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"Prayer Made Easy"
11.10.2004
Contents:
3- By Way of Introduction
4- How do I get Started?
5- A.C.T.S
6- A is for Adoration
7-
C is for Confessing Sin
8- T is for Thanksgiving
9- S
is for Supplication
10-
Where and to Whom should I Pray?
11.When
and How and What Should I Pray?
12-
Praying on your Own
13-
Praying in a Small Group
14-
For How Long Should I Pray?
15- The
Jesus Prayer
16- Our Father in heaven
17- Hallowed be your name
18- Your kingdom come
19- Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
20- Give us today our daily bread
21- Forgive us ... as we also have forgiven
22- Lead us not into temptation
23- Deliver us from the evil one
24- Psalms for times of crisis
25- Psalms for times of joy
26- Psalms for times of dryness
27- Psalms for times of sin
28- Jesus
at Prayer
29- Praying for others
30- Keeping a prayer diary
31- Paul's prayers
32-
Praising God Despite Everything
3-
By Way of Introduction
Prayer is no optional extra
The Lord Jesus Christ taught that prayer is not something to do when we
feel like it. Rather, it is a God-given responsibility.
Why Pray?
Here are some good resons:
| Jesus told his
disciples to |
Luke 18:1 - Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. |
| Paul said
Christians should |
Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." |
| God uses
prayer to bless us |
Matthew 7:7 - "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." |
| Jesus prayed |
Mark 6:46 - After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. |
A Key Verse to help you in your praying:
(See how many ways this one verse teaches us about praying.)
| Ephesians 6:18 |
A one verse
guide to prayer |
| "And pray
in the Spirit ... |
How to pray |
| ... on all
occasions ... |
When to pray |
| ... with all
kinds of prayers ... |
Using a variety of prayers |
| ... and
requests ... |
Asking is part of praying |
| ... With this
in mind, be alert ... |
Praying is one way to be spiritually
awake |
| ... and always
keep on praying ... |
Persevere in prayer |
| ... for all
the saints. |
Pray for follow Christians. |
4-
How do I get Started?
THE SECRET OF PRAYING IS PRAYING.
There is no hidden technique called How to Pray. The secret is
just to pray. The disciples did not ask Jesus, "Teach us how
to pray?" They asked, "Teach us to pray."
-- Luke 11:1 - One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Have you ever
seen a prayer rock?
It is a small rock, wrapped in attractive fabric and tied with a
ribbon. On the ribbon a card is attached, and on the card
are the words: "My Prayer Rock," followed by this poem.
=========================
The Prayer Rock poem
I'm your little prayer rock and this is what I'd do.
Just put me on your pillow until the day is through.
Then turn back the covers and climb into your bed, and,
"WHACK ..." your little prayer rock will hit you
on the head.
Then you will remember as the day is through,
to kneel and say your prayers as you wanted to.
Then when you are finished just dump me on the floor.
I'll stay there through the night to give you help once more.
When you get up in the morning "CLUNK,"
I'll stub your toe,
So you will remember your morning prayers before you go.
Put me back upon your pillow when your bed is made.
Your clever little prayer rock will continue in your aid.
Because your heavenly Father cares and loves you so,
He wants you to remember to talk to him, you know!
-- Author unknown.
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"PRAYER IS
PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD, NOT MASTERING THE MECHANICS OF HOW
TO COME TO GOD."
===============================
Use an Alarm Clock
Many Christians find that the morning is the best time to
pray. For some people the most important thing in their prayer
life is an alarm clock.
If you don't get up in time to have an unhurried period of prayer,
don't be surprised that you skip prayer throughout the day.
Hence the need for an alarm clock.
Mark 1:35 - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. |
5-
A.C.T.S
| THE
FIRST RULE OF RIGHT PRAYER IS TO HAVE OUR HEART AND MIND FRAMED AS
BECOMES THOSE WHO ARE ENTERING INTO CONVERSATION WITH
GOD. John Calvin |
GOD
BE IN
MY HEAD
AND MY UNDERSTANDING;
GOD BE IN MY EYES.
AND IN MY LOOKING;
GOD BE IN MY MOUTH,
AND IN MY SPEAKING;
GOD BE IN MY HEAD,
AND IN MY THINKING;
GOD BE AT MY END,
AND AT MY DEPARTING.
Sarum Primer
|
So, you've Made It!
You actually got up in time to pray. Well done! That's more
than some Christians ever manage to do!
What do you do now? These next ten pages give a simple outline you
may wish to follow. If you do, you will cover some of the most
important areas of prayer.
A.C.T.S.
A.C.T.S. stand for the Acts of the Apostles, with each letter representing
a different aspect of prayer.
A= Adoration (or worshipping God)
C= Confession of sins to God
T= Thanksgiving
S= Supplication, asking for things in prayer
Think about whom you are praying to
Try and lose yourself in prayer, as you focus on God.
This is how the write to the Hebrews advices us to approach God.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are— yet was without sin.
16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
6- A is for Adoration
Adoration
This is a time to remember who God is.
Praise Him:
for His Love,
for His Power,
for Majesty,
and for His Wonderful gift of Jesus
Hum a Hymn
You may like to sing a chorus like "Majesty" or a traditional
hymn like "How Great Thou Art" or "A Mighty Fortress is Our
God."
This will help you to worship God as you start your time of prayer.
It helps you to remember God's greatness and your own dependence on Him.
Music
You may try playing a track of Christian music from a CD or Cassette.
Using a hymn book
At the beginning of your time of prayer, try praying one hymn a day from
the Praise or Worship section of a hymn book.
Some Psalms of worship
Turn to a Psalm to help your spirit as a means to start praising
God. Try one of these each day, for a month.
Psalm number:
19; 29; 33; 34; 35; 47; 50; 76; 87; 91; 93; 95; 96;
99; 100; 104; 107; 111; 115; 117; 121; 134; 139; 145; 146; 147; 148; 150.
Psalm 117:1-2
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.
2 For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.
|
An Acrostic on
P-R-A-Y-E-R |
| Petition |
"... He still prays three times a day." |
Daniel 6:13 |
| Reverence |
"... worship God acceptably with reverence and
awe." |
Hebrew 12:28 |
| Adoration |
"My lips
will Glorify You." |
Psalm 63:3 |
| Yearning |
"Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness." |
Matthew 5:6 |
| Expectation |
"Elijah ...
prayed earnestly that it might not rain." |
James 5:17 |
| Requests |
"Present
your requests to God." |
Philippians 4:6 |
"WHEN WE BECOME TOO GLIB IN PRAYER WE ARE MOST SURELY TALKING TO
OURSELVES." A.W.Tozer
7-
C is for Confessing Sin
Confessing sin to God
It's not as if you are telling God anything he does not already know
when you admid to him your sins. But it does show that you are
sorry for them and that you really do want His forgiveness and are
determined (with His help) not to keep on repeating the same old sins,
day after day.
This time of owning up to your sin is a time to be honest and humble.
God never stops loving you, no matter how sinful you have been. Be
reassured about this. Read Luke 15:11-32
and focus on the love of the father in this story of the prodigal son.
Remember: God loves you like that.
Peter's advice, quoting Psalm 34:12
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
There is only one way to be righteous in God's sight, and that is
to confess our sin to Him and to accept as a gift the righteousness of
Jesus.
God's assures us that He will forgive us
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Confess your sin before you pray for others
The order in which you pray is not important. We move
constantly between adoration, confession, thankgiving and
supplication. But if we want God to hear and answer our prayers we
need to confess and let go of our own sin.
A wonderful promise
Buried deep in the Old Testament is this wonderful promise that if we
confess our sin to God he will listen to and answer our prayers.
-- 2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves
and pray
and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
The Jesus Prayer
LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A
SINNER.
(For many centuries Eastern Orthodox Christians have used this prayer as a
basis for their praying and daily living.)
8- T is for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Before you start thinking about what you are going to pray for, spend some
moments in giving thanks to God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
Psalm 104:1,5
"Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, You are very great;
...
Thank God for His forgiveness
-- Psalm 103:1-2;11-12
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, ....
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear
Him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
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Why and when we are to
Give Thanks to God |
| 1. As we
approach Him |
Let us come before
Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. |
Psalm 95:2 |
| 2. For the
gift of Jesus |
Thanks be to God for
His indescribable gift! |
2 Corinthians
9:15 |
| 3. Because God
is good. |
Give thanks to the LORD, for
He is good. <His love endures forever.> |
Psalm 136:1 |
| 4. For
deliverance from sin's grip. |
23 But I see
another law at work in the members of my body, ...
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God— through Jesus Christ our Lord! ... |
Romans 7:23-25 |
| 5. All of
God's good gifts. |
4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. |
1 Timothy
4:4-5 |
| 6. The defeat
of death and sin. |
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. |
1 Corinthians
15:57 |
| 7. Give thanks
continually. |
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise— the fruit of lips that confess
His name. |
Hebrews 13:15 |
Only one in ten bothered to say "thank you"
Jesus healed ten lepers, see Luke 7:11-19, but only one went back to Jesus
to thank Him.
-- Luke 17:15-18
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him— and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"
9-
S is for Supplication
TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT GOD IS A GREAT
PRIVILEGE.
BUT TALKING TO GOD FOR PEOPLE IS GREATER STILL.
Supplication:
This is the time to make specific requests in prayer, both for others and
for yourself.
Four supplication prayer topics from the Bible:
| 1- The sick
|
-- James
5:14-16
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
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| 2- Rulers
|
-- 2 Timothy
2:1-3
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
|
| 3. More
Christian Workers |
-- Matthew
9:35-38
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
36 When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then He said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into
His harvest field."
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| 4. Yourself |
-- 1 Chronicles
4:10
10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
-- Psalm 106:4-5
4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to Your people, come to my aid when
You save them,
5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of
Your nation and join Your inheritance in giving praise.
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David Brainerd
The Life and Dairy of David Brainerd, published after his death by
his friend Jonathan Edwards, has probably influenced more revivals
than any other book. His life was converted at the age of
twenty-one and immediately became a pioneer missionary. He
spent six years of astonishing, agonizing prayer until, in 1744,
when he was twenty-seven, a remarkable revival swept over his work.
Brainerd's Journal
The following extract from Brainerd's journal was written in 1742,
when he had been a Christian for three years and was twenty-four
years old.
"I set apart this day for secret fasting and prayer, to
entreat God to direct and bless me with regard to the great work I
have in view, of preaching the gospel. Just last night
the Lord visited me marvelously in prayer: I think my soul
never was in such an agony before. I felt no restraint; for
the treasures of divine grace were opened before me.
I wrestled for absent friends, for the ingathering of souls, and for
the children of God in many distant places. I was in such
agony, from sun half an hour high, till near dark, that I was all
over wet with sweat. Oh, my dear Jesus did sweat blood for
poor souls! I longed for more compassion towards them."
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Pray through your day
Go through your day in prayer asking for God's special help over the
worrisome things or anything that you are dreading.
Does God always answer our requests?
God always gives an answer - but sometimes it may be "no," or
"wait," or "I have a better way." This is what
Paul found out.
-- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.
12 The things that mark an apostle— signs, wonders and miracles— were done among you with great perseverance.
10-
Where and to Whom should I Pray?
HE WHO HAS LEARNED HOW TO
PRAY,
HAS LEARNED THE GREATEST SECRET OF A HAPPY AND HOLY LIFE."
-- William Law
Who am I praying to?
Many people think of God as:
* a distant tyrant
* a sort of slot-machine
* an impersonal force
When we pray we are talking to a good and loving Father - the sort of
Father all our fathers ought to copy.
|
Loving Father |
| 1. A Loving
Father |
-- Luke 11:11
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?"
-- Matthew 7:11
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask
Him!"
|
| 2. Your Father |
-- John 1:12
"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God"
|
|
Where to Pray |
| 1.In Private |
-- Matthew 6:6
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
|
| 2.In Public |
-- John 11:42
"I knew that You always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that
You sent me."
|
| 3.Anywhere
"Pray Continually" |
-- 1
Thessalonians 5:17
"Pray Continually."
|
|
Wherever you are |
| 1. As you Wake |
-- Psalm 139:18
"Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with
You."
|
| 2.As you Wash
and Dress |
As you wash let the running water be a
symbol of God's cleansing and His refreshment of your soul.
As you dress say over in your mind or aloud a phrase from a Bible
verse you know. Or, think about one of Jesus' kind action
recorded in the Gospels.
|
| 3.In the Middle
of the Day |
Snatch a moment to be quiet in your
mind. Recall a promise of Jesus, like, "I am with you
always."
-- Matthew 28:20
"And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
|
| 4.As you Go to
Sleep |
Make a promise to God as you lay on
your pillow to rest.
-- Psalm 4:8
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."
|
| 5.If you are
Wakeful |
Try repeating over and over again a
Bible verse or part of a verse, about God's comfort.
-- Psalm 23:1
"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
|
11.When
and How and What Should I Pray?
YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PRAY
EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME,
UNTIL YOU HAVE LEARNED TO PRAY SOMEWHERE, SOME OF THE TIME.
Set Times for Prayer
There's no one rule about this. Many Christians like to pray first
thing in the morning and last thing at night.
In addition, some people try to follow the practice of short periods of
prayer at 6 am, 12 noon, 3 pm, 9 pm, and 12 midnight.
-- Psalm119:164
"Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws."
Should I kneel when I pray?
You can kneel, sit, stand, or raise your hands. It really doesn't
matter. Prayer is meant to be a time when we express our dependence
on God. Many Christians find that kneeling helps them to do this.
|
How did people
pray in the Bible? |
| 1. They often
knelt |
-- Psalm
95:6-7
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his
voice.
-- Romans 14:11
For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God."
-- Acts 21:5
But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
|
| 2. They lifted
up their hands |
-- Psalm 134:2
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.
-- Psalm 63:4
I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands.
-- 1 Timothy 2:1,8
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.
8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
|
What Should I pray for?
If you want to pray for the same kinds of things that the early Christians
prayed for, go through a New Testament letter and see what the writer
prayed for and what he asked prayer for.
|
10 Prayer
Topics in the Acts of the Apostles |
| Topic |
Reference
in Acts |
| 1. Prayer for
unity |
1:14
- They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
|
| 2. Prayer to
know God's will |
1:24
- Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
|
| 3. Prayer in
church services |
3:1
- One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer— at three in the afternoon.
|
| 4. Prayer
linked to preaching |
6:4
- "And will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
|
| 5. Prayer for
new Christians |
8:15
- When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy
Spirit.
|
| 6. Prayer for
persecuted Christians |
12:5
- So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
|
| 7. Prayer for
missionaries |
13:2-4
-
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
|
| 8. Prayer when
in severe trouble |
16:25
- About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
|
| 9. Prayer for
Christian leaders |
21:5
- But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
|
| 10. Prayer for
healing |
28:8
- His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.
|
12-
Praying on your Own
O LORD, YOU KNOW HOW BUSY I MUST BE
THIS DAY,
IF I FORGET YOU, DO NOT FORGET ME.
(General Lord Astley (1600') before the battle of Edgehill)
Praying in the Spirit
All true prayer is praying in the Spirit.
For you either pray just using your own efforts or else you pray in the
Spirit, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
-- Jude 20 - But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
-- Ephesians 6:18
- And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
A Book of Prayers
Try praying one prayer a day from a book of traditional or contemporary
prayers.
Coping with distractions:
For some people, like mothers with toddlers, there is hardly five minutes
of calm and quiet in the day or even through the night!
Don't worry if you're unable to have a long time of quiet for
prayer. You can still pray short prayers (sometimes called sentence
prayers) to God through your day. Remember: Jesus
understands. He grew up in a large family. He had at least
four younger half-brothers and at least two younger half-sister.
-- Mark 6:3 - "Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t
His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him."
But even without the demands of a family, some people find that their
thoughts begin to wander as soon as they start to pray. If you find
that you start to think about things you had forgotten, keep a pencil and
paper at hand to write these things down. Then you can forget them
until you have finished praying.
Are my prayers being heard?:
Most Christians have wondered about this. We have Jesus' promises to
rest on - nothing more and nothing less.
-- John 16:24
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Spiritual Warfare:
Remember: prayer is a great spiritual battle. The last thing in the
world Satan wants you to be able to do is to have a time when you pray to
God.
Jesus is interested in you and your needs:
Think positively. The Lord Jesus Christ is your Savior and
Friend. So you have the unique privilege of speaking directly with
your heavenly Father through Him.
Paul says to pray like this:
-- Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
13-
Praying in a Small Group
PRAYING IS LIKE RIDING A BICYCLE OR
SWIMMING.
YOU LEARN BY DOING.
The Acts 2:42 model
The first Christian did not just pray as isolated individuals - they
encouraged each other as they prayed together.
|
ACTS 2:42 |
Lessons to Learn |
| "They
devoted themselves ... |
They took their spiritual life very
seriously |
| ... to the
apostles' teaching ... |
They wanted to build up their faith
with teaching. |
| ... and to the
fellowship ... |
They kept in close contact with
fellow Christians. |
| ... to the
breaking of the bread ... |
They remembered Jesus' death and
resurrection. |
| ... and to
prayer." |
Prayer was essential to them |
Prayer Partners
Some churches and college fellowships encourage people to pray with one or
two other Christians. In two's they are called prayer partners; in
three's they called prayer triplets, etc.
Seek out a small prayer group or a be a third of a prayer triplet!
A Word of Warning:
It's easy to operate independently and free of restraints in small groups
where no one can read your mind or see your heart.
To talk spiritually is one thing - to be spiritually is something
altogether different. You need to be just as spiritually alert in a
small group as in a large congregation.
Jesus warned against such hypocrisy:
-- Matthew 15:8,9
8 "‘These people worship Me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from Me.
9 They worship Me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.’"
The way to stop yourself from being careless about prayer, either on your
own or with other people, is to ask God to keep you humble.
-- Isaiah 66:2
Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
The Bible and Prayer
Praying and reading the Bible should always be
linked. You should pray before, during and after you read the
Bible. You should expect God to speak to you as you read, and then
pray about what He has said.
Our experience at these times should be like that of the two disciples who
walked to Emmaus with the risen Lord Jesus.
-- Luke 24:32 - They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while
He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
14-
For How Long Should I Pray?
-- Matthew 6:7
"AND
WHEN YOU PRAY, DO NOT KEEP ON BABBLING LIKE THE PAGANS, FOR THEY THINK
THEY WILL BE HEARD FOR THEIR MANY WORDS."
There is no set time length to aim at
It is best to start small. Try setting aside five minutes a
day. It's better to manage a short time of prayer than to be
continually failing to pray for a longer period.
After a while you will doubtless find that you want to pray for longer
than five minutes a day.
All Night?
-- Luke 6:12
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
This was unusual. It was also for a specific reason.
-- Luke 6:13
13 When morning came, He called his disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom
He also designated apostles:
14 Simon (whom He named Peter), His brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Persistence in Prayer
On many occasions Jesus taught that His followers should persist in
prayer.
-- Matthew 7:7-8
"7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
He Waited for Twenty Years
There was one man in the Old Testament who had to wait twenty years for
His prayer to be answered.
-- Genesis 25:19-21, 26
19 This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac,
20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.
21 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.
Point to note:
1- Isaac was forty when he was married.
2- Rebekah was barren.
3- Isaac was sixty when Rebekah became pregnant.
O MOST MERCIFUL REDEEMER,
FRIEND AND BROTHER,
MAY WE KNOW YOU MORE CLEARLY,
LOVE YOU MORE DEARLY,
AND FOLLOW YOU MORE NEARLY,
DAY BY DAY.
-- Richard of Chichester
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The Jesus Prayer
I AM CONVINCED THAT WHEN A CHRISTIAN
RIGHTLY PRAYS THE LORD'S PRAYER ... HIS PRAYING IS MORE THAN
ADEQUATE. -- Martin Luther
The disciple's prayer
The Lord's prayer has been given many names:
The Lord's Prayer; The Jesus Prayer; The Our Father; Pater Noster (the
first two words in Latin, translating "Our Father"); The
Christian's Model Prayer. It has also been called The Disciple's
Prayer.
| When
we Pray The Lord's Prayer, We come: (Matthew 6:9-13) |
| 1.As God's
children |
9 Our Father in heaven, |
| 2.As
Worshipers |
Hallowed be
Your name. |
| 3.As Subject |
10 Your
Kingdom come, |
| 4.As Servants |
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. |
| 5.As
Recipients |
11 Give us today our daily bread. |
| 6.As Sinners |
12 Forgive us our
debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors. |
| 7.As Tempted
Ones. |
13 And lead us not into temptation, |
| 8.As
Victorious People |
But deliver us from the evil one. |
| |
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. |
Try praying through the Lord's Prayer, slowly, taking
up to a minute per petition, remembering all the different
"people" you are.
I cannot say
I cannot say "our" if I live only
for myself.
I cannot say "Father" if I am
laying up no treasure there.
I cannot say "Hallowed be Your name"
if I am not striving for holiness.
I cannot say "Your kingdom come" if
I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.
I cannot say "Your will be done" if
I am disobedient to His word.
I cannot say "on earth as it is in heaven"
if I'll not serve Him here and now.
I cannot say "give us today our daily
bread" if I am dishonest or seeking things by subterfuge.
I cannot say "forgive us our debts"
if I harbor a grudge against anyone.
I cannot say "lead us not into temptation"
if I deliberately place myself in its path.
I cannot say "deliver us from evil"
if I do not put on the whole armor of God.
I cannot say "Yours is the kingdom"
if I do not give the King the loyalty due Him from a faithful subject.
I cannot attribute to Him "the power"
if I fear what men may do.
I cannot ascribe to Him "the glory"
if I'm seeking honor only for myself.
And I cannot say "for ever" if the
horizon of my life is bounded completely by time.
-- Author Unknown
28-
Jesus at Prayer
Jesus often prayed
"Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." Luke 5:16
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record fifteen occasions when Jesus
Prayed. The writer to the Hebrew adds,
-- Hebrew 5:7 - "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth,
He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save
Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission."
Jesus is our model
There are many ways in which we can imitate Jesus in His praying.
1. Jesus praised God
Luke 10:21 - "At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
2. Jesus gave thanks to God
Before feeding the 5,000, Jesus asked God to bless the five loaves
and two fish.
"Taking the five loaves and the two
fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the
loaves." -- Mark 6:41
3. Jesus asked for things in His prayers
In His moment of great distress Jesus prayed to His Heavenly
Father.
-- Luke 22:40-44
40 On reaching the place, He said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,
42 "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but
Yours be done."
43 An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.
44 And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
4.Jesus prayed for other people
-- Luke 23:33,34
33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals— one on his right, the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
|
Jesus prayed at critical times in his life
1. At His baptism
-- Luke 3:21-22
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as
He was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
2. Before He chose His twelve disciples
-- Luke 6:13-16
13 When morning came, He called His disciples to
Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), His brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
3. In Face of Temptation
After the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand the people
tried to make Jesus their king. This was a temptation to
avoid the cross and Jesus overcame this temptation by seeking
refuge in prayer.
-- John 6:14,15
14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."
15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by
Himself.
4. From the Cross
-- Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When
He had said this, He breathed His last.
-- John 19:30
When He had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that,
He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
|
32-
Praising God Despite Everything
Pray Anyway
There are no times when we should not pray. But different kinds of
prayers are appropriate to different situations.
-- James 5:13
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.
Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise."
God's promised presence
-- Deuteronomy 4:7
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to
Him?
So God is close to us when we pray, whether we feel Him or not; whether we
are on our own or with many other people. This is good to remember
when we just don't feel like praying.
Disasters and Prayer
The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple was the greatest
disaster the Israelites suffered. Yet these words of hope and
burning faith are found in the middle of the Book of Lamentations, a book
which describes their devastating condition.
-- Lamentation 3:22-23
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
IF ANYONE WOULD TELL YOU THE SHORTEST
WAY TO ALL HAPPINESS AND ALL PERFECTION. HE MUST TELL YOU TO MAKE IT
A RULE TO YOURSELF TO THANK AND PRAISE GOD FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO
YOU.
FOR IT IS CERTAIN THAT WHATEVER CALAMITY HAPPENS TO YOU IF YOU THANK AND
PRAISE GOD FOR IT, YOU TURN IT INTO A BLESSING.
-- William Law
|