A Sermon for This WeekBy Veon G. Smith Bishop, Smith Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day SaintsIf we pray, then we must believe in a God. We must also believe that God can and does hear our prayers and that He will react to our supplications. We must also believe that there is a relationship between God and man.With having what we might call a religious attitude or character. This the Savior gives to us as the key of making prayer effective. It is as one nonscriptural writer has said Prayer will make a fnan cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer. in the writings of Shakespeare we find a situation mentioned Where prayer was ineffectual because the spirit or attitude and thinking of the man praying was not right.In the play of Hamlet, the King, feeling repentent of having committed murder says Pray can I not,Though inclination be as sharp as will My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent; Then, after further attempts at prayer, the erring King concludes My words fly up, my thoughts remain below;Words without thoughts, never to heaven go. By praying, are we manifesting psychological dependence and weakness? Or could we as well say that when we fail to pray are we manifesting an unhealthy egotism and self sufficiency beyond the right of man to achieve in this life? No man can in and of himself be psychologically independent of the influences of others, and it seems logical that man collectively cannot be totally self sufficient, nor was it intended he should be.Man was given his free agency to act as he chooses, but the Lord has assured us that he will stand ready to aid us If we wish his help. In the first chapter of James, we are told that If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liber ally, and upbraideth not and it shall be given him. It is thus recognized that we may need God s help. Prayer is the way by Which we ask our Father in heaven to come to our aid.Prayer can then be a source of spiritual strength to the individual who uses it properly. There are also inner sources of strength which are tapped through the medium of prayer. If we acknowledge the presence of a God, we must surely, if we are to manifest rational behavior, attempt to benefit from His wisdom and influence in the same manner that a child might benefit from the learning, experience and wisdom of his earthly father. Proper and effective use of prayer can do much for us individually and collectively if we but choose to use it.