Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)

Transcription

Lesson 1
What is Prayer?
Hebrews 4.14-16
July 3, 2016
Scripture
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace
to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4.14-16]
Lesson Objectives
As we examine the concept of prayer this quarter, the
purpose of this lesson is to insure that the students
understand the following:
1. The nature of prayer.
2. How we arrive at the moment of prayer.
3. What things we can bring to God and what things we
should handle ourselves.
4. The importance of both speaking and listening in
prayer.
Introduction: Shining Star
Robert has been an Earth, Wind and Fire fan since he
was a child. The musical group provided the sound track
to his teenage years and played in the background of
many of the memorable events of his life. So, imagine his
Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
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joy when he won a back-stage pass to their concert. This
would be his opportunity to
meet his musical idols in
person.
As the concert
ended, Robert stood
backstage waiting. Maurice
White came off stage and
seeing Robert standing there,
he extended his hand and
spoke. In that moment, flooded with emotion, Robert
found himself unable to speak. All he could manage to do
was smile and shake Maurice’s hand. Frozen in time, he
stood there silently and watched as Maurice shook his
hand and walked away.
Meeting the Ultimate Super-Star
Robert’s experience is all too familiar. A star-struck
fan finally meets their idol and in that moment, too
overwhelmed with emotion, they are unable to speak. It is
easy to understand how being in the presence of someone
as great as your favorite singer or movie star might leave
you speechless. If this is how we might feel when we
meet human super stars, what should we expect to feel as
we stand before the one that created the very shining
stars illuminating the sky above?
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When we pray, we have been granted a back-stage
pass to meet the greatest of all time - God. We stand
before the one responsible for our very existence and the
creator of heaven and earth. In such a moment, it would
be understandable if we felt a little overwhelmed. When
you think about it, it is such a great blessing that God
thought enough of creation to allow us these moments of
communion with God. When we pray, we enjoy a moment
similar to the one described in Genesis where God walked
through the garden in the cool of the day and called out to
Adam and Eve for fellowship. God has created us to be in
communion with God and prayer is one of the ways in
which we experience that communion most intimately. If
we are to gain the most from this moment with God, we
should keep a few things in mind.
A Divine Invitation
Prayer is a moment of divine
invitation to fellowship intimately
with God. God is always available
and present to the believer. As
the psalmist wrote: “If I ascend
into heaven, You are there; If I
make my bed in hell, behold, You
are there.” [Psa. 139:8]
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It is in the moment of prayer that we have an
intentional time of communion with God. It is a time for us
to be in conversation with God and to receive from God.
Prayer is the lifeline of the believer and without prayer the
life of the believer becomes impoverished.
Any true
disciple of Christ must be disciplined and persistent in their
prayer life.
We must understand that we do not come to the
moment of prayer on our own. In fact, we pray because
God has extended an invitation to us to pray. You see,
there is nothing in us that would ever seek God on our
own. Even in the midst of great difficulty, we would only
look to ourselves and others for relief if not for God inviting
us in those moments to put our trust in God. Every part of
our natural being turns itself in the opposite direction of
God. But God loves us so much that he is constantly
inviting us, through the Holy Spirit, to come and commune
with God. Whenever you feel the need to pray, realize that
God is inviting you to do the very thing that is best for you.
God is calling you to prayer.
Tell God All About Your Problems
Secondly, prayer is about communicating to God
about all of the issues in your life. Peter reminds us to:
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
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God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your
care upon him; for he careth for you. [1 Peter 5:6-7]
God invites us to
spiritually sit down
with God and to tell
God everything that is
going on. Just as a
child might sit with
their father.
We
humble ourselves
before God realizing that we are unable to face all of the
challenges of life on our own. And guess what? We were
never meant to. We can go to God in prayer because God
has invited us to place our trust in God and our burdens
upon God. We can bring everything to God in prayer. We
may sometimes feel as though some of the concerns and
cares we have are too small to bring to God’s attention
and that these are things we should handle ourselves. But
we should ask ourselves the question: Isn’t everything
that we bring to God small to God?
Even our big
problems are only big to us. So we should not worry
about bringing small things to God because all of our
problem are small to God.
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Speaking and Listening
Finally, it is important to remember
that prayer is not just about talking to
God.
It is also a time when God
speaks to us. Prayer is not the only
means that God has of communicating
to us. God also speaks to us through
God’s Word and our experiences of
life. However, we should not miss the
opportunity to be in God’s presence in
prayer and to allow God to use this
moment to provide us with the direction and guidance we
need. That is why prayer should consist of moments of
silence. Or there should be moments in your prayer life
where your prayers take place in solitude. In our prayer
life we can be silent before the Lord and allow God to
speak to us.
There is so much more about prayer that we will
discuss in the lessons to come. Just remember that
prayer is one of the most important tools the believer has.
As the old adage of the church goes: No prayer. No
power. Little prayer. Little power. Much prayer. Much
power.
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Additional Resources
If you are interested in additional insight on this issue
of prayer, we invite you to try Right Now Media
(www.rightnow.org). On this site you will find a video
entitled, “A Call to Prayer” in which Matt Chandler
describes the invitation from God to pray. Subscribing to
Right Now Media is free for members of Mt. Zion. Just
send an email to Pastor ([email protected]) and he
will send you an invitation to join the church’s subscription.
From there you will have access to this, and many more,
valuable videos.
Questions
1. What do you understand to be the nature of prayer?
2. How do you arrive at the moment of prayer or know
when to pray?
3. What type of issues should you bring to God in
prayer and what should you keep to yourself?
4. What are things that you can do that will allow you to
hear from God in prayer? Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
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Lesson 2
What Happens When
We Pray?
July 10, 2016
Scripture
And when the servant of the man of God was
risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host
compassed the city both with horses and
chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my
master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear
not: for they that be with us are more than they
that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said,
LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may
see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the
young man; and he saw: and, behold, the
mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire
round about Elisha. [2 Kings 6:15-17]
Lesson Objectives
The purpose of today’s lesson is to insure students
1. We do not see ourselves or our lives as clearly as
we think.
2. Prayer ultimately asks God to let us see as God
sees.
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3. Seeing life as God sees our lives allows us to
respond differently to the conditions that we face.
Introduction: Trip to the Ophthalmologist’s
Office
As I have gotten older, it
has become a regular
experience to go to the
ophthalmologist’s office to
have an eye exam. It is
always frustrating when I
am asked to take off my
glasses and to read the
sign in front of me. (If I could read without my glasses,
why would I be here?) Honestly, its gotten so bad that I
resort to just guessing what’s on the sign in front of me. I
can't make out even the big letters anymore. At any
moment, I expect the doctor to just usher me outside and
introduce me to my seeing eye dog! No matter how
painful this process, eventually the doctor asks me to look
through a machine which contains lens that he can adjust
in front of me. Gradually this allows me to see even the
smallest letters more clearly.
What I always find
fascinating is that nothing has really changed. Its the
same sign in front of me but, because I have a different
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lens before me, I can see things that would otherwise be
unreadable before me.
Seeing More Clearly
The reality is that most of us go through life without
really seeing things clearly. We do not see ourselves,
others, or our circumstances clearly. You see, our spiritual
vision has been corrupted by sin. Ever since the fall, our
thinking and sight has been damaged causing us to see
life through a distorted lens. This means that we often see
ourselves better or worse than we are. We either think too
much of the little good that we do or hold on tightly to the
shame that our mistakes bring. We see those around us
through distorted lens often misunderstanding their
motives and actions. As a result, we either get offended
too quickly or put too much trust and faith in what others
say or think. Our distorted spiritual eyesight causes us to
see our environment incorrectly. We perceive obstacles
before us as too great or believe ourselves to be more
secure and safe than we truly are.
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Most importantly, we fail to see God for who God truly
is. Left to our own devices, we either don’t clearly see the
ways that God is working in the events of our lives or we
don’t see the ways in which God is caring for us in even
the most trying circumstances. More troubling, we don't
see the ways in which our actions, when they are contrary
to the will of God, grieve the heart of God and bring pain to
God as our creator.
Time To Get Our Eyes Checked
Prayer provides us with the opportunity to get our
spiritual eyes checked. When we come to God in prayer,
even though we might not always realize it, we are asking
God to help us see life as it truly is. It is in prayer that God
allows us to see ourselves, our lives, and others as God
sees them. This is what happens in the text we have
before us. Elisah has followed the will of God but it has
gotten him into trouble and he finds himself surrounded by
the enemy. In fact, it is his servant who, going about his
daily routine, discovers that he and Elisah have been
surrounded. He immediately goes to Elisah, asking what
should they do in this circumstance. Elisah prays an
unusual prayer. He does not ask God for deliverance. He
does not make a plea to God for help. Instead, he asks
God to open the eyes of his servant so that the servant
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can see what Elisah sees: That God has already provided
help and its all around them.
When we go to God in
prayer, we are often just
like the servant.
Many
times it is the sudden
appearance of trouble that
has brought us to the
moment of prayer. But as
we lay out petitions before
the Lord, God does
something wonderful.
God adjusts our spiritual
sight so that we might see
what God sees.
In the course of telling God about our problems, God
will allow us to see that God is present and using our
circumstances for the good.
What Good is Sight?
Now you might ask yourself, why does seeing things
as God sees them matter? Good question. When we
pray, we present to God our condition. In doing so, God
often responds by opening our eyes, much like God did for
the servant in this text. With a new vision of our lives or
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ourselves, we begin to make a different assessment of our
conditions. When we prayer, and God begins to reveal to
us that God has always been there protecting and guiding
us, it gives us the capacity to praise God even in places of
hurt. When God allows us to see ourselves more clearly,
we realize that the
problem was not
someone else, but
possibly us and God is
transforming us. When
we begin to see others
as God sees them, then
with this renewed vision,
what once was anger can be transformed into empathy.
Seeing life more clearly (seeing life as God sees it) can
change everything. This is a critical benefit of prayer.
Questions
1. In what ways is your vision of ourself, your life, or
others distorted? What might you not be seeing
clearly?
2. What differences have you seen between the way
you view things and the way God does?
3. How can prayer help you to see things more clearly?
4. How can prayer help you to respond to life events
differently? Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
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Lesson 3
How To Be Prepared
To Pray?
July 17, 2016
Scripture
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted
in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others:
“Two men went up to the
temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a
tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like
other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I
give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax
collector, standing afar off, would not so much as
raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast,
saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other; for everyone who exalts
himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted. [Luke 18:9-14]
Lesson Objectives
The purpose of today’s lesson is to insure students
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1. God looks at the condition of our hearts as we pray.
2. Pride can interfere with our prayers.
3. God does not demand that we be perfect in order to
come to God in prayer.
4. We are always depending on God’s grace when we
pray.
Introduction: A Not Quite Fried Turkey
I remember the first time I fried
a turkey. I was living in New
Orleans and thought I would try
my hand at this treat. I bought
a ten pound turkey and made
sure that I had all the right
seasonings.
I prepared the
turkey and set up my pot
outside.
I had read that it take approximately three
minutes per pound with five minutes added on. For the
turkey I purchased, that meant thirty to thirty-five minutes
to cook the turkey.
With the gas burning brightly, I
dropped the turkey into the peanut oil and watched it cook.
The smell of the turkey filled the air. After about twenty
minutes, the turkey looked golden brown. Not wanting it to
burn, I removed it from the oil and it looked picture perfect.
I let the turkey rest a few minutes and then began to eat.
Yet, as I bit into the portion of the breast I had just cut, I
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realized that the turkey was not done. It looked good on
the outside, but the inside of the turkey was not ready.
The Inside is Important
Throughout the bible we see a constant theme
emerge regarding prayer: Prayer is a matter of the heart.
The condition of the heart before the Lord is very
important and we do ourselves a disservice when we enter
into the moment of prayer disregarding the condition of our
heart.
In the text above, Luke draws a comparison between
two men who came to pray. The Pharisee stands before
God and thanks God in his prayer that he is not like
others.
He makes a big deal of his personal
righteousness. His lists all the sins that he does not
commit but that he observes in the life of others. He is so
proud of himself as he stands before God. His intent is
not that God hear him and respond. Rather his intent is
that others will see him and applause him for his public
holiness.
His heart is more focused on his outer
righteousness than on his inner condition before God.
Now, at first blush, we might all say that we are nothing
like the Pharisee of this text. We would never be this selfrighteous or come before the Lord with such pride. Thank
God we are not like him.
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Yet, the minute we have this reaction, we are in fact,
just like the Pharisee: comparing ourself to someone else
and proclaiming our virtue. What the text is saying to us,
and what we must be on constant guard against, is the
condition of our heart and the ease in which pride hides
within our heart to frustrate our time before God.
Heart is Important
A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e
condition of the heart
is so important, that
the bible provides us
with
another
admonition: If you are
at the altar and you
have an ought with a
brother, go and get
that resolved before bringing your offering to the Lord.
Again, the idea is that one must be attentive to the issues
that can cloud the heart and frustrate communion with
God. This means that we have to be aware of ourselves
and also attentive to our relationship with others, for they
all impact our time with God. God is concerned that we
have right relationship with God but that means having
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right relationship with one another and having the right
condition of our own heart as we approach God.
Perfect to Pray?
Now this may lead some to believe that the only way
to come to the Lord is with a clean slate. That I must be in
perfect condition before I go to God in prayer. Nothing
could be further from the truth. We do not need to be in
perfect condition. But we must be aware of our condition
and we must seek God’s grace. In fact, this is the lesson
of the text.
The Pharisee is contrasted with the tax
collector.
The tax
collector’s condition is
far from perfect.
He
acknowledges that he
is a sinner. He stands
before God incomplete.
In fact, it is his
awareness of his true
condition that prompts
his humility. None of us
can present ourselves
before God and not be
immediately aware of our own unrighteousness. But we
can also have the confidence that if we acknowledge our
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sin before God and trust in the power of Jesus’ blood on
our lives, we can walk confident (not in ourselves but in
God’s grace) that we can come boldly before the Lord.
So how do we prepare for pray? We simply humble
ourselves before God, acknowledge our shortcoming and
depend completely on the grace of God to allow us this
moment of fellowship because of the sacrifice of Christ. If
we are serious about our love for God, we also take the
time to examine ourselves and those things which impede
our time with God we not only confess, but we go and fix.
Why? Because God has been too good to us for us not to
present ourselves in our best imperfect state.
Questions
1. Why does the condition of your heart matter when
you go to God in prayer?
2. What are those internal things that can interfere with
your prayers?
3. Must you be perfect in order to pray?
4. Why is it that we are able to come before the Lord
as we are in prayer? Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
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Lesson 4
What To Expect
From Prayer?
James 5:14-16
July 24, 2016
Scripture
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders
of the church; and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and
the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one
for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
[James 5:14-16]
Lesson Objectives
The purpose of today’s lesson is to insure that the
students understand the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why we should go to God in prayer.
What is happening to us in prayer.
What is happening to our burdens when we pray.
The relationship between our prayer life and external
circumstances.
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Introduction: The Apostle
In the 1997 movie The Apostle, Robert Duvall plays a
Pentecostal revivalist and pastor. Situated first Texas and
later in Louisiana, his character
preaches and heals the sick and
the distraught. Even at the end
of the film, after he has been
arrested for a murder he
committed in Texas, we see him
charismatically preaching to the
chain gang that he is now apart
of. Throughout the movie we see
stereotypes of the impassioned
prayers of believers.
So, it seems reasonable of us to ask ourselves, not
only what is prayer, but what do we really think happens
when we prayer? Are these dramatic images of praying
reasonable and what are the biblical expectations of
prayer? Is there something different that happens we we
go to God in prayer?
The first thing that we must understand is that God
already knows whatever it is that we come to speak to
God about. We are never informing God because God is
omniscient, meaning God is all-knowing.
God knows
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every detail of our life whether we tell God about it or not.
So if, God already knows what is going on in our life, why
do we have to tell God at all? Why can’t God just act on
the issues that we confront in our lives without our going to
God in prayer?
It is because the act of praying is more about what
God is doing to us and for us than what God is performing
around us. This does not mean that our prayers can’t
result in changes in the world around us or in dramatic
manifestations of God’s presence and power in the events
of our lives. Quite the contrary. Prayer can create the
moment where not only God acts, but where we can
clearly see that God is acting in response to our prayers.
However, the power of prayer is that it is an acceptance of
God’s invitation to bring all the matters of your life to God
and it is a declaration of
faith. When we prayer,
we say to ourselves, and
to all those around us,
that we are placing our
hope and trust in God
that God will move in our
lives in a way that God
thinks best.
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It is also the moment where we unburden our hearts
and minds before God. In telling God about the things that
trouble us or has disrupted our joy or attempted to steal
our peace, we open ourselves to God to provide comfort,
confidence and assurance to our hearts. When we pray,
we step into the moment where God is able to remind and
affirm for us every promise that God has made. In these
moments, God also provides us with the strength that we
need to lay claim to the promises of God for ourselves.
Finally, when we pray we create the moment in our
lives where God is able to manifest God’s power in our
lives. We know that prayer changes our circumstances.
What this means is exactly what the text above suggests.
God has already decided how God will respond to
whatever we have brought to God. What prayer does is
that it opens our eyes that we might see that it is God that
is acting on our petition. We see the ways in which God
has had God’s hands involved from the very beginning.
We make the connections between our faith and God’s
action.
Now it is also true that there are times when God can
and desires to do for us but wants us to come and ask.
God is desiring is to make the declaration of faith that our
prayers represents. So, this can mean that there are
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certain realities to our life that do not come to pass for no
other reason than we have not gone to God is prayer. So
while God has a plan for our life and God knows what we
face, it is also true that some blessings only come In
response to our submission before God in prayer.
Additional Resources
Go to Right Now Media (www.rightnow.org) where
you will find a video entitled, “Prayer and the Silence of
God” in which Matt De Haan focuses on instances in our
lives when God seemingly doesn’t answer prayer.
Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why go to God in prayer?
What happens to us when we prayer?
What happens to our burdens when we pray?
What impact does our prayers have on the external
circumstances of our lives?
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Lesson 5
How To Be Persistent
In Prayer
Luke 18:2-7
July 31, 2016
Scripture
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared
not God, neither regarded man: And there was a
widow in that city; and she came unto him,
saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he
would not for a while: but afterward he said within
himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will
avenge her, lest by her continual coming she
weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the
unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him,
though he bear long with them?
Lesson Objective
1. That God asks us to be persist in prayer.
2. When you should give up and stop asking.
3. The benefits of persisting in prayer.
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Introduction
A little boy 3 years old
went to the grocery store with
his mother.
Before they
entered the grocery store she
said to him, “Now you’re not
going to get any chocolate
chip cookies, so don’t ask.”
She put him up in the cart and he sat in the child’s
seat while she wheeled down the aisles. He was doing
just fine until they came to the cookie section. He saw the
chocolate chip cookies and stood up in his seat and said,
“Mom, can I have some chocolate chip cookies?” She
said, “I told you not to even ask. You’re not going to get
any at all.” So he sat back down.
They continued down the aisles, but their search for
certain items brought them into the cookie aisle. “Mom,
can I please have some chocolate chip cookies?” She
said, “I told you that you can’t have any. Now sit down and
be quiet.” Finally, they were approaching the checkout
lane. The little boy sensed that this may be his last
chance. So just before they got to the line, he stood up on
the seat of the cart and shouted in his loudest voice, “In
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the name of Jesus, may I please have some chocolate
chip cookies?”
Everybody near the mother and son just laughed.
Some even applauded. And, due to the generosity of the
other shoppers, the little boy and his mother left the store
with 23 boxes of chocolate chip cookies. The story of the
little boy is a great object lesson for persistence in our
requests. The little boy refused to give up on his requests
for what he wanted.
Questions about Persistence
This pattern of persistent petitioning is true for
Christians as well in their on-going relationships with God.
The Bible tells us that, “We ought always to pray and
not give up” Luke 18:1. The idea of persistent praying
creates reasonable questions in the minds of many of us.
If God hears us the first time we pray, then why does God
ask us to persist in prayer? Is there a time when we
should give up and stop asking God? What kind of God
refuses to answer prayers until or unless He is forced to
by our persistence? Consider the point that if we know
exactly what we want the first time we asked, we
eventually treat God as our own personal genie, only
called forth to meet our desires. But that is precisely what
persistent prayer asks. What do you really want?
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Prayers draws us into the true center of prayer, which
is not something but someone. Persistence deepens our
relationship with God and compels our heart to examine
what it really wants most.
Persistent Prayer
Persistence demands
patience, purposeful
waiting.
This is where
spiritual growth, spiritual
vitality and health live.
Perhaps God desires to
give you exactly what you
asked for, but only in a time
and way that the gift can truly benefit us instead of
harming us.
God uses persistence in prayer to purge our desires.
He also uses persistence to mold, and even transform our
desires, to change how we pray so that we gradually come
to pray closer to His will.
The Apostle Paul prayed three times for a “thorn in
the flesh” to be removed. We don’t know what the “thorn”
is, but was a source of pain for Paul. When God didn’t
answer Paul’s prayer, Paul changed how he was praying.
He prayed that God would help him rely on God’s grace,
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God’s strength, and God’s power which was made perfect
in Paul’s weakness.
We have all experienced the frustration of a
seemingly “unanswered” prayer. We should take heart.
Persistence gives us no guarantees that we will get that
which was prayed for. Rather, it promises we will get
something even better and closer to the will of God.
In a nut shell, persistent praying:
•
•
•
•
Purifies our motives.
Forces us to confront our own helplessness.
Separates deep seated desire from fleeting whims.
Prepares us to receive God’s answer.
Questions
1. How persistent are you in your prayers?
2. What hampers your persistence in prayer?
3. What does the lack of persistence in praying suggest
about your relationship with God?
4. What do you need to do to be more persistent in your
prayers?
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Lesson 6:
How And Why God
Answers Prayer
Psalms 34:15; Phil.
4:6
August 7, 2016
Scripture
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and
His ears are open to their cry. [Psalm 34:15]
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let
your requests be made known to God.
[Philippians 4.6]
Lesson Objective:
1. Understand God’s interest in answering your
prayers.
2. Identify the limits of what you can ask for in prayer.
3. Understand how Scripture gives you confidence that
your prayers will be answered.
Introduction
Phil Calloway didn’t know what to say when his young
children asked if Mommy was going to die. His wife,
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Ramona, suffered horrible seizures. Hundreds of friends
and relatives prayed, but Ramona’s condition worsened.
Doctors tried everything, but by the Fall of 1996, the
seizures were occurring daily, sometimes hourly. Phil
rarely left Ramona’s side. He wondered if she would even
make it to her 30th birthday. One evening, when things
looked utterly hopeless, Phil paced their dark back yard,
then fell to his knees. “God!” he cried out. “I can’t take it
anymore. Please do something!” Suddenly a doctor’s
name came to mind. Phil called the doctor, who saw
Ramona the next morning and diagnosed a rare chemical
deficiency. Within a week, Ramona’s seizures ended. Her
eyes sparkled again. The miracle was so incredible Phil
says, “God gave me back my wife.”
Effective And Fervent Prayers
God is under no obligation to answer our prayers, but
He takes great pleasure in answering our earnest prayers.
The Scriptures remind us that, “The effectual fervent
prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
This passage suggests that there is a “rite of
passage” for God to even consider and then answer our
prayers. Those of us seeking answers from God must
come before God in heartfelt submission to God. While
the passage refers to the “righteous man”, nowhere in
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Scripture does it say that God only answers the prayer of
the perfect. It does call on us to be passionate in seeking
after the things of God and in obedience to God.
God’s Answers to Prayer
Three of many reasons why God will answer our
prayers are cited in Scripture:
1. Persistence - 1 Thess. 5:17,
2. Belief - Matt. 21:22,
3. Clean Heart - Psalm 66:18, and
4. His Love for us - 1 Peter 5:7
God’s answers may come in many forms. Consider these:
1.“No, I love you too
much.”
God loves us much too
much to gives us what
we’re asking for. God
knows what we can
and cannot handle and
His “no” underscores
that knowledge and, in
fact, may be the best thing for us.
2. “Yes, but you’ll have to wait.”
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The story of Phil Callaway is a great object lesson for
many of us. We are often frustrated by what appears to
be God’s delay or His hearing loss. The need is pressing
and God seems delayed. Again, God’s timing is driven by
His knowledge of and love for us. Sometime “delay” is
necessary for the landscape around your situation to
change. “Delay” may also be necessary for God to get the
greatest glory from the deliverance when it does come.
3. ‘Yes, but not what you expected.”
God says in His Word, “For My thoughts are not your
thoughts, nor are yours ways My ways…” For that reason,
we can fully expect the unexpected when it comes to our
prayer requests.
That should provide for us some
measure of excitement since we believers understand that
“He cares” for us and will always bless us from the
perspective of His heart.
4. “Yes, and here’s more!
Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to do more than
we can ask or imagine. This has a hallelujah point. God
has both the ability and heart inclination to give us more
than we can even dream up. We should therefore trust
and expect!
5. “Yes, I thought you’d never ask.”
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God stands ready to answer many of our prayers. But, He
does not He answer the “unprayed" prayer. The Word tells
us that we have not because we ask not. Ours is to
simply ask!
Our lesson scriptures remind us that God is attentive
to our prayers. With that in mind, we should be anxious
for nothing, but rather enter into prayer moments with
confidence and great expectations.
Questions
1. How can you be sure God will answer your prayer?
2. Knowing what you know now, what changes will you
make to your prayer life?
3. How will this new perspective of prayer affect your
daily walk? Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
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Lesson 7
What To Do When
Prayer Is Delayed
Psalm 27:14
August 14, 2016
Scripture
Wait on the Lord and be of good courage, and He
shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the
Lord! [Psalms 27.14]
Lesson Objective:
1. Why would God want me to wait?
2. What’s happening while I wait?
3. How will be equipped for waiting?
Introduction
If I were God, ____ would happen. Have you ever
thought that? If I were God, Zachariah and Elizabeth
would have had their prayers for a child answered LONG
before they were old. After all, verse 6 talks about their
character; “Both of them were righteous in the sight of
God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees
blamelessly.” Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
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Why did God make these two amazing people wait? At least if they had to wait for God’s timing they could have
had it a little easier. Instead they actually had to suffer
shame and disgrace when they were such a great and
godly couple.
Shame and Disgrace, those were
Elizabeth’s words in verse 25 “The Lord has shown me
favor and taken away my disgrace among my people.” In
that culture infertility meant God was against you, that
somehow you had missed His favor; the Jewish people
strongly (and rightly) believed “children are a heritage from
the Lord” (Psalm
127:3-5) Those unable to
conceive were shamed and
disgraced and everyone
wondered what they did to
make God so angry with
them that they would not
deserve the blessing of
children.
Today, we may look at seemingly godly people and
wonder why they are sick or poor or divorced or have
troubled children. Many of the Biblical characters we view
as mighty men and women of God had to “wait” for their
answers from God.
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Of the experiences of life, waiting has to be one of the
most challenging. We are ends-oriented people and we
don’t like to wait for anything. We want what we want and
we want it…Now! We live in a society that is geared up to
give us instant everything. That kind of conditioning can
be very problematic for Christians who have to wait for
God to answer their prayers.
If we would just
consider it, there is good in
our waiting.
The waiting
times are times for us to
trust God and pray for God’s
plan and purpose to be
revealed.
Trusting God
means staying connected to God, not going with the
prompts of our own flesh. It further means making sure
we commune with our heavenly Father through prayer and
reading His word, sometimes this is a moment-by-moment
process.
Waiting is hard work and, at times, can even test our
faith. Desires we long for, prayers we’ve been praying,
and news we are waiting to hear can tempt us to be
impatient, discouraged, to worry, and even wonder if God
really cares.
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Maybe this is why the Bible talks so much about
waiting. God wants us to know that waiting is not a
passive activity where we do nothing. Scripture teaches
us that God wants us to actively participate in the in the
work God desires to accomplish. Waiting strategically can
cultivate good fruit in our lives such as patience,
perseverance, and endurance. It also draws us closer to
our Savior and points those who are watching us to the
Gospel.
Consider these options for strategic waiting:
1. Believe that the God who saved you hears your
cries (Micah 7:7)
2. Watch with expectancy, but be prepared for
unexpected answers (Psalms 53)
3. Put your hope in God’s Word. (Psalms 130:5-6)
4. Resist fretting, refrain from anger, be still, and
choose patience. (Psalms 37:7-8)
5. Don’t go your own way instead of waiting for God’s
promise. (Acts 1:4)
6. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful with
thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2)
Questions
1. What frame of mind do you find yourself in when
you’re waiting in earnest for a prayer to be
answered?
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2. How can you find peace and confidence in your
waiting?
3. How can God get glory while you’re actively waiting?
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Lesson 8
The Power of
Praying God’s Word
Hebrews 4:12
August 21, 2016
Scripture
For the word of God is living and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart. [Hebrews 4.12]
Lesson Objective
The purpose of this lesson is to assist students in
answering the following questions:
1. Why should I pray God’s Word?
2. How is my prayer enhanced by praying God’s
Word?
3. How am I changed by paying God’s Word?
Introduction
In Baghdad, Iraq, a 22-year-old Army Private First
Class soldier named Brendan Schweigart was on a critical
mission wearing a bullet proof shield for protection. You
can only imagine the tension in that situation. Before going
out to battle, he carefully tucked his Bible in his pocket
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beneath his bulletproof shield. While on a dangerous
mission, he was shot with a high-powered rifle. The Bible
saved his life when it shielded the bullet from his heart. He
told his mother that he
always carried his
Bible into battle.
Brendan received a
Purple Heart and was
soon released from
the hospital. The
bullet was still in the
pages of his Bible, a
miraculous reminder
of the amazing power
and protection of the
Word of God.
Just as with Brendan, God’s Word will protect our
lives when in spiritual battle. It can bring forth life in the
darkest of situations. It can save us from those fiery darts
from the enemy. How many of us carry our Bibles into
battle like Army Private Brendan? Praying the Bible can and will have a dramatic effect
in our prayer lives and prayer meetings. It is definitely a
key to the success of day and night prayer and worship.
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It’s advantageous in our walk with God. It takes us to such
a higher level in our relationship with God. Our faith
increases and rises to a new place in authoritative
strength. We pray the will of God and see answers to our
prayers (1 John 5:14-15). Praying Scripture helps us to
grow in Biblical knowledge. God is able to bring our prayer
lives into an entirely new focus. Praying God’s Word
When we pray God’s Word, we tell God what he says
in His Word. Everyone can pray like this—young and old,
beginners and the experienced. God knows everything.
We don’t have to come up with some intelligent method of
praying, but He is deeply touched when we pray the truths
in God’s Word back to God. God loves it when we agree
with God through His Word. We read His Word and let the
Holy Spirit speaks to us through it. Then we pray it back to
God as the Holy Spirit leads us. His Words are Spirit and
Truth (John 4:23-24; 6:63). When we pray God’s Word, it
marks us on the inside, changes us, and builds us up.
There is tremendous power packed into God’s Word.
When you begin to pray and speak God’s Word over a
situation, you activate and release God’s transforming
power. The Word of God assures of its effectiveness: Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
Page 42
"Is not my word like fire,"declares the LORD, and
like a hammer that breaks a rock in
pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)
The Word of God is
alive and sharper than
any sword! (Heb 4:12)
When you pray and
speak the Word over
your situation,
something supernatural
takes place. His Word
will accomplish what it
is sent to do. His Word cuts through situations and reestablishes order. Jesus tells us that if we have faith the
size of a mustard seed, we can tell the mountain to be
cast into the sea and it will happen.
We must emphasize the Bible in our prayer meetings
and everywhere we go. As we do this, we combat the lies
of the enemy and spiritually strengthen our ability to abide
in God’s Word. We choose to obey God’s Word as we
pray it. We feed our hearts on it. We learn to talk to God
about His Word and then we listen. We internalize it, and
we say it back to God. The Word of God comes to us
ready to be applied to our lives:
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“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the servant of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work” - (2 Timothy
3:16-17).
Questions
1. Do you see how praying the Word could be beneficial
to both your prayer life and everyday faith walk?
2. What has stopped you from effectively including the
Word of God in your prayers?
3. What steps will you take to begin incorporating the
Word of God in your prayers?
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Lesson 9
Praying During
Trials and Tests
Psalms 142
August 28, 2016
Scripture
I cry out to the Lord with my voice; With my voice
to the Lord I make my supplication. I pour out my
complaint before Him; I declare before Him my
trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within
me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which
I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.
Look on my right hand and see, For there is no
one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed
me; No one cares for my soul. I cried out to You,
O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in
the land of the living. Attend to my cry, For I am
brought very low; Deliver me from my
persecutors, For they are stronger than I. Bring
my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your
name; The righteous shall surround me, For You
shall deal bountifully with me. [Psalms 142]
Lesson Objective:
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1. Can my prayers overshadow my circumstances?
2. Does God have any interest in my trials and tests?
3. How can prayer keep me as I go through the tough
times?
Introduction
Christian, Rachel Roberts shares this story about
prayer during tough times:
My husband, Jim, and I own a small commercial
building in which Jim uses half the space for his dental
practice. For 15 years we had no trouble renting out the
other half. We counted on that extra income to pay bills.
Then the economy turned sour and we lost our renter.
"You might as well forget about advertising for a while,"
one real-estate agent told us. "Absolutely nobody is
renting."
To ease my worries I started swimming laps in the
pool at our local YMCA. One day when I was feeling
especially anxious about our finances, I decided to pray,
using the alphabet to keep track of the number of laps.
Focusing on all the adjectives I could think of about God, I
started with the letter A. "You are an almighty God," I
thought as I churned through the water. "A benevolent
God, a beautiful God . . ." came next. During the third lap,
"You are a caring God, a creative God, a can-do God . . ."
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By the time I'd completed 26 laps, my fears were gone.
Somehow, I knew that God would take care of us.
Weeks later I received a
call from a licensed
physical therapist. She
and her partner had been
looking to open a regional
clinic. They'd seen our
For Rent sign. "May we
s e e t h e o f fi c e ? " s h e
asked. She is still renting
that space. And I'm still praying while I swim laps. After all,
I've discovered God's goodness stretches from A to Z.
Sometimes Christians complain, “I’ve been following
the Lord and seeking to be obedient. Why am I
experiencing all of these trials?” They think that if you obey
God, God gives you a free pass from trials. But read your
Bible! Many of the most godly men and women in the
Bible went through difficult trials. Don’t be surprised, 1
Peter 4:12 confirms, “Beloved, do not think it strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though
some strange thing happened to you…”
One of God’s main reasons for bringing such trials
into our lives is to get us to seek God more fervently as we
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recognize in a new way how dependent on God we really
are. And, if our trial is due to some sin that was previously
a blind spot, God wants us to confess it and turn from it.
Bible scholar, John Calvin comments, “But we must know,
that as often as God withdraws his blessing from his own
people, it is for the purpose of awakening them to a sense
of their condition, and discovering to them how far
removed they still are from the perfect fear of God.”
Our prayers to God during our testing take on a whole
different perspective when we consider and embrace the
following Scripture-supported thoughts:
1. Tribulation tests our identity as Christians
Tribulation tests our
identity. In the parable of the
sower (Matthew 13:1-23),
Jesus described several
situations. The seed that
landed on rocky places did
not have much soil. It sprang
up quickly, because the soil
was shallow. When the sun
came up, the plants were
scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
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Jesus said that the one who received the seed that fell on
rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once
receives it with joy. Since he has no root, he lasts only a
short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of
the Word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the
seed that fell among thorns is the man who hears the
word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of
wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. The seed that fell on
good soil produced a good crop. By implication, that seed
that fell on good soil stayed connected to the source of its
life and was not destroyed by trouble, persecution, the
worries of this life, or the deceitfulness of wealth. When we
deal with tribulation as we should, it authenticates our true
identity as believers.
2. Tribulation tests our faith
"These [trials] have come so that your faith of
greater worth than gold, which perishes even
though refined by fire may be proved genuine
and may result in praise, glory and honor when
Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7).
3. Tribulation tests our sense of purpose
When I was in my first year of medical school, I was
one minute late to histology class two or three times in a
row. Our professor approached me in the laboratory and
notified me that my tardiness reflected on my "sense of
Page 49
purpose." I was never late again, because I realized how it
would reflect on my character. As it says in James,
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because
when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of
life that God has promised to those who love him.”(James
1:2).
4. Tribulation tests our obedience
"The reason I wrote you was to see if you would
stand the test and be obedient in everything.” (2
Corinthians 2:9).
5. We are tested to teach us to rely on God
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers,
about the hardships we suffered in the province
of Asia. We were under great pressure, far
beyond our ability to endure, so that we
despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we
felt the sentence of death. But this happened that
we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who
raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a
deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we
have set our hope that he will continue to deliver
us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many
will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious
favor granted us in answer to the prayers of
many" (2 Corinthians 1:8-11).
6. We are tested so that it will go well with us
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Israel’s wilderness testing serves as a great
object lesson for us to live by. ”God gave you
manna to eat in the desert, something your
fathers had never known, to humble and to test
you so that in the end it might go well with
you" (Deuteronomy 8:16).
Questions
1. How, if at all, have you been able to pray through
tough times?
2. How can this lesson enhance your prospects for
effective prayer during tests and trials?
3. How can your overall walk in Christ benefit from your
ability to pray effectively through tough times?
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Lesson 10
How to Pray for
One’s Family
1 Cor. 7:14; 1 Tim.
2:1-2
September 4, 2016
Scriptures
For the unbelieving husband is made holy
because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is
made holy because of her husband. Otherwise
your children would be unclean, but as it is, they
are holy. [1 Cor. 7:14]
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be
made, for kings and all who are in authority, that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and reverence. [1 Tim. 2:1-2]
Lesson Objective:
answering the following questions
1. How does God feel about families.
2. The value in praying for our families.
3. Reasons for constantly prayer for your pastor and
church leaders?
Page 52
Introduction
A little boy was
heard praying and his
heart revealed his great
concern for his family
and his dependence on
God in their regard:
"Dear God, please take
care of my daddy and
my mommy and my
sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, please
take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you,
we're gonna be in a big mess.”
Praying for the Family
Healthy families are good for all of us, because the
state of the family directly impacts the state of our society.
Strong families produce children who have the tools to
grow up to become healthy, mature, well-adjusted adults.
Three key points are to be remembered where the family
is concerned: The family is God’s idea, God’s design and
an expression of God’s nature and essence.
When God formed the earth, flinging stars in the sky,
and creating life, he said, “Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness.” When he says “us”, he’s referring to
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the active participation of every member of the godhead in
creation. Father. Son. Holy Spirit. Within our families,
we’re meant to experience the same intimacy, oneness,
community, and fellowship that God experiences in the
godhead. That’s his plan for our families.
Family members are
meant to take care of one
another, and sacrifice for
“us.” But we’re each
imperfect and we live with
imperfect people. Rather
than fighting with our
families, it’s important to
fight for our families,
praying hard and praying
often. Prayer for families
can be done in a variety of ways - by you in your prayer
closet, by praying together with your spouse, and praying
together as a family unit. Consider this Scripture prayer
as a great model for praying for one’s family:
Father God . . . I ask you to help each member of
our family (name them) to be completely humble
and gentle in our interactions with each other;
and to be patient, bearing with one another’s
faults in love – even when we’re tired, frustrated,
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angry, or hurt. Help us Father, to make every
effort to remain united in the Spirit in this home.
Please bind us together in peace. [Ephesians
4:2-3]
Sometimes, the Lord reveals specific needs for your
family members. God reveals pain that they may be
feeling or certain things that are drawing them away from
fellowship with God.
Praying for your family can give you insight from the
Lord and most of all, prayer will bring you comfort as God
reminds you of His promises. Perhaps some members of
your family do not have a personal relationship with Jesus
Christ.
Several helpful things are to be considered as we
engage in family prayer:
Family Prayer – The Goal is Preservation
One of God’s highest priorities is preserving family
relationships.
Family Prayer – Is a Privilege
We may recall the familiar child’s family prayer, “God
is great, God is good. And we thank God for this food.” As
a child facing the probability of a “creature” hiding under
my bed I prayed, “If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my
soul to take.” Some families may choose prearranged
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prayers or repetition, while others may prefer
spontaneous, less structured prayers. In both cases,
prayers are a privilege that require a commitment between
parent and child as well as God.
Family Prayer – Provides Protection
In family prayer, it is
important to remember
that our Heavenly Father
loves to talk with
children and cares
deeply about their
problems. Knowing that
God protects and
rescues us from our
fears
provides
invaluable peace and unity to a family.
Family Prayer – Is a Priority
Though family prayer is effective in strengthening
members, it’s often difficult to find a specific prayer time.
Parents approach family prayer with the best of intentions,
only to find schedule conflicts. A parent may feel
unqualified to lead in prayer, believing that they will appear
ineffective communicating with God.
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So are there guidelines to establishing family prayer
as priority each day?
• Talk about whatever is bothering you, no matter how
small (1 Peter 5:7).
• Invite God to reveal His purposes, plans, and desires
for your life (1 John 5:14–15).
• Make God the head of your home (Deuteronomy 6:5–
9).
• Expect God to respond as you humble yourself before
God (Mark 11:22–25).
Praying for the Church and Leaders
Do you want to fire your pastor and leaders? Perhaps
you should fire them up instead!
Do you want to leave your church? Perhaps you
should be the one to build it up instead!
The best way to build your church and fire up your
pastor and church leaders is to pray for them continually! If
you really want to put your faith where it is needed the
most, commit yourself to support your pastor and leaders,
and realize that they are God-loved, God-appointed and
God-purposed. Consider these seven prayer points as
you engage in prayer on behalf of the leaders:
• Pray they will keep their eyes on God.
• Pray they will not take a step apart from God’s
leading.
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• Pray they will be aware of relying on their own
strength.
• Pray that they will be saddened over the sin and
failures of God’s people.
• Pray they will know when to push away from the
crowds and pray.
• Pray they will speak the gospel boldly.
• Pray they will finish well.
Questions
1. How committed are you to praying with consistency
for your family? How can you enhance your
prayers?
2. Are you able to pray for your pastor and the church
leaders even if you are in disagreement with them?
3. If your prayer life for your pastor and church leaders
is lacking, what will you do about it?
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Lesson 11
Praying for Your
Enemies
Matthew 5.44
September 11, 2016
Scripture
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do
good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use
you. [Matthew 5.44]
Lesson Objectives:
answering the following questions
1. How can you pray for your enemy while the
persecute you.
2. How to prayer for those who don’t appear to
deserve your prayers.
3. God’s position on you seeking revenge.
Introduction
They were the bitterest of enemies. For more than a
decade, on the streets of Milwaukee, two men shared a
mutual disgust. One was a hard-nosed cop named Ray
Robokowski. "I wasn't a social worker; I was a police
officer," he told Hartman, a news reporter. "My job was to
Page 59
take care of what needed to be taken care of.” Which was
why Jacob Maclin didn't like him.
"Oh,
I
d e fi n i t e l y
didn’t.” Maclin,
a drug dealer
and gangb a n g e r, g o t
arrested so
many times you
can watch him
grow old in his mug shots. And it was that career thug -and this officer -- who sat down one day over a cup of
coffee. The district attorney's office arranged it.
The
meeting was to see if cop and criminal could work
together, and come up with a way to get out of this vicious
cycle. But neither guy was buying it. Ray was only there
because his boss made him come. And Jacob was tricked
into coming -- told he had a job interview. So they basically
just glared at each other the entire time.
So what was Robokowski thinking? "'You're going to
screw up and I'm going to find you and put you back,'" he
recalled to Hartman. To which Maclin responded, "Yeah,
I'm glad he changed his mind.”
It was Maclin who
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changed the cop's mind. Eventually, over the next couple
months, Jacob proved to Ray that he wanted to get a job
and turn his life around. "He sent me on, maybe, 14 or 15
interviews in two weeks," recalled Maclin. "And one of
them was Community Warehouse.”
Community
Warehouse is a non-profit, home improvement store that
hires ex-cons and teaches them job skills. Jacob started
working here eight years ago, and is now on the
management team.
To this day, he can't thank Ray
enough. Hartman asked, "You grateful?” "Very, very, very,
oh man, very ..." Maclin responded. He said "very" at least
half a dozen times. And as for that very helpful cop, he
has retired from the police force. But he still wanted to
work, still wanted a job. So whom did he turn to for work?
"Jacob Maclin!" said Robokowski. "And he laughed. Now
he held the cards. But I wanted to be here."
Through Community Warehouse, with his new friend
Jacob, Ray has now helped more than a dozen other excons leave their past behind. Hartman asked Maclin, "Is
Ray a different guy than he was when you first met him?”
"Oh, definitely! Oh, did I say that too loud?” "Pretty loud.”
Jacob, of course, is equally unrecognizable. Today his only
high-speed chases are around swing sets. He's got three
kids and has vowed the cycle stops with him.
Page 61
The sad note about enemies is that each enemy live
beneath their possibilities and they embrace feelings that
are counterproductive.
The good news about enemy
posture is that it doesn't have to be permanent. The same
energy and emotion used to maintain their opposition is
the same energy and emotion that can forge and maintain
a great friendship.
As Christians, we
are confronted
with the fact that
we were once
enemies of God.
No one has been
reconciled to God,
apart from the
grace that came
with the death of
Jesus at Calvary. Paul writes in Romans 5:10, “We were
God’s enemies.” The Bible reminds us repeatedly of how
God wants us to respond to our enemies. Our lesson
Scripture states in plain English what God wants us to do.
Matthew 5:38-40 charges us to respond to a slap by giving
the opposition another cheek to slap!
Proverbs tells
24:17-18 tells us not to rejoice when our enemies have
trouble.
Page 62
If we are to be honest, God’s directives poses
problems for many of us. We find it unnatural to be
friendly to the pointedly unfriendly. Everything about us
wants to shift into survival mode and that doesn’t allow for
any kindness regards toward our enemies.
With all of the directives around posture, God also
provides significant reassurances in His Word. We find
such reassurance in Psalm 18:48 where we are reminded
that, “He rescues me from my enemies; He holds me
safely out of their reach and saves me from these power
opponents.”
Our flesh always wants its revenge, its
“pound of flesh”. We are called back from our natural
tendencies in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is
written,Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
We are also reminded in Scripture that our evil
responses or “paybacks” are inadequate for overcoming
the evil that visits us from our enemies. Romans 12:21
admonishes us, “Do not overcome by evil, but overcome
evil with good.”
This too seems to be better in
conversation than in reality. That statement is true only
until we remember that, “Greater is He that is within us
than he that is in the world.” We have the ability through
Page 63
the Spirit of God in us to overcome both our evil
responses and our enemies.
Romans 12:14 echoes our lesson Scriptures
reminding us to, Bless those who persecute you. “Don’t
curse them; pray that God will bless them”
Questions
1. How likely are you to engage in prayer for your
enemies? What needs to change to make that
happen?
2. Are you willing to push back against your own feelings
to lift them up in prayer.
3. If you choose not to pray for them, how will you
reconcile that with God.
Page 64
Lesson 12
Fasting and Praying
Acts 14.23
September 18, 2016
Scripture
So when they had appointed elders in every
church, and prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord in whom they had
believed. [Acts 14.23]
Lesson Objectives:
1. Why should I be fasting?
2. When should I be fasting?
3. What is the connection between combined fasting
and prayer?
Introduction
The story is told of a man who was condemned to
solitary confinement in a pitch-black cell. The only thing he
had to occupy his mind was a marble, which he threw
repeatedly against the walls. He spent his hours listening
to the marble as it bounced and rolled around the room.
Then he would grope in the darkness until he found his
precious toy.
Page 65
One day, the prisoner threw his marble upward--but it
failed to come down. Only silence echoed through the
darkness. He was deeply disturbed by the "evaporation" of
the marble and his inability to explain its disappearance.
Finally he went berserk, pulled out all his hair, and died.
When the prison officials came to remove his body, a
guard noticed something caught in a huge spider's web in
the upper corner of the room. That's strange, he thought. I
wonder how a marble got up there.
As the story of the frantic prisoner illustrates, human
perception sometimes poses questions the mind is
incapable of answering. But valid answers always exist.
Often the issue of fasting and praying fall into the
category of the irrational.
For those of us who are
followers of Jesus Christ, it just makes good sense not to
depend too heavily on our ability to make the pieces fit-especially when we're trying to figure out the Almighty!
Fasting and prayer is one of the most powerful
spiritual combinations on earth. True fasting brings
humility and alignment with God. It breaks the power of
the flesh and the enemy, satan. It kills unbelief and brings
answers to prayer when nothing else works.
Fasting is not magic, nor does it twist the arm of God.
God wants to do many amazing things, but He looks for
Page 66
those willing to urgently make the corrections needed to
come into line with him. God resists the proud, but gives
grace to the humble. Successful fasting is also the fastest
way to learn patience. It takes patience and endurance to
fast for more than a day.
Many of God’s tests come quicker to us when we fast,
and we have a better opportunity to pass them. If we want
to go far with God we would have to face these tests
anyway, but much later, and in a more time consuming
and difficult way. We need to “bite the bullet” and embrace
the correction God wants to apply to our souls.
Fasting gives you God’s focus for your life. It is a
major key to hearing God’s voice (the other is true worship
– the two are related). We need focus from God more than
anything. The world we live in is working overtime to
distract us, to entice us, to win our hearts and minds, our
focus, and to determine our vision. Fasting cuts out the
world so we can tune into God. If we are obedient to God
fasting will make us catalysts for revival and awakening.
Fasting and praying are not part of a humanengineered method or plan. They are not the means to
manipulate a situation or to create a circumstance. Fasting
and praying are Bible-based disciplines that are
Page 67
appropriate for all believers of all ages throughout all
centuries in all parts of the world.
Many people in the church have never been taught
about fasting and prayer, and many have therefore never
fasted and prayed. As a result, they don't know why fasting
and praying are important, what the Bible teaches about
fasting, or how to fast. To many, fasting sounds like
drudgery -- or a form of religious works. To others, fasting
sounds extremely difficult.
Believers are encouraged to fast and pray for two
very important reasons:
1. The Scriptures Teach Us to Fast and Pray
The Bible has a great deal to say about both fasting
and praying, including commands to fast and pray. The
Bible also gives us examples of people who fasted and
prayed, using different types of fasts for different reasons,
all of which are very positive results. Jesus fasted and
prayed. Jesus' disciples fasted and prayed after the
Resurrection. Many of the Old Testament heroes and
heroines of the faith fasted and prayed. Many people in
the early church fasted and prayed. What the Scriptures
have taught us directly and by the examples of the saints
is surely something we are to do.
Page 68
2. Fasting and Prayer Put You into the Best
Possible Position for a Breakthrough
That breakthrough might be in the realm of the spirit.
It may be in the realm of your emotions or personal habits.
It may be in the realm of a very practical area of life, such
as a relationship or finances. Periods of fasting and prayer
produce great spiritual results, many of which fall into the
realm of a breakthrough. What isn't a reality . . . suddenly
is. What didn't work . . . suddenly does. The unwanted
situation or object that was there . . . suddenly isn't there
any longer. The relationship that is unloving . . . suddenly
becomes loving. The job that hasn't materialized . . .
suddenly does.
Questions
1. How have your perceptions been changed by the
study of this lesson?
2. How committed are you to make fasting and prayer
part of your spiritual disciplines?
3. What do you reasonably expect to get from
combining fasting and prayer into your life? Mt. Zion Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)
Page 69
Lesson 13
Models for Effective
Prayer
John 14:6, Luke 11:1
September 25, 2016
Scripture
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and
life. No one comes to the Father except through
Me. [John 14:6]
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.
When he finished, one of His disciples said” to
him, “Lord, teach us to pray…[Luke 11.1]
Lesson Objectives
1. Why did Jesus, the son of God, pray?
2. How did Jesus pray?
3. What would Jesus expect of us after having studied
His model?
Introduction
Jesus, says in John that He is the “way, the truth and
the life.” While the context of that passage speaks in to
God’s salvific work at the cross, clearly Christ expects us
Page 70
to follow the life pattern He established while He was here
on earth. One of the most significant and meaningful He
engaged in was consent and fervent prayer. Jesus gave
us much to take note of as we strive enhance our own
prayer lives.
One way we can learn to pray is by looking at the
prayer life of Jesus. Although the Gospels don't provide a
detailed biography of Christ, they do offer captivating
glimpses into His prayer life. First, however, it will be
helpful to answer the question, "Why did Jesus pray?" This
is sometimes puzzling for Christians. After all, if Jesus is
God, why did Christ need to pray?
Theologically
speaking, there
are at least three
reasons that
Jesus prayed.
First, Jesus
prayed as an
example to his
followers. This is
an example we continue to learn from, as this article
demonstrates. Second, the Incarnation consists of both
divine and human natures. From His human nature, it was
Page 71
perfectly natural for a Jewish believer such as Christ to
pray. Third, the nature of the Trinity allows for
communication between its members. As God the Son,
Jesus could pray to God the Father.
The Bible records various and distinct ways in which
Jesus prayed, all of which are useful for us as we strive to
enhance our own prayer lives.
Jesus prayed for others.
In Matthew 19:13, we read, "Then little children were
brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and
pray for them." In John 17:9 we read, "I [Jesus] pray for
them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you
have given Me, for they are Yours." This underscores the
need for intercessory prayer.
Jesus prayed with others.
Luke 9:28 reads, "[Jesus] took Peter, John and James
with God and went up onto a mountain to pray." Jesus
prayed alone, as we'll read below, but He also knew the
value of praying with others. Acts 1:14 underscores the
importance of Christians praying with one another: "They
all joined together constantly in prayer …”
Page 72
Jesus prayed alone.
Luke 5:16 reads, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely
places and prayed." Psalm 46:10 reads, "Be still, and
know that I am God." Sometimes it's important for us to
"be still" before God, but the only way to do this, especially
in our hectic culture, is to do so alone with God.
Jesus prayed in nature.
Psalms 19:1 reads, "The heavens declare the glory of
God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." What
better place to commune with our Creator than among the
wonders of nature? Luke 6:12 says, "One of those days
Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray ..." He could
have gone to a home, a synagogue or if He were near
Jerusalem he could have gone to the temple to pray. But
there were times when Jesus made the decision to pray
where He was, which often happened to be in nature. We
are surrounded by so much that is "man made" that
sometimes it's difficult for us to remember that this is not
our world, but God's world (Genesis 1:1, Psalms 24:1) full
of wonders for us to enjoy.
Jesus could pray as a sprinter or a marathon
runner.
The Lord's Prayer is full of wisdom, but it is short
enough to be easily memorized and serve as an example
Page 73
of a sprint rather than a marathon prayer. But Jesus also
knew how to dedicate long periods of time to prayer. As
we read in Luke 6:12, Jesus "spent the night praying to
God." We, too, need to be able to offer short prayers, as
well dedicate long periods of our lives to prayer.
Jesus prayed regularly.
This insight is gleaned from a passage cited earlier,
Luke 5:16: "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and
prayed." The word "often" is not hidden, but makes it
obvious that Jesus prayed regularly. Throughout the
Gospels whenever we read of Jesus and prayer, it comes
up regularly and naturally. Prayer was simply a part of who
He was. It was integrated into every aspect of Christ's life.
Can we say the same about prayer in our life?
The prayers of Jesus were heartfelt.
Jesus did not pray in a cold, distant manner, but in
heartfelt supplication, demonstrating empathy and a
genuine love for God. This is demonstrated clearly in John
17, where Jesus prays for Himself, His immediate
disciples, as well as for all believers.
Jesus prayed based on His knowledge of God
and His truths.
The prayers of Jesus were based on God's revealed
truths and, as such, were in line with a solid biblical
Page 74
worldview. In John 4:24 Jesus said, "God is spirit, and His
worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." He also
said, "the truth will set you free" (John 8:32), underscoring
the importance of truth in the life of Jesus and, in turn, our
lives. Proper prayer requires us to have a truthful
understanding of God and what He has revealed to us
through His Word.
Jesus taught persistence in prayer.
"Then Jesus
told his disciples
a parable to
show them that
they should
always pray and
not
give
up" (Luke 18:1).
The parable
Jesus shared is not meant to depict a pestering disciple
who finally bugs God enough that He chooses to respond,
but about persistence in prayer and waiting on God and
His timing.
Page 75
Jesus knew that not all his prayers would be
answered as expected.
This is a difficult prayer lesson to learn, but the fact of
the matter is that not all our prayers are answered in ways
we expect. Even Jesus knew this hard lesson as he cried
out to God the Father from Gethsemane (Matthew
26:36-44). Three times Jesus prayed for God to allow an
easier path, but Jesus knew, "Yet not as I will, but as You
will" (26:39). Unanswered prayer is such a challenge to
the Christian life that we'll address the matter in more
detail in another article in this series.
When Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, "Yet not as I will,
but as You will," He offered a tremendous but seemingly
simple insight into prayer: God is in charge. As we learn
from the prayer life of Jesus, we need to keep this
overarching principle in mind.
Questions
1. What are the areas of your prayer life that need to
line up more with the Jesus model?
2. How could you benefit from the realignment?
3. What will you do, starting today, to follow the Jesus
model for prayer?
Page 76
Lesson 14
Developing a
Stronger Prayer
Life
Ephesians 1:18
October 2, 2016
Scripture
I pray 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 his holy people…
[Ephesians 1.18]
Lesson Objectives
1. How necessary is it for you to “grow” your prayer
life?
2. Is there a spiritual routine that will strengthen your
prayer life?
3. Can I expect noticeable and significant changes in
my life?
Page 77
Introduction
Noted prayer theologian, E.M Bounds, makes several
profound statements about prayer in his book The
Weapon of Prayer:
“Nothing is well done without prayer for the
simple reason that it leaves God out of the
account.”
“Whatever affects the intensity of our praying
affects the value of our work.”
“It is better to let the work go by default than to let
the praying go by neglect.”
“Leaders in the realm of religious activity are to
be judged by their praying habits, and not by their
money or social position.”
“Praying men are a necessity in carrying out the
divine plan for the salvation of men.”
“Prayer concerns God, whose purposes and
plans are conditioned on prayer.”
How can I build up a prayer life? It’s a question that
every believer should ask. Why?
It’s because
as believers in Christ, our prayer life is absolutely vital. It’s
our spiritual breathing. It’s essential to living a normal
Christian life. Without prayer, our Christian life is like a car
with flat tires. The car may be great, but it’s not going very
far.
Page 78
Consider this seven step model that will equip you to
build up a personal prayer life. If we are to develop a
stronger prayer life we must first:
1. Realize that prayer is a warfare.
Satan hates our prayer life and will do anything to
stop us from praying. That’s why we must “watch unto
prayer” and fight for our prayer life. Consider that your
prayer is like rowing a boat upstream–to row against the
current.
In Ephesians 6:10-20, a
passage on spiritual
warfare, Paul wrote, “By
means of all prayer and
petition, praying at
every time in spirit and
watching unto this in
a
l
l
perseverance…” (Eph.
6:18).
We need to watch unto
prayer, to stand guard over our prayer life, like soldiers on
patrol. The enemy will often come with distractions or
tiredness to disturb our prayer.
Page 79
2. Make a vow to be a praying person.
That’s also why we need to make a vow for prayer.
That’s not because we can keep the vow. We can’t keep it.
Only the Lord can. But our vow is our aligning our will with
God’s. It’s our way of agreeing with God.
In the Life-study of Colossians, Witness Lee said,
Before you try to persevere in prayer, you should
first make a deal with the Lord concerning your
prayer life. Pray to Him in a definite way and say,
“Lord, I mean business with You about this matter
of prayer. I call heaven and earth to witness that
from this time forth I will have a life of prayer. I
will not be a prayerless person. Rather, I will be a
praying person.” If you do not have such a prayer
to the Lord, you will not be able to persevere in
prayer. (p. 579) Without such a vow, we will easily neglect our prayer
life. But I can testify that if you make such a vow, the
Lord will remind you of your prayer time and bother you
when you fail to pray.
3. Set aside specific times to pray.
A vow gives the Lord the ground to remind you. But,
to build up a prayer life still requires your cooperation to
set specific prayer times that the Lord can remind you of.
For example, you may want to set aside ten minutes in the
Page 80
morning at 6:30, another ten minutes at lunch, or in the
afternoon at 3 or 4, and ten minutes at 9:30 or 10 in the
evening.
Daniel built up such a habit of daily praying at set
times (Dan. 6:10). His habit was so strong that even
the king’s decree couldn’t prevent him from keeping his set
prayer times. Acts 10:9 also records that, “Peter went up
on the housetop to pray around the sixth hour.” Here it
mentions both the specific place and set time for Peter’s
prayer.
How about us? Do we have such a set time and place
for prayer? Do we have times that the Lord can remind us
of?
4. Realize the
tremendous
benefits of
prayer.
In order to
persevere in prayer
we need to
treasure our prayer
life the way God
does. We need to appreciate its worth to such an extent
that we are willing to sacrifice for it.
Page 81
To see the benefits of prayer according to God’s
Word, I’d highly recommend you read 8 Benefits of Prayer
You Can’t Afford to Miss.
5. Begin your prayer life first thing
each morning.
Make prayer a priority in your day starting first thing
each morning. Even the Lord Jesus, standing in the
position of a man, needed to get away to have private
times to pray to His Father. Mark 1:35 says,
“And rising up very early in the morning, while it
was still night, [Jesus] went out and went away to
a deserted place, and there He prayed.”
When the day heats up, it’s harder to find a “deserted
place”–without phone calls, text messages, emails and
social media to distract you. For a quality prayer time, it’s
best to make time to pray when your electronic devices
are turned off or muted.
6. Nourish your prayer life by feeding on
God’s word.
It’s hard to sustain a prayer life without an adequate
supply. God’s Word is the supply to nourish your prayer.
By praying over or pray-reading a few verses you’ll be
spiritually nourished and allow God to initiate some burden
of prayer within you.
Page 82
7. Watch unto prayer with thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving preserves
your prayer life. It
keeps you watching out
for your prayer. In
Colossians 4:2 Paul
said, “Persevere in
prayer, watching in it
with thanksgiving.”
The sign of a praying
person is thankfulness. If you are one who perseveres in
prayer, you will always be thankful to the Lord. This giving
of thanks to God will preserve you in your life of prayer. If
we continually offer thanks to the Lord, the adversary will
not be able to carry us off from our prayer life. Prayer is
maintained by watching in it with thanksgiving.
Questions:
1. What areas of your prayer life need overhauling?
2. What keeps you from consistent and fervent prayer?
3. How will lesson assist you enhancing your prayer
life?
Page 83

Sunday School Lessons (July-September 2016)

Transcription

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