Believe Chapter 12: Prayer

Transcription

1 Key Verse: If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:18-20 Psalm 66 is a psalm of praise for God s answer to prayer. It seems that God has saved the author, probably a king, from an enemy threat, and his deliverance has involved the whole nation. It has often been suggested that this psalm speaks of Judah s remarkable deliverance from the Assyrians (see 2 Kings 19). The praise is offered at the temple in fulfillment of a vow (see verses 13-14). Such praise was often climaxed by a call for others to take up the praise. Here the psalmist exuberantly begins with that call (see verse 1), and elsewhere within this psalm (see verses 3-5). In this case, the psalmist makes the case to all the earth. This psalm is the second in a series of four psalms (Psalm 65 68) that offer prayer and praise. In particular this psalm is framed by a call to praise (verses 1-2) and a declaration of the present occasion for praise (verses 19-20). In Hebrew the words for praise and prayer sound very much alike and in verses 19-20, the psalmist involves a play on these two words. The opening stanza is followed by two thematic sequences having the same structure: a three-verse stanza followed by a five-verse stanza. The first line of the first stanza of the firs sequence (verse 5) begins with Come and see ; the first line of the second stanza of the second sequence begins with Come and listen. These verses specifically indicate that when we recognize that God has heard our prayer that we must praise him our hearts must be thankful that our prayers have been answered and as a direct response we thank God that he has shown us his grace and that naturally leads to praise. 1 1 Based on notes to Psalm 66 in The NIV Study Bible. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, MI Page P a g e

2 Read Psalm 66 in its entirety. How do praise and prayer interact with one another? Does God withhold his answers to our prayers when we have sin in our heart? The key idea for this week is I pray to God to know him, to find direction for my life and to lay my requests before him. But what is prayer? Look at the following quotes that describe what prayer is and what prayer can do: Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made. Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God. Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian. Prayer is the exercise of faith and hope. Prayer is the privilege of touching the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord. 2 Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays. Soren Kierkegaard Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it. One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them as coming from Him, and receives them for His sake- not choosing nor refusing, liking or disliking, anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will. John Wesley, How To Pray: The Best of John Wesley on Prayer P a g e

3 (There are) All sorts of prayer- public, private, mental, vocal. Do not be diligent in one kind of prayer and negligent in others... let us use all. John Wesley, How To Pray: The Best of John Wesley on Prayer Prayer is a strong wall and fortress of the church; it is a goodly Christian weapon. Martin Luther Prayer is where the action is. John Wesley Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening. Mahatma Gandhi God does nothing except in response to believing prayer. John Wesley If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. Meister Eckhart Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person s inner nature. Oswald Chambers, The Purpose of Prayer, My Utmost For His Highest 3 P a g e

4 Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart. Mahatma Gandhi Did one of these quotes speak to you more than any other? Why? How do you describe prayer? How would you tell someone who has never prayed before how to pray? Prayer is the key to a relationship with God. Intentional dialogue with God ultimately establishes and deepens our relationship with Him. The purpose of prayer is that we might know God better, experience more of His love, and have an abiding awareness of His work in our lives. Talking to God doesn t build relationship. Communicating with God does both speaking and listening. A relationship with God, of course, is very personal. In fact, it s the most intimate relationship you can ever know. Nobody knows you like God knows you. Nobody loves you like God loves you. Nobody desires good for your life more than God. In prayer, you will soon discover not only more about God, but more about yourself as God s beloved child. There is no more exciting or enriching experience! Because prayer is intensely personal, there are no universal formulas. The specifics of your prayer relationship with God are as distinctive as any other aspect of your life and your ability to communicate. I encourage you to open yourself to the grand possibility that God has something to say to you. He s eager to spend time with you and to develop a deep, intimate relationship marked by great joy and well-being. 4 P a g e

5 Ultimately, prayer is to be experienced, not studied. In study, we simply learn how to better communicate with God. And we understand how to have a better relationship with our Creator. It s an experience to be pursued and a relationship to be valued beyond all others. 3 What does the statement Prayer is the key to a relationship with God mean to you? o Can you have a relationship with God without prayer? Ultimately, prayer is to be experienced, not studied. What methods of prayer work best for you? Bishop Rueben P. Job wrote a short booklet called Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living 4 and within this book described what prayer should do for each of us: Prayer is at the center of a transformed life. This Wesleyan way of living is inconceivable and impossible without a regular and disciplined practice of prayer. Such a disciplined life of prayer will be as diverse and as distinct as our fingerprint. For some it will mean the formal language of prayer, for others the quiet listening in God s presence; but for all it will be a turning Godward in response to God s invitation to a relationship that is eternal and immediate at the same time. I have a friend who describes his life of prayer as staying in touch with the home office. I have other friends who describe who describe their prayer lives as mostly verbal or mostly reading and responding to Scripture, others who seek ways to fulfill the biblical call to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and still others who make the ancient liturgy and prayers of the church their own Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living, Abingdon Press, Nashville (2007), page 65 5 P a g e

6 And yet, within all of this diversity there is a unifying constant. That unifying constant is a movement toward God that results in transformation of life and how life is valued and lived out in the everyday experiences of our existence. It is this transformed and transforming way of living, this strengthening of the bond that binds us to God, that we seek as we follow the three simple rules offered by John Wesley to the early Methodist movement and now to us. Why do you believe that Bishop Job states that Prayer is at the center of a transformed life? The author states That unifying constant is a movement toward God that results in transformation of life and how life is valued and lived out in the everyday experiences of our existence. How does this explain that no matter how we pray, that we move towards God? 10 Ways to Improve Your Prayer Life 5 Moses went to a mountaintop to hear God. Jesus fled to the desert. But for many Christians, their most regular place for praying is whatever pew they sit in on Sundays. Work, children, chores and other duties make stopping for prayer seem a luxury. In today's culture, some even joke that that Charles Wesley's quote "pray and never faint," refers to passing out from an overloaded schedule. "We forget to intentionally make space for prayer," said Betty Kay Hudson of First United Methodist Church in Lancaster, S.C P a g e

7 That's not the way it's supposed to be. Souls, like vines, tend to grow wild and weak when untended. No matter the season on the church calendar - Advent, Lent, Easter, Pentecost -- or all of the times in between, prayer is the gasoline that fuels Christians. "Prayer is the catalyst," says the Rev. Jeffrey Kersey, a United Methodist minister in Lexington, S.C. Prayer, like tennis, takes practice to become accomplished. Spiritual guides and sages, pastors and other church members are filled with advice and counsel. Here's some of that wisdom condensed into 10 tips about prayer: You are worthy. Do not feel guilty about the quality of your prayer life, or fall victim to doubts and despair about your worthiness to talk to God. Each of us has a spiritual gift. So remember John Wesley's words: "In Christ we gain more than in Adam we lost." The more you pray, the richer your prayers become. To deepen your prayer life, don't be a slacker. Like anything in life, to become good at prayer you must be disciplined. Just as running is an exercise in physical fitness, prayer is a spiritual discipline. Prayer is active. Prayer involves action; namely being attentive to God's voice in your life. Listening for God means stopping and sitting still. It means paying attention to what God may be saying to you at any point in your life. Prayer should not be an afterthought. Prayer was the backbone of Jesus' ministry. Often, he broke away from his disciples to spend time with God. In the same way, prayer is essential to individual lives and to the life of the church. Break away from your daily routine for quiet time in prayer. Surround yourself with people who are seasoned at praying. 7 P a g e

8 People who've established prayer routines have much to teach those wanting to draw closer to God. Seek out those who can help guide and encourage your prayer life. God doesn't require eloquence. Don't worry if you fumble for words when you pray. God is not looking for Toastmaster's graduates, but sincerity (not that you can't have both at once). If the words won't come, God still knows what's in your heart. Lift up that desire. Prayer need not involve words. The great Christian saints all write of prayer as a time of sitting quietly with God. Jesus even went off for 40 days of prayerful solitude. Take a deep breath. Exhale. Follow the breath as it flows in and out of your body. Think of it as the spirit of God breathing life into you. Prayer is a time for conversation with a friend: God. Whether you see that friend routinely or just every once in a while, know that whenever you turn to God, you're turning to someone who loves you. Ask God for help if you get stuck. Maybe you've hit a dry spell. There's no shame in asking God to guide you to pray in a new way. The three Ls of prayer: Listen, listen, listen. Listening for God is central to prayer, according to the great saints. It's so critical that St. Benedict began his famous Rule with this command for monks: "Listen with the ear of your heart." And remember, prayer can happen anywhere -- it doesn't have to take place in a church. *Hogan is a freelance writer based in Chicago. Emily Cooper and Jan Surratt of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate did reporting for this story. This story was originally published in P a g e

9 News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) or How does prayer become the fuel that keeps you going? Of the ten tips for prayer, which is the easiest for you? o Which is the hardest for you? What other practical advice you can give someone who is struggling to pray? 9 P a g e

10 Read Mark 14:32-42 (Jesus prays in Gethsemane) There is agony in honest praying. Jesus has the courage and trust to be totally honest with himself and his beloved Abba. Therefore he is able to move from the cry of his heart that God take away the agony of the cross, to the cry of his heart that the will of his beloved Abba be accomplished in his life and death. Our prayers often begin with the cry of self-interest, Save me from this or Give me that. But loving and trusting God will always lead us to a cry of self-giving. Not what I want, but what you want. This is prayer and life at its finest and fullest. 6 How does one move from an attitude of self-interest while praying to an attitude of Not what I want, but what you want? Read Ephesians 1:16-19 (Paul s Prayer for the Ephesians) Ephesians brings to light the backbone of the Wesleyan tradition. In Ephesians, prayer is used to lift others to God with thanksgiving (Ephesians 1:16). Prayer helps the church grow spiritually and strengthens her mission to the world. In some churches today, many believe that as long as the financial situation is stable the church is growing, but without spiritual growth, the church is bound to die. John Wesley, like his Lord, knew the importance of prayer. That was why he even required his followers to attend class meetings to encourage one another spiritually through prayer (Ephesians 1:17-19). It is important that those who are in Christ form the highest, finest, and most beautiful representation of Christ, who was always prayerful even on the cross. 7 How does Paul s prayer for the Ephesians change the way you might pray for others? 6 The Wesley Study Bible (NRSV), Abingdon Press, Nashville (page 1231). Life Application Topic: Prayer based on Mark 14: The Wesley Study Bible (NRSV), Abingdon Press, Nashville (page 1433). Life Application Topic: Prayer based on Mark 14: P a g e