CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD - INTRODUCTION
HOW IT BEGAN: Quite a few years ago our pastor asked me to compile a weekly prayer list that could be reproduced in the Sunday Bulletin. Prayer was certainly an important part of my spiritual life at that point, but I was uncertain as to whether weekly commitment to gathering prayer requests from others was something I was called to. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of a wonderful journey of prayer and caring for others in my Christian life.
PRAYER – WHAT IS IT? Prayer is the breathing of the soul of man towards his Creator. Ray Stedman calls prayer “the Christian’s native breath.” Any communication between a man, a woman or a child with God is a prayer. Prayer is worship in words, thoughts, even song. It is a conversation whereby we adore Him and are invited to ask Him for His favor. Too often we make prayer into a one-sided affair where we do all the talking. But God wants to talk to us and He does so through His Spirit, His people, and through the Bible. It is important to stop and listen, to open our hearts up to the voice of the Lord as we bring our requests before Him. Sometimes I find that my prayer journal is merely a list of names which acts as a prompt to pray for a person; some for health, others for salvation and still others for a variety of reasons. These are important prayers and we are adjured to petition on behalf of others. However, if we look at the many prayers that are reproduced for us in scripture we will learn that both the Old and New Testament Saints talked to God about a great many things other than health, relationships, jobs, even the salvation of loved ones. There are many forms and modes of prayer that vary from praying God’s words back to Him, to thanksgiving, supplication, pleading for forgiveness and healing, for protection and even for vengeance on enemies. Many prayers are simply expressions of praise and gratitude to God. Others bring God glory through declaring His attributes and admitting our weakness and sin to Him. Above all prayer is a way to know God better.
CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD: Conversations with God should come as easily as conversations with those we love on earth. As we shall see, in the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God initiated conversation with Adam and Eve. The Lord still initiates communication with us by allowing or engineering situations in our lives that compel us to run to speak with Him. As you start thinking of prayer as a conversation, spend more time listening to Him. Don’t interrupt Him with your thoughts. Rather try to think His thoughts with Him. Keep in mind to whom you are praying, talking and listening. The better you get to know Him, especially through His word, the richer your conversation with Him will become. So often I hurry into prayer without pausing to worship. (Lord, forgive me.) I do not mean to insinuate that God would refuse to hear me. His ear is always attuned to His children. As a matter of fact, His ear is listening to all of creation. There are times when I just cry out from my heart, and underlying my cry is a confidence in God’s love, mercy and grace, and His desire to hear my prayer. Yet, in the quietness of my study, where I have chosen to enter and talk to my heavenly Father, acknowledgement of who God is and my gratitude toward Him, need to be expressed.
THE WORK OF PRAYER: Prayer is work. Of course, some prayer comes naturally, especially when we are troubled. But faithful prayer on a daily basis which includes worship, praise, and confession, as well as petitions, is hard work. It requires concentration of your thoughts to stay on target. Many saints of the past talked of “praying through.” What they meant was that a person should persevere in prayer until they sensed that God had answered. That does not necessarily mean that a situation itself has changed, but rather that a peaceful confidence in God’s provision has been reached.
OUR PATH: We will begin by examining Jesus’ teaching on prayer in Matthew 6. Then, starting in Genesis, we will examine some prayers from the Old Testament. I have access to a series of sermons by Ray Stedman and anticipate great blessings from the words of this godly pastor. Remember to do some of these lessons every day, not all in one sitting. Ask God in prayer to instruct you and encourage you as you seek to have conversations with Him.
CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD – STUDY QUESTIONS – LESSON ONE
1. The purpose of this study is to examine the modes of prayer presented in scripture and use them to encourage us in our individual prayer lives. In the space provided note what is your method or practice of prayer. Also, if you use devotional reading, record the name(s) and author(s) and tell how that has been encouraging to you in your prayer life.
2. WARM UP: (a) What areas do you find you pray about most often? (b). Do you sense that God is listening? (c) Has He answered some of your prayers? (d) Could you share some of your prayer experiences?
3. Perhaps the most often repeated prayer in Christendom is the one given in Matthew 6, known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Read Matthew 6:1-34 and answer the following questions:
A. Besides “The Lord’s Prayer” itself, what stands out to you in this chapter? What do you think is the main theme or repeated thought?
B. What specific instructions regarding prayer does our Lord give in verses 5 through 8?
C. Have you heard others pray or have you yourself prayed without regard to these instructions? How might adherence to these guide lines change your prayer life?
D. Now focus on the prayer itself, verses 9b through 13. See if you can divide it into topics (like praise, petition, etc.) and thus develop a pattern from the prayer that could be used in your own prayer life.
E. Try to explain why you think Jesus added verses 14 and 15 after giving His prayer.
4. Right from the beginning, God was in conversation with those whom He had created in His own image. Read Genesis 1:29-30, Genesis 2:15-25 and all of Genesis 3 and answer the following questions:
A. After Adam and Eve had disobeyed God and they were hiding in the garden, why do you think God called to them saying, “Where are you?” (Verse 9)
B. In the dialogue that follows, (Gen. 3:10-13) what do you think is the reason why they were hiding from God? Of what were they afraid?
C. Reread Gen.3:11-13. What two more questions did God ask and what was He trying to teach them by His inquiry? Of whom did God ask these questions?
5. (Personal) - Prayerfully consider the following questions for your own life.
A. Has there ever been a time when God called to you saying, “Where are you?
B. What was your response? Did you think you could hide or run from Him?
C. Do you tend to make excuses for your own failures or sins?
6. Read Genesis 3:14-24 and record your answers.
A. What were the curses to the serpent and the ground, and the consequences to man and the woman?
B. In what way do you see evidence of these pronouncements even today?
C. Try to explain the meaning of verse Genesis 3:15.
D. How is God’s grace displayed in Genesis 3:21 and why is this verse significant?
7. Express your gratitude to God for His perfect provision in a prayer of praise.