TheosGuy

John Piper in his book When I Don’t Desire God provides an acronym for how he prays over the Word in his fight for joy. Or in another context, Piper suggested this method for a person who was wanting to know how to invigorate his desire for the Word. The acronymn for prayer follows the words of the Psalmist.

I — Incline

Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! [Psalm 119:36 ESV]

O – Open

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. [Psalm 119:18 ESV]

U – Unite

Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. [Psalm 86:11 ESV]

S – Satisfy

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. [Psalm 90:14 ESV]

Tags: Acronymns, Bible, Desire, Piper, Prayer, Word

Prayer to start reading the Word with: Psa 136
Prayer to start the morning: 1 Chronicles 4:10

Tags: Bibliology, Prayer

There is a common question of whether or not it is right to also pray to Jesus, rather than just to the Father. Here is a passage from the New Testament that would indicate that it is appropriate to pray to Jesus.

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”—John 14:13-14 (NASB)

In addition, the following thoughts are from Wayne Grudem’s audio message, “Jesus as Prophet and Priest” at approximately 26 minutes into the message.

Best to look to to Epistles of the New Testament.

1. In Acts 7:59, where Stephen prayed “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” The word “Lord” (kurios) most often refers in the New Testament to Christ, while “God” refers most often, in context, to the Father.
2. In Acts 1, when choosing the the apostolic replacement for Judas: “Lord show us which one to choose.” Prayer to Christ (see 1 above re: “Lord”).
3. “Maranatha (Lord Come)” is a prayer to Jesus Christ (see 1 above re: “Lord”). See Rev 22:20 NASB and 1 Cor 16:22 NASB
4. Paul prays to the Lord in 2 Cor 12 (see 1 above re: “Lord”).
5. The epistle of Hebrews generally denotes Jesus as our mediator and high priest (e.g., Hebr 8:1, 6), and therefore it would seem appropriate for Him to receive our requests.
6. Anytime during the Gospels where someone made a request to Jesus to heal, raise from the dead, to save, etc. was the same as we consider of prayer requests (e.g., Mat 8:1-10).

Tags: Christ, Prayer

Following is a short study on prayer.  It is not exhaustive by any means.

WHY PRAY?

• The prayer of a righteous man avails much—James 5:16
• Lest we enter into temptation—Matthew 26:41
• Jesus commanded us to pray—Luke 18:1

WHEN TO PRAY?

• The Lord prayed all night—Luke 6:12
• Evening, morning and at noon—Psalm 55:17
• Continually—Acts 6:4
• Without ceasing—1 Thessalonians 5:17
• In affliction—James 5:13
• In sickness—James 5:16

HOW TO PRAY?

• In the Spirit—Ephesians 6:18
• Fervently—Colossians 4:12
• With understanding—1 Corinthians 14:14-15
• Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting—1 Timothy 2:8
• In faith, with no doubting-James 1:6

WHAT TO PRAY FOR?

• To send out laborers for the harvest—Matthew 9:37-38
• For all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life—1 Timothy 2:1-2
• To be filled with the knowledge of God’s will—Colossians 1:9
• To walk worthy of the Lord and to please Him—Colossians 1:10
• For those who spitefully use you and persecute you— Matthew 5:44
• For all of our needs—Philippians 4:6
  

The above outline was inspired and adapted from an outline of the same name in the book, Twelve Baskets Full of Original Bible Outlines.¹

1. “Prayer—A Bible Study,” Twelve Baskets Full of Original Bible Outlines, Pickering Hy. (Editor). London: Pickering & Inglis, 1918. p. 17.

Tags: HyP, Prayer

Here are some Scriptures that tell us about what happens when we do not come to the LORD in prayer!

• They were deceived by the Gibeonites.

Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. (Joshua 9:14 NKJV)

• Praying for God’s people is God’s will. To stop praying for them is sin.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. (1 Samuel 12:23 NKJV)

• To pray to false gods is to say that the One True God does not exist!

Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” (2 Kings 1:16 NKJV)

• To seek spiritual guidance from demonic forces rather the God can result in dire consequences.

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. (1 Chronicles 10:13-14 NKJV)

• If we do not seek God in our daily living, it too can have dire consequences. David did not consult the LORD on the proper method to transport the Ark of the Covenant. As a result, Uzza died trying to “save” the Ark from falling (1 Chronicles 13:7-14).

For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order. (1 Chronicles 15:13 NKJV)

• The Apostles were unable to cast out a demon because it required prayer and fasting.

So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29 NKJV)

Tags: Prayer

Following an explanation of John Piper’s acronymn APTAT. The excerpt is from an article at Desiring God.

• A – I acknowledge that without Christ I can do nothing (John 15:5; Romans 7:18).
• P – I pray that God would make me love as Jesus loves, and work in me all that is pleasing to him (1 Thessalonians 2:12; Romans 5:21; Hebrews 13:21).
• T – I trust the promise of God’s help and strength and guidance (Isaiah 41:10; James 1:5-6).
• A – I act in obedience to God’s word. Doug Heil asked me last Sunday if Philippians 2:12 fit my acronym: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”? I said yes, because look at the ground clause which follows: “for it is God who works in you to will and to do his good pleasure.” Yes! Yes! We act. We obey! But what keeps this action from being a “work of law” is that we have acknowledged our helplessness, prayed for enablement, and trusted that precisely in and under our working and willing it is God who does the work! Therefore our act is a fruit of the Spirit not a work of the flesh.
• T – I thank God for whatever good comes. I give him the glory (1 Peter 4:11).

Tags: Living, Prayer

What wonders it has wrought! Intercessory prayer has stayed plagues (Exodus 7-11). Intercessory prayer has healed diseases. We know it did in the early church. It has restored withered limbs. Intercessory prayer has raised the dead 1 Kings 17. As to how many souls intercessory prayer has instrumentally saved, recording angel, you can tell! Eternity, you shall reveal! There is nothing which intercessory prayer cannot do.—7.453

God will bless Elijah and send rain on Israel, but Elijah must pray for it. If the chosen nation is to prosper, Samuel must plead for it. If the Jews are to be delivered, Daniel must intercede. God shall bless Paul, and the nations shall be converted through him, but Paul must pray. Pray he did without ceasing, his epistles show that he expected nothing except by asking for it.—28:548

Tags: Prayer, Quotes