Prayer

  Why Pray?   (75 KB)   
The well-nigh universal tendency now, is to magnify man and dishonor and degrade God. On every hand it will be found that, when spiritual things are under discussion, the human side and element is pressed and stressed, and the Divine side, if not altogether ignored, is relegated to the background. Alternatively, God is taken as a "Santa Klaus"that has to satisfy our caprices. This holds true of very much of the modern teaching about prayer. In the great majority of the books written and in the sermons preached upon prayer the human element fills the scene almost entirely: it is the conditions which we must meet, the promises we must "claim,"The things we must do in order to get our requests granted; and God's claims, God's rights, God's glory are disregarded.

Gods Sovereignty and Prayer   (40 KB)   
I am often asked, "If you believe God works all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11) and that his knowledge of all things past, present, and future is infallible, then what is the point of praying that anything happen?"Usually this question is asked in relation to human decision: "If God has predestined some to be his sons and chosen them before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4,5), then what's the point in praying for anyone's conversion?"

  Pray According to Jesus   (62 KB)   
By prayer it is intended a humble request of help to a person superior to ourselves that has the ability to supply for our needs, whilst we cannot. Prayer includes actions such as these: adoration, confessions, imploration, asking, make petition, request, expressing desire, humbling oneself with much thanking, in the view that everything depends on God.  Prayer is always an act of submission to another superior to ourselves.

  Does Prayer Change Anything?   (37 KB)   
As central as prayer is to the Christian life, there is a great deal of confusion over its purpose. Many believe that prayer is God’s prescribed method of asking Him for things. Others believe that prayer is simply communication with God. Still others believe that prayer is a way to learn God’s will. In reality, prayer is all of these things and none of these things. Prayer is asking God for things, communicating with Him, and a way to learn His will, but it isn’t ONLY any of these. Reducing prayer to any one of these (or any other number of descriptions) misses the most important part of why God has ordained that prayer should be regularly employed by His people. Prayer isn’t for God’s sake, it’s for ours.

  Understanding Prayer   (35 KB)   
To understand Prayer we must understand who God is.