With Christ in the School of Prayer Andrew Murray [revised by Harold J. Chadwick copyright by bridge-logos publishers]

Transcription

1 Sunday Mrning Prayer Class January 11, 2015 With Christ in the Schl f Prayer Andrew Murray [revised by Harld J. Chadwick cpyright by bridge-lgs publishers] LESSON 1 THE ONLY TEACHER One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, ne f His disciples said t Him, "Lrd, teach us t pray, just as Jhn taught his disciples. (Luke 11:1) The disciples had learned t understand smething f the cnnectin between Jesus' wndrus life in public and His secret life f prayer. They had been with Him and had seen Him pray. They had learned t believe in Him as a Master in the art f prayer. Nne culd pray like Him. S they went t Him with the request, "Lrd, teach us t pray." In later years they wuld undubtedly tell thers that there were few things mre wnderful r blessed that He taught them than His lessns n prayer. It is still true tday that disciples wh truly see Him, feel the need f repeating the same request, "Lrd, teach us t pray." As we grw in the Christian life, the thught and the faith f ur belved Master in His unfailing intercessin becme mre precius, and the hpe f being like Christ in His intercessin gains an attractiveness never befre knwn. As we see Him pray, and remember that there is nne wh can pray r teach like Him, we feel that the petitin f the disciples, "Lrd, teach us t pray," is just what we need. Everything He is and has is ur very wn. Because Christ Himself is ur life, we can be certain that if we ask He will be delighted t take us int clser fellwship with Him and teach us t pray as He prays. G TO THE MASTER G t the Blessed Master and ask Him t enrll yur name in the schl that He always keeps pen fr thse wh lng study the divine art f prayer and intercessin. Yes, let us say t the Master as they did f ld, "Lrd, teach us t pray." Having dne s, we will sn find that as we meditate n ur prayer each wrd f ur petitin is full f meaning. Lrd, Teach Us t Pray

2 Yes, t pray. This is what we need t be taught. Thugh in its beginnings prayer is s simple that the feeblest child can pray, it is at the same time the highest and hliest wrk t which we can rise. Prayer is fellwship with the Unseen and Mst Hly One. The pwers f the eternal wrld have been placed at prayer's dispsal. It is the very essence f true religin and the channel f all blessings. It is the secret f pwer and life nt nly fr urselves, but fr thers, fr the Church, and fr the wrld. It is t prayer that Gd has given the right t take hld f Him and His strength. It is n prayer that the prmises wait fr their fulfillment, the kingdm waits fr its cming, and the glry f Gd waits fr its full revelatin. Hw slthful and unfit we are fr this blessed wrk. Only the Spirit f Gd can enable us t d it right. Hw speedily we are deceived int resting in a frm f prayer, while the pwer is still missing. Our early training, the teaching f the Church, the influence f habit, the stirring f the emtins-hw easily these lead t prayer that has n spiritual pwer and achieves little. Wh wuld nt cry ut fr smene t teach them true prayer that takes hld f Gd's strength and achieves much, t which the gates f heaven are really pened wide? Jesus has pened a schl in which He trains thse f His redeemed nes wh especially desire t have pwer in prayer. Enter it with the petitin, "Lrd, this is just what we need t be taught. O teach us t pray." Lrd, Teach Us t Pray Yes, us, Lrd. We have read in Yur Wrd abut the pwer Yur believing peple f lng ag had when they prayed, and what mighty wnders were dne in answer t their prayers. This tk place under the Old Cvenant, in the time f preparatin. Nw, in these days f fulfillment, hw much mre will Yu give Yur peple a sure sign f Yur presence? We have heard the prmises given t Yur apstles f the pwer f prayer in Yur name, and have seen hw glriusly they experienced the truth f thse prmises. We knw fr certain they can becme true t us, t. We hear cntinually, even in these days, what glrius tkens f Yur pwer Yu still give t thse wh trust Yu cmpletely, Lrd. Teach us t pray with pwer, t. The prmises are fr us, and the pwers and gifts f the heavenly

3 wrld are fr us. O teach us t pray s that we may receive abundantly. T us, t, Yu have entrusted Yur wrk. On ur prayer, t, the cming f Yur kingdm depends. In ur prayer, t, Yu can glrify Yur name. "Lrd, teach us t pray." We ffer urselves as learners. We want nly Yu t teach us. Lrd, Teach Us t Pray Yes, we feel the need nw f being taught t pray. At first there is n wrk that appears s simple, and later there is nne that is mre difficult. Then the cnfessin is frced frm us: "We d nt knw hw t pray as we shuld. (Rmans. 8:26) It is true we have Gd's Wrd with its clear and sure prmises, but sin has s darkened ur mind that we dn't always knw hw t apply the Wrd. In spiritual matters we d nt always seek the mst imprtant things. In tempral matters we are still less able t use the wnderful liberty ur Father has given us t ask fr what we need. Even when we knw what t ask fr, s much is still needed t make prayer acceptable. It must be t the glry f Gd, in full surrender t His will, in full assurance f faith, in the name f Jesus Christ, and with a perseverance that, if need be, refuses t be denied. All this must be learned. It can nly be learned in the schl f much prayer, fr nly practice makes perfect. Amid the painful cnsciusness f ignrance and unwrthiness, in the struggle between believing and dubting, the heavenly art f effective prayer is learned. There is ne-the Authr and Perfecter f faith (Hebrews 12:2) and prayer-wh watches ver ur praying and sees t it that in all wh trust Him fr it, educatin in the schl f prayer is carried n t perfectin. Let the deep undertne f all ur prayers be the teachableness that cmes frm faith in Him as a perfect teacher, and we can be sure that we will be taught. We will learn t pray in pwer. Yes, we can depend n His teaching us t pray. Lrd, Teach Us t Pray N ne can teach like Christ. A pupil needs a teacher wh knws his wrk, wh has the gift f teaching, wh in patience and lve will descend t the pupil's needs. Blessed be Gd! Christ is all this and much mre. It is Christ, praying Himself, wh teaches us t pray. He

4 knws what prayer is. He learned it amid the trials and tears f His earthly life. In heaven it is still His belved wrk. His life there is prayer. Nthing delights Him mre than t find thse whm He can take with Him int the Father's presence, clthing them with pwer t pray dwn Gd's blessing t thse arund them, training them t wrk with Him in the intercessin by which the kingdm is t be revealed n earth. Christ knws hw t teach, whether it is by the urgency f perceived need, by the cnfidence that jy inspires, by the studying f the Wrd, r by the testimny f anther believer wh knws what it is t have prayer heard. By His Hly Spirit He has access t ur hearts and teaches us t pray by shwing us the sin that hinders the prayer, r by giving us the assurance that we please Gd. He teaches by giving nt nly thughts f what t ask r hw t ask, but by breathing int us the very spirit f prayer and living within us as the great intercessr. We can mst jyfully say, "Wh teaches like Him?" Jesus never taught His disciples hw t preach, nly hw t pray. T knw hw t speak t Gd is mre than knwing hw t speak t peple. Pwer with Gd is the first thing, nt pwer with peple. Christ lves t teach us hw t pray. A 30 WEEKLY COURSE ON PRAYER What d yu think, belved disciple f Christ? Isn't it just what we need t ask the Lrd fr, a 30-weekly curse f special lessns n the art f prayer? As we meditate n the wrds Jesus spke n earth, let us yield urselves t His teaching in the fullest cnfidence that with such a teacher, we will make prgress. Let us take time nt nly t meditate, but t pray, t sit at the ft f the thrne and be trained fr the wrk f intercessin. Let us d s in the assurance that despite ur stammerings and fears, He is carrying n His wrk mst beautifully. He will breathe His wn life f prayer int us. As He makes us partakers f His righteusness and His life, He will make us partakers f His intercessin, t. As the members f His Bdy, as a hly and ryal priesthd, (1 Peter 2:5, 9) we will take part in His priestly wrk f praying t and getting results frm Gd fr humanity. Yes, even thugh we are unknwing and weak, let us mst jyfully say, "Lrd, teach us t pray." Lrd, Teach Us t Pray Blessed Lrd! Yu live eternally t pray, and can teach me, t, t

5 live eternally t pray. Yu want me t share Yur glry in heaven by sharing this unceasing prayer with Yu, standing as a priest in the presence f my Gd. Lrd Jesus! Enrll my name amng thse wh cnfess that they dn't knw hw t pray as they shuld, and wh especially ask Yu fr a curse f teaching in prayer. Lrd! Teach me t be patient in Yur schl, s that Yu will have time t train me. I am ignrant f the wnderful privilege and pwer f prayer, f the need/r the Hly Spirit t be the spirit f prayer. Lead me t frget my thughts f what I think I knw, and make me kneel befre Yu in true teachableness and pverty f spirit. Fill me, Lrd, with the cnfidence that with Yu fr my teacher, I will learn t pray. Then I will nt be afraid, because Yu pray cntinuusly t the Father, and by Yur prayer rule the destinies f Yur Church and the wrld. Unfld fr me everything I need t knw abut the mysteries f the prayer-wrld. When there is smething I may nt understand, teach me t be strng in faith, giving glry t Gd. Blessed Lrd! I knw that Yu wn't put a student t shame wh trusts Yu. And, with Yur grace, this student wn't shame Yu, either. Amen. HOMEWORK: 1) YES NO NOT SURE: Are yu ne f His disciples? 2) The wrd disciple means what? 3) We will learn t understand smething f the CONNECTION between Jesus wndrus life in and His life f prayer. 4) The disciples f Jesus and yu and I g t Jesus with the REQUEST f what? 5) YES NO NOT SURE: Is Jesus Christ as a Master in the art f prayer? 6) YES NO NOT SURE: Yu truly see (understd) Him, d yu feel the need f repeating the same request, Lrd, teach us t pray? 7) As yu grw in yur Christian life: the thught and the faith f ur belved Master in His unfailing intercessin becme mre and

6 the hpe f being like Christ in His intercessin gains [wins] an never befre knwn. 8) Christ Himself is ur LIFE, we can be certain 100% that if we He will be DELIGHTED t take us int CLOSER with Him and teach us t pray as He prays. GO TO THE MASTER: 9) YES NO NOT SURE: Have yu recently went t yur Master and asked Him t enrll yur name in the schl that He always keeps pen fr thse wh lng t STUDY THE DIVINE ART OF PRAYER AND INTERCESSION? LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY: 10) Yes, t. This is what we need t be TAUGHT. Prayer is with the Unseen and Mst Hly One. The pwers f the eternal wrld have been at prayer s dispsal [bestw/transfer]. It [prayer] is the very essence [imprtant] f religin and the f all blessings. It [prayer] is the secret f and fr, fr, fr, and fr. It is t prayer that Gd has given the t take hld f Him and His strength. It is n prayer that: the prmises wait fr their, the kingdm waits fr its, and the glry f Gd waits fr its full. HOW SLOTHFUL AND UNFIT WE ARE FOR THIS BLESSED WORK. What des it means t yu? 11) Wh can enable yu t d it right? LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY:

7 12) Yes,, Lrd. 13) We have heard the prmises given t Yur apstles f the pwer f prayer in Yur Name, and have seen hw glriusly they experienced the truth f thse prmises. We knw fr certain [100%] they [the pwer f prayer in Yur Name/experienced the truth f thse prmises] can becme t us, t. We hear, even in these days, what glrius tkens f Yur pwer Yu still give t thse wh Yu cmpletely 100%, Lrd. TEACH US TO PRAY WITH, t. 14) YES NO NOT SURE: The prmises f the Bible are fr yu? 15) YES NO NOT SURE: The pwers and gift f the heavenly wrld are fr yu and that yu may receive ABUNDANTLY? 16) Yu [ ] have ENTRUSTED [t assign the care f; turn ver fr safekeeping with] Yur Wrk t us. On ur prayer, t, the cming f Yur Kingdm depends. In ur prayers, t, Yu [Gd] can glrify Yur Name, Lrd, teach us t pray. We ffer urselves as. We want Yu t teach us. LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY: 17) Yes, we feel the need nw f being t pray. 18) TRUE FALSE: Yu cnfess: We d nt knw hw t pray as we shuld. (Rmans 8:26) 19) It is true we have Gd s Wrd with its clear and sure 100% prmises, BUT sin has s ur mind that we dn t always knw hw t apply the Wrd. In matters we d nt always seek the mst imprtant things. What are the mst imprtant [spiritual] things? In matters we are still less t use the wnderful liberty ur Father has given us t ask fr what we need. Even when we knw what t ASK fr, s much is still needed t make prayer acceptable. It MUST BE t the GLORY f GOD: in surrender t His will, in assurance f faith,

8 in the f Jesus Christ and with a perseverance [persistence in sticking t a plan] that, if need be, refuses t be. All this must be learned. It can nly be learned in the schl f much prayer, fr nly makes perfect. 20) Amid [in middle f smething happen] the painful cnsciusness f ignrance and unwrthiness, in the struggle between and, the heavenly art f effective prayer is learned. 21) There is One [ ] the Authr and Perfecter [r Finisher] f ur faith. (Hebrews 12:2) and prayer [Jesus] Wh watches ver ur praying and [Jesus] sees t it that in all wh trust Him fr it, educatin in the schl f prayer is carried n t. Let the deep undertne [a lw tne f vice] f all ur prayers be the teachableness that cmes frm faith in Him as a perfect Teacher, and we can be sure that we will be taught. We will learn t pray pwer. Yes, we can depend n His teaching us t pray. LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY: 22) YES NO NOT SURE: Yu a praying student NEEDS a Teacher wh knws His wrks, wh has the gift f teaching and praying, wh in patience and lve will descend [cme dwn] t yur needs? 23) By His Hly Spirit He [ ] has access t yur hearts and teaches yu t pray by: shwing yu the that hinders the prayers, r giving yu the that yu please Gd. 24) In yur prayer: Yu can ask Jesus wh breathing the very Spirit f prayer int yu and als living within yu as the great Intercessr. 25) T F: Jesus taught His disciples hw t preach the gspel. 26) T F: T knw hw t speak t peple mre than t knw hw t speak t Gd. 27) T F: Pwer with Gd is the first thing, nt pwer with peple. 28) YES NO NOT SURE: Are we mstly JOYFULLY say, Lrd, teach us t pray?