Lesson 4: Prayer Is Basic Relationship

A. INTRODUCTION

1. The most basic fact: prayer is a relationship with God. The most used Greek word for prayer is proseuchomai; pros = towards and euchomai = face.

No prayer - strained relationship

Little prayer - weak relationship

Much prayer - strong relationship

2. How’s the best way to begin? Like a child talking to his father.

3. When is the best time for regular prayer? When you are freshest.

4. How long should you pray? To get what you want.

5. Is there a suggested length? “Could you not watch with Me an hour?” (Matt. 26:40).

• Hard to do when you have nothing to say.

• Watchers during Spurgeon’s sermons. As long as he preached.

6. Is there a suggested place? Closet (Matt. 6:6). This is a symbolic word. Where are you comfortable?

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B. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRAYER?

1. Worship. “Hallowed be Thy name” (Matt. 6:9). “The Father seeks such to worship Him” (John 4:32).

2. Confession. “Forgive us our sins” (Luke 11:4).

3. Intercession for people. “I exhort that . . . intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all people” (I Tim. 2:1).

4. Petition for our personal needs. “Give us this day, our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11).

Praying For Our Needs

• Bread is symbolic word

• Day repeated to teach us to pray daily

• Bread represents needs not desires

• The word “this” teaches us immediate prayers

5. Praise, recognizing who God is in nature and works.

• Who. “Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him” (Psa. 22:23).

• What. “Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein” (Psa. 69:34).

• How. “Sing ye praises with understanding” (Psa. 47:7).

• How much. “I will praise thee with my whole heart” (Psa.138:1).

• When. “Everyday will I bless thee” (Psa. 145:2).

• Content. “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15).

• Why. “Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness” (Psa. 150:2). “Praise the Lord . . . for He is good” (Psa. 106:1).

Some Various Ways to Praise

• Magnify to make bigger in our eyes

• Exalt to give Him preeminence in our lives

• Bless to add God’s value to our lives

• Thanks to be grateful

• Holy to separate to God

6. Fellowship. There is a prayer of meditation or communion with God. “I waited patiently for the Lord’ (Psa. 40:1). “My soul thirsteth for God . . . when shall I come and appear before God” (Psa. 42:2).

7. Evangelism. Paul prayed for an unsaved Israel. “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1).

C. HELPS FOR EFFECTIVE PRAYER

1. A daily devotional to prepare your heart to pray.

• My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

• 365 Ways to Know God focuses on a different name of God each day.

2. A prayer list. Keeps the mind from straying.

3. Commit to a time and length.

4. Commit to a place. “Enter into thy closet” (Matt. 6:6).

5. Physical assistance, rug, etc. “They took a stone and put it under him . . . and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands” (Ex. 17:12).

6. A prayer partner. “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father” (Matt. 18:19).

7. Use many ways to pray. See How to Pray, it suggests 52 different ways to pray, i.e.,desperately, quietly, writing, silently, passionately,

systematically, by vowing etc.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.

To receive this lesson, log on to www.elmertowns.com. You will find it under Sunday School lessons. To email Dr. Towns, eltowns@liberty.edu. For more information on the class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.