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Communicating with God:  Effective Healing Prayers



What's the key to effective prayer?  


Christ Jesus says, "all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."  (Matt. 21:22)  In his Sermon on the Mount he tells us how to pray. 

 

"When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.  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."  (Matt. 6:6-13)


"Prayer" is the title of the first chapter in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, a guide to prayer and healing by the founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy.  She talks about Jesus instructions on how to pray.  She says, "The closet typifies the sanctuary of Spirit, the door of which shuts out sinful sense but lets in Truth, Life, and Love. Closed to error, it is open to Truth, and vice versa.  The Father in secret is unseen to the physical senses, but He knows all things and rewards according  to motives, not according to speech. To enter into the heart of prayer, the door of the erring senses must be closed. Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error."
 

She continues, "In order to pray aright, we must enter into the closet and shut the door. We must close the lips and silence the material senses. In the quiet sanctuary of earnest longings, we must deny sin and plead God's allness. We must resolve to take up the cross, and go forth with honest hearts to work and watch for wisdom, Truth, and Love. We must 'pray without ceasing.' Such prayer is answered, in so far as we put our desires into practice. The Master's injunction is, that we pray in secret and let our lives attest our sincerity." 

To read the Chapter on Prayer (17 pages) and find out more about prayer-based healing, click here.  More About Prayer

Wednesday meetings at Christian Science churches around the world include testimonies of healing given by the congregation each week, and The Christian Science Sentinel, Christian Science Journal and Herald of Christian Science are filled with testimonies and articles about prayer-based healing.  You are invited to come to a Wednesday meeting at any Christian Science Church or to pick up free samples of our publications at any Christian Science Reading Room.  For times and locations, click on Find a Church.