WHAT IS PRAYER (Cont.)

In my last post I wrote about prayer being a means of communication with God.  Most of us are acquainted with emails, social networks and other means of relating to others.  This even includes methods such as Twittering on your mobile phone or up loading and down loading pictures and web sites.  So, an understanding of communication should be a subject we are comfortable with.

Why, then, when it comes to communicating with God, do we seem to be prone to making our praying one-sided conversations?  Why do we, so often, just want to tell God what we want or need?  Real talks with friends usually include their talking, too.  Does their view point or advice have meaning to us?  Then, why not more listening on our part?

If we have an appointment with our doctor regarding a disease or illness, isn't it the normally expected reaction to take his/her advice, as well as the medicine they may prescribe?  Why not with God?  Are we simply wanting God to do for us, without any involvement on our part?

Two things are needed in our praying as a means of communicating with God.

     1.  Having (or Starting) a Personal Relationship With God.


We all have a relationship with God.  It just may not be a personal one.  Many of us don't mind talking with someone we don't know in line at the grocery store.  But we don't typically think we can tell them all our problems and expect them to solve them (or even be interested in them).

If you don't have a personal relationship with God, then begin on today.  The only prayer that God will always answer for a sinner is one of repentance.  Ask Him for forgiveness and give Him your life now.  Read Luke 18:9-14.  The prayer of the tax collector was "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."  Jesus answered, "...This man...went home justified before God."

The second thing needed in prayer as a means of communicating with God is

     2.  A Partnership With God


James, the Lord's earthly brother, in his letter in the New Testament, gave an excellent example of this.  Read James 2:14-17.  James was explaining that simply to have faith without actions (deeds) that back up that faith is useless.  Now, don't get upset.  I'm not we have to have more than faith to be saved.  But there is more required.  God's grace is necessary also.  See Ephesians 2:8-9.  There is a partnership involved.

Paul, in Romans chapters 1 through 7, gives his great and often partially quoted exhortation on faith.  In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul expounds on the partnership with God.  We provide the faith and God provides the grace.  God created us to do good works.  We both work together to do God's will and for the answering of our prayers.

During my years as a business owner, I tried partnerships on more than one occasion.  Those arrangements never seemed to work out.  In all honesty, my stubbornness and pride were probably the primary reason.  However, in our spiritual lives, partnerships are necessary.  Yes, God can do any and all things Himself.  But, from His Word and personal experience, I have found that He has chosen to do most things in cooperation with His creation.

Instead of praying, "Thy will be done" and then giving God a list of things that "we just know" are His will, we could be praying, "Here are my concerns, Lord.  How can I help you accomplish what you know is best?"  We could, as His partners, pray, "Lord, what are Your concerns?", or, "What do You want me to do today?"

As we look more specifically at the prayer life of Jesus, in the coming posts, let us make sure our relationship with Him is a right one.  Let us offer ourselves as His partners.  Then we can better pray as a means of communicating with Him.  Perhaps, just maybe, we won't be complaining about unanswered prayer.

Your comments and questions are encouraged.

WHAT IS PRAYER, ANYWAY?

Philip Yancey, in his book entitled, "Prayer:  Does It Make Any Difference?", devotes the first of five parts to "Keeping Company With God."  While I would begin, as a definition of prayer, a little differently, I can't imagine a more vivid description for a Christian's continuing prayer life.

Jesus, Son of Man on earth, certainly kept company with the Father in heaven.  Friends and families with loving relationships keep company with each other.  So, such a relationship with God should be as normal as any that we may have for those with whom we share a life of common interests.

• Prayer is a means of communication with God.                                                                                         The word communication has taken on a wider meaning in today's IT world.  Media of all types and vehicles attempt to "communicate" their own messages (such as the media we are currently using for this message).  But, prayer gets its message across more directly and personally.  It may do so by "keeping company with God" or in a desperate crisis of reaching out to God.
• Prayer is not informing God.                                                                                                                     God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8).  He knows what we will say before we say it (Psalms 139:4).  Rather, prayer is (or has the intentions for) getting or staying in touch with God.

In the next post, we will continue to look at "What Is Prayer, Anyway?".  But, if you have comments or questions, please use the comment section for both.  Any that you send needing responses will get one.  I hope you will participate.

For your information, I highly recommend Philip Yancey as an author.  The book mentioned above will give great insight into the overall subject of prayer.  Others of his books, such as "What's So Amazing About Grace?" will help you grow as a Christian.  Many of his works can be found in your local library. 

GETTING STARTED

In the normal course of research for a book, an article, a paper,etc., I would assume the need for a vast array of resources, such as other books, articles, papers, etc.  For all practical purposes, while I may refer to such sources and various individual's philosophies and "takes" on the subject we're studying, the primary resource is the Bible Itself.

I sincerely hope this blog will be a study of the prayer life of Jesus, not just what someone thinks about it.  The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) give us the story and life of Jesus on earth.  Therefore, every reference to a prayer or a teaching on prayer by Jesus in the Gospels, I have collected and placed in one (or more) of three categories.  Those categories will serve as a basic outline for our study.

The categories are (1)  The Personal Prayer Habits of Jesus
                             (2)  The Teachings on Prayer by Jesus
                             (3)  The Special Prayers of Jesus

However, it will serve us well to look at some introductory thoughts before we jump into the main categories.  So, the first few blogs will try to help us with subjects such as the following:
                             (1)  What is prayer?
                             (2)  The uniqueness of Jesus' prayers
                             (3)  What is included in prayers?
                             (4)  What is the primary purpose of this study?

As we continue, I recommend that you make notes, give comments, ask questions and (more than anything else) put into practice, if you haven't already, a daily routine of actual praying.

WHY PRAY, ANYWAY?

There is absolutely no reason why anyone, anywhere should consider me an example to follow in the area of prayer.  Having read many times over the years the great and effective prayers that are recorded in the Bible, I know I have never prayed prayers like that.  Having read and studied the lives of the pray-ers of those prayers, it is strikingly obvious to me that I have never been, nor do I ever expect to be known for having attained such levels of prayer life.  But, I am convinced that it is my Christian right, as well as obligation, to learn all I can about prayer and act upon it daily.  And, if it is something the Bible teaches, we should all practice it.

Not only does the Bible teach us to pray and give us marvelous examples of effective prayers, but, in particular, Jesus, Himself, gave us examples and taught His followers to pray.

There is a multitude of articles, even books by sincere Christians, about "Why Pray?", especially since God knows (decides?) in advance about everything.  The question posed is, "If God is in control, why bother to pray?"  Or, "If God is changeless, how can my prayers change His mind or actions?"

One author I read recently simply said, (and I paraphrase), "I pray because Jesus did."  A study of His prayer life ought to be both interesting and revealing to us.

Join in with me in the study and let me know what you think.