How To Pray

The apostles said to Jesus, "Help us to have greater faith." But he

said, "If you had faith even the size of a mustard-seed and said to this

mulberry-tree, 'Be rooted up and be planted in the sea,' it would obey

you."



Again he said to them, "Have faith in God. Indeed I tell you that if any

one will say to this hill, 'Throw yourself into the sea,' and has no

doubt in his heart but believes that what he say will come to pass, it

shall be done for him. Therefore, I say to you, believe that whatever

you ask for in prayer you have received, and it shall be yours. And

whenever you stand up to pray, if any one has done wrong to you, forgive

him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your wrong-doing."



When Jesus was praying at a certain place and had finished, one of his

disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his

disciples." So he said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Our Father who art

in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on

earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive

us our wrong-doings as we have forgiven those who have wronged us. Help

us to resist temptation and deliver us from evil.'



"When you pray, do not do as the hypocrites who like to stand and pray

in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets so as to be

seen by men. I tell you, they have received their full reward! But when

you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who

is found in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will

give you your reward.



"When you pray do not say the same things over and over as do the

heathen, who believe that they will be heard because of their many

words. Do not do as they do. Your Father knows what things you need

before you ask him."