PRAYING THE BIBLE Selected Texts

Transcription

1 PRAYING THE BIBLE Selected Texts Many Christians feel defeated in their prayer lives. T pray even five-t-seven minutes seems like an eternity, and their minds wander much f that time. I guess it s me, many cnclude. I m just a secnd-rate Christian. N, if yu are indwelled by the Hly Spirit and generally seeking t live in bedience t Gd s Wrd, then the prblem likely isn t yu, but yur methd. Of curse, there is n methd that will enliven prayer fr thse wh d nt have the Hly Spirit. But thse wh are indwelled by the Spirit have received frm Gd the Spirit f His Sn int ur hearts, crying, Abba! Father! (Rm. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). Thse wh have been given the Hly Spirit have by that Spirit a new Fatherward rientatin, a new Heavenward rientatin. In ther wrds, thse indwelled by the Hly Spirit really want t pray. And yet, while they believe in prayer and want t pray and can t imagine ever ttally abandning prayer, when they d pray it s frustrating. Their hearts are ften cld, their minds can t stay fcused n prayer, and frankly, prayer is ften bring. Thus many cnclude, I m a secnd-rate Christian. I. THE PROBLEM Our prblem is in prayer is... we say the same ld things abut the same ld things. Praying that way is ften bring. When prayer is bring, we dn t feel like praying. And when we dn t feel like praying, it s hard t cncentrate in prayer and t pray fr very lng. Our prblem is nt that we pray abut the same ld things. T pray abut yur... Family Future Finances Wrk r schlwrk Church r ministry And the current crisis is nrmal. If yu re ging t pray abut yur life, these things are yur life. S ur prblem in prayer is nt that we pray abut the same ld things, but that we say the same ld things abut the same ld things. That s bring. When prayer is bring we dn t feel like praying. And when we dn t feel like praying, it s hard t pray fr any length f time r with much cnsistency. II. THE SOLUTION What s the slutin? Whatever it is, it must be fundamentally simple. Fr Gd has children f all ages, IQs, educatinal levels, etc. If He expects (and invites) all His children t pray, then cnsistent, meaningful prayer must be dable by all kinds f peple. And if it were nt pssible fr yu with all yur Christian advantages (such as prximity t gd churches, accessibility t Christian bks, recrdings, and ther media, etc.) t have a meaningful prayer life, then what f the tens f millins f Christians withut these things? Here s the slutin: when yu pray, pray thrugh a passage f Scripture, especially a Psalm. III. THE METHOD Let the wrds f Scripture becme the wrds f yur prayers. Fr example, if yu pray thrugh Psalm 23, read The Lrd is my shepherd, and thank Him fr being yur shepherd. Ask Him t shepherd yur family that day, t guide, prtect, and prvide fr them. Pray that He will make yur family members His sheep; that they will lk t Him as their shepherd. Ask Him t shepherd yu thrugh the decisin yu must make abut yur future. Pray fr Him t bless the undershepherd at yur church, shepherding him as he shepherds the church, etc. When nthing else cmes t mind, g t the next line I shall nt want and cntinue t pray. 3/1/2018

2 Simply g thrugh the passage, line-by-line, praying what yu find in the text r what it brings t mind. If nthing cmes t mind, r if yu dn t understand the verse, g t the next. Yu might chse t linger lng n ne verse. Cnversely, there may be nly a handful f matters that prmpt prayer as yu g thrugh many verses. Nthing says yu have t pray ver every verse. Cntinue in this way until (1) yu run ut f time, r (2) yu run ut f Psalm. One apprach t chsing a Psalm t pray thrugh is the Psalms f the Day apprach. This divides the 150 Psalms int 5 Psalms fr each f 30 days in a mnth. Take the day f mnth as yur first Psalm. Then keep adding 30 t that number until yu get 5 Psalms. S n the 15 th f the mnth, yur first Psalm is Psalm 15. T Psalm 15, add 30 t get the next ne, Psalm 45. These wuld be fllwed by Psalm 75, then 105, and 135. (On the 31 st, use Psalm 119.) Take 30 secnds t scan these five Psalms, then chse ne t pray thrugh. One advantage f this methd is that gives yu directin when it s time t pray and defeats aimlessness. The Psalms are the best place in Scripture frm which t pray Scripture. This is because f the riginal purpse and usage f the Psalms. The Psalms were sngs inspired by Gd fr the purpse f being reflected in sng back t Gd. Mrever, there s a Psalm fr every sigh f the heart. The entire range f human emtin is recrded in the 150 Psalms. Perhaps the secnd-best place in Scripture frm which t pray Scripture is the New Testament letters. These are s densely packed with truth that virtually every verse suggests smething t pray abut. It is als edifying t pray thrugh the narrative passages f Scripture. Unlike praying thrugh the Psalms r New Testament letters, hwever, a different apprach must ften be used with the narrative passages. Instead f lking at each verse almst micrscpically, in a narrative passage it s usually easier t cnsider it paragraphby-paragraph, lking fr the big ideas f the stry. Once yu actually experience praying thrugh a passage f Scripture, yu ll likely be able t turn t any part f the Bible and pray thrugh it. Yu wn t need these ntes t remember hw t d it the secnd time. Like riding a bicycle, yu never frget. By praying thrugh a passage f Scripture, yu ll find yurself praying abut mst f the same ld things, but in brand new ways. Yu ll als find yurself praying abut things yu wuld never think t pray abut. D nt try t lead a grup in praying thrugh Scripture until mst f the members f the grup are familiar with praying thrugh Scripture as individuals. When praying thrugh Scripture with a grup whether the grup is a family, a class, r a church prayer meeting cnsider these suggestins: Gd Assign a verse t each persn and have each pray thrugh that particular verse. Better Read the Psalm alud (r have each read it silently), then ask each t pray based upn a verse that particularly impressed them. Best Read the Psalm, then (yu as the prayer leader) call ut ne at a time as needed the phrases r verses yu think are the mst cnducive t prayer. Thse willing t pray wuld pray as inclined t d s after ne r mre f the phrases r verses yu call ut. The testimny f Gerge Mueller. The bservatin f Charles Spurgen. The examples f Jesus in Matthew 27:46 and Luke 23:46, and the church in Acts 4: IV. THE CONCLUSION Jesus prayed the Psalms. The early church prayed the Psalms. Great Christians like Gerge Mueller prayed the Psalms. Why nt yu? Cpyright Dnald S. Whitney /1/2018

3 FAMILY WORSHIP Selected Texts S little family wrship regularly exists in Christian hmes, it is prbable that even in mst f ur best churches, mst f ur best men d nt lead their wives and children if they have them in family wrship. Having yur family in a gd, Bible-teaching lcal church is crucial t Christian parenting. But it is nt enugh fr cnveying yur faith t yur children. Mrever, it is unlikely that expsure t the church nce r twice a week will impress yur children enugh with the greatness and glry f Gd that they will want t pursue Him nce they leave hme. In this message I want t declare ne main pint: Gd deserves t be wrshiped daily in ur hmes by ur families. I. THE BIBLE CLEARLY IMPLIES THAT GOD DESERVES TO BE WORSHIPED DAILY IN OUR HOMES BY OUR FAMILIES Genesis 18: Genesis 22:6-7. Deuternmy 6:4-7. Jshua 24:15. Jb 1:5. Psalm 78:1-8. Ephesians 5: Ephesians 6:4. 1 Timthy 3: Peter 3:7. II. THE LIVES OF OUR CHRISTIAN HEROES TESTIFY THAT GOD DESERVES TO BE WORSHIPED DAILY IN OUR HOMES BY OUR FAMILIES Christians in the early church. Tertullian. Jhn Chrysstm Martin Luther. Jhn Knx. The Presbyterians (Westminster Cnfessin) and the Baptists (Secnd Lndn Cnfessin f 1689). Westminster Directry fr Family Wrship. The Puritans, particularly Richard Baxter Matthew Henry. Regarding family wrship he said, Here the refrmatin must begin. Jnathan Edwards. Samuel Davies. J. W. Alexander. See his bk, Thughts n Family Wrship (Sli De Glria publishers) Charles Spurgen. Jhn G. Patn. Martyn Llyd-Jnes. Errll Hulse. D.A. Carsn. Jhn Piper. Every Christian family ught t be as it were a little church (Edwards). Part f church life is wrship. III. EVERY CHRISTIAN FAMILY IS ABLE TO SHOW THAT GOD DESERVES TO BE WORSHIPED DAILY IN OUR HOMES BY OUR FAMILIES, AND HERE S HOW: A. There are three elements t family wrship: read the Bible, pray, and sing. N material t prepare. Read and explain the Bible. The yunger the children, the mre yu ll want t use narrative passages and shrter sectins. Read enthusiastically and interpretively, nt apathetically. Pray. Pray abut at least ne thing suggested by the passage yu have read. By ding s yu nt nly pray fr yur family (and in fresh ways each time), but teach yur family by example hw t pray. Sing. Get sngbks fr everyne and use them. Sme sing a different sng each night; sme sing the same sng fr a week s they can learn it. Sing with (r as mst d) withut musical accmpaniment.

4 If time permits... Catechizing Scripture Memry Other Reading. When time permits, yu might start with sme general reading, after which yu begin family wrship. Or, at the clse f family wrship, yu might take advantage f the time tgether t read a Christian bk r bigraphy t yur family. B. General reminders: Brevity. Dn t let the experience becme tedius. Yu can always lengthen the time if asked. Regularity. Whether in the mrning, at the evening meal, r befre bedtime, have a set time. Flexibility. Every family has t flex its wrship time smetime. But beware f incnsistency. IV. BUT WHAT IF...? A. What if the father is nt a Christian? The Bible gives n instructin in this case, and Christian mms have respnded t this in varius ways. Many unbelieving men are willing t read the Bible with their families they nly had t be asked. B. What if there is n father at hme? Then the mther has the respnsibility t raise the children in the discipline and instructin f the Lrd (Ephesians 6:4), and this includes family wrship. C. What if the children are very yung? Yu exercise patience and discipline, and prceed with family wrship. Part f the discipline may be t teach them t stay in certain place. But yu ll begin t make lasting impressins upn them. D. What if there is a wide range f ages amng the children? This is frequently the case, but has as many advantages as it has challenges. It can be dne, fr families have ften been larger than urs tday, and yet they were ften mre faithful in family wrship. E. What if there are n children at hme? Remember that 1 Peter 3:7 addresses husbands, nt fathers, thus family wrship is fr cuples, nt just parents. The absence f children in the hme des nt justify the absence f family wrship there. Remember that there is n family wrship situatin that is unique, n situatin that has nt been addressed by Christians fr centuries. V. START TODAY The wrthiness f Gd t receive yur family s wrship each day is reasn enugh t start practicing family wrship tday. But in additin t that: What better way exists t evangelize yur children daily? What better way t prvide an pprtunity fr children t ask abut the things f Gd in a natural cntext? What better way fr yu t transmit yur cre beliefs t yur children? What better way fr yur children t see the nging, psitive spiritual example f their parents? What better way t prvide reprducible examples t yur children f hw t have a Christian hme? Isn t this what yu really want t d? Men, say t yur wives: I ve cme t believe that the Bible teaches that I shuld be leading us in family wrship and I want t start tday. I have a lt t learn abut it, but I want t d what s right. Will yu jin me? Husbands, fathers have the reslve f Jacb in Genesis 35:2-3. Family members have the willing spirit f Jacb s husehld in Genesis 35:4. Single men reslve t begin a time f wrship with yur fiancé frm the night yu becme engaged. Single wmen reslve nt t marry a man wh will nt pray with yu and lead yu in family wrship. Empty nesters shw yur children by yur family wrship that yu can still learn the things f Gd Regardless f what anyne else des, let every father, let every Christian here cmmit himself t this: as fr me and my huse, we will serve the Lrd in family wrship.

5 METHODS OF MEDITATION ON SCRIPTURE Summary f the methds f meditatin n Scripture taught by Dn Whitney ( Begin by selecting a passage fr meditatin frm yur time f reading Gd s Wrd. Chse a verse r phrase that attracted yur attentin, r a theme verse r key verse frm the passage. 1. Emphasize different wrds in the text. Whatever He says t yu d it (Jhn 2:5). Whatever He says t yu d it. Whatever He says t yu d it. 2. Rewrite the verse r phrase in yur wn wrds. 3. Frmulate a principle frm the text What des it teach? Whatever He says t yu d it. Whatever He says t yu d it. Whatever He says t yu d it. 4. Think f an illustratin f the text What pictures r explains it? 5. Lk fr applicatins f the text What shuld yu d in respnse t it? 6. Ask hw the text pints t the Law r the Gspel. 7. Ask hw the text pints t smething abut Jesus. 8. Ask what questin is answered r prblem is slved by the text. 9. Pray thrugh the text. 10. Memrize the text. 11. Create an artistic expressin f the text a sng, pem, r sketch. 12. Ask the Philippians 4:8 questins f the text. What is true r what truth des it exemplify? What is hnrable abut it? What is right abut it? What is pure r hw des it exemplify purity? 13. Ask the Jseph Hall questins f the text. What is it (define and/r describe what it is)? What are its divisins r parts? What causes it? What des it cause (its fruits and effects)? What is its place, lcatin r use? What is lvely abut it? What is admirable r cmmendable abut it? What is excellent abut it? What is praisewrthy abut it? What are its qualities and attachments? What is cntrary, cntradictry r different t it? What cmpares t it? What its titles r names? What are the testimnies r examples f Scripture abut it? 14. Set and Discver a minimum number f insights frm the text (set the number in advance). 15. Find a link r cmmn thread between all the chapters r paragraphs yu ve read. 16. Ask hw the text speaks t yur current issue r questin. 17. Use Meditatin Mapping. A. Put the verse(s), phrase, wrd r tpic t be meditated upn in the middle f the page. (When pssible, this shuld be dne in picture frm.) B. Allw insights, ideas and thughts t cme quickly and freely. C. Use key wrds t represent yur ideas. D. Cnnect yur key wrds ideas t the central fcus with lines. E. Use as few wrds per line as pssible. F. P-r-i-n-t all the wrds fr easier reading. G. Use clr fr emphasis and recall. H. Make frequent use f symbls and pictures in additin t wrds. See: Buzan, Tny. The Mindmap Bk. New Yrk: Plume/Penguin, Wycff, Jyce. Mindmapping. New Yrk: Berkley, 1991.