Paul, in his sermonn on Mar's Hill, recognized this universal tendency .

Acts 17:22-29

017:022 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 017:023 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 017:024 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 017:025 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 017:026 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 017:027 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 017:028 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 017:029 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

WHAT PRAYER IS

Prayer is man talking to God. It is the heart's desire expressed to God	Rom. 10: 1	010:001 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Thanksgiving	1 Tim. 2:1-2	002:001 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 002:002 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Intercession-a place in behalf of another
Petition-wishing toward
Supplication-an earnest entreaty.
Prayer should be from the heart, the outgrowth of fellowship and intimacy with God. "Our Father"	Matt. 6:9-15; 7:7-12	006:009 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 006:010 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 006:011 Give us this day our daily bread. 006:012 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 006:013 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. 006:014 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 006:015 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

WHOSE PRAYERS DO GOD HEARS

Only God's child can address Him as Father	Matt. 6:9	006:009 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
The basis of this Father-son relationship is Jesus Christ	Jno. 14:6	014:006 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
established by His blood	Heb. 2:9-11	002:009 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 002:010 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 002:011 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
	Eph. 2:14-19	002:014 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 002:015 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 002:016 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 002:017 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 002:018 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 002:019 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
God Hears the righteous.	Jas. 5:16	005:016 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
God hears the obedient	1 Jno. 3:22	003:022 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God hears his children whodo His will.	Matt. 6:9	006:009 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

PRAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS

Three times in His last discourse with the disciples Jesus emphasized praying in His name .

Jno. 14:13-14	014:013 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 014:014 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Jno. 15:16	015:016 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jno. 16:24, 26	016:024 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 016:026 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

To ask in Jesus' name is not just a talisman tacked to a prayer. It is praying "in Him," with His endorsement, backed by all that He is, and as claimant of all the blessings He has procured for us.

MOTIVES IN PRAYING
Not as hypocrite, but approaching God.
We should avoid:

Seeking men's praises.	Matt. 6:5-8	006:005 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 006:006 But thou, 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. 006:007 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 006:008 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Vain repetition. This passage shows that we can have repetition without having vain repetition	Mark 14:39	014:039 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

We should practice:

Trust
Private prayer
Awareness (Heb. 4:16)	004:016 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Learning to pray

Model prayer.	Matt. 6:9-10	006:009 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 006:010 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Prayer should be specific.
a.Thanksgiving for our food	1 Tim. 4:3	004:003 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
b.For the sick	James 5:13-14	005:013 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 005:014 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
C.Around the Lord's table	1 Cor. 11:23, 24	011:023 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 011:024 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
d.Intercessory prayer	Jno. 17:20-21	017:020 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 017:021 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
	1 Tim. 2:1	002:001 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
	1 Jno. 5:16	005:016 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
e.Hindrances to our prayers	James 4:3	004:003 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
	Mk 11: 25-26	011:025 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 011:026 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
	James 1:6-7	001:006 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 001:007 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

PERTAINING TO CHRISTIANS

Pray always	Luke 18:1	018:001 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Without ceasing	1 Thess. 5:17	005:017 Pray without ceasing.
Pray for rulers of all lands	1 Tim. 2:1-7	002:001 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 002:002 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 002:003 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 002:004 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 002:005 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 002:006 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 002:007 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
Pray for strength in temptation	Matt. 26:41	026:041 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Pray for all the saints, and for the victory of the word in lives of hearers	Eph. 6:18-19	006:018 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 006:019 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
	Col. 4:2-4	004:002 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 004:003 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 004:004 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
	2 Thess. 3:1-2	003:001 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 003:002 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 003:003 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

When prayer seems unanswered, the Christian should not be discouraged. The prayer may have been contrary to faith or God may have something else in store for him instead of that for which he prayed.

CONCLUSION: Today, miracles have ceased as their purpose has been accomplished. However, God still rules nations today. He rules the church and in the lives of his people. He answers prayer through his providential care. Through God's word we know that when we bend our will to his and ask for his guidance, he works things out for our good and to his glory.