Give
us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs we have done.
Matthew 6: 11-12
The
Bible says to ask for what you want and it will be given to you
(Matthew 7: 7, 8). Prayer is the opening of the heart to God
just like you would talk to mom or dad. It is also like you
would talk to grandma on the phone.
Words do not make prayer, we must want something. Jesus doesn't want us to use a lot of words that do not mean anything. He does not want us to repeat the same prayer over and over (Matthew 6). He likes to hear things like 'please' and 'thank you'. If we ask for the right things He says yes. We do not know what is best for us. We can ask for anything and tell Him to do what is best. Sometimes He says yes. Sometimes He says wait awhile. Sometimes He says no.
If we ask according to His will, He gives us what we ask for (1 John 5: 14, 15).
Some
people pray to Satan. They are tricked. They think that they are
having a special time with God. They see what they think is a
friend that died. They see miracles. But this is a trick too.
Satan is very strong. But God is stronger. Angels camp around
those who love God and keep them safe (Psalms 34: 7). Nothing
but the power of God, given in answer to the prayer of faith can
rescue someone who believes and prays to Satan. The word spiritualism
is used to describe the belief in live spirits of
those who have died. Be careful you do not get tricked by evil
Satan. Read what the Bible says about visitors from other
worlds. In Revelation 16: 14 it says the spirits of demons will
do miracles and bring world leaders together. In Isaiah 8: 19 it
says not to listen to the mediums that talk to the dead.
The
only way to be safe from Satan's tricks is to read your Bible
and pray. Jesus was strong because He prayed. He often went up
on a mountain to pray. He would pray for a long time (Matthew
14: 23). Sometimes He prayed all night.
Daniel prayed three times a day. These were special times for prayer. Then all day long He would send up silent quick prayers if He needed something. He was very smart. He was one of the top rulers in the government of Babylon. Later he worked in the government of the Medes and Persians. Daniel wrote part of the Bible. He loved God very much.
God can make you stronger than Satan if you pray for help. Only with God's strength can you be safe from Satan's tricks. Can you say with me: "Evening and morning and at noon will I pray"?