Lesson 1PrayerAn Introduction |
The two most recent series of lessons that we have had in Sunday School dealt with (1) how the Bible came to be and (2) the names of God. In each one of the series, we saw the powerful need for the effects of communicating with God on different levels and in varied circumstances. Yet today we think of communicating with God on only one level, in repetitious ways for everything.
In teaching us the importance of God’s guidance and direction in writing His word, Phil had us perform an exercise that required us to put a collection of single words/ phrases from scripture together in a coherent way. The week before, he had told us how those responsible for writing and organizing scripture prayed for God’s direction in all that they did. Yet we jumped right into putting the scriptures together without prayer, because we thought we already knew the “WORD OF GOD”. We were less than successful in completing our assignment. Is this not how we act when it comes to us communicating with God now?
The next series on the Names of God that Sheila taught introduced us to the meanings and circumstances for many of the names of God. She also showed us how and when they were used by His people, yet I suspect that we were not convinced to change how we talk to God.
So as we go forward to examine prayer, there are some ground rules that I think we need to set.
1. We are talking about communicating with Elohim (Might Creator of All ), Jehovah (Self-Existent {need nothing outside of Him self to exist}),Adonai (Lord, Master),El Roi (The God who Sees me ), Jehovah-M’Kaddesh (Self-Existent Who Sanctifies), El-Shaddai (Almight God).
3. We are seeking Him out to guide us in the right path that we must be on for His glory.
4. We are NOT ABLE to see nor understand the path we are approaching. Therefore, we must see ourselves as servants seeking the Master’s plan.
It is my desire that this series on prayer will put you in a place where you can really communicate with God and have the boldness to complete the plan He has for you and those that He brings into your path. In order to do this we must begin with an honest question.
How does God communicate with me in this relationship that I have with Him?
Take some time to examine how God communicates with you in the past and present. It may not be clear right now but keep examining it. For it will become clear. Because He loves you and wants to have a very real and personal relationship with you, He will reveal Himself to you in a very distinct way that you will be comfortable with.
I would like to use Matthew 6:5 – 15, to begin this series. Jesus shows us and sets the right attitude for prayer. A question should come to mind: why did He have to demonstrate the right attitude now in New Testament and not in the Old Testament? I believe that the Jewish people of the New Testament had forgotten the relationship they had with God. It seems like mankind goes through frequent periods of forgetting the right relationship we must have with Him.
We are going to study many prayers that are in the Bible. We will examine how they line up with what Jesus teaches His disciples and examine the relationship of the person praying with God.
Please answer these questions.
1) What do you think prayer is?
2) How is it done?
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