Prayer: a True Wish Sent Godward

LESSON 1

PRAYER: A TRUE WISH SENT GODWARD

I.INTRODUCTION

“Prayer is the simplest act in all religion. It is simply speaking to God. It needs neither

learning nor wisdom nor book-knowledge to begin it. It needs nothing but heart and will. The weakest infant can cry when he is hungry. The poorest beggar can hold out his hand for alms, and does not wait to find fine words. The most ignorant man will find something to say to God, if he has only a mind.”

A Call to Prayer, J.C. Ryle

Scripture memory verses:

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20).

Prayer indeed is the simplest act that a Christian can do. It is the most fundamental expression of our worship of God. By prayer at our conversion, we receive the righteousness of Christ by faith. By prayer during our walk in Christ, we grow in practical holiness, becoming more like Him who bought us with His blood. By prayer, we will praise and adore Him throughout all eternity as glorified creatures. Prayer is as necessary to our relationship with God as oxygen is to our physical life. We must have it or die. As we venture into this great subject, we want to discover both discipline and delight in our prayer lives.

May this study whet our appetites for the rich banquet that awaits us in personal, private communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.

II.PRAYER IN THE SCRIPTURES

As we’ve read, the heart of prayer is speaking to God, whether audibly or not.

Thus, it is the most direct and intimate contact a believer can have with “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Tim. 1:17). Having thus such an immediate access to our Lord, how can we neglect it? Unfathomable spiritual riches await our seizure if we would but for a set time in the day, cast aside our preoccupations, and speak by faith to our awesome, majestic God.

The following passages are different prayers found throughout the Bible. They are not to be followed slavishly but imitated with thought and care. Pay close attention to the individual features of each prayer in order that the underlying heart behind each will surface. We invite you to come and learn from the Word of God itself on this subject.

A. 1 Chronicles 17:16-27 (cf. vv. 1-16)—David’s prayer after God makes an eternal

covenant with him

What attitude is prominently displayed as David speaks to the Lord? List some examples that support your answer.

B.2 Chronicles 6:12-42 (cf. 6:1-11)—Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the

Temple

1. What indications are there that Solomon has an intimate relationship with the

Lord to whom he is speaking? In other words, what does Solomon know of

God’s character and past deeds?

1. Take note of the several requests Solomon verbalizes to the Lord. What is Solomon’s ultimate motivation behind his petitions?

1. 1 Samuel 1:9-18 (cf. 1:25-28)—Hannah’s prayer in Shiloh concerning her future

son

1. In v. 15, Hannah says that she has “poured out” her soul before God. What

caused her to do this? (cf. Psa. 42:1-4 [esp. v.4]; 62:8) What is the content of

her “pouring out” and what does it indicate about her motivation for prayer?

1. Read Hannah’s response prayer in 2:1-10. How can we best summarize the content of her prayer? What is her focus and motivation as she speaks to God?

1. Matthew 6:5-15 (cf. entire chapter)—Christ’s pattern of prayer for His

disciples given during the Sermon on the Mount

1. Describe the contrast that Jesus makes concerning right and wrong approaches

in speaking to God?

1. Remembering that the prayer in vv. 9-13 is a model (not an obligatory formula), what are some features of it that we can emulate as you speak to the Lord?

1. Colossians 1:3:-14—The Pauline missionary team’s prayer for the Colossian

church

What should be our chief concern when we cry out to God on behalf of fellow Christians?

1. John 17:1-26—The high-priestly prayer of Jesus Christ in the garden of

Gethsemane

1. How does Christ’s prayer embody everything we have been discussing so far?

2. List a few salient doctrinal truths we learn (not only about prayer) from this

passage.

III.PRAYER ELABORATED

In this section, we want to delve deeper into prayer and thus have a fully-rounded

understanding of it. There will be no questions in this section. Instead, conscious, organized reflection upon the Scriptures is required, even more so than in the previous section. Please make any pertinent observations. Overall, saturate your soul with these passages. Allow them to work their way into your bones and become a permanent part of your spiritual life.

1. Approaches of Prayer

The Scriptures offer us myriad ways we can pray to God. This fact alone highlights the importance and the simplicity of prayer. These are general categories, and one may in their study, find other approaches. Please take note of any such discoveries.

1. Praise & Thanksgiving—worshipful adoration of the Lord

1. Psalm 116
2. Psalm 145

In addition cf. 2 Samuel 22:1-51; Psalm 9; Psalm 104; Philippians 1:3-5; Colossians 1:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:3-9

2.Confession—agreeing with God, usually about one’s sins

a. Psalm 51 (cf. Psalm 32)

b. Daniel 9:3-19 (esp. vv. 5-15)

c. 1 John 1:9

In addition cf. Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:1-11; Luke 18:9-14

3.Petition—requests made particularly for oneself

a. Psalm 13

b. Jonah 2:1-9

In addition cf. Daniel 2:7-18; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; 1 Peter 5:7; Revelation 22:21

4.Intercession—requests for others

a. Exodus 32:11-14

b. Numbers 14:13-19

c. 1 Samuel 12

d. 1 Timothy 2:1-8

In addition cf. Genesis 18:22-33; 20:7, 17; 26:21; Job 42:7-10; Luke 6:27-28; 23:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; James 5:13-20; 1 John 5:16-17

B.Attitudes in Prayer

Prayer, like singing praise, must be a heartfelt cry unto the Lord. Here are some of the heart-attitudes that must attend biblical prayer.

1.Faith—trusting God; having confidence in His purpose and power as revealed in the Word of God

a. Matthew 21:18-22

b. Hebrews 4:14-16

c. 1 John 5:14

In addition cf. 1 Kings 18:36-37; Hebrews 10:22

2.Submission/Humility—being humbled by and yielded to the sovereign purpose of God

a. Psalm 40:1

b. Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:41-42

In addition cf. Genesis 18:27

3.Passion—earnestness and fervency

a. Nehemiah 1:6

b. Psalm 55:1-2

c. 1 Thessalonians 3:10

In addition cf. Psalms 27:7; 102:2; 143:1; James 5:17

4.Watchfulness—a spiritual (Spirit-given) sense of alertness

a. Luke 21:34-36

b. Eph. 6:18

c. Col. 4:2

d. 1 Peter 4:7

C.Actions Related to Prayer

The Bible gives us several postures of prayer. These are descriptive and not prescriptive in nature. Beyond that in Matthew 5:5-8, Christ instructs His disciples on what not to do in prayer. Care must be taken to pray in an orderly, biblically guided manner. Here are simply two overarching commitments that we must make regarding prayer.

1.Devotion—a continual and steadfast heart of prayer

a. Acts 6:4

b. Col. 4:2

c. 1 Thess. 5:17

d. 1 Pet. 4:7

In addition cf. Daniel 6:10

2.Perseverance—a tenaciousness to the actual practice of prayer

a. 1 Kings 8:58-60

b. Psalm 123 (esp. vv. 1-2)

c. Luke 18:1-8

In addition cf. 1 Timothy 5:5

V.PRAYER IN YOUR LIFE

As we come now specifically to personal application, be ready to probe your own

life. Do not be satisfied until you have overturned every stone so that you may have a more comprehensive understanding of your heart for prayer and how you can bolster it. It is important that you leave this study with a passion for prayer etched into your soul. Without a passion for the glory of God, a passion for prayer cannot be sustained. Ultimately, loving God first and foremost will determine the discipline and delight of your prayer life. May this section exhort you to reach for greater heights in your personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

A.Major Lessons on Prayer

1. List several challenging insights you have gained from the Bible study and

from any of the auxiliary writings concerning prayer.

2. How has your understanding of prayer been transformed and deepened by this

study?

3. In a sentence or two, please define prayer in your own words.

B.Prayer Vocabulary

1. What are some phrases that believers utilize in their communication with God

that perplex or even trouble you?

2. What insights regarding this dimension of your prayer life have you gained

from the Bible reading/study and Christian writings?

3. Do you use any stock phrases that you do not understand? If so, what are they

and what do you propose to do about them?

C.Hindrances to Prayer

The following are some biblical hindrances to prayer. Reflect upon which ones are currently keeping you from maximizing your prayer life.

a. Harboring Sin (Psa. 66:19; Isa. 59:12; John 9:31)

b. Asking Amiss (James 1:1-4)

c. Living a Double Life (Job 27:8-9)

d. Being Self-Righteous (Luke 18:11-14)

e. Lacking Faith in God (James 1:5-7)

f. Not Knowing God’s Character (Matt. 6:7-8; Mark 11:15-18)

g. Not Honoring Your Spouse (1 Peter 3:7)

h. Lacking Charity (Prov. 21:13; 28:27; Luke 6:38)

i. Lacking Reconciliation (Matt. 5:22-24; Mark 11:25-26)

D.Focusing on Jesus, the Greatest Model of Prayer

Prayerfully read these verses depicting the prayer life of our Lord. They offer a beautiful portrait of the God-man who, “In the days of His flesh…offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety” (Heb. 5:7). Let us be attracted to this dimension of our Savior’s life.

Matthew 14:23Luke 9:18

Matthew 26:36Luke 9:29

Mark 1:35

VI.CONCLUSION

J.C. Ryle wrote, “Sermons and books and tracts, and committee-meetings and the company of good men, are all good in their way, but they will never make up for the neglect of private prayer. Mark well the places and society and companions that unhinge your hearts for communion with God and make your prayers drive heavily. There be on your guard. Observe narrowly what friends and what employments leave your soul in the most spiritual frame, and most ready to speak with God. To these cleave and stick fast. If you will take care of your prayers, nothing shall go very wrong with your soul” (A Call to Prayer).

May his jewels of biblically-driven wisdom cause us to employ prayer at all costs, as a traveler in a dark land would a torch. A heart of prayer cannot be manufactured. Only a born-again soul possesses it, and only a born-again soul submitted to the will of God as revealed in the Word of God can continue to cultivate it. Talk to your Father. Talk to Him constantly. Let nothing get in the way of loving Him in prayer.

V.PRAYER IN CHRISTIAN WRITINGS

For further reading take note of these fine works:

How to Worship Jesus Christ by Joseph Carroll

A Journey to Victorious Praying by Bill Thrasher

Working with God Through Intercessory Prayer by D. Edmond Hiebert

A Passion for Prayer by Tom Elliff

Prayer by Ole Hallesby

A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson

A Method for Prayer by Matthew Henry

The God Who Hears by W. Bingham Hunter

If God Already Knows, Why Pray? by Douglas F. Kelly

Praying Together for True Revival by Jonathan Edwards

Andrew Murray on Prayer

The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds

The Knowledge of God and Prayer by Graeme Goldsworthy

Breakthrough Prayer by Jim Cymbala

When Grace Comes Alive by Terry L. Johnson

LESSON 2

REPENTANCE: THE 180 DEGREE TURN

I.INTRODUCTION

Our ears have grown accustomed to hearing men told to ‘accept Jesus as your personal Saviour, a form of words which is not found in Scripture. It has become an empty phrase. These may be precious words to the Christian—‘personal Saviour.’ But they are wholly inadequate to instruct a sinner in the way to eternal life. They wholly ignore an essential element of the Gospel, namely repentance. And that necessary ingredient of Gospel preaching is swiftly fading from evangelical pulpits, though the New Testament is filled with it.

Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?, Walter Chantry

Scripture memory verses:

“I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor. 7:9-10).

At the time Luther wrote his famous ninety-five theses, he had been studying Erasmus’ new edition of the Greek New Testament. During his studies, he realized that the Latin Vulgate—the Roman Catholic Church’s official Bible—had mistranslated “repent” in Matthew 4:17 with poenitentiam agite (“do penance”). Penance, in the Catholic Church, is a sacrament consisting of contrition, confession, and satisfaction on the penitent’s part, and absolution by the priest. It is a means by which a baptized Catholic can satisfy God’s justice by working out the penalties assigned by the officiating priest. In a broader sense, penance is the erroneous notion that one can earn God’s favor by performance, by works. When Luther discovered the truth behind repentance vs. penance, it changed his life. Do you know what the Bible has to say about repentance? Is it an integral part of your Christian life or a once-for-all, past act that you need never repeat? We pray that at the end of this study you will come out of it enlightened, encouraged, and exhorted. Repentance is at the heart of the gospel. Without it, there is no gospel, only a shallow, externalized, easy believism.

II.REPENTANCE IN THE SCRIPTURES

The Bible is pregnant with the doctrine of repentance. Only Luke records the full content of Christ’s Great Commission, and in Luke 24:47 it says that, “repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Repentance has been called the first and last word of the gospel. Jesus began His earthly ministry preaching it and ended His ministry by instructing His disciples that they would now be preaching it as well (cf. Matt. 4:17; Luke 24:27). So what is repentance? Theologian Wayne Grudem defines it as “a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.” More simply put, repentance is a change of mind that leads, without fail, to a change of life. It is not only forsaking sin but manifesting righteousness—all by the grace of God. Let’s study the following passages in order to gain a broad, working handle on the critical doctrine of repentance.

1. Jeremiah 3:22-4:2

1. What verb is used three times in the passage and what is entailed in this moral

action that Jeremiah urges of Israel?

2. Describe and characterize penitent Israel’s reaction to their sins.

3. What, according to 4:2, will Israel’s repentance ultimately produce? Explain

the significance of this.

1. Joel 2:12-13

1. What accompanies a God-pleasing “return” according to this passage?

1. In v. 13, what motivation for repentance does Joel offer the Israelites?

1. Hosea 14:1-3

1. Why is Israel called to return to God according to v. 1?

1. According to v. 2, what does returning to God require?

1. In general terms, what are the three “idols” each Israelite must lay aside in order to manifest genuine repentance?

1. Luke 3:1-14 (cf. Matthew 3:1-12)

1. Having thoroughly examined the context of this chapter, would you

say that John the Baptist is addressing those that are saved or unsaved? Why?

1. What was the moral failure of those who were denounced by John the Baptist?

3. Describe the counsel John gives to the three groups of people who ask him

“what shall we do?”.

1. Luke 13:3, 5 & Acts 17:30-31

According to these verses, what are the great implications/ramifications of repentance (or the lack thereof)?

1. 2 Corinthians 7:8-11

1. Paul mentions two types of “sorrow.” Describe each one.

1. According to v. 11, what did the Corinthians’ repentance look like?

1. Hebrews 6:1 & Acts 20:21 (cf. Mark 1:15)

1. To what is repentance vitally connected with in these two passages?

1. Repentance and its counterpart are called what by the writer of Hebrews? What is the significance of this label?

III.REPENTANCE ELABORATED

Having obtained a broad understanding of repentance, we want to look at some

fundamental truths about repentance. These set the parameters for everything that claims to be biblical repentance. Armed with this foundation, the believer can, by the sovereign grace of God, “work out their salvation in fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12).

1. Nine Truths About Repentance

1.Repentance is a Gift of God

a. Psalm 51:10-13

b. Jeremiah 24:6-7

c. Ezekiel 36:22-27

d. Zechariah 12:10

e. Acts 5:29-32; 11:18

f. Romans 2:3-4

g. 2 Timothy 2:2-26

2.Repentance Continues Throughout Life

a. Matthew 6:12; 7:16-17; 19-20

b. Romans 6:8-14; Colossians 3:5-11

c. 1 John 1:5-10

d. Revelation 2:4-5

3.Repentance Must Be Evidenced by Fruits

a. Isaiah 1:16-17

b. Daniel 4:27

c. Acts 26:20

4.Repentance is Motivated by the Character of God

a. 1 Kings 8:47

b. Romans 2:4

c. 2 Peter 3:9

d. Revelation 3:19

5.Repentance Must Always Be Godward

a. Job 42:1-6

b. Psalm 32:1-7

c. Psalm 51:1-4

d. Isaiah 55:6-7

e. Acts 26:20

f. 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10

6.Repentance Must Involve Radical Change

a. Matthew 5:27-30

b. Ephesians 4:20-32

7.Repentance Requires Conviction of Sin

a. 1 Kings 8:35-40

b. Proverbs 28:13-14

c. Ezra 9:5-15

d. Acts 2:37-38; 19:11-20

1. Repentance Generates Joy in Heaven

Luke 15:7, 10

1. Repentance is What Christ Came to Command

Luke 5:32

1. Seven Fruits of Repentance

1.Eternal Life

Acts 11:18

2.Readiness for Judgment

Acts 17:30-31

3.Entrance/Citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven