Prayer
Oct. 8 2007
It’s one of those topics that has been written about, talked about, blogged about to no end.
This week I heard a creative consultant on a podcast encouraging creatives to “pray” as part of the creative process. I heard a musician describe her work as “prayer” to God or a higher power. I saw a health magazine article include “prayer” as an important part of well-being.
Despite all the talk it looks like our culture radically misunderstands prayer. And sadly, as a Christian I’m not always much better. I know that I should pray more but I’m not really motivated. Or after hearing many pastors give rules or steps about how to pray I can’t quite remember all the steps and I’m confused about what to actually do.
Yet thankfully, there is a place we can go to for real answers about prayer. In Luke 11 one of Jesus’ disciples did all of us a huge favor when he asked simply, “Lord, teach us to pray.” And for the next 12 verses Jesus answered.
To help you dig into this passage and important topic we’re recommending a message by Eric Simmons on Luke 11:1-3. You can download the message here (just right click and select “save as”).
Eric addresses three crucial questions in his message:
1. Who do we pray to?
2. What do we pray for?
3. How should we pray?
At first glance questions like those can seem too easy. But sometimes the simplest truths are the easiest to forget.
This is a message full of both the character of God and full of specific help for prayer. Eric helps us see God as our heavenly Father, and then, in light of that, how to pray to God. Then if you’re wondering what to pray for, trying borrowing God’s priorities—you’ll probably discover that the prayer list Jesus gives is more ambitious than you thought. Last, Eric explores the way Jesus the odd illustration of a man waking up a grumpy neighbor to show us what persistence looks like. With an infectious passion Eric encourages to make our requests known to our heavenly father; and not timidly, but boldly if we’re asking for things that glorify our father.
So driving to work this week or cooking dinner take a moment to listen to what Jesus, the Son of God, has to say about prayer.
Get the message now right here (just right click and select “save as”).