Changes

==144:4. MORE ABOUT PRAYER==

==144:4. MORE ABOUT PRAYER==

144:4.1 For days after the discourse on prayer the apostles continued to ask the Master questions regarding this all-important and worshipful practice. Jesus' instruction to the apostles during these days, regarding prayer and worship, may be summarized and restated in modern phraseology as follows:

144:4.1 For days after the [[discourse]] on [[prayer]] [[the apostles]] continued to ask [[the Master]] questions regarding this all-important and [[worshipful]] [[practice]]. [[Jesus]]' instruction to [[the apostles]] during these days, regarding [[prayer]] and [[worship]], may be summarized and restated in [[modern]] phraseology as follows:

144:4.2 The earnest and longing repetition of any petition, when such a prayer is the sincere expression of a child of God and is uttered in faith, no matter how ill-advised or impossible of direct answer, never fails to expand the soul' s capacity for spiritual receptivity.

144:4.2 The [[earnest]] and longing [[repetition]] of any [[petition]], when such a [[prayer]] is the [[sincere]] [[expression]] of a child of [[God]] and is uttered in [[faith]], no matter how ill-advised or impossible of direct answer, never fails to expand the [[soul]]' s [[capacity]] for [[spiritual]] [[receptivity]].

144:4.3 In all praying, remember that sonship is a gift. No child has aught to do with earning the status of son or daughter. The earth child comes into being by the will of its parents. Even so, the child of God comes into grace and the new life of the spirit by the will of the Father in heaven. Therefore must the kingdom of heaven— divine sonship—be received as by a little child. You earn righteousness—progressive character development—but you receive sonship by grace and through faith.

144:4.3 In all [[praying]], remember that sonship is a [[gift]]. No [[child]] has aught to do with [[earning]] the [[status]] of son or daughter. The [[earth]] [[child]] comes into [[being]] by the [[Free will|will]] of its [[parents]]. Even so, the [[child]] of [[God]] comes into [[grace]] and the new life of the spirit by the will of [[the Father]] in heaven. Therefore must [[the kingdom]] of heaven— divine sonship—be received as by a little child. You earn [[righteousness]]—[[progressive]] [[character]] [[development]]—but you receive sonship by [[grace]] and through [[faith]].

144:4.4 Prayer led Jesus up to the supercommunion of his soul with the Supreme Rulers of the universe of universes. Prayer will lead the mortals of earth up to the communion of true worship. The soul's spiritual capacity for receptivity determines the quantity of heavenly blessings which can be personally appropriated and consciously realized as an answer to prayer.

144:4.4 [[Prayer]] led [[Jesus]] up to the supercommunion of his [[soul]] with the [[Supreme Rulers]] of the [[universe of universes]]. [[Prayer]] will lead the [[mortals]] of [[earth]] up to the [[communion]] of true [[worship]]. The [[soul]]'s [[spiritual]] [[capacity]] for [[receptivity]] determines the [[quantity]] of heavenly [[blessings]] which can be personally appropriated and consciously [[realized]] as an answer to [[prayer]].

144:4.5 Prayer and its associated worship is a technique of detachment from the daily routine of life, from the monotonous grind of material existence. It is an avenue of approach to spiritualized self-realization and individuality of intellectual and religious attainment.

144:4.5 [[Prayer]] and its associated [[worship]] is a [[technique]] of detachment from the daily routine of life, from the monotonous grind of [[material]] [[existence]]. It is an avenue of approach to spiritualized [[self-realization]] and individuality of [[intellectual]] and [[religious]] [[attainment]].

144:4.6 Prayer is an antidote for harmful introspection. At least, prayer as the Master taught it is such a beneficent ministry to the soul. Jesus consistently employed the beneficial influence of praying for one's fellows. The Master usually prayed in the plural, not in the singular. Only in the great crises of his earth life did Jesus ever pray for himself.

144:4.6 [[Prayer]] is an [[antidote]] for harmful [[introspection]]. At least, [[prayer]] as [[the Master]] taught it is such a beneficent [[ministry]] to the [[soul]]. [[Jesus]] consistently employed the beneficial [[influence]] of [[praying]] for one's fellows. [[The Master]] usually [[prayed]] in the plural, not in the singular. Only in the great [[crises]] of his [[earth]] life did [[Jesus]] ever pray for himself.

144:4.7 Prayer is the breath of the spirit life in the midst of the material civilization of the races of mankind. Worship is salvation for the pleasure-seeking generations of mortals.

144:4.7 [[Prayer]] is the [[breath]] of the [[spirit]] life in the midst of the [[material]] [[civilization]] of the races of [[mankind]]. [[Worship]] is [[salvation]] for the [[pleasure]]-seeking [[generations]] of [[mortals]].

144:4.8 As prayer may be likened to recharging the spiritual batteries of the soul, so worship may be compared to the act of tuning in the soul to catch the universe broadcasts of the infinite spirit of the Universal Father.

144:4.8 As [[prayer]] may be likened to recharging the [[spiritual]] batteries of the [[soul]], so [[worship]] may be [[compared]] to the [[act]] of [[tuning]] in the [[soul]] to catch the [[universe broadcasts]] of the [[Infinite Spirit|infinite spirit]] of the [[Universal Father]].

144:4.9 Prayer is the sincere and longing look of the child to its spirit Father; it is a psychologic process of exchanging the human will for the divine will. Prayer is a part of the divine plan for making over that which is into that which ought to be.

144:4.9 [[Prayer]] is the [[sincere]] and longing look of the [[child]] to its spirit [[Father]]; it is a [[psychologic]] [[process]] of exchanging the [[human]] will for the [[divine]] will. [[Prayer]] is a part of the divine [[plan]] for making over that which is into that which ought to be.

144:4.10 One of the reasons why Peter, James, and John, who so often accompanied Jesus on his long night vigils, never heard Jesus pray, was because their Master so rarely uttered his prayers as spoken words. Practically all of Jesus' praying was done in the spirit and in the heart—silently.

144:4.10 One of the reasons why [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]], [[James, the Apostle|James]], and [[John, the Apostle|John]], who so often accompanied [[Jesus]] on his long night [[vigil]]s, never heard [[Jesus]] pray, was because [[the Master|their Master]] so rarely uttered his [[prayers]] as [[spoken]] [[words]]. Practically all of [[Jesus]]' praying was done in the spirit and in the [[heart]]—[[silently]].

144:4.11 Of all the apostles, Peter and James came the nearest to comprehending the Master's teaching about prayer and worship.

144:4.11 Of all [[the apostles]], [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] and [[James, the Apostle|James]] came the nearest to [[comprehending]][[ the Master]]'s teaching about [[prayer]] and [[worship]].

==144:5. OTHER FORMS OF PRAYER==

==144:5. OTHER FORMS OF PRAYER==