Principles Of Prayer

 

 

INTRODUCTION

1. One of the greatest blessings enjoyed by Christians in this life is

   the privilege of PRAYER, by which we can approach God

   a. Through prayer, the Christian can find FORGIVENESS for sins

      - 1Jn 1:9

   b. Through prayer, the Christian can find PEACE to replace anxiety

      - Php 4:6-7

   c. Through prayer, the Christian can receive STRENGTH from God

      through His Spirit - Ep 3:14-16

2. For such reasons, Paul frequently exhorted Christians to be diligent

   in their prayers...

   a. "praying always with all prayer and supplication..." - Ep 6:18

   b. "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanks-

      giving" - Col 4:2

   c. "Pray without ceasing" - 1Th 5:17

3. Yet Jesus knew that people would tend to become slack in their

   prayers - Lk 18:1

   a. It is out of a similar concern that prompts two lessons devoted

      specifically to "PRAYER"

   b. It is hoped that you will be encouraged to be more diligent in

      prayer as we examine:

      1) Basic PRINCIPLES of prayer taught in God's Word

      2) Suggestions concerning the PRACTICE of prayer in our daily

         lives

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF ACCEPTABLE PRAYER

   A. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN FAITH"...

      1. "And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you

         will receive." - Mt 21:22

      2. We must have faith in God, and in His ability to answer

         - He 11:6

      3. Otherwise, prayer will not be answered - cf. Jm 1:5-8

      4. Is our faith weak?  Then increase it with the help of God's

         Word - Ro 10:17

   B. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY"...

      1. Notice the example of the Pharisee and the publican

         - Lk 18:9-14

      2. Remember, "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,

         and saves such as have a contrite spirit" - Ps 34:18

      3. As quoted by James:  "God resists the proud, but gives grace

         to the humble" - Jm 4:6

   C. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN HARMONY WITH GOD'S WILL"...

      1. God answers prayer that is offered "according to His will"

         - 1Jn 5:14

      2. Jesus provided the example for us in His prayers at Gethsemane

         - Lk 22:42

      3. Too often, prayers are unanswered because they are more con-

         cerned with OUR will, rather than GOD'S will! - cf. Jm 4:3

   D. IT MUST BE OFFERED "BY THOSE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD"...

      1. "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears

         are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against

         those who do evil" - 1Pe 3:12

      2. The prayers of the righteous person are effective

         - Jm 5:16-18

      3. But those continuing in sin He will not hear! - Pr 28:9;

         Is 59:1-2

      4. To be righteous before God...

         a. Requires that we submit to the "righteousness of God"

            offered in Christ - cf. Ro 10:1-4

         b. I.e., respond to the gospel of Christ - Ro 1:16-17

   E. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING"...

      1. "giving thanks always for all things to God" - Ep 5:20

      2. "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving"

         - Php 4:6

      3. "...prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving" - Col 4:2

      4. "pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks"

         - 1Th 5:17-18

      -- Do we think God will help us with our PRESENT BURDENS if we

         don't take the time to thank Him for PAST BLESSINGS?

   F. IT MUST BE OFFERED "WITH PERSISTENCE"...

      1. Jesus illustrated this aspect of prayer through two parables

         a. The parable of the persistent friend - Lk 11:5-10

         b. The parable of the persistent widow - Lk 18:1-8

      2. The virtue of persistence is demonstrated in the prayers of:

         a. Jesus at Gethsemane - Mt 26:44

         b. Paul, pertaining to his "thorn in the flesh" - 2Co 12:7-8

         c. The early church - Ac 2:42

   G. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE NAME OF JESUS"...

      1. "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the

         name of our Lord Jesus Christ" - Ep 5:20

      2. This means much more than simply adding a little phrase "in

         Jesus' name" at the end of our prayers!

         a. We must realize that Jesus is the only way by which we can

            approach God - Jn 14:6

         b. We must view Him as our "high priest" who intercedes for us

            - He 7:24-25; Jn 14:13

      3. Appealing to God in the name of His Son can give us great

         confidence that God will give us what we need! - He 4:14-16

II. OBSTACLES TO PRAYER

   A. UNCONFESSED SIN...

      1. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear"

         - Ps 66:18

      2. The BASIS for prayer rests upon our being in fellowship with

         Him; such fellowship is broken if we do not confess our sins

         to Him!

   B. IMPROPER TREATMENT OF OTHERS...

      1. How we treat others has a bearing upon whether God will hear

         our prayers!

         a. E.g., how we treat the poor - Ps 41:1-3

         b. E.g., how one treats his friend - Mt 5:23-24

         c. E.g., how a husband treats his wife - 1Pe 3:7

      2. We must correct our relationships with others (if possible)

         before we can expect God to hear our prayers!

      3. Especially if we desire to receive forgiveness for our sins!

         - Mt 6:14-15; 18:21-23

III. ANSWERS TO PRAYERS

   A. "REQUEST GRANTED"...

      1. God may answer "YES" , and grant the petitions we ask of Him

      2. Such will be the case the more we try to do His Will in our

         lives - 1Jn 3:22

   B. "REQUEST GRANTED, BUT NOT YET"...

      1. God may grant our request, but in time and according to His

         purpose for our lives

      2. "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose

         under heaven" - Ec 3:1

      3. So we may think God is saying "NO", when He is really saying

         "YES, BUT WAIT"

   C. "REQUEST GRANTED, BUT NOT AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT"...

      1. Sometimes God says "YES", but answers it in way differently

         than we anticipated

      2. Remember, God's thoughts and methods are often much different

         than ours - Is 55:8,9

      3. Like asking God for strength and perseverance...

         a. He may give us trials to bear

         b. Which in turn develops the virtues we prayed for!

      4. We should be careful and not dictate to God HOW to answer our

         prayers...

         a. Limit the "HOW" and we might be limiting the "RESULT"

         b. For example, the way some pray for the sick, they limit God

            as to how He might restore them

   D. "REQUEST DENIED"...

      1. Often God says "NO"

      2. But we must trust that God, who knows all and what is best,

         would do so only if granting our request might not be for our

         good - cf. He 12:5-11

      3. We may not fully understand, but we can still fully trust Him!

         - cf. Hab 3:17-19

      4. Especially in light of the promise in 1Co 10:13

CONCLUSION

1. The ability to pray to God and receive answers in our lives is truly

   one of the greatest blessings we can have as children of God!

2. Hopefully, understanding and applying the principles discussed in

   this lesson will assure greater success in having our prayers

   answered

3. Our next lesson will deal with "THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER", offering

   suggestions on the when, with whom, how and what of prayer

For more information, Prayers and counseling you can contact,

 

 

The Risk of Faith

At the beginning of Elijah’s ministry, God sent him to stay with a widow and her son. When he first arrived, Elijah asked the widow for some bread. The woman sadly said she only had enough for one final meal: “I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die” (1 Kings 17:12). [Let's remember those in the world today with this same feeling of hopelessness.]
The widow had completely given up on life. She believed she was preparing her last meal, but Elijah told her to trust God and make him something to eat out of the remaining flour. Elijah said it was God’s plan to provide for all her needs…but she must believe.
1 Kings 17:14
“For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’”
The widow could have used the remaining food to feed herself and her son, but she risked all she had and did as Elijah requested. Even though she couldn’t see the extra food or understand how it would arrive, she had faith in God’s Word and took action based on her faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
The risk was great, but God’s promise and provision were even greater: “So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the Word of the Lord spoken by Elijah” (1 Kings 17:15-16).
Taking a step of faith ALWAYS requires risk – always requires stepping into the unknown. If we could see every detail about where God was leading and how He would provide, we wouldn’t need faith. But if there is any “success” to be had in the Christian walk, it will only come as we daily live by faith – as we live each and every moment by listening intently for the call of God and then trusting Him, even through our fear, as we step into what we cannot see. This is where the true blessings of God reside.
When God calls us to a place where we must be “certain of what we do not see,” we must boldly step. We must overcome our fears with a faith grounded in the promises of His Word and trust Him with all our heart to never leave our side. We can be sure of the hope found in Jesus Christ! Let’s share this message of faithful hope all around the world.
If we are careful to listen, we most certainly will hear the call of God. He is faithful and will never lead us astray. So when we hear His call, let’s be prepared to step and take the risk of faith.

For more information, Prayers and counseling you can contact,

Faith and Experience

Christians, if quizzed, will favor firm objective truth rather than loose subjectivity.  If, for instance, believers are asked, “Do you know that God loves you?” most will respond with, “Yes, of course”.  We can treat God’s love as an objective certainty affirmed in the Bible.  But if the subjective question is asked, “Do you often feel God’s love?” many will probably answer “no”.

Our engagement with objective truth is a well-grounded bias as we recognize how many features of faith are based on proclaimed truth rather than on personal experiences.  We worship Jesus, for instance, as a man the Bible reveals to be God’s Son: one who is wholly God, wholly man, and wholly one in his divine humanity.  This portrayal of Jesus is a bedrock of faith yet we embrace it because we find it in the Bible and not because we somehow, “feel it must be true”.

But what about knowing Christ as in John 17:3?  Is some sense of relational experience crucial to Christian faith or is it optional?  Does objective truth suffice so that we can have a true and proper faith without any subjective engagement?

Let me answer by affirming that subjectivity is crucial as it completes God’s revelation to us—as in the completion of an electric circuit.  God reveals his heart of love to us, and our hearts then respond in kind as we experience that love.  To know the God who “is love” (1 John 4:8 & 16) is to engage his love in a personal experience.  To know him is to love him.

I enjoy reading the Puritan preacher, Richard Sibbes (1577-1635), on this.  He held that regeneration is our experience of God that only those who meet Christ can know, and those who have a “veil of ignorance” cannot fathom: “Of spiritual things, such as is union [with Christ], and as is the communion between Christ and us, and the mystery of regeneration in the new creature, such as is the joy in the Holy Ghost, the inward peace of conscience” [Works, 2.462].

Sibbes pressed the point in a sly jab towards academics who could talk about God without loving Christ: “As a blind man can talk of colours, if he be a scholar, and describe them better than he that hath his eyes, he being not a scholar.  But he that hath his eyes can judge of colours a great deal better.”

His point is well taken: a man born blind can learn and even teach about the spectrum of light but it takes a sighted person to tell another viewer, “Look at that part of the rainbow where red turns to orange”.  This is where the difference between a revealed truth, such as Christ’s full humanity and his true deity, and a relational truth such as our experience of the Spirit telling us to speak to God as our “Abba—Daddy” overlap.  Both are true and mutually supportive, but—to use a radio analogy—one operates in the spiritual frequency of an unfelt explanation of Christ’s being while the other operates in the spiritual frequency of a felt encounter with Christ’s love.  We can think, for instance, of the difference between the visible and the invisible spectra of light.

The lesson is this: to engage God in whole terms—in both the objective and subjective reality of his being—we need his self-disclosure to become visible to the “eyes of our hearts” (as in Ephesians 1:18).  Engaging God in Christ is not an “either-or” option that distinguishes thinking Christians from emotional Christians.  Rather it is a “both-and” faith.  So some of our earlier Reformation companions, including John Calvin and Sibbes, were correct to speak of faith as a personal experience of God’s love for us as revealed to our hearts and minds by the Spirit who uses objective Bible promises from God to speak to our hearts.

Some may not be there in their experience.  So we must ask: is this subjective faith out of reach for some?  For those who have never felt God’s love in Christ but who “want it”?  No.  There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that God keeps us from feeling his attractive love, a love that always elicits a response of love in return.  We love him because he first loved us.

The problem is in us: in our refusal to look towards him with open hearts.  Paul said as much in the case of people being blinded by “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).  How does the enemy maintain such power?  By misguided loves: when the blinded person’s real love is for what the world offers, as in John 3:19—they love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.

So let’s affirm objective truth while also responding subjectively in love to the one who is, in himself, the ultimate living Truth.  He’s absolutely and objectively lovely and those who know him will experience that love subjectively.

For more information, Prayers and counseling you can contact,

An Unsearchable Love

As I look back through the Scriptural account of history, I can see how God sent His Son to be born in a manger, grow and live among us, and die for our sins upon a cross. I can clearly see how the sacrifice of Jesus allows us, through faith, to enter into God’s presence. I can even see the purpose of His humble birth as a permanent example of humility and service. But what I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand is why. Oh, sure, I know the reason is love; “For God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16), but I seriously doubt I’ll ever understand the amount of love required to sacrifice so much – the amount of love He had (and has)…for me!
Paul wrote his letter to the Romans with the intent of setting foundational beliefs for the church. In this letter, Paul presented the greatest amount of teaching found anywhere in the Bible. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote on topics ranging from sin and judgement, to faith and salvation; from the purpose of the Law and life through the Spirit, to the sovereignty of God and the future of Israel. But toward the end of the letter, Paul paused and wrote a short prayer of praise and glory.
Romans 11:33-36
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay Him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”
We almost get the feeling that Paul had reviewed the first portion of his letter and just couldn’t continue writing without praising the Lord. Paul had wrestled through many difficult issues and learned a most valuable lesson: God is God…and sometimes this simple truth defies understanding.

God has a perfect plan where every piece fits neatly together; but there are MANY connections which our finite minds fail to comprehend. I almost never see the purpose of my trials until long after they have past. I get impatient and frustrated with God’s timing – I want to know His plan, now! And yet, I know His love for me gave everything; “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). I may not fully understand this love, but the little I know is enough to create a desire to live a life of devotion and faith. One day, I will stand before His throne and all His mysteries will be perfectly revealed. Until then I will simply continue to worship and trust.
We may never fully understand, but I pray we are all drawn a little closer today. If you have never experienced His love, I pray that you will release your heart into His care. If you’re feeling unloved by the world, I pray you will look to Him and see a Father who gave His Son so He could hold you for all eternity. He is an unsearchable God who has poured out, for you, an unsearchable love.

For more information, Prayers and counseling you can contact,

Live in His Presence

In the message “Enter His Sanctuary” we saw how the seemingly complex and confusing portions of our life are most often made clear as we open the door of our heart and enter His sanctuary. His ways are much higher than ours, “as the heavens are higher than the earth” (Isaiah 55:9), and His true purpose cannot be understood without a heart dedicated to glorifying Him in worship.

We are called to a life of worship; and though we use the phrase “enter His sanctuary,” I pray it comes as no surprise that the presence of God is not confined within the walls of our church buildings. We do not call Him “down” to join us as we sing our songs, and He is not any closer because of the outward expression of our worship.

Matthew 28:20
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

One of the last promises Jesus made was, though He was returning to the Father, He would always remain with us…to the very end! The presence of God is with us right now! He is as near in our most decorated centers of worship as He is when we are on the bus or alone in our car; “never will I leave you” (Hebrews 13:5).

One of the great blessings most believers miss today is that our Heavenly Father is much closer than we realize: “If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:8-10). He is VERY near, and His great desire is that we would join Him in an intimate and worshipful fellowship in whatever circumstances our day may bring.

We fellowship with our Creator by continually communing with Him throughout the day, whether in deep prayer or simple conversation. We must present EVERY thought, word, and deed at His feet as our absolute best offering of love. When impure thoughts or our deceitful tongue pulls us away, we should immediately turn, ask His forgiveness, and return to His presence. As impossible as this may seem, this is the worship God desires – and the worship He deserves. We ought to adopt this as our lifestyle today and continue until He takes us home.

His presence is available to every believer! Some jobs or home environments may pose a challenge, but He has promised to be with those who desire to walk with Him, regardless of the circumstances. Let’s be determined to bring Him glory and honor, and love Him through ALL we do, say, and think. Let’s be determined that for all our remaining days we will worship and live in His presence.

For more information, Prayers and counseling you can contact,

Enter His Sanctuary

In the last several messages we have considered the importance of seeking God and loving Him with ALL our heart. This is an important issue with regard to our Salvation and the eternally restored relationship to which we are called. But it’s also critical to how we view the world around us and function in our day to day activities.
The author of Psalm 73 wrote with words of frustration about the things he saw in the world. He could not understand how the wicked could be so carefree and yet so successful; “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3). He felt he may have even wasted his time in maintaining Godly values; “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence” (Psalm 73:13). He kept searching for answers, but found none until he returned to worship in the presence of God.
Psalm 73:16-17
“When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me – till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood.”
Many issues in our life simply cannot be resolved through our human understanding and reasoning. We often try to make sense of events in the world, or in our particular situation, only to discover there are no easy answers or solutions. But no matter how confusing our life may become, we must always remember we are a child of God – a child of the Creator of the Universe! “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6).

Our Heavenly Father does not function according to a set of human rules. He is not confined by our understanding of time or space, and He is certainly not guided by our set of values; “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways” (Isaiah 55:9). We must give God all of our mind as we seek to understand Him through His Word and study how He has moved throughout history; but we must also give Him all of our heart as we worship Him despite what we see, think, or feel. Only in the sanctuary of worship will we begin to truly understand. We must come to our Heavenly Father with a heart-felt belief that being in His presence is more important than anything else in the world; “Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25). This type of passion allows us to draw near and begin to see the disconnected pieces of our life fit neatly into God’s perfect plan.
Let’s return to the place where He is everything we desire and all we really need. Let’s worship Him with all our heart and begin to understand His wonderful plan for our life. Let’s once and for all open the door and enter His sanctuary!

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Build According To The Spirit

When the armies of Babylon made their final invasion of Jerusalem, they took many captives into exile and completely destroyed the temple – destroyed God’s dwelling among His chosen people. After many years, a group of Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild.
This group began the work with great excitement: “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord, ‘He is good; His love to Israel endures forever’” (Ezra 3:11). But they soon encountered opposition; “The peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building” (Ezra 4:4). The opposition grew until all construction came to a standstill.

God sent a message through the prophet Haggai to encourage His people to return to their important task.
Haggai 2:4-5
“Be strong, all you people of the land,” declares the Lord, “and work. For I am with you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”
God encouraged the people by reminding them He was still with them. He had rescued His people from slavery so He could dwell among them, and He had given His Spirit as a guide and comforter; “They were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord. This is how You guided Your people” (Isaiah 63:14).
Today, WE are His temple: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). The same Spirit who was given to be with God’s chosen people of the past is the same Spirit who now fills us and gives us the power to live a victorious life in Christ – gives us the power to build according to God’s perfect plan.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit will “remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). We have all heard and read the truth – we know how Christ desires for us to live – but the Spirit is given to “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The Truth is our only building material, and the Spirit holds the only plans. He will guide and direct as we listen and prepare our heart to follow.
God sent His Son to set us free from sin, and He gave us His Spirit so we may live in freedom and build a temple which glorifies His name. There are many in the world who seek to discourage and make us afraid to continue building, many who create fierce opposition. But let’s continue the work He has already begun. Let’s continue to walk in victory and daily build according to the Spirit.

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