Prayer
"When you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you" (Matthew 26:40-41).
"Come to me, all you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Prayer is the most neglected resource of Christians, and yet we so often blame our very busyness 'about the Lord's work' for not having the time to be still in his presence. We live and talk about justification by grace, and live as though we were justified by work(s). We run our lives under the supposed imperatives of the 'work ethic', and fail to realize that even moon rockets require refueling if they are to avoid burnout. We can be thankful that we are witnessing, in recent years, a recovery of Christian prayer and meditation alongside, but clearly distinguishable from,. the increased interest in Easter meditation. There are some similarities in approaches to or preparation for Christian and 'Eastern' prayer, but Christian prayer is fundamentally Christ-mediated and Trinitarian in expression, however helpful we may find preparatory physical relaxation, the quieting of our minds, the centering of our attention, and techniques for blocking out distractions from the external environment. (Christianity was, of course 'Eastern' in cultural setting, and hence in many of its religious forms and practices; and was only later 'domesticated' by 'Western' civilization.)
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is, of course, the model prayer for modern as well as first century Christians. But it is a prayer to be breathed slowly and reflectively, its nuances and depths meditated upon and allowed to 'simmer' at the back of the mind, rather than 'rattled off' like a formula. Especially as a mode of corporate prayer in the community of faith, we need to recapture something of its 'simple profundity' by surrounding its congregational recitation by times of silence. As a personal approach to God, it is a rich resource for meditation and contemplation, a means for praying rather than an end in itself.
Prayer
Prayer is supposed to be matter-of-fact for Christian, taken for granted as part of the faith environment. Yet it remains one of the most difficult resources to use appropriately and effectively in training relationships. This is true for clergy and laity alike, but especially for lay people. Many believe that praying with someone is a right limited to clergy. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is every Christian's right and responsibility to pray with others as the opportunity arises.
A major reason people are reluctant to pray with others is their uncertainty as to how to go about it. They are unsure about why they should pray with others, when to pray, how to pray, what to pray about, and even where to pray.
While the focus of this lesson will be the use of prayer in more-or-less structured training sessions, much of this material will apply to everyday encounters with others. I hope this lesson will reaffirm your existing skills and suggest new ways to use prayer in training situations.
Why Pray with Others
God invites his people to draw near and share their concerns with him by means of prayer. God also specifically invites his people to approach him in prayer together. James 5:16 urges "Pray for one another." The context clearly shows that the reference is to two or more people praying together.
Not only do we pray for each other because God urged it; we also pray together because Jesus added his special promises to shared prayer:
"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:19-20).
What a powerful incentive to pray together! When you pray with another, God is the third party in a training relationship, actively concerned for you and for the person with whom you are praying. In prayer God has promised to listen to you attentively, to understand your needs, and to answer your requests. Thus, your motivation for praying with others extends far beyond the fulfillment of a religious formality.
Another reason for mutual prayer is the beneficial effects on your relationship with the other person. Consider what an intimate personal experience prayer is. As you are honest with the God "from whom no secrets are hid," you are also honest and open with each other. As you draw nearer to God, you will naturally draw closer to each other.
Intimacy that grows as a result of joint prayer, is intimacy seldom experienced in contemporary society.
Jesus said:
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matt. 6:6).
Some people think this means that prayer always needs to be very private and personal, taking place only between God and the person. The context shows that Jesus is warning against false piety, not against praying together. He is warning people against parading their religiosity for others to see. Your purpose in praying with others is very different. You are sharing their burdens and involving God in the process
The Prayer diary or spiritual journal
You may call to mind spiritual journals such as St. Augustine's Confessions and others. Such journals, and our own more meager experiences, make it clear that God's guidance in our lives is seen mainly in retrospect. How important it is then, to maintain some kind of record of our more significant questions, prayers, changes of directions, joys and hurts, as we reflect on this God-given life. Both the actual writing of diary entries, and the scanning back over entries for past months or years, have the effect of clarifying feelings and the meaning of experiences. More important, they foster a meditative perspective on such every-day questions as:
Is this what God would have me do at this time?
How clear am I about my motives in wanting something?
What has been the outcome of my encouragement to individuals?
Where is God in all this conflict in my life?
Are my 'experiments' with spiritual actions bearing fruit? What does God seem to be saying to us in the responses to these times?
What are the pressures that have distracted my good intentions?
What was that idea that popped into my mind as I came home today?
Some suggestions
Buy a strong exercise book, memo book or one of the slimmer bound journals - large enough for ease of writing or sketching, but not too bulky to take on your holidays or to retreats. Some people prefer blank pages, others prefer lined pages.
Pray quite specifically along lines such as the following: 'Lord, I want this time to be profitable in my relationship with you. Help me to put aside my fears and hesitations; help me to deal with distracting thoughts as they bubble up; help me to attend to the movements of my spiritual program, and to your plan, signposts, redirections and warning along the way. I come to find out more about your love for me and for those I love and serve in your name'.
Consider including in your journal:
significant joys and hurts of the day
quotations from people, or readings that have struck you - stimulating thoughts, challenging ideas, sayings that demand further reflections
a list of those people or situations you pray for and the answers you seek with the eye of faith
experiences or thoughts that disturb you, as you grapple with their meaning
a list of people you need to reach out to, keep in touch with, or have some special responsibility for
your own 'poetry of the spirit', the ways you seek to verbalize the peaks and valleys, of your journey with God.
What about starting a journal now?
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. --Matthew 6:34
One day, a young, new preacher was walking with an older, seasoned preacher in a garden. Feeling uncertain about God's plan for his life, the younger man asked the older man for some direction.
The veteran preacher picked a rosebud from a nearby bush and asked the younger man to open it without tearing any petals. The young man wondered what a rosebud could possibly have to do with knowing God's will for his life and ministry, but attempted to open the rosebud anyway.
It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this task was. Noticing his difficulty, the older and wiser preacher said:
"It is only a tiny rosebud...a flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals with these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so sweetly, then in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud, the flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom to unfold this life of mine?
So, I'll trust in Him for leading each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for guidance each step of the Pilgrim's way.
The pathway that lies before me only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments just as He unfolds the rose."
No matter what age you are, it can be frustrating to figure out God's will at times. But we serve a God who knows how many hairs are on our heads...and His plan for your life is perfect! Instead of worrying about what tomorrow or the next day holds, take one day at a time and trust in the Savior for His faithful guidance.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would help you focus on today, not tomorrow. And ask Him to give you wisdom as He reveals His plan for your life one day at a time.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. --Galatians 5:22-23
One evening, an older Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a terrible battle inside every person. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside of us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, pride, and superiority."
His grandson asked, "What is the other wolf?"
The elderly man said, "It is good—peace, joy, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."
The man's young grandson thought for a moment and then asked, "Which wolf wins?"
The wise Cherokee man replied, "The one you feed the most."
Whether he knew it or not, this wise man could have been relating the battle between good and evil that Paul talked about in God's Word.
Too often, you and I tend to let some characteristics of the "bad wolf" take over the good—even as believers in Jesus. In order to fully grow in our relationship with the Lord, we must feed the "good wolf" to live out the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
The Bible says, "your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5), thereby affecting your thoughts, words, and actions. Make a conscious effort today to display Christ's attitude to every one with whom you come in contact.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to help you feed the "good wolf" today. Pray that He would make you more like Christ in attitude, actions, and spirit.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. --2 Timothy 3:14-15
There is a story of four ministers who were discussing various Bible versions and which ones they liked best. One liked the King James Version because of its eloquent literary style. Another one preferred the Revised Version of 1881 because it provided the most literal translation of Hebrew and Greek.
The third minister felt that the New King James Version was the most readable and easiest to understand of all. But the fourth minister didn't say a thing. Finally, one of them asked for his opinion on which version of the Bible he liked best.
The man replied, "I like my mother's translation the best."
The others were shocked by his answer, and one of them asked, "Did your mother translate the Bible into her own version?"
"Yes, sort of," the man replied. "She translated it into her life, and it was the most convincing version I've ever seen."
If you are a believer, people are watching your life. And quite frankly, your life is the only Bible some people will ever read!
In order for our lives to serve as godly examples for others, you and I must act out God's Word every single day. You can be certain that your children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers, and neighbors are watching how you live your life as a Christian. Are you a living example of God's Word to those around you?
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that your life would be a living example of God's Word so that you can point others to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to direct your words and actions so you can be a godly influence—no matter the circumstance.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. --Romans 5:3-4
A man named Parnell Bailey toured an orange grove once where an irrigation pump had broken. The season was dry and some of the trees were dying because they lacked water. The man giving the tour then took Bailey to his own orchard where irrigation was used sparingly.
He said, "These trees could go without rain for another two weeks. When they were young, I frequently kept water from them. This hardship caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of moisture. Now, my trees have the deepest roots in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at greater depths."
The story above is a good picture of how suffering can produce the "roots" we as believers need to survive and thrive in any season of life.
But to grow these roots, you and I must plant ourselves in God's Word to find comfort and strength when battling difficulties in life.
Being thrown into the "furnace of affliction" is a test of faith, as it forces us to rely solely on the Lord. Isaiah 48:10 says, "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction."
Whatever trial you may be facing today—be it illness, loneliness, financial difficulty, or family struggles—remember to stay rooted in the Lord. Then you can say as the psalmist did: "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life" (Psalm 119:50).
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to strengthen your faith when you are faced with affliction. Pray that He would comfort you with His Word in times of suffering.
"When you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you" (Matthew 26:40-41).
"Come to me, all you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Prayer is the most neglected resource of Christians, and yet we so often blame our very busyness 'about the Lord's work' for not having the time to be still in his presence. We live and talk about justification by grace, and live as though we were justified by work(s). We run our lives under the supposed imperatives of the 'work ethic', and fail to realize that even moon rockets require refueling if they are to avoid burnout. We can be thankful that we are witnessing, in recent years, a recovery of Christian prayer and meditation alongside, but clearly distinguishable from,. the increased interest in Easter meditation. There are some similarities in approaches to or preparation for Christian and 'Eastern' prayer, but Christian prayer is fundamentally Christ-mediated and Trinitarian in expression, however helpful we may find preparatory physical relaxation, the quieting of our minds, the centering of our attention, and techniques for blocking out distractions from the external environment. (Christianity was, of course 'Eastern' in cultural setting, and hence in many of its religious forms and practices; and was only later 'domesticated' by 'Western' civilization.)
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is, of course, the model prayer for modern as well as first century Christians. But it is a prayer to be breathed slowly and reflectively, its nuances and depths meditated upon and allowed to 'simmer' at the back of the mind, rather than 'rattled off' like a formula. Especially as a mode of corporate prayer in the community of faith, we need to recapture something of its 'simple profundity' by surrounding its congregational recitation by times of silence. As a personal approach to God, it is a rich resource for meditation and contemplation, a means for praying rather than an end in itself.
Prayer
Prayer is supposed to be matter-of-fact for Christian, taken for granted as part of the faith environment. Yet it remains one of the most difficult resources to use appropriately and effectively in training relationships. This is true for clergy and laity alike, but especially for lay people. Many believe that praying with someone is a right limited to clergy. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is every Christian's right and responsibility to pray with others as the opportunity arises.
A major reason people are reluctant to pray with others is their uncertainty as to how to go about it. They are unsure about why they should pray with others, when to pray, how to pray, what to pray about, and even where to pray.
While the focus of this lesson will be the use of prayer in more-or-less structured training sessions, much of this material will apply to everyday encounters with others. I hope this lesson will reaffirm your existing skills and suggest new ways to use prayer in training situations.
Why Pray with Others
God invites his people to draw near and share their concerns with him by means of prayer. God also specifically invites his people to approach him in prayer together. James 5:16 urges "Pray for one another." The context clearly shows that the reference is to two or more people praying together.
Not only do we pray for each other because God urged it; we also pray together because Jesus added his special promises to shared prayer:
"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:19-20).
What a powerful incentive to pray together! When you pray with another, God is the third party in a training relationship, actively concerned for you and for the person with whom you are praying. In prayer God has promised to listen to you attentively, to understand your needs, and to answer your requests. Thus, your motivation for praying with others extends far beyond the fulfillment of a religious formality.
Another reason for mutual prayer is the beneficial effects on your relationship with the other person. Consider what an intimate personal experience prayer is. As you are honest with the God "from whom no secrets are hid," you are also honest and open with each other. As you draw nearer to God, you will naturally draw closer to each other.
Intimacy that grows as a result of joint prayer, is intimacy seldom experienced in contemporary society.
Jesus said:
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matt. 6:6).
Some people think this means that prayer always needs to be very private and personal, taking place only between God and the person. The context shows that Jesus is warning against false piety, not against praying together. He is warning people against parading their religiosity for others to see. Your purpose in praying with others is very different. You are sharing their burdens and involving God in the process
The Prayer diary or spiritual journal
You may call to mind spiritual journals such as St. Augustine's Confessions and others. Such journals, and our own more meager experiences, make it clear that God's guidance in our lives is seen mainly in retrospect. How important it is then, to maintain some kind of record of our more significant questions, prayers, changes of directions, joys and hurts, as we reflect on this God-given life. Both the actual writing of diary entries, and the scanning back over entries for past months or years, have the effect of clarifying feelings and the meaning of experiences. More important, they foster a meditative perspective on such every-day questions as:
Is this what God would have me do at this time?
How clear am I about my motives in wanting something?
What has been the outcome of my encouragement to individuals?
Where is God in all this conflict in my life?
Are my 'experiments' with spiritual actions bearing fruit? What does God seem to be saying to us in the responses to these times?
What are the pressures that have distracted my good intentions?
What was that idea that popped into my mind as I came home today?
Some suggestions
Buy a strong exercise book, memo book or one of the slimmer bound journals - large enough for ease of writing or sketching, but not too bulky to take on your holidays or to retreats. Some people prefer blank pages, others prefer lined pages.
Pray quite specifically along lines such as the following: 'Lord, I want this time to be profitable in my relationship with you. Help me to put aside my fears and hesitations; help me to deal with distracting thoughts as they bubble up; help me to attend to the movements of my spiritual program, and to your plan, signposts, redirections and warning along the way. I come to find out more about your love for me and for those I love and serve in your name'.
Consider including in your journal:
significant joys and hurts of the day
quotations from people, or readings that have struck you - stimulating thoughts, challenging ideas, sayings that demand further reflections
a list of those people or situations you pray for and the answers you seek with the eye of faith
experiences or thoughts that disturb you, as you grapple with their meaning
a list of people you need to reach out to, keep in touch with, or have some special responsibility for
your own 'poetry of the spirit', the ways you seek to verbalize the peaks and valleys, of your journey with God.
What about starting a journal now?
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. --Matthew 6:34
One day, a young, new preacher was walking with an older, seasoned preacher in a garden. Feeling uncertain about God's plan for his life, the younger man asked the older man for some direction.
The veteran preacher picked a rosebud from a nearby bush and asked the younger man to open it without tearing any petals. The young man wondered what a rosebud could possibly have to do with knowing God's will for his life and ministry, but attempted to open the rosebud anyway.
It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this task was. Noticing his difficulty, the older and wiser preacher said:
"It is only a tiny rosebud...a flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals with these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so sweetly, then in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud, the flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom to unfold this life of mine?
So, I'll trust in Him for leading each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for guidance each step of the Pilgrim's way.
The pathway that lies before me only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments just as He unfolds the rose."
No matter what age you are, it can be frustrating to figure out God's will at times. But we serve a God who knows how many hairs are on our heads...and His plan for your life is perfect! Instead of worrying about what tomorrow or the next day holds, take one day at a time and trust in the Savior for His faithful guidance.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would help you focus on today, not tomorrow. And ask Him to give you wisdom as He reveals His plan for your life one day at a time.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. --Galatians 5:22-23
One evening, an older Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a terrible battle inside every person. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside of us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, pride, and superiority."
His grandson asked, "What is the other wolf?"
The elderly man said, "It is good—peace, joy, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."
The man's young grandson thought for a moment and then asked, "Which wolf wins?"
The wise Cherokee man replied, "The one you feed the most."
Whether he knew it or not, this wise man could have been relating the battle between good and evil that Paul talked about in God's Word.
Too often, you and I tend to let some characteristics of the "bad wolf" take over the good—even as believers in Jesus. In order to fully grow in our relationship with the Lord, we must feed the "good wolf" to live out the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
The Bible says, "your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5), thereby affecting your thoughts, words, and actions. Make a conscious effort today to display Christ's attitude to every one with whom you come in contact.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to help you feed the "good wolf" today. Pray that He would make you more like Christ in attitude, actions, and spirit.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. --2 Timothy 3:14-15
There is a story of four ministers who were discussing various Bible versions and which ones they liked best. One liked the King James Version because of its eloquent literary style. Another one preferred the Revised Version of 1881 because it provided the most literal translation of Hebrew and Greek.
The third minister felt that the New King James Version was the most readable and easiest to understand of all. But the fourth minister didn't say a thing. Finally, one of them asked for his opinion on which version of the Bible he liked best.
The man replied, "I like my mother's translation the best."
The others were shocked by his answer, and one of them asked, "Did your mother translate the Bible into her own version?"
"Yes, sort of," the man replied. "She translated it into her life, and it was the most convincing version I've ever seen."
If you are a believer, people are watching your life. And quite frankly, your life is the only Bible some people will ever read!
In order for our lives to serve as godly examples for others, you and I must act out God's Word every single day. You can be certain that your children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers, and neighbors are watching how you live your life as a Christian. Are you a living example of God's Word to those around you?
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that your life would be a living example of God's Word so that you can point others to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to direct your words and actions so you can be a godly influence—no matter the circumstance.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. --Romans 5:3-4
A man named Parnell Bailey toured an orange grove once where an irrigation pump had broken. The season was dry and some of the trees were dying because they lacked water. The man giving the tour then took Bailey to his own orchard where irrigation was used sparingly.
He said, "These trees could go without rain for another two weeks. When they were young, I frequently kept water from them. This hardship caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of moisture. Now, my trees have the deepest roots in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at greater depths."
The story above is a good picture of how suffering can produce the "roots" we as believers need to survive and thrive in any season of life.
But to grow these roots, you and I must plant ourselves in God's Word to find comfort and strength when battling difficulties in life.
Being thrown into the "furnace of affliction" is a test of faith, as it forces us to rely solely on the Lord. Isaiah 48:10 says, "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction."
Whatever trial you may be facing today—be it illness, loneliness, financial difficulty, or family struggles—remember to stay rooted in the Lord. Then you can say as the psalmist did: "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life" (Psalm 119:50).
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to strengthen your faith when you are faced with affliction. Pray that He would comfort you with His Word in times of suffering.