₦airaland Forum

#PRAYER

All most all religions in the world have same traditional approach towards prayer, be it African Traditional, Judaism, Hinduism, Etc. It is believed that people must pray to God in order to receive anything from Him. This simply implies that God is emotional/heartless, therefore you need to beg and pet God with your cry and tears for Him to show you mercy.
But nature teaches otherwise, nature shows us that the entire universe was established under certain Laws. Which means you don't really need to beg the Creator for anything. If you need anything, you just go for it by applying the right principles/rules.
Islamic view differed a little because the Prophet of Islam portends prayer more as a form of Worship and Submission to the Will of God. A pattern I suppose was adopted from Jesus whom the Prophet of Islam believed so much in His/Jesus' ministry. I am not insinuating or exaggerating anything, you can read the books of Quran "AL-BAQARAH & AL-E-'IMRAN".

Prior to Islam, Jesus was the only one who approached prayer differently and correctly "Though He nearly made a mistake towards the end of His ministry".
Jesus made use of prayer in form of Thanksgiving and Worship, asking for nothing but in silent meditation connecting to the Will of God.
Jesus didn't teach His disciples anything about prayer, they requested for it (Luke: 11v1). Their reason for requesting to be taught was not that they have not seen Jesus pray but rather they don't understand His pattern of Prayer. His format for prayer was strange because they barely heard Him say anything and most times are not even allowed to stay close to Him/Jesus during prayer. Which was why there is no record of what Jesus said in His prayers throughout His ministry. Apart from when He prayed "For show" to make people believe that God really sent Him to do the miracles, He needed to quench their doubt (John: 11v41-42). The second record was when He genuinely prayed for the Cup to be taken away from Him, which was never granted. This is what I was referring to when I said earlier that Jesus nearly made a mistake towards the end of His ministry (Mark: 14v32-36).
In John:11v41, Jesus said, Father I thank you because you've heard me. The question is how did God hear Him when He never said a word of prayer?
This is because Jesus had purposed what to do through the meditative process, His purpose was to raise Lazarus from death. In other words, Jesus had seen what God wants Him to do for Lazarus through His meditation.
This is same reason why He said to the Jews, I only do what I see the Father do (John: 5v19-20). Which means anytime Jesus isolates Himself from His disciples to pray, He gives Thanks and Worship to God, then pauses in deep meditation to know what God is doing or rather wants Him to do. Jesus never forced God through prayer to do what He/Jesus wants because He knew it would never work "Apart from where I mentioned above concerning His mistake". He never prayed before preforming any miracle, which was why they accused Him of using the power of Beelzebub.

In Matthew:18v19, Jesus said if two shall agree over anything, they shall have it.
This statement doesn't necessarily mean you should ask for it, all you need is to genuinely agree with each other by joining intense forces/passion together and you will have what you purposed. This is the secret behind every successful adventure, be it as a Group or Organization of any kind. This was the main secret of those who wanted to build the Tower of Babel. They didn't pray for it, they only agreed to build and was nearly successful if God had not confounded their Language/understanding. Even God confirmed that what they have imagined cannot be stopped as long as they are in agreement (Genesis: 11v1-8 ).

But because the traditional pattern of prayer was embedded in the minds of the people, Jesus was persuaded to give them an illustration that suits their belief in Luke:18. Jesus spoke about the heartless Judge who helped a widow because she kept begging him. "But Jesus actually spoke to His audience at this point like He was speaking to children. Because only a child will keep asking you for one thing over and over".
Here is what Jesus said to His disciples as matured men in Matthew:6v6-8, He said, enter into your closet and shut your door, then relate with your God Secretly/Silently/Meditatively. He said to them God already knows what you need, therefore don't use vain repetitions. In other words, Jesus was trying to convey to His disciples His secret/silent pattern of prayer which is don't even ask for anything, just Worship.
*Could this scepticism in the minds of His disciples and the people/Jews be the reason He was never direct in speech when it comes to mysteries?

A typical example of what we see everywhere today as prayer, is what Jesus did when He was Afraid, Confused and obviously Depressed (Luke: 22v42-44). That style never worked and can never work. Have you ever wondered why 99.9% of prayers are never answered?
NO ONE CAN FORCE GOD WITH PRAYERS OF ANY KIND TO DO WHAT HE/GOD HAD NOT PLANNED TO DO. If your reason for crying and begging God is to save you from the devil, then you really don't know that God is the One in charge of all creation.
God has plans, why not pause/calm meditatively to find out what God's plans are for you and align yourself with it.
Learn to be patient and glide with Life/Nature/God.
This may sound ridiculous to say but that's the Truth; Those who Pray the traditional way of begging and asking, are always unstable and exhibit Fear the most because they pray under Pressure, Confused&Depressed.

#FIND OUT THE TRUTH AND MAKE/SET YOURSELF FREE!
#BE INSPIRED!