Prayer.

WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer is a personal conversation that we have with God wherein we give Him praise, give Him thanks, express our remorse, state our petitions, and address our other immediate concerns to Him. Prayer can be like a conversation between best friends, yet one should always remember to maintain reverence for God’s Holiness.

JESUS TEACHES US HOW TO PRAY

Jesus gave us a sample prayer in Matthew 6:9-13: (KJV) “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

WHAT DOES THE LORD’S PRAYER MEAN TO US?

First, to whom do we speak? We are to address our prayer to God the Father in heaven, (“Our Father who art in heaven”). Next, we praise God and acknowledge His Holiness (“Hallowed be thy name”). We then recognize that when we pray He answers our prayers according to His will and not our own will, (“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”). We then offer a petition that all our needs will be met, such as food and other basic necessities, (“Give us this day our daily bread”). Next, we ask God for forgiveness of our wrongdoings, (“And forgive us our debts”). And we must then forgive all others who have done wrong to us, (“…as we forgive our debtors”). We then petition God to shield us from any temptations that would lead us into sin (“And lead us not into temptation”). And we ask that He protect us from spiritual attacks from demonic entities (“…but deliver us from evil”). We end our prayer with praises to God’s supreme attributes (“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever”).

Closing with the word amen, which means “I agree” (Amen).

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PRAY?

Many people pray The Lord’s Prayer exactly as it is written in their Bible. However, reciting the same thing over and over can become just a habit that a person does not think much about. It is better to make your prayers personal to your needs and situation, using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide. Your prayers should change each day as your situations change. Most importantly, your prayers should be sincere and come from your heart. Remember always that God answers prayer in His own time, and in His own way.

WHAT IS THE WRONG WAY TO PRAY?

The Bible speaks against those who would pray just to show off or to impress others (Matthew 6:5). It also warns against vain repetitions when praying (Matthew 6:7). And states that you should not ask for forgiveness of your sins before you have forgiven others who have sinned against you (Matthew 6:15).

COME UNTO ME

To the despondent, the hopeless, the morose: There is a lifeline within your grasp. It is in the form of a hand that reaches down to us when we are in our deepest pit. It is the hand of the Lord pulling us up towards Himself, as we confess our utter hopelessness in a life that is devoid of Him. He shed His blood on Calvary so that we could be washed clean of our sins and formed into a new creature that reflects His own image back towards Himself. When you grasp His hand, you may not be delivered from all your immediate problems, but you are given a hope and a promise of an eternity of peace in His presence forevermore, long after the trials of this life have passed. You will have joy amid your remaining days on this rock we call earth, even though you may suffer disease, pain, abandonment, poverty, rejection, addiction, anger, and hatred. The Lord calls out to all who will hear, “Come unto me!”

Matthew 11:28-29: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

THE CRUCIFIX

The crucifix image on the front cover is that of an original life-sized painting that once hung behind the altar of The Healing Chapel. Built in 1996, the chapel originally stood upon land near Burr Oak Lake State Park in Glouster, Ohio. It was eventually moved to its current location in Coolville, Ohio in 2004. Unfortunately, the beautiful painting was destroyed by vandals in 2021.

The chapel receives many visitors who come to pray, worship, read a Bible, and to marvel at the architecture of Ohio’s smallest church, which measures 10 ft. by 14 ft. and seats eight people on its four short pews. It is located across from the roadside rest on State Route 7 near Torch, Ohio. It is asked that all visitors be sober-minded and respectful while in this House of the Lord.