HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 260
page A258
Prayer continued
almost countless pages of the Bible as the very essence of a faith relationship with the
living God. Simple enough for a child to understand and yet so profound we spend a
lifetime plumbing its depths, prayer assumes that it is possible for us to have an intimate
relationship with a God who hears, cares, and is able to act.
What is prayer?
• 2 C H R O NI C L E S 7 :1 4 | “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble
themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from
heaven.”
Prayer is a conversation with God. It is simply talking with God and listening to him, honestly
telling him your thoughts and feelings, praising him, thanking him, confessing sin, and asking for his help and advice. The essence of prayer is humbly entering the very presence of
almighty God.
• PSA L M 3 8 :1 8 | But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
• 1 J O H N 1 :9 | But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Prayer often begins with a confession of sin. It is through confession that you demonstrate
the humility necessary for open lines of communication with the almighty, holy God.
P
• 1 S A MU E L 1 4 :3 6 | But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”
• 2 S A MU E L 5 :1 9 | So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines?”
Prayer is asking God for guidance and waiting for his direction and leading.
HelpFinder
• MA R K 1 :3 5 | Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated
place to pray. (See note on page 896.)
Prayer is an expression of an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father, who makes
his own love and resources available to you. Just as you enjoy being with people you love,
you enjoy spending time with God as you get to know him better and understand just how
much he loves you.
• PSA L M 9 :1 -2 | I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart. . . . I will sing praises to your
name, O Most High.
Through prayer we praise our mighty God.
• 1 C H R O NI C L E S 1 7 :1 6 -1 8 | “Who am I, O Lord God . . . that you have brought me this far?
. . . You know what your servant is really like.”
Prayer is humbly acknowledging our humanness in relation to God’s greatness and
perfection.
• 1 S A MU E L 3 :1 0 | And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel
replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Good conversation also includes listening, so make time for God to speak to you. When
you listen to God, he will make his wisdom and plan known to you.
Why is prayer important?
• MAT T H E W 7 :7 -1 1 | “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on
seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. . . . You
parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? . . . Of
course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
There’s more to prayer than just getting an answer to a question or a solution for a problem.
God often does more in your heart through the act of prayer than he does in actually answering your prayer. As you persist in talking and listening you often gain greater understanding
of yourself, your situation, your motivation, God’s nature, and direction for your life.
• PH I L I P P I A NS 4 :6 -7 | Pray about everything. . . . Then you will experience God’s peace. (See
note on page 1075.)
Prayer brings peace of mind and heart.