Our focus this Wednesday is abiding in Christ, though good times and bad. We will learn in our lesson this morning that God makes us a powerful promise if we can meet the conditions he lays out for us. Read on to discover what this promise is, and what you might need to do to better conform to God's desire for you.
ASSIGNMENT:
Read John 15:1-11
This discourse of Jesus occurs during His last hours with His disciples before the crucifixion. As John relates the events of that evening (in chapters 13 – 17), we sense that our Lord is trying to cram all He can into the few hours He has left. His lessons and prayers in this section are intense … full of warnings and promises.
1. Read again verses 7 and 8 of John 15. Write the promise (only the promise) of :7 in your notebook.
Now write what follows “If” at the beginning of :7.
If you abide in me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you (NASB). Andrew Murray (With Christ in the School of Prayer) says that God’s promises and conditions are inseparable.
Tony Ash (Pray Always) warns us that much of our contemporary culture’s understanding of prayer comes from writers and TV evangelists who take some liberties … and who may disregard the if you abide in Me… condition.
*Discussion Question*
(Please click the "Let's Discuss" link on the right to share your ideas on the discussion board and read the thoughts of the fellow studiers. This discussion thread will be under the title "Abiding in Christ")
2. What kind of attitudes/beliefs/practices or life-styles do you think would indicate one is abiding in Christ Jesus?
Additional insight on praying can be found in James' letter.
READ James 1:1-8 and notice what he says about the role of trials in our lives and also about praying, wisdom, faith, and unanswered prayers.
In light of this James passage, consider the following:
3. What have been some of the most difficult trials you’ve experienced/or are currently experiencing? How have those trials impacted your life? Your attitude/character? Your faith?
4. Have you ever been tested to the point that you doubted in God or doubted that His plans were for your good? (Suggested extra reading: Rom 8:26-39) This might be a good time to take those doubts to Him … sometimes we might pray, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” (Suggested reading: Mark 9: 14-24)
5. As James reminds us of what trials can accomplish in our lives, he tells us we should pray for wisdom. How does he describe God’s response to such a prayer? What “conditions” does James include?
Lord, teach us to pray
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Session II, Day 1
Welcome back this slightly cooler Monday. In the Bible, we read that Jesus apparently taught the Lord’s Prayer on 2 occasions: one appears in Matthew 6 and the other in Luke 11. In Matthew’s gospel, the setting is within His Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7). In Luke’s gospel, the disciples see Jesus praying and then ask Him for help:
We began looking at the Lords’ Prayer in Matt. 6 on Friday and will spend more time there today.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. READ Matt 6:1-7 and 16-18 and summarize (in your notebook) what Jesus taught His disciples in these verses.
Notice that Jesus begins this discourse by saying: Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen of them. He proceeds with a discussion on the nature of giving, prayer, and fasting; we might call these, “acts of personal devotion.” Notice the way Jesus introduces each act: WHEN you give to the needy; WHEN you pray; WHEN you fast.
2. What is Jesus assuming here? He warns them of a common human tendency that could occur in any of the three activities. What is that?
3. READ Matt 6:9-13. What are the three petitions that relate directly to God? What are the three petitions that relate to man?
4. Pray the Lord’s Prayer as it is written (you may recite it from memory, or read it from the text). Now pray the prayer a second time, as you elaborate with your own personal petitions.
For example:
* Our Father - You may want to thank God for your relationship with Him (Father/daughter or son).
* Hallowed be Your name – you may want to spend time in praising Him and His name. (If you need help here, you can find beautiful words of praise in the Psalms)* Your kingdom come, Your will be done – you might express a yearning regarding joining Him in His heavenly kingdom. Or you may express your desire in becoming bolder in sharing the news of the kingdom with someone you love. You may wish to pray that you will grow in your understanding of how His will needs to find expression in your life here and now.
These are just a few examples to get you started. Continue practicing this way of praying each day. There are blessings in store – as you find ways to make this prayer more personal and still follow the pattern the Lord left us.
Lord, teach us to pray
Lord, teach us to pray as John taught His disciples.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. READ Matt 6:1-7 and 16-18 and summarize (in your notebook) what Jesus taught His disciples in these verses.
Notice that Jesus begins this discourse by saying: Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen of them. He proceeds with a discussion on the nature of giving, prayer, and fasting; we might call these, “acts of personal devotion.” Notice the way Jesus introduces each act: WHEN you give to the needy; WHEN you pray; WHEN you fast.
2. What is Jesus assuming here? He warns them of a common human tendency that could occur in any of the three activities. What is that?
3. READ Matt 6:9-13. What are the three petitions that relate directly to God? What are the three petitions that relate to man?
4. Pray the Lord’s Prayer as it is written (you may recite it from memory, or read it from the text). Now pray the prayer a second time, as you elaborate with your own personal petitions.
For example:
* Our Father - You may want to thank God for your relationship with Him (Father/daughter or son).
* Hallowed be Your name – you may want to spend time in praising Him and His name. (If you need help here, you can find beautiful words of praise in the Psalms)* Your kingdom come, Your will be done – you might express a yearning regarding joining Him in His heavenly kingdom. Or you may express your desire in becoming bolder in sharing the news of the kingdom with someone you love. You may wish to pray that you will grow in your understanding of how His will needs to find expression in your life here and now.
These are just a few examples to get you started. Continue practicing this way of praying each day. There are blessings in store – as you find ways to make this prayer more personal and still follow the pattern the Lord left us.
Lord, teach us to pray
Friday, September 24, 2010
Session I, Day 3
How did Wednesday's lesson go? I hope you got an opportunity to post some of your insights on the discussion board. It is such a valuable way to keep us "onliners" connected. As a reminder, the disscussion board is not restricted to answering only questions posed by the moderators. You are encouraged to use it to ask your own questions and bounce ideas off of eachother. So don't be shy!
ASSIGNMENT:
Fred Hartley, author of the workbook, Lord, Teach us to Pray, says that his purpose in writing his book was to “lead you into an encounter with God and mentor you to enjoy a consistent, relevant, lifelong prayer life that is more lifestyle than legalism and more delight than duty.”
1. Currently would you describe your prayer life as one of duty or delight?
2. Read Psalm 16:11 and fill in the blanks: You have made known to me the _______ of _________; You will fill me with _______ in Your presence, with eternal __________ at Your right hand. ( NIV)
3. Had you ever considered that one of God’s purposes in calling you into His presence is to fill you with joy?
4. Before reading the Lord’s Prayer * in Matthew 6, let’s consider the context. Jesus begins the discourse traditionally referred to as the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5. Work your way through that chapter and write down some of the issues Jesus addresses. Some believe that the point of that chapter (or perhaps of the whole sermon) is stated in 5:48. Write out that verse now.
5. What does the N.T. teach about perfection/holiness/blamelessness? You may want to refer to a concordance.
6. Now read Matthew 6:1-15
(* Most students of the Bible refer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 as the High Priestly Prayer – or as the “real” Lord’s Prayer; and the prayer in Luke 11 and Matt. 6 as the Model Prayer or Disciples’ Prayer. However, since we are most familiar with the term, Lord’s Prayer, we will refer to it as such throughout this study.)
Lord, teach us to pray and
let the words of my heart and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O lord, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
ASSIGNMENT:
Fred Hartley, author of the workbook, Lord, Teach us to Pray, says that his purpose in writing his book was to “lead you into an encounter with God and mentor you to enjoy a consistent, relevant, lifelong prayer life that is more lifestyle than legalism and more delight than duty.”
1. Currently would you describe your prayer life as one of duty or delight?
2. Read Psalm 16:11 and fill in the blanks: You have made known to me the _______ of _________; You will fill me with _______ in Your presence, with eternal __________ at Your right hand. ( NIV)
3. Had you ever considered that one of God’s purposes in calling you into His presence is to fill you with joy?
4. Before reading the Lord’s Prayer * in Matthew 6, let’s consider the context. Jesus begins the discourse traditionally referred to as the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5. Work your way through that chapter and write down some of the issues Jesus addresses. Some believe that the point of that chapter (or perhaps of the whole sermon) is stated in 5:48. Write out that verse now.
5. What does the N.T. teach about perfection/holiness/blamelessness? You may want to refer to a concordance.
6. Now read Matthew 6:1-15
(* Most students of the Bible refer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 as the High Priestly Prayer – or as the “real” Lord’s Prayer; and the prayer in Luke 11 and Matt. 6 as the Model Prayer or Disciples’ Prayer. However, since we are most familiar with the term, Lord’s Prayer, we will refer to it as such throughout this study.)
Lord, teach us to pray and
let the words of my heart and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O lord, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Session I, Day 2
Isaiah 30:18 – the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him. (NASB)
Our Father is a God who longs for His children & has created us with a longing for Him in return. This is part of our DNA – part of being created in His image. Louie Giglio, author of The Air I Breathe, wrote “You’ve been created by God. And if that wasn’t enough, you’ve also been created for Him. As a result, there’s an internal homing device riveted deep within your soul that perpetually longs for your Maker. An internal, God-ward magnet, pulling your being toward Him.”
In the passage quoted above, Isaiah wrote that those who long for God are blessed. Too many in this world have replaced their natural, innate longing for God with an unnatural longing for the “bling” of the world – and will never be satisfied, much less blessed!
ASSIGNMENT:
You will find, as you read through today's assignment, that many of the questions call for personal reflection. We encourage you to do your best to remove any distractions, to take your time in answering these questions and to write those answers in your notebook for referencing later on.
1. Are you aware of this innate longing for God? What are some ways this longing finds expression in your life?
One of the ways we express this longing is, of course, through prayer.
2. How would you define prayer? Write out that definition now.
3. List some purposes of prayer. What are some of the benefits (for you)?
*Discussion Question*
(Please click the "Let's Discuss" link on the right to share your ideas on the discussion board and read the thoughts of the fellow studiers. This discussion thread will be under the title "God's Purposes for Prayer")
4. Review your list of purposes and attempt to see it through God’s eyes. Do you think His list would be similar to yours? What do you think is God’s highest purpose for prayer?
5. Most of us encounter hindrances of one kind or another as we pray. A few are listed below:
1) Inherent difficulties as the finite communicate with The Infinite One
2) The matter of unanswered prayers (more precisely, denied requests) of the past
3) Busy lives/misplaced priorities – it takes time to pray. In Acts 6 the apostles appointed others to care for some of the needs of church so they could spend more time teaching and PRAYING.
4) Even with discipline and set times for prayer, our minds wander or we fall asleep before the ‘Amen.’
5) Do we really want God’s will to be done in every area of our lives?
Tony Ash writes, “Most of us may want divine help some of the time. But we have those pockets of life where we cannot imagine changing.” Absolute trust/submission does not come easy – but that is what our Lord wants. (Sometimes we may pray, “Lord, help my unbelief, help me want to want to submit without reservation to You.”)
6) Beware! The last thing the devil wants to see is us on our knees. As we commit to praying more like Jesus, the temptations may become more intense and the hindrances more of a hindrance. Paul warned the Ephesians that their struggle was not against other folk – but against the powers of darkness and the spiritual forces of evil.
You may have encountered hindrances/difficulties not mentioned here. Again, as you pray, be honest with God, confess your “hang-ups”; ask for Him to search me, O God, and know my heart…see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Remember to ask the Lord today to teach us to pray.
Our Father is a God who longs for His children & has created us with a longing for Him in return. This is part of our DNA – part of being created in His image. Louie Giglio, author of The Air I Breathe, wrote “You’ve been created by God. And if that wasn’t enough, you’ve also been created for Him. As a result, there’s an internal homing device riveted deep within your soul that perpetually longs for your Maker. An internal, God-ward magnet, pulling your being toward Him.”
In the passage quoted above, Isaiah wrote that those who long for God are blessed. Too many in this world have replaced their natural, innate longing for God with an unnatural longing for the “bling” of the world – and will never be satisfied, much less blessed!
ASSIGNMENT:
You will find, as you read through today's assignment, that many of the questions call for personal reflection. We encourage you to do your best to remove any distractions, to take your time in answering these questions and to write those answers in your notebook for referencing later on.
1. Are you aware of this innate longing for God? What are some ways this longing finds expression in your life?
One of the ways we express this longing is, of course, through prayer.
2. How would you define prayer? Write out that definition now.
3. List some purposes of prayer. What are some of the benefits (for you)?
*Discussion Question*
(Please click the "Let's Discuss" link on the right to share your ideas on the discussion board and read the thoughts of the fellow studiers. This discussion thread will be under the title "God's Purposes for Prayer")
4. Review your list of purposes and attempt to see it through God’s eyes. Do you think His list would be similar to yours? What do you think is God’s highest purpose for prayer?
5. Most of us encounter hindrances of one kind or another as we pray. A few are listed below:
1) Inherent difficulties as the finite communicate with The Infinite One
2) The matter of unanswered prayers (more precisely, denied requests) of the past
3) Busy lives/misplaced priorities – it takes time to pray. In Acts 6 the apostles appointed others to care for some of the needs of church so they could spend more time teaching and PRAYING.
4) Even with discipline and set times for prayer, our minds wander or we fall asleep before the ‘Amen.’
5) Do we really want God’s will to be done in every area of our lives?
Tony Ash writes, “Most of us may want divine help some of the time. But we have those pockets of life where we cannot imagine changing.” Absolute trust/submission does not come easy – but that is what our Lord wants. (Sometimes we may pray, “Lord, help my unbelief, help me want to want to submit without reservation to You.”)
6) Beware! The last thing the devil wants to see is us on our knees. As we commit to praying more like Jesus, the temptations may become more intense and the hindrances more of a hindrance. Paul warned the Ephesians that their struggle was not against other folk – but against the powers of darkness and the spiritual forces of evil.
You may have encountered hindrances/difficulties not mentioned here. Again, as you pray, be honest with God, confess your “hang-ups”; ask for Him to search me, O God, and know my heart…see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Remember to ask the Lord today to teach us to pray.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Session I, Day 1
It is day one of our exploration into the topic of prayer! You may already be a regular with God, but if you are like most of us – you are not the prayer warrior you would like to be. Our hope is that this study will provide you with additional tools taken from the examples and specific instructions left to us by Jesus to enhance your conversations with God.
We would recommend you having a notebook available to jot down notes, answers to questions, and discoveries you may make while in study.
ASSIGNMENT:
Read Luke 11:1-4
The disciples said to Jesus “_____________________________”
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and evidently they learned their lesson well! The Lord’s last instructions to them before His ascension were to wait for what the Father promised (Acts 1:4). As they waited, they prayed, and received the promised Spirit. As the story in Acts unfolded, those prayers continued.
The lame walked,
the blind were given sight,
demons were cast out,
Dorcas was raised from the dead,
prison doors were opened.
And thousands believed, were baptized, and saved!
The apostles who had deserted Jesus a few weeks earlier now stood before the Sanhedrin with courage – the same court that had condemned their Lord. They endured all sorts of persecution. They endured because they had learned their lesson well. They had learned to pray. And, in so doing, they were continuing Jesus’ work through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Please spend the remainder of the time you set aside for today’s lesson in prayer. *Be honest with God and be yourself. After all, He knows your zip code, He knows what you had for breakfast, He not only knows your fingerprint, He gave it to you. So put away the flowery religious clichés. You will see, over the course of our study, that Jesus doesn’t tolerate phonies. On the other hand, He made you and understands all that has gone into making you – you. (*comments adapted w/permission from Lord Teach us to Pray, NavPress)
Last Wednesday morning the ladies who meet at the building committed to praying daily, Lord, teach us to pray. Please join us – daily – in that prayer. God is faithful, we will surely be blessed and His name glorified!
We would recommend you having a notebook available to jot down notes, answers to questions, and discoveries you may make while in study.
ASSIGNMENT:
Read Luke 11:1-4
The disciples said to Jesus “_____________________________”
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and evidently they learned their lesson well! The Lord’s last instructions to them before His ascension were to wait for what the Father promised (Acts 1:4). As they waited, they prayed, and received the promised Spirit. As the story in Acts unfolded, those prayers continued.
The lame walked,
the blind were given sight,
demons were cast out,
Dorcas was raised from the dead,
prison doors were opened.
And thousands believed, were baptized, and saved!
The apostles who had deserted Jesus a few weeks earlier now stood before the Sanhedrin with courage – the same court that had condemned their Lord. They endured all sorts of persecution. They endured because they had learned their lesson well. They had learned to pray. And, in so doing, they were continuing Jesus’ work through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Please spend the remainder of the time you set aside for today’s lesson in prayer. *Be honest with God and be yourself. After all, He knows your zip code, He knows what you had for breakfast, He not only knows your fingerprint, He gave it to you. So put away the flowery religious clichés. You will see, over the course of our study, that Jesus doesn’t tolerate phonies. On the other hand, He made you and understands all that has gone into making you – you. (*comments adapted w/permission from Lord Teach us to Pray, NavPress)
Last Wednesday morning the ladies who meet at the building committed to praying daily, Lord, teach us to pray. Please join us – daily – in that prayer. God is faithful, we will surely be blessed and His name glorified!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Welcome!
Lord, Teach us to Pray
“They sound like innocuous, almost harmless little words. Only five of them. But don’t be fooled. This might be the most dangerous little prayer you ever say to God. It has the potential to radically transform your life. Once you learn to pray, there is nothing that God wants you to have that you can’t receive from Him.” *(copied with permission from Lord, Teach us to Pray workbook)
With that promise in mind, we welcome you to the Brentwood Women’s Online Bible Study. We are thrilled that you have chosen to log in today, and hope you find your way back here in the coming weeks. I am so excited about our “Lord, Teach Us to Pray” study and the applicable wisdom we will all gain! By the year’s end we will be better equipped to go deeper into relationship and conversation with Our Father. I cannot think of a better blessing!
Overview:
Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday scripture readings with brief comments and questions for you to consider will be posted on this site. These notes and questions will be taken from the material used in the Ladies’ Bible Class that meets on Wednesday mornings in the parlor at BOCC. The first assignment will be posted on Monday, September 20th.
Let’s Discuss:
We will be utilizing our discussion board during this study to share our ideas and questions. To post a comment, pose a question, or reply to another student’s comments/questions, click the link on the sidebar under the heading, “Let’s Discuss.” This will take you to the Brentwood Women’s Google Groups page where you will see ongoing discussion links posted or where you can begin your own discussion.
Catching Up:
If you should miss a day and wish to access an earlier assignment look under the sidebar heading “Blog Archive” for a list of all previous posts. Click the title of the assignment you need and it will be opened for you.
Need Help?:
Contact us via email at BrentwoodWomen@gmail.com, Megan.Drennon@gmail.com, or amanda.a.pollard@gmail.com.
* We wish to express our appreciation to NavPress for permission to use and adapt some of the questions from their workbook, Lord, Teach us to Pray, (2003 by Fred A. Hartley III) for this online study. (Permission granted by Cindy Caruso, Royalties, Rights & Permission @ www.navpress.com)
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