God has given everyone the free will choice whether to serve God or Satan. God isn’t going to give anyone eternal life unless they talk to him. The only way to talk to God is through prayer. Even Mother Teresa with all her good works couldn’t set foot in heaven without having a talk with God first. God talks to us through the Bible and we talk to God through our prayers. Communication is a two-way conversation which, in this instance, is between us and God. It takes two to fellowship. When it comes to our salvation, the sinner’s prayer is how we reach out to God to admit we’re a sinner, ask his forgiveness and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God talks to us through the Bible to assure us we are saved unto eternal life if we do what he asks of us.
Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Ephesians 6:18 – Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
1 Timothy 2:1 – Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.
I know it sounds incredible but the Creator of the universe really does want to be our friend. God wants fellowship with his creatures and that involves a give and take conversation. God’s prescribed way of talking to him is by prayer. In fact, in the Bible God repeatedly commands us to pray to him so failure to do so is a sin against God. The Bible is God’s wisdom and in its pages we learn the right way to live, not only by what is said, but also by the examples set by Jesus and the giants of the Christian faith. All of us should study everything Jesus did during his ministry and model our behavior after Jesus as much as possible. If you’ll notice, Jesus constantly prayed to the Father. If even the Son of God prayed to God the Father how much more should we be praying also? The Apostle Paul was the greatest Christian who ever lived and he prayed constantly. I posit Paul’s success was due, in large part, because of his prayer life. We should all strive to be a prayer warrior like the Apostle Paul.
Romans 12:12 – Rejoicing in hope. patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.
Colossians 4:2 – Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Timothy 2:8 – I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Samuel 12:23 – Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
I always cringe inside when I hear people pray to Jesus. I know Jesus is God but I also know the New Testament rule for prayer is that prayer should be made to the Father, through the Spirit, in the name of Jesus. The Lord’s prayer is a good model for us to follow but make it more personal to fit your situation. Never pray to Jesus, Mary, the saints or anyone else other than God the Father. I know Catholics direct their prayers to Mary but that’s a dry hole. Let me repeat myself. It’s not scriptural to pray to anyone other than God the Father so the prayers of all Catholics are falling on deaf ears. Have you ever heard a Catholic say their prayers were answered? I haven’t. God won’t hear prayers unless they’re directed to him. That’s the way the Bible says to pray and the Bible is never wrong. If God didn’t want it that way he wouldn’t have put it in the Bible. That’s just common sense. The Bible says God always hears the prayers of believers and so he does. God always answers the prayers of believers although maybe not as quickly as we’d like or with the answer we want.
Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Luke 11:10 – (Jesus speaking) – For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Psalm 102:17 – (the Lord) – He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer.
Matthew 7:11 – (Jesus speaking) – If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!