On Sunday 25th January 2009, CML had the opportunity to minister at St. Georges Girls High School in Nairobi. This is one of the schools outside Rongo district with whom CML has maintained a good ministry working relationship. As usual, the girls were radiant, and after the praise and worship session, we were blessed with various presentations by the students.
Mrs Wario, the CU Patron then called on us to formally introduce ourselves as this was the first time Denise and I were ministering here as a couple. The students were very happy for us, and after the service, one of them was glad to hand Denise a note full of encouragement and prayer for blessings God's will upon our marriage life.
My wife Denise shared a valuable teaching on Prayer, focusing on three major aspects:
1. What is Prayer?
2. The Purpose of Prayer
3. The benefit of Prayer
Bellow is the teaching material she shared from:
As Christians we may talk a lot “about” God but may talk very little “to” God
1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
#1) What is Prayer?
Simply put prayer is communication with God.
The Hebrew word for prayer, "li-heet-pallel," comes from the root "pallel," which means to inspect. The prefix "li-heet" is the reflexive form - denoting an action that one does to oneself. "Li-heet- pallel," therefore, is an act of personal introspection.
When you are in relationship with someone you communicate with them, you talk to them & listen to them. Mom and dad, girlfriends, boyfriends, family etc….It is a two way communication…talking and listening facilitates intimacy between those “in relationship”. “Be still & know I am the Lord”…. through prayer we realize the reality of God’s presence with us. After Adam, but prior to Jesus communication with God was not so simple. God spoke directly to Adam but that changed after sin.
The 1st communication we see after the Garden of Eden is an offering given by Cain & Abel…sacrifices of grain and animals. Original Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban /Koran meaning to “come close”. After the temple was built communications was done largely through the High Priest. Exodus and Leviticus gives elaborate details of how the Priest was to be the intercessor or “go between” for God and man. There was danger of immediate death if he was not properly consecrated, hence the Priest had bells on hem of garment. Like getting an audience with the President…would you expect to just be able and walk into the Office of the President and speak to President Kibaki or Obama?
Prayer is Privileged communication bought with the blood of Christ. Prayer can be short, long, simple, eloquent, spoken, non-spoken, said in public, private, early in the morning, late at night, for others, for yourself or just for God…there is no wrong way or right way. We are to pray without ceasing….
Eph 3:12 “ Because of Christ and our faith in Him we can NOW come fearlessly into God’s presence assured of His glad welcome.”
# 2) What is the purpose of Prayer? A.C.T.S.
A = Adoration
Adore God, love Him and praise Him for who He is.
"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."1 Chronicles 29:11
Praise (worship & exalt the Lord) – The Psalms are songs of praise exalting the character & attributes of God… they were read or sung. Praise helps sensitize us to the awesomeness of God…when His character is put in perspective and we can no help but worship Him. Psalm 66:4 says “All the earth shall worship thee”
C = Confession
Admit your sins to God, ask for His forgiveness through faith that Jesus died for our sins. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Confession- Luke 18:13“- Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
T = Thanksgiving
Thank God for answered prayers, for the good things He has done in your life. For growth. "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20
S = Supplication (supplication, making a request unto the Lord)
Pray for your family and friends, for those who are sick or sad. Pray for those who are not Christians yet. Pray for your own spiritual growth and any other needs that you may have.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. "Matthew 7:7
Phil 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Seek and secure the will of God. The purpose of prayer is to get our lives aligned with God. Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is the most basic purpose of prayer. More specifically desiring God’s will be done on earth is tantamount to getting his will done in my life.
Intersession- Abraham pleaded for Sodom; Job prayed for his children, the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah prayed for the children of Israel. 1 Tim 2:1 Therefore I 1exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
Jesus pleads for us=Hebrews 7:25. "He (JESUS) is able to save forever those who draw near to God through him, because he always lives to make intercession for them".
The reading of psalms was viewed in Jewish tradition as a vehicle for gaining God's favor…much like we sometimes view prayer. They are thus often specially recited in times of trouble, such as poverty, disease, or physical danger; However Jewish scholars agree that this practice was not designed to achieve favor, as such, but rather to teach belief in Divine Providence and thus embrace these truths into one's consciousness. “Romans 12:2 - be transformed by the renewing of your mind “then” you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.”
To say that "prayer changes things" is not as close to the truth as saying, "Prayer changes me.” The ultimate purpose for prayer is to help us see ourselves as God sees us and thus be transformed.
#3) What are the benefits/provisions of prayer?
Salvation- "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4.12) " if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
Pardon- 1 John 1: 9 - “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins”
Protection & DELIVERANCE- James 5:13 - If any of you are in trouble, he should pray....
Psalm 86:1 &2 - Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge a fortress of defense to save me. For you are my rock and my fortress
Comfort- 2 Cor 1:3 - who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Peace- Psalm 122:6 - “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.”
Wisdom
Guidance
Strength & firm foundation to resist temptation –Luke 22:40- "pray that you may not enter into temptation”
2 Cor 13:7 - Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable.
Col 1:9-12- For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy..."
Healing- James 5:14 - Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
I pray that you also may benefit from this teaching and develop a prayerful life in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment