Category: Prayer Mentoring

Prayer Mentoring: Praying for our country

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We must keep the Gospel first and the Gospel central. A significant part of that is praying for our country and it’s leaders. Too often churches get stuck on political issues and not the root of those issues- our need of a Savior. We need Jesus. Our country needs Jesus. Given the birthday of the USA, I thought it right to discuss the importance of prayer for our country.

Peter: Submit
Peter wrote is first letter to the church while it was under persecution. A main theme Peter wove throughout the book is the importance of submitting and doing good work. You heard correctly, regardless of the government we’re to submit, love and perform good deeds. Why? Because they’re people to be reached regardless of politics. A key part of praying for our government is our attitude towards it.

Paul: Life quiet and peaceable lives.

“1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” ~ Timothy 2:1-6

How to pray
In praying for our country and it’s leaders there are three things to focus on: 1) That we have the right attitude towards our government and the country. We’re more effective in reaching people out of compassion than disdain. 2) We pray for peace. God ordained government to restrain and deal with evil. This is why the government is given the power of the sword. 3) We focus on the Gospel. Government doesn’t save, Jesus does. A political party is not our redeemer, Jesus is. And, Jesus wants to be a friend to all.

The bottom line:
A key aspect to our prayer life needs to be praying for our country. We should start with our own attitude. We should pray for our leaders. Most importantly, we must keep the Gospel in focus. We pray for peace to in order to have the most opportunity to share what brings ultimate peace.

Assignments
Pray.
Find out who your local, state and federal leaders are and pray for them regularly.
Thank God for where he placed you and your attitude towards that place.

Prayer Mentoring: How

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Just talk to God as if He’s right there with you, because He is. Communication involves three key things: the sender, the message, and the receiver. Prayer is communicating to God. It’s that simple.

God talking to us
God’s communicates to us through creation (Psalms 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-23), the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21), the Spirit (Romans 8:14; 1 John 5:6) and God’s people (Ephesians 4:15; 5:18-21, Colossians 3:16). We’ll explain these areas further in the future.

Us talking to God
Prayer is the means we use to talk with God. We already looked at the various words for prayer. What is amazing is God hears our prayers and wants us to communicate with us!

Elements of prayer
When we pray we address God the father (Matthew 6:6,9; John 17; Romans 8:15; Ephesians 3:14). We are able to have access to God the father because of Jesus (1 Timothy 2:1-7; Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16). Jesus and the Holy Spirit help us in our prayers, the Spirit even acting as an “autopilot” when we don’t know how to pray (Romans 8:26-39; Hebrews 7:25)! Because of these things, we close our prayers “in Jesus’ name” (John 14:13-14).

Content
When praying, we should ask in faith (Mark 11:12-14, 20-26). God’s Word is key to this. Even more so as we should ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14-15). When we pray according to the Bible and in harmony with God’s promises we should expect to receive (1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 7:7-11). If we do not ask or ask with wrong motives, we should expect nothing (James 4:2-3). A bulk of future posts will deal content.

Where
We can pray anywhere. But, I’d take to heart the message Bill Hybels shared about “the chair.” Find a place where you regularly meet with God for Bible reading and prayer. It’s the foundation for growing your relationship with God. Relationships take time. Find your chair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xU9GR4H0WQ&feature=my_favorites&list=FLOc69jBWf47UTyL8w_fhUUw

The bottom line:
Prayer is simply talking to God. We address God the father because we have access to Him through Jesus. Not only that, but the Spirit also helps us in praying.

Assignments:

  1. Pray.
  2. Find your chair. (Place to meet with God.)

Camp Hickory Hill

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On the hill of the camp was a white cross. On the cross was written “Let Us Pray.” This taught me tons about prayer and I’m grateful to the man who put it up there.

I’m grateful for the team that gathered this afternoon to pray over the church. A servants work starts and ends with prayer.

Prayer Mentoring: Asking…

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The words for prayer in the Bible mean to ask. In studying prayer I found this shocking. Often people feel guilty about just asking God for things and not just talking to him. Asking is part of being a child of God. My sons often ask me things. In fact, that’s a majority of our conversations. Why? So glad you asked…

Words for prayer in the Bible
Hebrew– Palal (Genesis 20:7; Deuteronomy 9:20; Psalm 5:2; 1 Samuel 1:26)
Greek– aiteo (Mark 11:24; James 1:16)
Main meaning: To ask on behalf of another, intercede.
Related meaning: To ask or to demand.
This is the most common word for payer used in the Old Testament.

Hebrew– sha’al (1 Samuel 23:2; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1; Psalm 27:4; Psalm 122:6)
Greek– deomai (Luke 22:32; Romans 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:10)
Main meaning: To ask for guidance, inquire.
Related meaning: To ask.
This word is used when the one praying is in great need.

Hebrew– paga’ (Jeremiah 7:16; 27:18; Job 21:15)
Main meaning: To ask for grace.
This word is a highly emotional term in which one beseeches God.

Greek– proseuchomai (Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 1:9; 1 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 13:18)
Main meaning: To pray, ask, beseech.
This word is the most common term for prayer in the New Testament.

The bottom line:
Though our talking to God should involve man different activities, like worship, thanksgiving and confession; prayer seems focused on one activity: asking. Next week we’ll look at the basics of prayer. I’m very grateful for the work Pastor Matthew invested in teaching men how to prayer. Much of these blogs comes from notes passed down from him.

Assignments:
Pray.
Find a tool that works for you to record what you asked God for. Include three things: date, request, and how God answered.
If you have not already, seek out a prayer partner to work through this journey with.

Prayer Mentoring: Just talking to God

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A few different and disconnected things in life pointed to the issue of prayer. Prayer eludes us often. We love it, it’s hard work, and often we don’t always understand it. Even the disciples- those traveling regularly with Jesus- struggled with the issue of prayer and asked “Lord, teach us to pray.” Given these things I want to write about prayer and it’s role in our relationship with God.

Prayer mentoring
Prayer is something that is caught not just taught. I would not classify myself as a master of the subject. I frankly don’t think I’ve had enough life experience to say I’m great in this area. In the prayer mentoring posts I want to echo mentors of mine who have taught me to pray, as well as share things in my journey with prayer. Blogging & writing isn’t the best way to learn how to pray. So, if you’re following this, seek out a partner to walk through this with.

Just talk to God
Just pray. Don’t try to be poetic or anything, but just start praying. A mentor of mine in college and seminary said this: “If something is truly worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.” The meaning of this proverb is this: You just need to start. You can always improve. Don’t let “am I praying wrong?” stop you from something that is important. Actually, something that is vital. Talk to God like He’s right there in the room with you… because He is!

Just ask
Matthew records Jesus saying this: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you… If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” We have not because we ask not, so just ask. That’s what prayer means, to ask. Here is a thing you can ask God for right now: God, help me learn how to talk you.

The bottom line:
Prayer is vital to our relationship with God. Prayer is also something that is caught not just taught. There are two key things to prayer: talking to God, and asking. In future posts we’ll focus on a different aspect to prayer. Most likely these posts will be on Tuesday. Ok, here’s your assignments for this week…

Assignments:
Pray.
Seek a prayer partner to work through learning how to pray together.
Ask God to help you learn how to pray.