Category: Prayer

School of Prayer Day Two

WithChristInPrayer

[In which we follow the Andrew Murray classic With Christ in the School of Prayer]

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”  (Jn 4:23-24)

Jesus spoke these words to the Samaritan woman at the well, lovingly teaching her the New Way of things. Worship is not constrained by time or place as so much of our Western culture has come to believe. Proper and worthy worship must be aligned with God’s nature which is spirit. It is also in truth, which, in the gospel of John is closely aligned with Jesus (cf 14:6). It will only be through Jesus that we learn to properly worship and pray as a part of that worship.

The Samaritan woman cannot immediately grasp what she is being told and are not automatically able to approach the throne in prayer properly. We need the Spirit through whom Christ will instruct us. He has not left us simply with a set of instructions to follow in the Bible but the Lord has also provided us with a paraclete, a helper who will guide our practice. When we have received this gift is when we are able to pray in spirit and truth, or at least, to begin to.

Psalm 49 He Will Take Nothing With Him When He Dies

image Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;

for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.

Though while he lived he counted himself blessed – and men praise you when you prosper – he will join the generation of his father, who will never see the light of life.

A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish. (vv 16-20)

This psalm jumps to our attention as an abrupt shift in style and topic from those we have read up to now. This is a proverb taking the much longer and poetic form of the psalm and intended to be accompanied by the harp. There are two messages contained within the text and each is read differently depending upon which socioeconomic strata the reader approaches from. For the poor, there is assurance. Despite appearances, the wealthy shall not hold an advantage in God’s kingdom and that their wealth shall not substitute for pious lives.

For the wealthy reader who has mistakenly placed their faith and trust in their wealth, the message is more ominous. Since lucre and possessions shall not travel from one plane of existence to the next, it will be of no benefit when facing the God of the universe.

This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers who approve their sayings.

like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning: their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. (vv 13 – 14)

The next verse points to the only opportunity for salvation from this reality:

But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. (v 15)

That is the only promise worth our investment…

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With Christ in the School of Prayer

WithChristInPrayer

We are not naturally inclined to the spiritual discipline of prayer. We are able to develop a habit of speaking prayer forms as we hear them from others but the deep communion of a conversation with God. It is something that we must be taught to do properly just as the first disciples were when they said to the Lord “teach us to pray.” South African pastor Andrew Murray left us with a classic primer with which to guide our training in the discipline. With Christ in the School of Prayer was first published in 1885 and has served the Church since as a basic training manual in how to pray and it will do the same for us as we develop our strength in the discipline.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1

As we have seen we delve into the Scriptures, Jesus was The master of prayer. His communion with the Father, unimpeded by sin as our is, was full and deep and perfect. Where prayer before His ministry was to the majestic God of Israel, now the disciples would have been hearing Jesus address God much more personally, as the Father. They also knew the connection between the power of His ministry and His secret prayer life and they desired this same relationship for their own lives. We, like the disciples, begin our own discipline by petitioning Christ to be our teacher as well.

And so we begin, “Lord, teach us to pray…”

Psalm 48 In the City of Our God

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Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. (v 1)

This brief psalm closes the trilogy of praise found in psalms 46, 47, and 48. These were originally utilized in the liturgy of temple worship and they serve(d) the purpose of focusing the people of God of the important characteristics of the Lord they worship. In this prayer, the knowledge of the security that comes from being within God’s city and therefore within His presence is emphasized.

God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. (v 3)

As we meditate on this verse we recognize the core truth that applies to our lives at this moment. Note that where God dwells is not separate from Him, He is the fortress that provides the security. The challenges to the security of Zion come from the four points of the compass in the next four verses but they are rebuffed. There is nothing that can challenge God.

Do we find the same security in knowing the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Is there ‘direction’ from which you are not convinced that God mans the ramparts? We need to come to know that there is no area of our lives that can stand outside of the love and security of God. Areas in which we struggle can be turned over with confidence to God knowing that there is no direction from which a surprise can come for Him. We rest in His security.

Like your name, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. (vv 9-10) 

 

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The High Discipline of Prayer

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“God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” John Wesley

Prayer is the central core of all of the spiritual disciplines. Devotion and practice of the discipline moves us more and more into the state of perpetual communion with the Father that is to mark us as separate from the world. To pray is to change. It is the primary avenue by which the Father molds and transforms us.

A primary truth about the discipline of prayer is that it is both unnatural and natural simultaneously. Putting this discipline into practice requires a concerted effort on the part of the redeemed and a long period of apprenticeship. We must learn from the Master how to pray just as His first disciples did.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1)

The discussion of prayer could take off in so many directions so it will be necessary to limit our attention to a few core topics. This will be a longer series of posts and I hope that some readers will consider the possibility of contributing their own materials so that all of can develop our personal practice of this most important of disciplines.

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Psalm 46 A Mighty Fortress is Our God

image A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing

Our helper He amid the flood, of mortal ills prevailing. Martin Luther

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (vv 1-3)

46 is the first of a trio of psalms that celebrate the security of being God’s people. In the same way that it inspired Luther to pen his well known hymn, the psalm fills all believers with confidence knowing that in God the future is secure despite whatever current circumstances might suggest.  The temptation to seek the comfort of the world in surrender is diminished as the knowledge that all is in God’s control with a Holy outcome assured.

Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (vv 8-10)

The words strike the modern ear as jingoistic but this was not the intention of the psalmist. He points to the Lord’s victories as both a warning against attacking Yahweh’s people and as a sign over the walls of Jerusalem that this city belongs to Him. None should be so bold as to attempt to change that ownership and face the certain ruin that follows. God’s voice bellows in the final verse: “Enough! I alone am God and I will be known throughout the world as Lord!”

Let the final words of the psalm infuse your prayers this week, “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

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Psalm 45 Your Throne O God Will Last For Ever

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My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. (vv 1-2)

Psalm 45 draws our attention because of its shift in focus. This is not a prayer or plea to God as the preceding entries have been. Instead, it is a song in praise of a Royal on his wedding day. Our view of the psalter is expanded and its application to all of life is made more apparent.

The voice of the first verses also gives us a new appreciation for the author of the song. He is an ‘expert scribe’, similar to profession of Ezra (Ezra 7:6). The scribe is not simply a transcriber of words. He is a learned fellow, observing and cataloging the traditions, literature, and practices of his community. In the instance of this psalm, it appears that he has composed this loving tribute orally and speaks it to the King himself. We will now be more aware of his hand in the rest of the psalter as we continue our exploration.

The application of this psalm has expanded through the ages. This was read as a Messianic text in later Jewish practice and others have found it to be speaking allegorically of the relationship between God and His people. Many have struggled with verses 6 and 7 as the King is referenced as God:

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. (vv 6-7)

In the context of the time, modern readers must appreciate that King was seen as divinely appointed by God and possessed a special relationship because of the selection. This is not to be read as an ascendency to divine status nor as idolatry. The author of Hebrews found in these verses the perfect words to speak of the Son of Man and His person and office (Heb 1:8-9). Christians have interpreted this psalm as a song of love between Christ and His church, a beautiful application of beautiful words.

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Psalm 44 Awake O Lord! Why Do You Sleep?

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Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep?

Rouse yourself! Do no reject us forever.

Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.

Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love. (vv 23-26)

How do you face defeat and destruction when you sense that God himself has brought the calamity upon you? Despite your prayer and commitment to the covenant you come to the conclusion that the Lord has purposely directed defeat on your life. Do you abandon the covenant as it appears that God has or do you continue in your commitment, taking the long view of current struggle being a part of the eternal plan?

The psalmist models the latter for modern readers. The psalm relates the tragedy of an unnamed defeat on Israel, one that the writer is certain that God has brought about on His people. Often, the immediate response would be to curse God. He has made a covenant with the people and yet has injured them. Can God be trusted? A rehearsal of all that Yahweh has done forms the foundation for this reflection on current travail.

We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

With you hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish.

It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. (vv 1-3)

If God has been consistently good there is no reason to consider His recent act as anything but a necessary moment in the eternal plan of the world. Doubt creeps in, despite this thought. Is it possible that we the people of the covenant have not held up our end? The psalmist also considers this option.

All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant.

Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. (vv 17-18)

Ultimately, trust in God’s wisdom and the ultimate good of His eternal course of events brings us consolation. What alternative do we have?

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