Laws Governing Prayer ~ Ernest Holmes
"Most men who believe in God believe in prayer; but our idea of prayer changes as our idea of God changes; and it is natural for each to feel that his way of praying is the correct way. But we should bear in mind that the prayers which are effective - no matter whose prayers they may be - are effective because they embody certain universal principles which, when understood, can be consciously used.
IF GOD EVER ANSWERED PRAYER, HE ALWAYS ANSWERS PRAYER, since He is "the same yesterday, today and forever." If there seems to be any failure, it is in man's ignorance of misunderstanding of the Will and Nature of God.
We are told that "God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." The immediate availability of the Divine Spirit is "neither in the mountain nor at the temple; neither Lo, here, nor lo there, for behold the Kingdom of God is within."
This is a true perception of spiritual power. The power is no longer I, but "the Father who dwelleth in me." Could we conceive of Spirit as being incarnate in us - while at the same time being ever more than that which is incarnated - would we not expand spiritually and intellectually? Would not our prayers be answered before they were uttered? "The Kingdom of God is within you." When we become conscious of our Oneness with Universal Good, beliefs in evil, sin, sickness, limitation, and death tend to disappear. We shall no longer "ask amiss," supplicating as though God were not willing, begging as though He were withholding.
"If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." This gives great light on an important law governing the answering of prayer. Abiding in Him, means having no consciousness separate from His consciousness - nothing in our thought which denies the power and presence of Spirit. Yes, we can readily see why prayers are answered when we are abiding in Him.
Again we read, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." This sounds simple at first, but it is another profound statement like unto the first; its significance lies in the phrase: "in my name." In His name, means like His Nature. If our thought is as unsullied as the Mind of God, if we are recognizing our Oneness with God, we cannot pray for other than the good of all men. In such prayer we should not dwell upon evil or adversity. The secret of spiritual power lies in a consciousness of one's union with the Whole, and of the availability of Good. God is accessible to all people.
God manifests Himself through all individuals. No two people are alike; each has a unique place in the universe of Mind; each lives in Mind; each contacts It through his own mentality, in an individual way, drawing from It a unique expression of Its Divine Nature. If one makes himself receptive to the idea of love, he becomes lovable. To the degree that he embodies love, he is love; so people who love are loved. Whoever becomes receptive to the idea of peace, poise and calm - whoever embodies these divine realities -finds them flowing through him and he becomes peaceful, poised and calm.
There is a place in us which lies open to the Infinite; but when the Spirit brings Its gift,by pouring Itself through us, It can give to us only what we take. This taking is mental. If we persist in saying that Life will not give us that which is good ("God will not answer my prayer.") It cannot, for Life must reveal Itself to us through our intelligence. The pent-up energy of life, and the possibility of further human evolution, work through man's imagination and will. The time is now; the place is where we are, and it is done unto us as we believe."
"Most men who believe in God believe in prayer; but our idea of prayer changes as our idea of God changes; and it is natural for each to feel that his way of praying is the correct way. But we should bear in mind that the prayers which are effective - no matter whose prayers they may be - are effective because they embody certain universal principles which, when understood, can be consciously used.
IF GOD EVER ANSWERED PRAYER, HE ALWAYS ANSWERS PRAYER, since He is "the same yesterday, today and forever." If there seems to be any failure, it is in man's ignorance of misunderstanding of the Will and Nature of God.
We are told that "God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." The immediate availability of the Divine Spirit is "neither in the mountain nor at the temple; neither Lo, here, nor lo there, for behold the Kingdom of God is within."
This is a true perception of spiritual power. The power is no longer I, but "the Father who dwelleth in me." Could we conceive of Spirit as being incarnate in us - while at the same time being ever more than that which is incarnated - would we not expand spiritually and intellectually? Would not our prayers be answered before they were uttered? "The Kingdom of God is within you." When we become conscious of our Oneness with Universal Good, beliefs in evil, sin, sickness, limitation, and death tend to disappear. We shall no longer "ask amiss," supplicating as though God were not willing, begging as though He were withholding.
"If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." This gives great light on an important law governing the answering of prayer. Abiding in Him, means having no consciousness separate from His consciousness - nothing in our thought which denies the power and presence of Spirit. Yes, we can readily see why prayers are answered when we are abiding in Him.
Again we read, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." This sounds simple at first, but it is another profound statement like unto the first; its significance lies in the phrase: "in my name." In His name, means like His Nature. If our thought is as unsullied as the Mind of God, if we are recognizing our Oneness with God, we cannot pray for other than the good of all men. In such prayer we should not dwell upon evil or adversity. The secret of spiritual power lies in a consciousness of one's union with the Whole, and of the availability of Good. God is accessible to all people.
God manifests Himself through all individuals. No two people are alike; each has a unique place in the universe of Mind; each lives in Mind; each contacts It through his own mentality, in an individual way, drawing from It a unique expression of Its Divine Nature. If one makes himself receptive to the idea of love, he becomes lovable. To the degree that he embodies love, he is love; so people who love are loved. Whoever becomes receptive to the idea of peace, poise and calm - whoever embodies these divine realities -finds them flowing through him and he becomes peaceful, poised and calm.
There is a place in us which lies open to the Infinite; but when the Spirit brings Its gift,by pouring Itself through us, It can give to us only what we take. This taking is mental. If we persist in saying that Life will not give us that which is good ("God will not answer my prayer.") It cannot, for Life must reveal Itself to us through our intelligence. The pent-up energy of life, and the possibility of further human evolution, work through man's imagination and will. The time is now; the place is where we are, and it is done unto us as we believe."
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