[To start with, I would like to try to express some of my personal presuppositions or world view in a way that does not condemn people regardless of their background. The purpose of this lengthy introduction is not to convert or convince people of my point of view but to just help everyone to understand where I am coming from. I challenge you to have an open mind about these prayer tips being offered, and to pray this simple prayer: “Creator God, teach me to have a friendship with you. Thank you for teaching me.” Even if you don’t believe in Him, what could it hurt? Let’s get started!
Nearly all religions and world views incorporate some form of prayer, meditation and/or chanting. Perhaps an ardent atheist is the exception, although a French Renaissance philosopher once attributed to Plato the quote “there are few men so obstinate in their atheism, that a pressing danger will not reduce to an acknowledgment of the divine power. . .” Later during World War Two, a similar phrase possibly based on this quote became popular: “there are no atheists in foxholes.” The thought here being that when one is about to die, everyone prays to their Creator. The act of prayer is usually an acknowledgement of a transcendent, spiritual realm where there is a Divine Power and/or God.
Can atheists pray? For those atheists that believe the observable universe is all there is—they should contemplate physics’ second law of thermal dynamics—all things in the universe are winding down, cooling off, becoming less complex. This is known as entropy. However, the initial expansion of the universe required infinite negative entropy, or absolute creativity—a likely definition of God.]
[Psa 19:1 CSB] 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.
[Consider that abundant, hyper-complex, finely-tuned life exists in a thin atmospheric bubble on a “Goldilocks” planet—just the right distance from the sun with a magnetic shield from harmful solar winds—around a mundane but stable star in a universe of vast, catastrophic, super & hyper novae, Gama-ray bursts, exploding black holes, and cataclysmic collisions, all touched off by a chaotic big bang expansion event from a singularity of nothingness. This ever-expanding, infinite, fireworks show proclaims the work and Glory of God and the expansive work of His hands. However, you don’t have to believe that God exists, to pray. Anyone, including atheists, can ask, even challenge, God to reveal Himself, and He will, even though they disavow His existence.
This collection of prayer tips from my personal life’s journey, I hope, will help you decide to search for that friendship with your Creator. A friendship not only based on logical argument, but one backed by tangible evidence in your own life through the experience of answered prayer and the discerning of His still, small voice guiding your life.
If you already believe in God, the question arises, can truth be found in more than one religious world view? I believe portions of the truth can be found in every world view and religion.]
[Rom 1:18-20 NKJV] 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown [it] to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made [including man], [even] His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
[Paul, the author of this letter to the Romans, was taught by Jesus. In this New Testament passage, Paul states that the witness of creation testifies to God’s eternal power and Godhead so no one has an excuse, because all can clearly see the Creator’s Godhead by what He has made.]
[Rom 2:14-15 NLT] 14 Even Gentiles [non-Jews], who do not have God's written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
[This passage says that non-Jews have an instinct or conscience of what is right and wrong to guide them just like the Jews were given the Law of Moses to guide them. This is the knowledge of good and evil from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:8-17). The concept of good and evil can be found in most every religious world view in some form. Even atheists often refuse to believe in God because of all the evil and suffering in the world. However, if there is no intelligent Creator, there can be no basis for determining moral good and evil, undermining this motivation for atheism.
It is important to note that this new prayer life with God can be adapted into any culture, family or personal background. However, there are certain core teachings that must be adhered to, for a friendship with your Creator to flourish. Again, my goal with these tips is to help people find a real friendship with their Creator regardless of their background, upbringing or world view.
So, how do I pick a world view with reliable teachings that will likely contain truth that will lead to a friendship with my Creator? Before we answer this, it is important to not judge a religion or world view by those who claim to adhere to that view. Religions and world views can have almost as many different interpretations and implementations as there are adherents to that religion. I would suggest that we limit input on this decision to exploring the direct written teachings of a world view rather than listen to the words or actions of its adherents.
That said, written religious traditions or world views can be divided many ways. For this discussion we will split them into two groups: 1) those that believe there are multiple ways to God, Heaven, Nirvana, Paradise, Utopia, etc. and, 2) those that believe there is only one-way. To inform your choice between these two categories here is a simple logical argument. If you select a world view that believes in multiple ways to God, you will most likely agree that those who follow a one-way path could possibly be successful in finding God via that one-way path. However, if a one-way path turns out to be the only true path, you are better off selecting a one-way path because it could be the true path for you either way, including, if there are multiple ways to God. Where if you choose a multi-ways path and there is really only one-way, you will have missed a true friendship with God, because you chose a multi-ways path.
Some paths teach reincarnation, providing multiple tries or shots at selecting the correct path to get it right. On the surface this would seem helpful, just in-case you choose the wrong path you get to try again. However, you will find that a one-shot path puts added urgency on finding friendship with the Creator because you believe there are no second chances, even if your belief is incorrect and reincarnation is true. Like choosing a one-way path, choosing a one-shot path has a built-in logic to it. The one-way, one-shot path can work with both beliefs while the multi-way (universalism), multi-shot (reincarnation) path only works if they are the true paths. The later results in unnecessary, added risk to your journey while the one-way, one-shot path works for both world views. These arguments are not meant to convince you one way or the other on this issue but simply open your mind to consider one-way, one-shot paths.
Of the one-way paths—Judaism has spawned both Christianity and Islam which, like Judaism, have in turn spawned numerous other monotheistic sects, denominations, cults and world views, not all of which are one-way, one-shot paths. All three of these world views are based on the books of the Law (in Hebrew, Torah), The Prophets (Hb. Nebhim), and the Writings (Hb. Kethubim). In the Christian Bible, the books in these three Hebrew divisions make up the 49 books of Old Testament (O.T.). Christianity added 27 more books in the New Testament (N.T.) and Islam added the Quran. All three have seen numerous follow-up new revelations, commentaries and teachings.
All three of these world views differ on many things but especially on who Jesus is. Most Jews considered him a good teacher, most Islamist a prophet, and most Christians agree with the previous two but add the title: Son of God. Christians also believe he is the one who was promised to come—the Messiah or Christ—as written in the 49 books of the O.T. Scriptures.
Are the writings of the O.T. reliable? All three of these world views revere the O.T. The writings of the O.T. have an incredible amount of historical/archeological evidence that they have been accurately passed down to us over the last 2,000 to 3,000+ years. For example, the O.T. has been verified by ancient copies found in the famous Dead Sea Scroll caves dating to approximately 200 years before Jesus’ life and ministry. Written mostly in Hebrew, these ancient scrolls, found in the 1950s, not only accurately reflect what we find in our modern copies of the O.T., but they also contain over 300 prophecies about the Messiah that Jesus miraculously fulfills as recorded in the N.T.
Are the writings of the N.T. reliable? There are more manuscripts and fragments of the N.T. from ancient times than any other ancient writing. The next most verified book, Homer’s Iliad, has 1,757 complete and partial fragments surviving from ancient times. the earliest copy of the Iliad was written 500 years after the original was thought to have been written. Surprisingly, the document is 95% accurate compared to copies we have today. The 23,800 N.T. copies and fragments are more than 99.5% accurate to what we find in our modern Bibles and were written 29 to 325 years after the recorded events. For more on the reliability of the Bible see Appendix 1 – Bible Reliability.
How are the teachings of the N.T. unlike any other world view? In addition to the archeological and proven prophetic accuracy of these Scriptures, a unique teaching found in the N.T. is unlike any other world view. This teaching is called Grace. The N.T. records that Jesus, who lived a perfect life, voluntarily sacrificed himself to pay for all mankind’s mistakes, inadvertent omissions, short cummings, failures, sins and pride so we can have a relationship with God through the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is this loving, unmerited, undeserved, unearned free gift from Jesus who took the punishment for all mankind that demonstrates the Creator’s great love for us, and most of all, that He wants to be your friend.]
[Jhn 15:13 NKJV] 13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
[Rom 5:8 NKJV] 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[Eph 2:8-9 NKJV] 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
[This truth invokes a deep sense of gratitude, motivating one toward a sincere life of fellowship with God, performing good works that He has prepared beforehand for us to walk in.]
[Eph 2:10 NKJV] 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
[These good works are not performed because we have to earn our relationship with God. They are performed out of gratitude for the free un-deserved gift—grace—shown to us by Jesus’ torturous, hard and painful self-sacrifice. This truth changes the heart in a profound way, in-planting a new heart of gratitude and thankfulness not found in other religious world views that require an individual to earn their salvation or friendship with the Creator by good works.
Still, even portions of this truth can be found in other religions. For example, there is a myth in the Hindu Vedic Brahmavar Upanishad about the God-King Indra who had just defeated an evil monster Vitra, with his lightning bolts, thereby saving the world. In his pride brought on by this great victory, Indra builds a great palace. He was visited in disguise by Brahma the Creator God to teach him a lesson about pride. Brahma pointed to a parade of ants marching in perfect rows, 50 line abreast, across the floor of his new palace. He said that each one was the God-King of the world in their former life, and their pride in their accomplishment resulted in their reincarnation as the lowest of creatures. The nugget of truth found in this myth is if you follow a world view that is based on your own effort to reach its ultimate goal (nirvana, heaven, paradise, utopia, defeating evil, etc.), you will likely succumb to pride and fall short of that religion’s ultimate goal. Jesus taught that pride is one of the many sins and shortcomings that separate us from a friendship with our Creator.
[Rom 3:23 NKJV] 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
What Jesus taught was that we achieve lasting fellowship with God, not based on our works but on the free gift of Jesus’ flesh through the sacrifice of his flesh for all our sins –including pride. Clearly a one-way, one-shot path that surmounts the hurdle of pride and sin.
Jesus in the N.T. teaches this concept of grace—daily walking with God undeservedly—resulting in a supernatural life of gratitude, victory and good works. This teaching is what sets Jesus and N.T. teachings apart from any other world view.
Jesus taught a parable—a story with a moral—about a younger brother who asked his dad for his half of the family inheritance so he could move out. His dad surprisingly let him, and the young man took his inheritance and moved to the big city and squandered it on partying. He ended up hungry and desperate, and after some time remember that his father’s servants had plenty to eat, so he decided to go home to offer himself as a servant to His dad. What do you think his dad’s reaction would be? Most who haven’t heard the story would think that the father world send this prodigal, wayward son away. Here is what happened:]
[Luk 15:20 ESV] 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
[The father’s unexpected show of undeserved love was topped off by his holding a celebration at the return of his son. Jesus uses this story to tell us about the undeserved gift—grace—we get through salvation because of the father’s great love for us.
Followers of Jesus are granted fellowship with God as a free, unearned gift. Every other world view, including that found in the totality of the Hindu, Islamic, and even humanistic writings, consists of a list of requirements to earn their ultimate goal be it Nirvana, Paradise, Utopia, etc. It is this teaching of grace that opens the door to having a daily walk with the Creator in your life through prayer.
The concept of salvation by grace through the Creator’s sacrifice is the single most essential of all the N.T. teachings. I believe this teaching can be applied to any culture. One does not have to switch to a western culture or leave their family to develop a friendship with their Creator based on this undeserved gift of His Son Jesus. For instructions on how to get started with that friendship, see prayer tip 2) The Best Prayer You Can Ever Pray. In addition to a close friendship with your Creator, he has a gift for you, a Helper to help you live this new life based on His Word.
But I believe there is yet a bigger reason to follow the teaching of the N.T. and Jesus on prayer and how to develop a close friendship with your Creator. This has to do with experiencing an amazing relationship I personally have with the Creator of the universe. If someone were to discover some new evidence that the N.T. was translated very in-accurately from the original texts or the Dead Sea Scrolls, and other ancient Bible manuscripts were fake, I would tell them I have a personal revelation now based on that Word. It has revealed itself through a long-developing, super-natural relationship with God, confirming for me that the N.T. is the accurate, successful one-way, one-shot path to God. Relying on physical or written evidence to determine the correct path can provide a stepping stone to a close friendship with your Creator, but it is no match for the confidence and faith generated by a daily relationship and walk with the living God. This collection of tips on prayer combined with some personal testimonies is what I have learned from my personal walk with my Creator.]
[Jhn 14:6 NKJV] 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
[Jer 32:39 NKJV] 39 'then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.
[Jhn 1:1-5 NKJV] 1 In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
[Psa 33:9 CSB] 9 For he spoke, and it came into being; he commanded, and it came into existence.
[The key to this friendship with God, who spoke the universe into existence, is to work on your relationship with the Word that spoke it into existence.]
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