22-23).
That "land/ground" is the heart of those not yet sealed, and the seed being grown, is the Word of God (Luke8:11-15).
Only when that seed becomes mature, is it harvested, and thereby killed (John12:24; Matt.3:12; Rom.6:5)...
...is it then designated as a son of the kingdom, and is no longer of earth, but is of heaven... a member of Christ's heavenly bride, and mother to those not yet mature.
The anointed still of earth, are chosen to become the bride, as a woman becomes engaged/betrothed. In that sense, they are a mother earth. But they are not sealed as faithful into that kingdom position, until they are martyred and become of heaven/born as spirit (John3:3,6; Rom.8:9; Eph.2:6). Only after that death and birth, are they members of the heavenly mother.
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Another question:
So am I to understand, that we can pray to the heavenly organization and Body of Christ that is already in heaven?
My Reply:
Heaven is not a physical place. It is a designation among the sealed, that has been occuring in a spiritual sense, since the first century, while people were still in the flesh (Eph.2:6; Rev.12:5; 3:21; John3:12; Rev.4:1).
That having been said;
There are different kinds of prayer.
When we turn to our heavenly Father, we must pray in the name of Jesus, because we cannot approach God's throne, without the ransom for our sins. We cannot enter the Most Holy before God's face. Jesus does that for us.
--- When the anointed turn to Jesus in prayer, they do not need an intercessor. The anointed do not need to pray to other sealed anointed, because they work together, and their care is from Jesus and their Father.
-- Those who are not anointed, can also pray to the Father or Jesus. The Father and Jesus have assigned the spiritual mother, to care for the needs of the children, but all good things, come from the Father, through Jesus, and then, through those assigned to give the proper food at the proper time, from Jesus.
-- Can you approach Jerusalem above, to ask for what you need? You are doing that right now. Is it the same kind of prayer that you say to the Father, or to Jesus? No, it is not. Why? Because the Father, Jesus, and the Bride of Jesus, are not the same. The Father is greater than Jesus. Jesus is greater than his bride. That bride mother and spiritual Temple of God's dwelling, is greater than the children she cares for. Just as those three parents, are not the same.... the prayers to them, are not the same.
The things we ask the Father for, are the things that only He can give or grant. The things we ask Jesus for, are the things that he has been given authority and power over, from God. Jesus leads his children to the source of living water (Rev.7:17; John7:38-39; Rev.22:17).
The things we ask our spiritual mother for, are the things that she has been commanded to provide. That command came from the Father, through Jesus.
Yes, you can ask your spiritual mother for what you need, because Jesus told her to take care of you (John21:17; Luke 12:42).
While Jesus is not here for you to speak to directly (Matt.25:14), He appointed his bride members to care for you. His Bride is here with you, and you can ask for what you need, directly.
Another addition:
Dear Pearl,
My question is about prayer and I think I had mentioned it to you before and you sent me to your blog about prayer.
Individuals have been tortured and suffered from the beginning of mankind. I don't believe that is God's will but I think I understand that he can't intervene without it involving Satan. If our prayers are to help people, is it only in a spiritual way?, that you cannot pray just stop what their physical suffering is? I know I hope you understand my question but that's what I'm struggling with if you could direct me to scriptures that could help me understand.
Personally, I have prayed since I was a little girl. I've been through anything you can possibly imagine and finally I think I found truth. But I just don't understand what I should pray for. I believe I'm being tested. What do I need to do? I would appreciate any help you could give me thanks
---- MY REPLY:
I hope that these scriptures help to fill your need. (2Pet.1:5-8; John15:8,12; Eph.6:18; 5:1-2; Heb.6:10-12; 10:24; 2Thess.1:4; 1John3:23; 2:3-6; 2Cor.7:1)
Jesus asked for his cup of suffering to be removed. But then he added, "Not as I will, but as you will", meaning that he was willing to accept the testing by Satan that God allowed (Matt.26:39). God allows that testing, so we can prove our integrity and be rewarded (1Pet.4:1; Luke 22:31; James 5:11). We are told of Jesus; "For the joy that was set before him, he endured" suffering (Heb.12:2). Paul too, spoke of a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment him (2Cor.12:7-10). When he asked 3x for that to be removed, he was told, "My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you". In other words, Paul had what he needed to prove faithful. 2Tim.3:12 tells us, that all who devote their life to God, are tested/persecuted. That is why the scriptures I gave you, often mention endurance and perseverance. Jesus is our master and exemplar (1Pet.2:21). We are to walk in his footsteps, in order to receive the crown of life which God gives to all who prove their love for Him (1Pet.5:10; James1:12,4; Luke 21:19).
