35 Reasons Not To Sin

1. Because a little sin leads to more sin.
2. Because my sin invites the discipline of God.
3. Because the time spent in sin is forever wasted.
4. Because my sin never pleases but always grieves God who loves me.
5. Because my sin places a greater burden on my spiritual leaders.
6. Because in time my sin always brings heaviness to my heart.
7. Because I am doing what I do not have to do.
8. Because my sin always makes me less than what I could be.
9. Because others, including my family, suffer consequences due to my sin.
10. Because my sin saddens the godly.
11. Because my sin makes the enemies of God rejoice.
12. Because sin deceives me into believing I have gained when in reality I have lost.
13. Because sin may keep me from qualifying for spiritual leadership.
14. Because the supposed benefits of my sin will never outweigh the consequences of disobedience.
15. Because repenting of my sin is such a painful process, yet I must repent.
16. Because sin is a very brief pleasure for an eternal loss.
17. Because my sin may influence others to sin.
18. Because my sin may keep others from knowing Christ.
19. Because sin makes light of the cross, upon which Christ died for the very purpose of taking away my sin.
20. Because it is impossible to sin and follow the Spirit at the same time.
21. Because God chooses not to respect the prayers of those who cherish their sin.
22. Because sin steals my reputation and robs me of my testimony.
23. Because others once more earnest than I have been destroyed by just such sins.
24. Because the inhabitants of heaven and hell would all testify to the foolishness of this sin.
25. Because sin and guilt may harm both mind and body.
26. Because sins mixed with service make the things of God tasteless.
27. Because suffering for sin has no joy or reward, though suffering for righteousness has both.
28. Because my sin is adultery with the world.
29. Because, though forgiven, I will review this very sin at the Judgment Seat where loss and gain of eternal rewards are applied.
30. Because I can never really know ahead of time just how severe the discipline for my sin might be.
31. Because my sin may be an indication of a lost condition.
32. Because to sin is not to love Christ.
33. Because my unwillingness to reject this sin now grants it an authority over me greater than I wish to   believe.
34. Because sin glorifies God only in His judgment of it and His turning of it to good use, never because  it is worth anything on its own.
35. Because I promised God he would be Lord of my life. 

      Relinquish Your Rights - Reject the Sin - Renew the Mind - Rely on God

Why Do We Need to Pray?

Prayer is one of the very basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it's how we communicate with God but why is it so important? Why do we need to pray? Share your answer with us and your reply will be posted here for others to read.

Working in faith

Prayer is wonderful, but remember faith without works is dead, meaning you can pray all day but you must remember to put in the work also.  

                                                                                                                      - Joseph A Mckee

Know Our Own Needs

Too many people use prayer as a last resort for personal needs. Once we bring our needs to God in prayer we are admitting there are certain things outside our control.

                                                                                                                        -  Pastor Ray

I need help

I wanted to pray because a lot of bad things had been happening to me lately and I wanted God's help and comfort for what lies ahead.

                                                                                                                      - Anonymous

Learn How to Pray

We need to know how to pray in order to be able to communicate with and hear from God.

                                                                                                                          - Valencia reid

The Truth

Prayer is food to the soul. We cant survive without food, a hungry man is an angry man, so if our soul is empty we become ignorant, and that causes war among our self and others.

                                                                                                                         - Howard

What We Are Praying For

I'm a convert to the LDS faith, going on two years in Sept. I didn't believe in prayer but the day before my baptism my stomach was in a lot of pain. I knelt down on my knees and started praying to Heavenly Father. I asked him to help me be strong because the other side was trying to stop me from continuing with my choice to be baptized. I prayed so hard that I started crying and soon enough my stomach stopped hurting. That was one instance when my prayers were answered. I have been praying ever since and I do believe that prayer and reading my scriptures helps me a lot. My grandson (11 years old) also converted to the church and prays a lot. I pray while I'm driving- the scriptures say you can pray anywhere. I find myself praying for guidance, seeking help, thanking Heavenly Father for my blessings, and asking to keep the Holy Ghost close to me and my family. I believe in prayer and say this in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

                                                                                                                                    - Martin

Deepening our relationship over time.

As with an earthly family, the closer our hearts are, the less we want for things to fulfill us. We feel loved whole.

                                                                                                                                 - Bridget

He is our Father

When we were kids we would run and tell our mother or father every thing, whether it was problems at school or life lessons we were faced with. So it is with Heavenly Father, we need to speak with him when we are facing challenges or hurdles in our life. We should also remember we do not need to just go to him for the big things but also for the little things too, this is how we develop a relationship with him. He is our HEAVENLY FATHER and as such he is entitled to our love and respect and a close relationship with us as his children.

                                                                                                                                  - Dan

It Is a Language

A prayer for me is not only on how you will get close to our Lord Jesus Christ it is a language that everyone can speak in remembering how God truly loved us. How? Imagine talking to a foreign individual who you don't and can't understand. What he is trying to say? You cant communicate at all but with the power of prayer you can. Everything you say and ask would let God know that you seek, give thanks, ask forgiveness, and most importantly show your love to our Father Almighty.

                                                                                                                            - Allan Gan

Between Us and God

To thank God for his love and mercy. Prayer is a way we talk to God, our communication between us and God.

                                                                                                                           - Uzozie oge

For the Greater Glory of God

We pray to glorify God. Even before we pray to Him, He already knows what we're going to ask of Him. He knows all our needs and desires. Whether or not we ask Him in prayer, He loves us unconditionally and He takes care of us and all our needs according to his Divine Plan. But when we pray to Him, we glorify Him, we give all the credit to Him, we show our dependence on Him, we submit to his Lordship, we grow in our relationship with Him and of course, we acquire that peace in our hearts - that peace which surpasses all understanding.

                                                                                                                                - Gav

How to Read the Bible

1. Decide your purpose. 

There are a variety of reasons you may wish to read the Bible. It may be that you are Christian but have never read the Bible or have not read the entire Bible. It may be that you are not Christian but wish to read the text so as to understand it and be better able to discuss it with your peers. You may wish to read the Bible for academic purposes, such as to gain an understanding of ancient Near Eastern history. You should decide why you want to read the Bible before beginning, so that you will know the correct approach to take with the text.

2. Decide how much you will read. 

Do you wish to read the entire text or are you only interested in specific books? Do you want to read the Old Testament (the original Hebrew texts upon which the beliefs of the religion are based) or just the New Testament (the portion of the text dealing with the life of Jesus Christ)? Decide how much of the text you wish to read and what order you will read it in so that you will be better prepared.

3 Read a little every day. 

4 Decide which translation is right for you.

Once you have decided why you are reading the Bible, you will have to decide which translation is best for you. Many exist and there are a great deal of difference between the versions.

If you are reading for religious reasons, you may wish to read the translation common to your denomination and then later try another translation to see how the two compare. Knowing what other denominations believe will give you a better understanding of your own version and will lead to more critical thinking about your beliefs.

If you are reading to gain an understanding of Christianity as an outsider, it may be a good idea to read several different translations. This will give you a better idea of the difference between denominations, as well as an appreciation of how the text has changed over time.

If you are reading to study the history of the region, you should read the translations which are the most direct or the original text, if you possess a reading knowledge of the appropriate languages.

New International Version: This translation was done in the 1970’s, though it has been updated since, by an international group of scholars. It has become the most popular translation by far and is widely used.

King James Version: This translation was created in the 1600’s specifically for the Church of England. It is commonly used in the US, especially by Evangelical churches. The language of this translation, though dated, has had a large impact on the English language as a whole.There is also the New King James Version, which is a modernization of the original text and also quite popular.

New Living Translation: This translation, undertaken in the 1990's, focuses not on direct translation but on conveying the original intentions and ideas of the text. The language is modernized so as to be more widely understood and it makes use of inclusive language.

English Standard Edition: This translation, done in the 1990’s by academics, is a literal translation and was intended to be as accurate a translation as possible. It is most commonly used for study bibles, though it is the official text for some churches.

New World Translation: An example of a translation associated with a particular religious group, the New World Translation is the text used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is notable for using the name Jehovah in the text, instead of the word “lord”, when referring to God. (Note: This translation is bias in a way which supports Watchtower doctrine and is not recognised by any Biblical Scholar as an accurate translation)

The Joseph Smith Translation: This version of the Bible includes notes and changes made by Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS Church. It's meant to be read in conjunction with the Book of Mormon. You may want to read this if you either are Mormon or if you wish to understand Mormonism better.

5 Get a guide.

The language of the Bible can be very complex and since it is very old, much of the cultural context is missing. It is important to understand what the original authors intended, as well as the history of the time in which they lived and how it affected them. Buy a guide, which will help you read between the lines and better understand the text which you are reading.

6 Get supplies.

It may be wise to take notes as you read. The text is long, depending on which books you have chosen to read, and you can easily forget the details. Have paper and a notebook available to write down significant passages, notes, timelines, family trees, significant people, and any questions you have so that you may research the answers later.

7 Get a bible! 

You will need to get a copy or several copies, depending on the books and translations you have chosen to read. These can easily be acquired or purchased at local churches, bookstores, christian bookstores, or online. You can also use a free translation online, if you do not need a physical copy. If you purchased a bible guide, it may be that the guide already contains some or all of the text that you are interested in. Investigate this to ensure that you do not get more than you need.

How to Pray to the Virgin Mary

1. Start with a prayer.

The Hail Mary: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

2. The Salve Regina:

 "Hail, our Queen and Mother blest! Joy when all was sadness, Life and hope you gave mankind, Mother of our gladness! Children of the sinful Eve, Sinless Eve, befriend us, Exiled in this vale of tears; Strength and comfort send us! Pray for us, O Patroness, Be our consolation! Lead us home to see your Son, Jesus, our salvation! Gracious are you, full of grace, Loving as none other, Joy of heaven and joy of earth, Mary, God's own Mother!

3. Prayer to Mary of the Sacred Heart:

"Gentle Mother, How beautiful and sweet you are. Your light is everywhere. There is no place it cannot shine. Through you does confusion transform into a blessed sea of tranquility. Through you are miracles of all kinds brought to pass. Sacred Mother of gentleness and simplicity, You shine your power Into the thousands of worldly possibilities; Into the heart of the innocent, Into the heart of the doubter, Into the heart of those who blame and name, Into the heart of all who love you. Your power is unending. Sacred Mother, I surrender to you, To your sweetness. You are honey that flows from my heart. Mia Mater, Light of compassion, Hail!"

How to Make a Good Confession in the Catholic Church

Before Confession

1. Find out when confession is held.

Most parishes offer reconciliation services by the week, but some churches may have them daily. If your parish does not offer a service that fits your schedule, call your priest and you can make a private appointment.

You can schedule a private session with the priest if you think your confession may last a bit longer (over 15 minutes). This is a good idea if you have left the Church, committed a grave sin, or have not confessed in a long time

2. Be truly sorry for your sins.

 The idea of penance and confession is to feel truly remorseful -- the act of contrition. You must clearly reject the sin you have committed and resolve not to commit it again. To show God that your sorrow is genuine and authentic is to be truly sorry and profess a refusal to commit the behaviors again.

This does not mean that you can never sin again; we humans do it every day. You are simply resolving to try to avoid the near occasions that lead you to sin -- this still counts as repentance. If you want it, God will help you resist temptation, as long as you have the intention to improve yourself as well.

3. Make an examination of conscience. 

Think about what you have done wrong, and why it is wrong. Consider the pain you put God through in committing that sin, and that because of that sin Jesus suffered all the more on the cross. For this you should express sorrow, and being truly sorry is a necessary component of a good Confession.

Consider asking yourself these questions when making your examination of conscience:

• When did I last go to confession? Was it an honest and thorough confession?
• Did I make any special promise to God last time? Did I keep my promise?
• Have I committed any grave or mortal sin since my last confession?
• Have I followed the Ten Commandments?
• Have I ever doubted my faith?

4. Search the Holy Scriptures.

A good place to start is the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 or Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Here are a few reminders of how God reaches out to us in loving forgiveness:

• "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
• How has it been made possible for sins to be forgiven? "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 2:1,2.
• To whom should sins be confessed, and why? "Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight." Ps. 51:4.

5. Pray often before a Confession.

You want to be honest and repentant. Say a prayer to the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you remember and feel true contrition for your sins. Perhaps something like: "Come Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind that I may clearly know my sins, touch my heart that I may be sorry for them, and better my life. Amen."

Try to identify the causes of your sins: Do you have questionable inclinations? Is it a matter of personal weakness? Or just bad habits? Try to eliminate at least one of these causes. This'll be easiest to do by either getting rid of one negative thing in your life or honing in on the most positive

During Confession

1. Wait your turn until you can enter the confessional.

When it's time, choose either a face-to-face confession or an anonymous confession. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, simply kneel down in front of the curtain separating you from the priest and the priest will begin the confession. If you'd like a face-to-face confession, you need only to walk around the curtain and sit in the chair opposite the priest. He'll be expecting you.


Remember that confessions are absolutely confidential -- the priest will never (and can never) share your sins with anyone else. He is instructed to keep the seal of the confessional regardless of circumstance -- even under pain of death. Do not let your worries affect your confession.

2.Begin your confession.

The priest will begin the Confession with the prayer of the Sign of the Cross. Follow his lead. There are a few variants, but the Latin Rite is the most common.

In the Latin Rite: Make the sign of the cross, saying, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned" and tell him how long it has been since your last confession.(It is not necessary to remember how many times, only the the frequency of important sins.)

In the Byzantine Rite: Kneel facing the Icon of Christ, the priest will be seated at your side and may place his epitrachelion on your head. He may also wait to do this until the Prayer of Absolution. Do not be concerned either way.

In other Eastern Churches: Forms may vary.
Regardless of the variant, tell him your sins (including how many times you committed them). Go in order from the most serious to the least. Do not leave out any mortal sins that you can remember. You don't have to go into explicit detail of your sins unless the priest feels it is necessary -- and in that situation, he'll ask.

After Your Confession

1. Listen to the priest. 

He will often offer you counsel on how you can avoid sin in the future. Afterward, he will ask you to make an Act of Contrition. This must be performed sincerely, truly meaning what you say. If you don't know the words, write them down or ask the priest to help you.


At the end of your session, he will probably recommend penance (to be performed as soon as possible). At the end of the absolution he will say, “I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” If he makes the Sign of the Cross, follow suit. He will then dismiss you, saying something to the affect of “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Reply, “Thanks be to God,” give the priest a smile, and exit the confessional.

2. Complete your penance.

Return to the church and assume your prior seat. When you begin your penance, give thanks to God for forgiving you. If you recall some serious sin you forgot to tell, know that it has been forgiven with the others, but be sure to confess it in your next confession.

If the priest gave you penance that consists of some prayers to be recited, say them quietly and devoutly. Kneel in the pew, hands clasped and head down, until you have completed your penance and have adequately reflected on your experience. Resolve to return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation often.

3. Leave feeling better and living in the light of God's forgiveness. 

Rise joyful and confident for the Lord loves you and has been merciful. Live for Him every minute of your life, and let everybody see how wonderful it is serving the Lord.

Stay mindful. Don't use confession as a reason to excuse sins. Rejoice that you are forgiven and live as God intended you to to minimize the need for confession.

Knowing God Personally

What does it take to begin a relationship with God?

Wait for lightning to strike? Devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? Become a better person so that God 4will accept you? NONE of these. God has made it very clear in the Bible how we can know Him. This will explain how you can personally begin a relationship with God, right now...

Principle One: God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.

God created you. Not only that, he loves you so much that he wants you to know him now and spend eternity with him. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."1

Jesus came so that each of us could know and understand God in a personal way. Jesus alone can bring meaning and purpose to life.

                                                                                              What keeps us from knowing God? ...

Principle Two: All of us sin and our sin has separated us from God.

We sense that separation, that distance from God because of our sin. The Bible tells us that "All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way."2

Deep down, our attitude may be one of active rebellion or passive indifference toward God and his ways, but it's all evidence of what the Bible calls sin.

The result of sin in our lives is death -- spiritual separation from God.3 Although we may try to get close to God through our own effort, we inevitably fail.

This diagram shows the great gap that exists between us and God. The arrows illustrate how we might try to reach God through our own efforts. We may try to do good things in life, or earn God's acceptance through a good life or a moral philosophy. But our good efforts are insufficient to cover up our sin.

                                                               How can we bridge this gulf?...

Principle Three: Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Through him we can know and experience God's love and plan for our life.

We deserve to pay for our own sin. The problem is, the payment is death. So that we would not have to die separated from God, out of his love for us, Jesus Christ died in our place.

The Bible states that Jesus is "the image of the invisible God...by him all things were created...."4 Jesus was crucified for blasphemy -- for clearly identifying himself as equal to God -- which he was.

On the cross, Jesus took all of our sin on himself and completely, fully paid for it. "For Christ also died for sins...the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God."5 "...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy."6 Because of Jesus' death on the cross, our sin doesn't have to separate us from God any longer.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."⁷

Jesus not only died for our sin, he rose from the dead.⁸ When he did, he proved beyond doubt that he can rightfully promise eternal life -- that he is the Son of God and the only means by which we can know God. That is why Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one can come to the Father except through me."⁹

Instead of trying harder to reach God, he tells us how we can begin a relationship with him right now. Jesus says, "Come to me." "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."¹⁰ It was Jesus' love for us that caused him to endure the cross. And he now invites us to come to him, that we might begin a personal relationship with God.

Just knowing what Jesus has done for us and what he is offering us is not enough. To have a relationship with God, we need to welcome him into our life..

Principle Four: We must individually accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

The Bible says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."

We accept Jesus by faith. The Bible says, "God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

Accepting Jesus means believing that Jesus is the Son of God, who he claimed to be, then inviting him to guide and direct our lives.13 Jesus said, "I came that you might have life, and have it more abundantly."

                                                                                                       Begin a relationship with Jesus...

You can receive Christ right now. Remember that Jesus says, "I'm standing at the door and I'm knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in."¹⁶ Would you like to respond to his invitation? Here's how.

The precise words you use to commit yourself to God are not important. He knows the intentions of your heart. If you are unsure of what to pray, this might help you put it into words:

"Jesus, I want to know you. I want you to come into my life. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin so that I could be fully accepted by you. Only you can give me the power to change and become the person you created me to be. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life with God. I give my life to you. Please do with it as you wish. Amen."

If you sincerely asked Jesus into your life just now, then he has come into your life as he promised. You have begun a personal relationship with God.

What follows is a lifelong journey of change and growth as you get to know God better through Bible reading, prayer and interaction with other Christians.