The practice of prayer How should we pray?

Kitahara Family (keiichi, ayumi and zen)

The practice of prayer How should we pray?

Practice of Prayer Prayer should be practiced in humility Prayer should be practiced with persistence Prayer should be practiced in Christian community. Prayer should include asking things from/of God, but should not be limited to only that Prayer should have a healthy other-person focus Prayer should have a focus on spiritual growth and development.

Practice of Prayer 1. Prayer should be practiced in humility

Matthew 6:5–8 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Practice of Prayer 1. Prayer should be practiced in humility Motivation of prayer Attitude in prayer

Luke 8:9-14 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers— or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Practice of Prayer 2. Prayer should be practiced with persistence

Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Practice of Prayer 2. Prayer should be practiced with persistence Urgency Dependency Understood authority

Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Practice of Prayer 3. Prayer should be practiced in Christian community

Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers

ACTS 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 4:31-32 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.’ All the believers were one in heart and mind…’

Practice of Prayer 4. Prayer should include asking things from/of God, but should not be limited to only that. 5. Prayer should have a healthy other-person focus

ACTS MODEL Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication

Practice of Prayer 6. Prayer should have a focus on spiritual growth and development.

Ephesians 1:18 “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

Philippians 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight”

Practice of Prayer Prayer should be practiced in humility Prayer should be practiced with persistence Prayer should be practiced in Christian community. Prayer should include asking things from/of God, but should not be limited to only that Prayer should have a healthy other-person focus Prayer should have a focus on spiritual growth and development.

Practice OF PRAYER If you change nothing, nothing will change… Pray that God will help us put practices in place in order to cultivate passionate prayer lives for Him