A Simple Guide to Prayer: A Simple Guide to, #2

Contents

Chapter 1 - A Simple Guide?

Chapter 2 - How Prayer Began

Chapter 3 - Pray Without Ceasing

Chapter 4 - The Content of our Prayers

Chapter 5 - Gratitude

Chapter 6 - Posture and Place

Chapter 7 - Purity

Chapter 8 - The Prayer Meeting

Chapter 9 - Practical Advice

Chapter 1

A SIMPLE GUIDE?

Perhaps the title of this booklet is a little misleading since it uses the word simple in connection with prayer! There is a simplicity about prayer, because basically, it is just speaking to God, but there is a complexity about it as well. For example, the Bible tells us that we know not what we should pray for as we ought (Rom 8.26), indicating that there are circumstances in which we are at a loss to know how best to frame our requests. Like ourselves, the disciples were aware of being out of their depth and, on one occasion when the Lord had finished praying, one of them said, Teach us to pray (Lk 11.1). In the subsequent verses in what is commonly called The Lord’s Prayer, the Saviour outlined a framework that gives guidance about how to structure our prayers. He followed that by telling a parable and then giving teaching that would encourage us to be bold, persistent and expectant when we do speak to our Father. The point is though, the request of that disciple shows that we need to be taught to pray.

A previous publication gave simple guidance for Bible study, and to complement that, this is an attempt to cover some of the Bible’s teaching about prayer. We will base this on the Bible’s teaching, and will deliberately avoid anecdotes from modern life such as remarkable answers to prayers that have been recorded in some interesting contemporary biographies. Doubtless, incorporating some of these stories would lighten the reading for you, but instead, I will just appeal to you to hang in there!

In the Christian life, Bible reading and prayer are inseparable, for time spent alone in fellowship with God is a strong foundation for our spiritual lives. His Word is the means by which He communicates to us, and even as we read we can respond to Him in prayer as He provides encouragement, or issues a command, or gives an exhortation. Sometimes what we read makes an impression, or brings conviction to our hearts that makes us want to respond, and so we speak to our Father. As we read, He speaks to us, and as we pray, we speak to Him and thus the link of communion is forged.

Undoubtedly, there is something puzzling about prayer. We know from the Word that we are petitioning a God Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will (Eph 1.11), and so we refer to Him as being sovereign. Who hath been his counsellor? (Rom 11.34). He does not need advisors, He cannot be influenced, and His purpose is fixed. Does that mean that if what He has decreed is rigid, it is pointless to appeal to Him? No, that would be a false perception.

Scripture does tell us that The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (Jas 5.16), and Elijah is cited as an example of that. So