Lesson 10 for March 10, 2012

“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55: 17) Is it enough to pray three times a day? What can we learn from the next verses about the time for praying?  Matthew, 26: 41. We must pray when we feel temptation is near.  Luke, 18: 1. We must always pray and not lose heart.  1 Timothy, 2: 8. We must pray everywhere.  1 Thessalonians, 5: 17. We must pray without ceasing.  1 Peter, 4: 7. We must be watchful in our prayers.  Colossians, 4: 2. We must continue earnestly in prayer, with thanksgiving.  Romans, 12: 12. We must continue steadfastly in prayer. Why should we pray so much? Because prayer is powerful. It is the tool God has placed on our hands to open the gates of heaven, so we can contact our Father and receive His promises. Although we may not understand how it works, prayer changes our lives.

What would be the point of calling someone if we didn’t believe that person was real, that that phone number was his/hers and that he/she was able to talk to us? “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews, 11: 6) “It is our privilege to pray with confidence, the Spirit inditing our petitions. With simplicity we should state our needs to the Lord, and claim His promise” (E.G.W., “God’s Amazing Grace”, March 25) So is prayer, there’s no point in praying if we don’t believe God exists and He can talk to us. Every prayer is an act of faith.

Besides everything that has been said so far, prayer helps us in: Opening our heart before God. Presenting our needs, although when we know that God already knows them. Strengthen our faith, making it more real and practical. Connecting with God in a very personal way. Remembering that we are not ours, but we’ve been bought for a price. In how other ways does prayer help you in your daily life?

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James, 4: 3) “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (John, 16: 23) “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John, 5: 14-15) From experiences, we know that God doesn’t always answer our prayers how and when we want Him to do. Nevertheless, when we pray to God we are sure that: If we ask according to His will, He hears us. He always answers somehow.  With an immediate response.  With a delayed response.  With a response that we didn’t expect that catches us unawares.  With silence. Prayers for forgiveness of sins are always immediately answered.

We cannot expect God to do whatever we want Him to do without being willing to do whatever He asks us to do. Although we know that God’s acceptances is not based on our merit but on Christ’s merit, we need an attitude of humbleness and surrender to God’s will so He can act in our lives. “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles, 7: 14)

E.G.W. (Our High Calling, May 21)

In his baptism (Luke, 3: 21-22) Before choosing the 12 apostles (Lukes, 6: 12-13) Before the Transfiguration (Luke, 9: 28-29) After feeding the crowd, when they wanted to proclaim Him king (Matthew, 14: 23) When Peter was going to be shaken by Satan (Luke, 22: 31-32) After the Last Supper, an intercessor prayer (John, 17) At Gethsemane (Matthew, 26: 34-44; Hebrews, 5: 7) In which special occasions did Jesus pray?

Besides praying in special moments, what was Jesus’ habit on prayer? “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”” (Luke, 11: 1) Prayer was a usual habit for Jesus. If He, who was God, needed prayer to communicate with His Father while He lived on this earth, we need prayer much more to talk with our heavenly Father!

“The strength of Christ was in prayer.... Christ retired to the groves or mountains with the world and everything else shut out. He was alone with His Father. With intense earnestness, He poured out His supplications, and put forth all the strength of His soul in grasping the hand of the Infinite. When new and great trials were before Him, He would steal away to the solitude of the mountains, and pass the entire night in prayer to His heavenly Father. E.G.W. (Sons and Daughters of God, May 9) As Christ is our example in all things, if we imitate His example in earnest, importunate prayer to God that we may have strength in His name who never yielded to the temptations of Satan to resist the devices of the wily foe, we shall not be overcome by him”