Pray First

2 Nephi 32:9 - "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."

President Brigham Young - "It matters not whether you or I feel like praying, when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray till we do…You will find that those who wait till the Spirit bids them pray, will never pray much on this earth" 

Elder James E. Faust - “When God placed man on the earth, prayer became the lifeline between mankind and God. Thus, in Adam’s generation, men began ‘to call upon the name of the Lord’ (Genesis 4:26). Through all generations since that time, prayer has filled a very important human need. Each of us has problems that we cannot solve and weaknesses that we cannot conquer without reaching out through prayer to a higher source of strength. That source is the God of heaven, to whom we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. As we pray we should think of our Father in Heaven as possessing all knowledge, understanding, love, and compassion” 

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

There are many good things we can do in life. We can serve, teach, minister, fulfill callings, care for our families, and labor in the kingdom of God. Yet the Lord is not only concerned with what we do, he is also concerned with how we do it. The scriptures repeatedly teach that discipleship is not meant to be lived through our own strength alone. The Lord invites us to seek his help before we act so that our efforts can be guided by his wisdom and strengthened by his power. As Nephi concludes his teachings about receiving revelation through the Holy Ghost, feasting upon the words of Christ and praying always, he gives an important instruction. He teaches that our relationship with God should come before our service to God. Before we labor in his name we should first call upon him. Before we perform his work we should seek his guidance. Nephi wants us to understand that prayer is not merely something we do after we have made our plans. Prayer is meant to be the starting point. Our verse today is Second Nephi thirty two, verse nine. But behold, I say unto you that you must pray always and not faint, that you must not perform anything unto the Lord, save in the first place you shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that He will consecrate that performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from President Brigham Young and Elder James E. Faust, we will consider what it means to pray before we act and allow the Lord to consecrate our efforts for our eternal good. One of the most significant phrases in this verse is the instruction that we should not perform anything unto the Lord unless we first pray unto the Father in the name of Christ. This teaching reminds us that prayer is not merely response to challenges. Prayer is preparation for discipleship. Often we think of prayer as something we do when we need help solving a problem. Nephi broadens that understanding. He teaches that prayer should come before our service, before our ministry, before our assignments, and before our efforts to build the kingdom of God. Prayer prepares the heart before the work begins. The Lord does not ask us to carry his work alone, he invites us to seek him first. When we pray before acting, we acknowledge our dependence upon him. We recognize that his wisdom exceeds our own and that his spirit can direct our efforts in ways we cannot accomplish by ourselves. This principle also teaches humility. When we pray before serving, we remember whose work it truly is. We may have responsibilities, talents, and opportunities to contribute, but the success of spiritual work ultimately depends upon the Lord. Prayer helps us align our efforts with his purposes rather than merely pursuing our own ideas. Nephi's instruction is not simply to pray occasionally. He says we must pray always and not faint. Prayer is intended to be a continual pattern of dependence upon God. The second great truth in this verse is the promise that the Lord can consecrate our efforts for the welfare of our souls. Consecration means more than receiving help. It means that God can take our sincere efforts and use them to accomplish his purposes while also blessing and refining us in the process. Elder James E. Faust taught.

SPEAKER_00 4:35

When God placed man on the earth, prayer became the lifeline between mankind and God. Thus in Adam's generation men began to call upon the name of the Lord. Through all generations since that time, prayer has filled a very important human need. Each of us has problems that we cannot solve and weaknesses that we cannot conquer without reaching out through prayer to a higher source of strength. That source is the God of heaven to whom we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. As we pray we should think of our Father in heaven as possessing all knowledge, understanding, love, and compassion.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Prayer truly is a lifeline. Through prayer we gain access to strength beyond our own. We gain perspective beyond our own understanding. We receive guidance that can shape our decisions and influence our service. Notice that Nephi does not promise that every effort will produce the results we expect. Instead, he promises that God can make our efforts beneficial to our souls. Sometimes the greatest blessing of service is not what happens to others but what happens within us. The Lord uses service combined with prayer to develop faith, patience, humility, charity, and trust in Him. When prayer precedes action, our service becomes more than activity. It becomes a partnership with heaven. This doctrine becomes especially relevant in a world that encourages constant activity. We often move quickly from one responsibility to another. We answer messages, attend meetings, complete assignments, fulfill obligations, and manage countless tasks. In that environment, prayer can sometimes become an afterthought. Nephi invites us to reverse that pattern. Rather than asking the Lord to bless what we have already decided to do, we can invite him into the process before we begin. We can pray before ministering to someone. We can pray before teaching a lesson. We can pray before making an important phone call. We can pray before filling a calling responsibility. We can pray before studying the scriptures. We can pray before family discussions, word projects, service opportunities, and decisions that affect others. Sometimes we may not feel like praying. Yet President President Brigham Young taught, quote, It matters not whether you are feel like praying. When the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray till we do. You will find that those who wait till the Spirit bids them pray will never pray much on this earth. That counsel reminds us that prayer is not meant to depend entirely upon our feelings. Prayer is an act of faith and commitment. We pray because we need God, not merely because we feel inspired in that moment. As we develop the habit of praying first, we begin to notice subtle changes. We become more sensitive to spiritual impressions, we become less reliant upon our own understanding. We become more aware of opportunities to bless others. Most importantly, we allow the Lord to shape both our actions and our hearts. So here is today's challenge. Before performing any act of service today, pause and offer a sincere prayer first. Whether it is a ministering opportunity, a calling responsibility, a family duty, or a simple act of kindness, invite the Lord into the effort before it begins. Then pay attention to how that prayer influences your thoughts, decisions, and interactions throughout the day. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.